Wearable AR Glasses Using GaN Laser Diodes and Waveguides
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wearable augmented reality glasses suffer from being distracting, having high power consumption, and displaying dim and small images, while existing technologies fail to provide a cost-effective and compact form factor for transparent, efficient projection systems.
Innovation Solution
The use of blue and green laser diodes fabricated on non-polar or semi-polar oriented gallium nitride substrates with optical delivery through transparent waveguides, such as diffraction, holographic, polarized, or reflective optics, to create a compact and efficient projection system that provides bright images with low power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional light sources and projection systems are used in wearable augmented reality glasses, then the system can display images, but the power consumption is high and the images appear dim and small
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameters of the light source by using laser diodes instead of conventional LEDs or bulbs, and specifically uses blue laser diodes with wavelengths around 450nm. This parameter change enables much higher brightness output while maintaining lower power consumption, directly resolving the contradiction between image brightness and power consumption in wearable AR glasses
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional projection mechanisms with a laser-based direct projection system. Instead of using bulky projection lenses and complex optical paths, the system uses laser diodes to directly generate the projected image, which reduces both power consumption and increases brightness efficiency. This substitution of the projection mechanism is key to achieving high brightness with low power consumption
2Volume of moving object
If traditional projection systems are used, then images can be displayed, but the system size is large and the form factor is not compact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the bulky components from traditional projection systems, keeping only the essential laser diode light source and minimal optical elements. By removing unnecessary projection mechanics, lenses, and housing, the system achieves a compact form factor suitable for wearable glasses while maintaining reliable image projection through the waveguide
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a traditional three-dimensional projection system to a two-dimensional waveguide-based projection system. The laser light is coupled into a thin waveguide plate that distributes the image across the viewing area, effectively reducing the system volume from volumetric projection optics to a planar waveguide structure, thereby achieving compactness without sacrificing image quality
3Illumination intensity
If opaque or semi-transparent displays are used, then images can be displayed, but the display obstructs the user's line of sight and is distracting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the waveguide display highly transparent in the regions where the user needs to see through, while concentrating the projected image light in specific localized areas. The waveguide material is chosen to be extremely transparent to ambient light, allowing full line of sight, while the projected image is locally concentrated through total internal reflection and outcoupling structures, creating a non-distracting augmented reality display that does not obstruct the user's view of the real world
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables discreet and transparent viewing of bright images with ultra-thin waveguides, achieving high optical throughput and low power consumption, while reducing the size and cost of the projection system, allowing for a more compact and user-friendly augmented reality experience.
Implementation Method 1
a wave guide structure having a first region and a second region, the first region being coupled to the display region, and the second region being coupled to the laser diode source, and configured to traverse electromagnetic radiation from the laser diode source through the wave guide structure to cause an image to be outputting on the display
Implementation Method 2
one or more laser diodes and/or LEDs are used as light source for illustrating images
Implementation Method 3
one or more laser diodes and/or LEDs are used as light source
Implementation Method 4
optical delivery to the eye using transparent waveguides... utilizing blue and/or green laser fabricated using gallium nitride containing material with optical delivery to the eye using transparent waveguides
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to wearable display technologies. More specifically, various embodiments of the present invention provide wearable augmented reality glasses incorporating projection display systems where one or more laser diodes are used as light source for illustrating images with optical delivery to the eye using transparent waveguides. In one set of embodiments, the present invention provides wearable augmented reality glasses incorporating projector systems that utilize transparent waveguides and blue and/or green laser fabricated using gallium nitride containing material. In another set of embodiments, the present invention provides wearable augmented reality glasses incorporating projection systems having digital lighting processing engines illuminated by blue and/or green laser devices with optical delivery to the eye using transparent waveguides. In one embodiment, the present invention provides wearable augmented reality glasses incorporating a 3D display system with optical delivery to the eye using transparent waveguides. There are other embodiments as well.