Diffractive waveguide and eyepiece having image multiplying grating overlapping with outcoupling grating

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10983263-B2
Application number	US-201715683624-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2017
Priority date	Aug 22, 2016
Publication date	Apr 20, 2021
Grant date	Apr 20, 2021

Abstract

An eyepiece and waveguide for viewing a projected image in a virtual reality and augmented reality imaging and visualization system. The waveguide may include a substrate for guiding light. The waveguide may also include an incoupling diffractive element disposed within or on the substrate and configured to diffract an incoupled light related to the projected image into the substrate. The waveguide may further include a first grating disposed within or on the substrate and configured to manipulate the diffracted incoupled light from the incoupling diffractive element so as to multiply the projected image and to direct the multiplied projected image to a second grating. The second grating may be disposed within or on the substrate and may be configured to outcouple the manipulated diffracted incoupled light from the waveguide. The first grating and the second grating may occupy a same region of the waveguide.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A waveguide for viewing a projected image, the waveguide comprising:
a substrate for guiding light;
an incoupling diffractive element disposed within or on the substrate and configured to diffract an incoupled light related to the projected image into the substrate;
a first grating disposed on a first surface of the substrate and configured to manipulate the diffracted incoupled light from the incoupling diffractive element so as to multiply the projected image and to direct the multiplied projected image to a second grating; and
the second grating disposed on a second surface of the substrate and configured to outcouple the manipulated diffracted incoupled light outward from the waveguide in a particular direction;
wherein the first grating and the second grating at least partially spatially overlap from a perspective that is opposite of the particular direction.

2. The waveguide of claim 1 , wherein the first surface is the same as the second surface such that the first grating and the second grating are disposed on a same side of the substrate and such that the first grating and the second grating are superimposed onto each other.

3. The waveguide of claim 1 , wherein the first surface is different than the second surface such that the first grating and the second grating are disposed on different sides of the substrate.

4. The waveguide of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third grating disposed within or on the substrate and configured to manipulate the diffracted incoupled light from the incoupling diffractive element so as to multiply the projected image and to direct the multiplied projected image to the second grating;
wherein the first grating is configured to direct the multiplied projected image to the second grating in a first direction, and the third grating is configured to direct the multiplied projected image to the second grating in a second direction, the second direction being opposite the first direction.

5. The waveguide of claim 4 , wherein the first grating, the second grating, and the third grating are disposed on a same side of the substrate such that the first grating, the second grating, and the third grating are superimposed onto each other.

6. The waveguide of claim 4 , wherein the first grating and the third grating are disposed on a same side of the substrate such that the first grating and the third grating are superimposed onto each other, and wherein the second grating is disposed on an opposite side of the substrate.

7. An eyepiece for viewing a projected image, the eyepiece comprising:
a plurality of waveguides coupled together in a layered arrangement, wherein each waveguide of the plurality of waveguides includes:
a substrate for guiding light;
an incoupling diffractive element disposed within or on the substrate and configured to diffract an incoupled light related to the projected image into the substrate;
a first grating disposed on a first surface of the substrate and configured to manipulate the diffracted incoupled light from the incoupling diffractive element so as to multiply the projected image and to direct the multiplied projected image to a second grating; and
the second grating disposed on a second surface of the substrate and configured to outcouple the manipulated diffracted incoupled light outward from the waveguide in a particular direction;

wherein the first grating and the second grating at least partially spatially overlap from a perspective that is opposite of the particular direction.

8. The eyepiece of claim 7 , wherein the first surface is the same as the second surface such that the first grating and the second grating are disposed on a same side of the substrate and such that the first grating and the second grating are superimposed onto each other.

9. The eyepiece of claim 7 , wherein the first surface is different than the second surface such that the first grating and the second grating are disposed on different sides of the substrate.

10. The eyepiece of claim 7 , wherein each waveguide of the plurality of waveguides further includes:
a third grating disposed within or on the substrate and configured to manipulate the diffracted incoupled light from the incoupling diffractive element so as to multiply the projected image and to direct the multiplied projected image to the second grating;
wherein the first grating is configured to direct the multiplied projected image to the second grating in a first direction, and the third grating is configured to direct the multiplied projected image to the second grating in a second direction, the second direction being opposite the first direction.

11. The eyepiece of claim 10 , wherein the first grating, the second grating, and the third grating are disposed on a same side of the substrate such that the first grating, the second grating, and the third grating are superimposed onto each other.

12. The eyepiece of claim 10 , wherein the first grating and the third grating are disposed on a same side of the substrate such that the first grating and the third grating are superimposed onto each other, and wherein the second grating is disposed on an opposite side of the substrate.

Assignees

• Magic Leap Inc

Inventors

• Kleinman David
• Bhargava Samarth
• Liu Victor K
• Jurbergs David

Classifications

• G02B2027/011

  comprising device for correcting geometrical aberrations, distortion · CPC title

• G02B27/0179

  Display position adjusting means not related to the information to be displayed · CPC title

• G02B27/0101

  characterised by optical features (G02B27/0172 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05K7/20963

  Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure (H05K7/20972 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02C5/16

  resilient or with resilient parts · CPC title