Hinged lens configuration for a compact portable head-mounted display system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10451882-B2
Application number	US-201815923038-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2018
Priority date	Mar 16, 2018
Publication date	Oct 22, 2019
Grant date	Oct 22, 2019

Abstract

A head-mounted display (HMD) system includes an optical arrangement, a first image panel, a second image panel, and a central image panel located between the first and second image panels. The optical arrangement is reconfigurable between a first position and a second position that maintains first and second optical pathways of the first and second image panels, and the HMD system has a different form factor when the optical arrangement is in the second position as compared to the first position. The optical arrangement includes at least one segmented optical component, wherein segments of the segmented optical component are moveable relative to each other to reconfigure the optical arrangement between the first position and the second position. The segmented optical component may include one more lens assemblies, each with multiple lens segments that are rotatable relative to each other about a hinge structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A head-mounted display (HMD) system comprising:
an optical arrangement;
a first image panel, wherein the optical arrangement includes a first portion that directs image light from the first image panel along a first optical pathway; and
a second image panel, wherein the optical arrangement includes a second portion that directs image light from the second image panel along a second optical pathway different from the first optical pathway;
wherein the optical arrangement is reconfigurable between a first position and a second position that maintains the first and second optical pathways, and the HMD system has a different form factor when the optical arrangement in the second position as compared to the first position;
wherein the optical arrangement includes at least one segmented optical component, wherein segments of the segmented optical component are moveable relative to each other to reconfigure to the optical arrangement between the first position and the second position;
wherein the at least one segmented optical component includes a first lens assembly comprising lens segments connected by a first hinge structure, and the lens segments of the first lens assembly are rotatable relative to each other about the first hinge structure; and
the at least one segmented optical component further includes a second lens assembly comprising lens segments connected by a second hinge structure, and the lens segments of the second lens assembly are rotatable relative to each other about the second hinge structure.

2. The HMD system of claim 1 , wherein one of the lens segments of the first lens assembly is a component of the first portion of the optical arrangement, and one of the lens segments of the second lens assembly is a component of the second portion of the optical arrangement.

3. The HMD system of claim 1 , wherein as defined a z-axis points in a direction from a user to the HMD system when the HMD system is an orientation of use, and x- and y-axes follow a right hand rule convention; and
the lens segments rotate about the first hinge structure and the second hinge structure about the y-axis.

4. The HMD system of claim 1 , wherein as defined a z-axis points in a direction from a user to the HMD system when the HMD system is an orientation of use, and x- and y-axes follow a right hand rule convention; and
the lens segments rotate about the first hinge structure and the second hinge structure about the z-axis.

5. The HMD system of claim 1 , wherein an axis of rotation about the first and second hinge structures is off-edge relative to the lens segments.

6. The HMD system of claim 5 , wherein each of the first hinge structure and the second hinge structure comprises a hinge support that supports a hinge element, the hinge element being located off-edge relative to the lens segments.

7. The HMD system of claim 5 , wherein a lens segment in each of the first lens assembly and the second lens assembly has a tapered edge.

8. The HMD system of claim 1 , further comprising a central image panel located between the first image panel and the second image panel, the central image panel including a first panel portion and a second panel portion;
wherein the optical arrangement directs light from the first panel portion and the second panel portion of the central image panel along different optical pathways; and
wherein the optical arrangement is configured such that light from the first image panel and the first panel portion of central image panel are emitted from the HMD system in a combined fashion in a first eye direction, and light from the second image panel and the second panel portion of the central image panel are emitted from the HMD system in a combined fashion in a second eye direction different from the first eye direction.

9. The HMD system of claim 8 , wherein the first and second image panels are located on a viewing side of the HMD system, and the central image panel is located on a non-viewing side of the HMD system.

10. The HMD system of claim 8 , wherein the first panel portion of central image panel and the second panel portion of the central image panel are of equal dimensions.

11. The HMD system of claim 8 , wherein the optical arrangement comprises a plurality of mirror components and a plurality of lens components, wherein the plurality of mirror components are configured to direct image light from the first, second, and central image panels along respective optical pathways to the plurality of lens components.

12. The HMD system of claim 11 , wherein:
the first portion of the optical arrangement includes a first mirror assembly that directs image light from the first image panel to a first lens component;
the second portion of the optical arrangement includes a second mirror assembly that directs image light from the second image panel to a second lens component; and
the optical arrangement further comprises a third mirror assembly that includes a first mirror portion that directs image light from the first panel portion of the central image panel to a third lens component, and a second mirror portion that directs image light from the second panel portion of the central image panel to a fourth lens component.

13. The HMD system of claim 12 , wherein the first mirror assembly and the second mirror assembly each has a folded arrangement including a plurality of mirror segments.

14. The HMD system of claim 12 , wherein the third mirror assembly includes first and second nose segments that meet to form a wedge shape, and first and second external segments that are spaced apart from and parallel to respective nose segments.

15. The HMD system of claim 12 , wherein:
the first lens component is one of the lens segments of the first lens assembly;
the second lens component is one of the lens segments of the second lens assembly;
the third lens component is another one of the lens segments of the first lens assembly, and the first and third lens components rotate relative to each other about the first hinge structure; and
the fourth lens component is another one of the lens segments of the second lens assembly, and the second and fourth lens components rotate relative to each other about the second hinge structure.

Assignees

• Sharp Kk

Inventors

• Tam Ka Ho
• Montgomery David James
• Wells Scott

Classifications

• G02B2027/0134

  of stereoscopic type · CPC title

• G02B30/37

  Collapsible stereoscopes · CPC title

• G02B27/0176

  characterised by mechanical features · CPC title

• G02B27/0172 Primary

  characterised by optical features · CPC title

• G02B2027/0123

  comprising devices increasing the field of view · CPC title