Methods and systems for augmented reality

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10168534-B2
Application number	US-201515128865-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 19, 2015
Priority date	Mar 26, 2014
Publication date	Jan 1, 2019
Grant date	Jan 1, 2019

Abstract

The invention relates to methods and systems for augmented reality. The invention more particularly provides head-mounted devices for the display and visualization of computer-generated information content by a wearer. The invention further provides related methods and uses.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A see-through head-mounted device for a wearer, comprising:
a display system for display and visualization of computer-generated information content by the wearer; and
a see-through element configured to be positioned in front of at least one eye of the wearer, through which the wearer visualizes a visual field from an environment of the wearer;
wherein the see-through element comprises a selective optical filtering means configured to at least partially hide the display system and the information content displayed by the display system from a view of an outside observer, while retaining see-through properties for the visual field of the wearer, and
wherein, to at least partially hide the display system, the selective optical filtering means comprises a high-reflection coating configured to selectively reflect at least one wavelength that, in the absence of the high-reflection coating, renders the display system visible from a point of view of the outside observer,
wherein the see-through head-mounted device is a pair of eyeglasses, and the see-through element comprises a pair of ophthalmic corrective lenses;
wherein the display system comprises a light-guide optical element embedded into one of the pair of ophthalmic lenses;
wherein the selective optical filtering means comprises a high-reflection coating provided at the front of the lens in which the light-guide optical element is embedded, wherein the high-reflection coating is such that:
to at least partially hide the display system from the view of the outside observer:
R1 is greater than or equal to R2, within a visible wavelength range or at least a part thereof, for each incidence angle, with 5 percent being less than or equal to R1 and R1 being less than or equal to 97 percent; and

to at least partially hide the display system and the information content displayed by the display system from the view of the outside observer:
R1 is greater than or equal to at least one of an average of R2 and E and a maximum of R2 and E within the visible wavelength range or at least a part thereof for each incidence angle, for an incident light with a light intensity level greater than or equal to that of a light emitted by the see-through element, with 5 percent being less than or equal to R1 and R1 being less than or equal to 97 percent;

wherein:
R1 comprises a reflection rate of the incident light stemming from the environment of the wearer on the front side of the high-reflection coating;
R2 comprises a reflection rate of the incident light stemming from the environment of the wearer by the see-through element; and
E comprises a light intensity directly emitted by the see-through element towards the environment of the wearer.

2. The see-through head-mounted device of claim 1 , wherein the high-reflection coating comprises a one-way mirror, a dielectric mirror, holographic gratings, photonic bandgap structures, thick film layers, thin film layers, cholesteric liquid crystals.

3. The see-through head-mounted device of claim 1 , wherein the selective optical filtering means comprises absorption filters or interference filters.

4. The see-through head-mounted device of claim 1 , wherein the selective optical filtering means is configured to confer a specific color to the see-though element, when visualized from a point of view of the outside observer.

5. The see-through head-mounted device of claim 1 , wherein the selective optical filtering means is selectively provided for a specific surface area of the see-through element.

6. The see-through head-mounted device of claim 1 , wherein the selective optical filtering means is activable.

7. The see-through head-mounted device of claim 6 , wherein the selective optical filtering means is controllable in absorption.

8. The see-through head-mounted device of claim 1 , wherein the selective optical filtering means is selectively provided for a specific surface area of the see-through element according to spatial gradients, according to at least one of a location of the display system relative to the see-through element and according to incident light stemming from the environment of the wearer.

9. The see-through head-mounted device of claim 8 , wherein the incident light stemming from the environment of the wearer is natural or artificial light.

10. The see-through head-mounted device of claim 1 , wherein the selective optical filtering means is configured to selectively reflect incident light stemming from the environment of the wearer.

11. The see-through head-mounted device of claim 1 , wherein the display system comprises a light source having an emission spectrum, and wherein the selective optical filtering means comprises an optical filter that blocks at least one wavelength of the emission spectrum.

12. The see-through head-mounted device of claim 7 ,
wherein the display system has an emission pattern, and
wherein the selective optical filtering means is controlled by at least one of a synchronization with the emission pattern and an intensity of a light source of the display system.

Assignees

• Essilor Int

Inventors

• Callier Benoit
• Barrau Coralie

Classifications

• G02B5/22

  Absorbing filters {(G02B5/201 - G02B5/208 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G02B2027/0174

  holographic · CPC title

• G02B5/28

  Interference filters · CPC title

• G02B27/0172 Primary

  characterised by optical features · CPC title

• G02B2027/0178

  Eyeglass type (eyeglass details G02C) · CPC title