Display device and display method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11016241-B2
Application number	US-201816633343-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2018
Priority date	Mar 23, 2018
Publication date	May 25, 2021
Grant date	May 25, 2021

Abstract

A display device includes: an optical waveguide layer having a light-entering region and a light-exiting region; an optical element correspondingly arranged in the light-entering region and configured to emit at least two types of light beams having different image information, to transmit the at least two types of light beams to the light-entering region of the optical waveguide layer; at least two coupling gratings arranged on transmission paths of the at least two types of light beams in the optical waveguide layer, and configured to change a direction of each of the at least two types of light beams in the optical waveguide layer, to enable light beams in the at least two types of light beams in the optical waveguide layer to be transmitted to the light-exiting region, exit from the light-exiting region and be converged at at least one view point.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display device, comprising:
an optical waveguide layer having a light-entering region and a light-exiting region;
an optical element configured to emit at least two types of light beams having different image information, the optical element being arranged at the light-entering region, to transmit the at least two types of light beams to the light-entering region of the optical waveguide layer;
a first coupling grating arranged on a transmission path of the at least two types of light beams in the optical waveguide layer, and configured to change a direction of each of the at least two types of light beams having entered the optical waveguide layer, to enable each of the at least two types of light beams in the optical waveguide layer to transmit in a direction toward the light-exiting region; and
a second coupling grating arranged in the optical waveguide layer at a position corresponding to the light-exiting region, and configured to enable light beams formed by light beams having same image information in the at least two types of light beams to exit from the light-exiting region and be converged at a same viewpoint, and enable light beams formed by light beams having different image information in the at least two types of light beams to exit from the light-exiting region and be converged at different viewpoints, to form at least two predetermined viewpoints located within a visual range of a same pupil,
wherein the second coupling grating comprises at least two second regions, the at least two second regions correspond respectively to at least two types of light beams formed after the at least two types of light beams have been coupled by the first coupling grating; and
each of the at least two second regions comprises a plurality of ring-shaped gratings, the plurality of ring-shaped gratings are arranged on the optical waveguide layer and spaced apart from each other, and sleeved one on another, and each of the ring-shaped gratings comprises one or more second grating bars, the one or more second grating bars are arranged in a substantially circumferential direction along the ring-shaped grating and spaced apart from each other.

2. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein
the first coupling grating is further configured to change the direction of the at least two types of light beams having entered the optical waveguide layer, to transmit the at least two types of light beams in the optical waveguide in the direction toward the light-exiting region in a total-reflection manner, and
the second coupling grating is further configured to enable totally-reflected light beams formed by light beams having the same image information in the at least two types of light beams to exit from the light-exiting region and be converged at the same viewpoint, and enable totally-reflected light beams formed by light beams having different image information in the at least two types of light beams to exit from the light-exiting region and be converged at different viewpoints.

3. The display device according to claim 2 , wherein
the first coupling grating comprises at least two first regions corresponding respectively to the at least two types of light beams, and a quantity of the at least two first regions is same as a quantity of the at least two types of light beams; and
each first region comprises one or more first grating bars, and the one or more first grating bars are arranged substantially parallel to each other on the optical waveguide layer and spaced apart from each other.

4. The display device according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a third coupling grating arranged between the first coupling grating and the second coupling grating, and the third coupling grating is configured to enlarge a field angle range of the light beam transmitted in the optical waveguide layer.

5. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein
the first coupling grating comprises at least two first regions corresponding respectively to the at least two types of light beams, and a quantity of the at least two first regions is same as a quantity of the at least two types of light beams; and
each first region comprises one or more first grating bars, and the one or more first grating bars are arranged substantially parallel to each other on the optical waveguide layer and spaced apart from each other.

6. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein
the first coupling grating is a reflection-type coupling grating or a transmission-type coupling grating, and the second coupling grating is a reflection-type coupling grating or a transmission-type coupling grating.

7. The display device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a third coupling grating arranged between the first coupling grating and the second coupling grating, and the third coupling grating is configured to enlarge a field angle range of the light beam transmitted in the optical waveguide layer.

8. The display device according to claim 7 , wherein
the first coupling grating comprises one or more first grating bars, the one or more first grating bars are arranged substantially parallel to each other on the optical waveguide layer and spaced apart from each other, the third grating coupling comprises one or more third grating bars, the one or more third grating bars are arranged substantially parallel to each other on the optical waveguide layer and spaced apart from each other, and there is a predetermined angle between a direction in which the one or more first grating bars of the first coupling grating are arranged and a direction in which the one or more third grating bars of the third coupling grating are arranged.

9. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least two types of light beams have different primary colors, and the optical waveguide layer comprises at least two optical waveguide sub-layers laminated one on another;
each of the at least two optical waveguide sub-layers has a light-entering sub-region and a light-exiting sub-region, the first coupling grating is arranged in each optical waveguide sub-layer at a position corresponding to the light-entering sub-region, and the second coupling grating is arranged in each optical waveguide sub-layer at a position corresponding to the light-exiting sub-region;
the first coupling grating corresponding to a first optical waveguide sub-layer of the at least two optical waveguide sub-layers is configured to change a direction of a light beam having a first primary color, to transmit the light beam in the first optical waveguide sub-layer toward the light-exiting sub-region; and
the first coupling grating corresponding to a second optical waveguide sub-layer of the at least two optical waveguide sub-layers is configured to change a direction of a light beam having a second primary color, to transmit the light beam in the second optical waveguide sub-layer toward the light-exiting sub-region.

10. The display device according to claim 9 , wherein
the optical element is further configured to emit at least three types of light beams having different primary colors, and the first coupling grating is arranged on each of the at least two optical waveguide sub-layers;
the first coupling grating on a third optical waveguide sub-layer of the at least two optical waveguide sub-layers is provided with at least two third regions corresponding to the at least two types of light beams having different primary colors; and
the first coupling grating corresponding to a fourth optical waveguide sub-layer of the at least two optical waveguide sub-layers is provided with at least one fourth region, and a primary color of the light beam corresponding to the fourth region i

Assignees

• Boe Technology Group Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wang Wei
• Chen Xiaochuan
• Meng Xiandong
• Tan Jifeng
• Liang Pengxia
• Meng Xianqin
• Gao Jian

Classifications

• H10W90/00

  Package configurations · CPC title

• H10K59/879

  comprising refractive means, e.g. lenses · CPC title

• H10H20/855

  Optical field-shaping means, e.g. lenses · CPC title

• G02B2027/0134

  of stereoscopic type · CPC title

• G02B2027/0123

  comprising devices increasing the field of view · CPC title