Method and system for large field of view display with scanning mirror having optical power

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11204503-B2
Application number	US-202016898380-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 10, 2020
Priority date	Jan 31, 2018
Publication date	Dec 21, 2021
Grant date	Dec 21, 2021

Abstract

An image display system can include a plurality of light sources configured to emit uncollimated light, and an eyepiece waveguide having an input port configured to receive beams of light at differing angles. The image display system also includes a scanning mirror having a surface with positive optical power configured to receive light emitted by the plurality of light sources. The surface with positive optical power is configured to collimate light emitted by the plurality of light sources to form a plurality of collimated light beams and direct the plurality of collimated light beams to the input port.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A waveguide display comprising:
an eyepiece waveguide including an input port configured to receive beams of light at differing angles;
an integrated optical waveguide chip overlying the input port of the eyepiece waveguide, the integrated optical waveguide chip including a plurality of point light sources positioned proximate the input port, each of the plurality of point light sources having an emission direction oriented away from the input port; and
a scanning mirror disposed overlying the integrated optical waveguide chip, the scanning mirror having a surface with positive optical power positioned proximate the input port and positioned to intercept light emitted by the plurality of point light sources, wherein the surface with positive optical power is configured to collimate light emitted by the plurality of point light sources to form a plurality of collimated light beams and reflect light emitted by the plurality of point light sources through the integrated optical waveguide chip to the input port.

2. The waveguide display according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of point light sources is positioned such that the scanning mirror scans multiple incoming light beams at the same time and combining individual fields of view illuminated by the plurality of point light sources into a larger composite field of view.

3. The waveguide display according to claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of collimated light beams is configured to illuminate a portion of a composite field of view (FOV) through the eyepiece waveguide.

4. The waveguide display according to claim 1 wherein the integrated optical waveguide chip that includes a plurality of optical waveguides, wherein at least a subset of the plurality of optical waveguides include light emission ends;
wherein the plurality of point light sources include the light emission ends.

5. The waveguide display according to claim 1 wherein the integrated optical waveguide chip is disposed between the scanning mirror and the input port.

6. The waveguide display according to claim 1 wherein the surface with positive optical power comprises at least one of a Fresnel reflector and a concave mirror.

7. The waveguide display according to claim 1 wherein the eyepiece waveguide further comprises an orthogonal pupil expander and an exit pupil expander, wherein the eyepiece waveguide includes at least one major surface, and wherein the input port, the orthogonal pupil expander, and the exit pupil expander comprise surface relief gratings disposed on the at least one major surface.

8. The waveguide display according to claim 7 wherein the integrated optical waveguide chip and the scanning mirror are disposed on a common side of the major surface.

9. Augmented reality glasses including the waveguide display recited in claim 1 .

10. An image display system comprising:
an eyepiece waveguide including an input port configured to receive beams of light at differing angles;
a plurality of light sources configured to emit uncollimated light; and
a scanning mirror configured to rotate in pitch and roll directions, the scanning mirror having a surface with positive optical power configured to receive light emitted by the plurality of light sources, wherein the surface with positive optical power is configured to collimate light emitted by the plurality of light sources to form a plurality of collimated light beams and direct the plurality of collimated light beams to the input port.

11. The image display system according to claim 10 where the surface with positive optical power comprises a concave mirror.

12. The image display system according to claim 10 where the surface with positive optical power comprises a Fresnel reflector.

13. The image display system according to claim 10 further comprising:
an integrated optical waveguide chip that includes a plurality of optical waveguides, wherein at least a subset of the plurality of optical waveguides include light emission ends; and
wherein the plurality of light sources include the light emission ends.

14. The image display system according to claim 13 wherein the plurality of collimated light beams from the scanning mirror is transmitted through the integrated optical waveguide chip to reach the input port of the eyepiece waveguide.

15. The image display system according to claim 10 , wherein the plurality of light sources is configured to emit uncollimated light in different directions.

16. The image display system according to claim 10 wherein each of the plurality of collimated light beams is configured to illuminate a portion of a tiled composite field of view (FOV) through the eyepiece waveguide.

17. A method for displaying an image in a waveguide display, comprising:
emitting light from a plurality of point light sources, each of the plurality of point light sources having a different emission direction;
intercepting light emitted by the plurality of point light sources at a scanning mirror configured to rotate in pitch and roll directions, the scanning mirror having a surface with positive optical power, wherein the surface with positive optical power is configured to collimate light emitted by the plurality of point light sources to produce a plurality of collimated light beams;
receiving the plurality of collimated light beams from the scanning mirror in an input port of an eyepiece waveguide; and
forming an image from an output port of the eyepiece waveguide.

18. The method according to claim 17 further comprising providing the plurality of point light sources from an integrated optical waveguide chip overlying the input port of the eyepiece waveguide, each of the plurality of point light sources having an emission direction oriented away from the input port.

19. The method according to claim 17 wherein each of the plurality of collimated light beams is configured to illuminate a portion of a composite field of view (FOV) through the eyepiece waveguide.

20. The method according to claim 17 further comprising the scanning mirror scanning multiple incoming light beams from the plurality of point light sources at the same time and combining individual fields of view illuminated by the plurality of point light sources into a larger tiled composite field of view.

Assignees

• Magic Leap Inc

Inventors

• Freedman Barak
• Pellman Asaf
• Weinstein Ori

Classifications

• G06T19/006

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

• G06F3/0304

  Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means (constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042) · CPC title

• G06F3/013

  Eye tracking input arrangements (G06F3/015 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F3/011

  Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00) · CPC title

• G06F1/163

  Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt · CPC title