Lens unit and see-through type display apparatus including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10866417-B2
Application number	US-201715788402-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2017
Priority date	Oct 19, 2016
Publication date	Dec 15, 2020
Grant date	Dec 15, 2020

Abstract

A see-through type display apparatus includes a see-through type optical system configured to transmit a first image via a first-path light, which is light traveling on a first path, to an ocular organ of a user, and a second image via a second-path light, which is light traveling on a second path, to the ocular organ of the user; and an incident light-dependent lens unit provided between the see-through type optical system and the ocular organ of the user and having different refractive powers according to characteristics of incident light, where the incident light-dependent lens unit has a positive first refractive power with respect to the first-path light and has a second refractive power different from the first refractive power with respect to the second-path light.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A see-through type display apparatus comprising:
a see-through type optical system configured to transmit a first image via a first-path light, which is light traveling on a first path, to an ocular organ of a user, and a second image via a second-path light, which is light traveling on a second path, to the ocular organ of the user; and
an incident light-dependent lens unit provided between the see-through type optical system and the ocular organ of the user and having different refractive powers according to a polarization characteristic of incident light,
wherein the incident light-dependent lens unit has a positive first refractive power with respect to the first-path light and has a second refractive power with respect to the second-path light, and the second refractive power is different from the positive first refractive power,
wherein the incident light-dependent lens unit comprises:
a first element configured to have a variable focal length according to the polarization characteristic of the incident light; and
a second element having a constant focal length regardless of the polarization characteristic of the incident light,

wherein the see-through type optical system comprises:
a transparent image forming device configured to form the first image; and
a polarizer facing the incident light-dependent lens unit with the transparent image forming device interposed between the polarizer and the incident light-dependent lens unit, and

wherein the second image is transmitted through the transparent image forming device to the ocular organ of the user.

2. The see-through type display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the incident light-dependent lens unit has a refractive power equal to 0 or substantially equal to 0 with respect to the second-path light.

3. The see-through type display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the incident light-dependent lens unit is configured to have different refractive powers according to polarization directions of the incident light.

4. The see-through type display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first element is a first lens having a focal length that varies according to polarization directions of the incident light; and
wherein the second element is a second lens provided adjacent to the first lens and having the constant focal length regardless of the polarization directions of the incident light.

5. The see-through type display apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the first lens is a convex lens, and
the second lens is a flat plate type lens.

6. The see-through type display apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the first lens has a positive first focal length with respect to the first-path light when the first-path light is incident on the first lens and has a first polarization direction,
the first lens has a negative second focal length with respect to the second-path light when the second-path light is incident on the first lens and has a second polarization direction,
the second lens has a positive third focal length with respect to the first-path light when the first-path light is incident on the second lens and has the first polarization direction, and
the second lens has the positive third focal length with respect to the second-path light when the second-path light is incident on the second lens and has the second polarization direction.

7. The see-through type display apparatus of claim 6 , wherein an absolute value of the positive first focal length and an absolute value of the negative second focal length are equal to each other.

8. The see-through type display apparatus of claim 6 , wherein an absolute value of the negative second focal length and an absolute value of the positive third focal length are equal to each other.

9. The see-through type display apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the incident light-dependent lens unit has a focal length corresponding to half of the positive first focal length with respect to the first-path light having the first polarization direction, and
the incident light-dependent lens unit has an infinite or substantially infinite focal length with respect to the second-path light having the second polarization direction.

10. The see-through type display apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first polarization direction and the second polarization direction are orthogonal to each other.

11. The see-through type display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first image is an image formed and provided by the see-through type display apparatus, and
the second image is an external image that the user faces through the see-through type display apparatus.

12. The see-through type display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the see-through type optical system further comprises a quarter-wave plate (QWP) provided between the transparent image forming device and the incident light-dependent lens unit.

13. The see-through type display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the see-through type display apparatus has an angle of view greater than or equal to about 40°.

14. The see-through type display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the see-through type display apparatus is configured to implement augmented reality or mixed reality.

15. The see-through type display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the see-through type display apparatus is a head mounted display.

16. The see-through type display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the see-through type display apparatus is a glasses-type display or a goggle-type display.

17. A see-through type display apparatus comprising:
a see-through type optical system configured to transmit a first image via a first-path light, which is light traveling on a first path, to an ocular organ of a user, and a second image via a second-path light, which is light traveling on a second path, to the ocular organ of the user; and
an incident light-dependent lens unit provided between the see-through type optical system and the ocular organ of the user and having different refractive powers according to a polarization characteristic of incident light,
wherein the incident light-dependent lens unit has a positive first refractive power with respect to the first-path light and has a second refractive power with respect to the second-path light, and the second refractive power is different from the positive first refractive power,
wherein the incident light-dependent lens unit comprises:
a first element configured to have a variable focal length according to the polarization characteristic of the incident light; and

a second element having a constant focal length regardless of the polarization characteristic of the incident light,
wherein the see-through type optical system comprises:
an image forming device configured to form the first image;
a transflective member configured to reflect the first image formed by the image forming device to the ocular organ of the user;
a first polarizer provided between the transflective member and the image forming device; and
a second polarizer facing the incident light-dependent lens unit with the transflective member interposed between the second polarizer and the incident light-dependent lens unit, and

wherein the second image is transmitted through the transflective member to the ocular organ of the user.

18. The see-through type display apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the see-through type optical system further comprises a quarter-wave plate (QWP) provided between the transflective member and the incident light-dependent lens unit.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
• Seoul Nat Univ R&Db Foundation

Inventors

• Sung Geeyoung
• Lee Hongseok
• Lee Byoungho
• Lee Changkun
• Moon Seokil
• Hong Jongyoung

Classifications

• G02B2027/0178

  Eyeglass type (eyeglass details G02C) · CPC title

• G06T19/006

  Mixed reality (object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00) · CPC title

• G02B2027/0156

  with optionally usable elements · CPC title

• G02B27/283 Primary

  used for beam splitting or combining · CPC title

• G02B27/0149

  characterised by mechanical features (G02B27/0176 takes precedence) · CPC title