Compact augmented reality / virtual reality display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10459230-B2
Application number	US-201615366884-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 1, 2016
Priority date	Feb 2, 2016
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

Implementations of an augmented reality (AR)-capable display device for displaying light generated by a display onto a predefined field of view are disclosed herein. Within one implementation, the display device comprises a mount assembly configured to removably attach with a mobile computing device associated with the display, to thereby arrange the display with a predefined position. The display device further comprises an optical arrangement having a predefined arrangement relative to the predefined position and defining the field of view. The optical arrangement comprises a first mirror element configured to reflect a first portion of first incident light that is based on the light generated by the display, and a second mirror element disposed within the field of view and configured to reflect, onto the field of view, a second portion of second incident light that is based on the first portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An augmented reality (AR)-capable display device for displaying light generated by a display onto a field of view, the display device comprising:
an optical arrangement defining the field of view, the optical arrangement having a positioning relative to a predefined position of the display, wherein the predefined position is outside the field of view, the optical arrangement comprising:
a beam splitter element disposed within the field of view, wherein the beam splitter element is configured to:
transmit display light generated by the display when in the predefined position, and
transmit environmental light received from the physical environment within the field of view;

a first mirror element disposed outside the field of view, wherein the first mirror element comprises a curved mirror element providing a positive optical power, the curved mirror element configured to reflect, toward the beam splitter element, the display light that is transmitted through the beam splitter element; and
a lens element disposed outside the field of view between the beam splitter element and the curved mirror element,

wherein the beam splitter element is further configured to reflect, onto the field of view, the display light reflected by the curved mirror element.

2. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the display is included in a mobile computing device, the display device further comprising:
a mount coupled with the optical arrangement,
wherein the mount is dimensioned such that when the mobile computing device is removably attached to the mount, the display of the mobile computing device is positioned in the predefined position.

3. The display device of claim 2 , wherein the mobile computing device further comprises a camera, the display device further comprising:
a second mirror element configured to reflect light received from the physical environment onto a field of view of the camera, whereby the field of view of the camera is reoriented to overlap with the field of view of the optical arrangement.

4. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the display is configured to generate linearly polarized light, and wherein the beam splitter element comprises a polarizing beam splitter having a polarization axis aligned with the linearly polarized light, the optical arrangement further comprising:
a quarter-wave plate element disposed between the beam splitter element and the first mirror element,
wherein the quarter-wave plate element orients a polarization of the light reflected by the first mirror element to have a linear polarization at 90 degrees from the polarization axis of the polarizing beam splitter.

5. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the first mirror element is a flat mirror element, the optical arrangement further comprising:
a lens element disposed between the beam splitter element and the flat mirror element, the lens element providing a positive optical power.

6. The display device of claim 5 , wherein the lens element comprises a Fresnel lens.

7. The display device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a light-blocking assembly disposed within the field of view, wherein the light-blocking assembly is selectively configured to substantially isolate the field of view of the optical arrangement from the physical environment.

8. The display device of claim 1 , the optical arrangement further comprising:
an optically transmissive layer arranged between the curved mirror element and the lens element, the optically transmissive layer comprising one of a plastic material and a glass material,
wherein a dimensioning of the optically transmissive layer is selected to provide a refractive power in addition to the positive optical power.

9. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the curved mirror element and the lens element are integrally formed in a single refractive lens.

10. The display device of claim 9 , wherein the single refractive lens comprises a Mangin mirror.

11. The display device of claim 1 ,
wherein the display is arranged on a first side of the beam splitter element, and
wherein the first mirror element is arranged on a second side of the beam splitter element opposite the first side.

12. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the beam splitter element is the only element of the optical arrangement is disposed within the field of view.

13. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the beam splitter element is not a polarizing beam splitter.

Assignees

• Disney Entpr Inc

Inventors

• Haseltine Eric C
• Olson Joseph L
• Goslin Michael P

Classifications

• G02B2027/0123

  comprising devices increasing the field of view · CPC title

• G02B2027/014

  comprising information/image processing systems · CPC title

• G02B5/30

  Polarising elements (light-modulating devices with active elements G02F1/00) · CPC title

• G02B27/017

  Head mounted · CPC title

• G02B2027/0138

  comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera · CPC title