Augmented reality head-mounted display with beam shifter for pupil steering

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11209659-B2
Application number	US-201916537168-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2019
Priority date	Dec 18, 2017
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

A method for providing images to a wearer using a head-mounted display device that includes a light projector and a beam shifter includes projecting, with the light projector, light for rendering images based at least on virtual reality contents and/or augmented reality contents. The method also includes changing, with a beam shifter, a path of the light projected from the light projector based on a position of a pupil of an eye of the wearer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A head-mounted display device for providing images to a wearer, the device comprising:
a light projector configured to project light for rendering images based at least on virtual reality contents and/or augmented reality contents;
a beam shifter configured to change a path of the light projected from the light projector based on a position of a pupil of an eye of the wearer, wherein:
the beam shifter is mechanically coupled with the light projector; and
the beam shifter is configured to change the path of the light from the light projector by moving the light projector in a direction that is non-parallel to an optical axis of the light projector; and

a holographic combiner configured to receive the light projected from the light projector and direct the light toward the pupil of the eye of the wearer, wherein:
the holographic combiner includes a holographic optical element located on a transparent substrate; and
the holographic optical element includes:
a first portion configured to direct a light, from the light projector, impinging on the first portion of the holographic optical element in a first direction;
a second portion configured to direct a light, from the light projector, impinging on the second portion of the holographic optical element in a second direction that is distinct from the first direction; and
a third portion configured to direct a light, from the light projector, impinging on the third portion of the holographic optical element in a third direction that is distinct from the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the head-mounted display device includes a reflector configured to receive the light from the light projector and direct the light toward the pupil of the eye of the wearer;
the beam shifter is mechanically coupled with the reflector; and
changing the path of the light includes moving, with the beam shifter, the reflector.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein:
the light projected from the light projector has a cross-section that is characterized by a first dimension and a second dimension that is shorter than the first dimension; and
moving the reflector includes tilting the reflector about a first axis without tilting the reflector about a second axis that is non-parallel to the first axis.

4. The device of claim 2 , wherein:
moving the reflector includes tilting the reflector about a first axis at a first time and tilting the reflector about a second axis that is non-parallel to the first axis at a second time.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the beam shifter is configured to:
move the light projector in a first direction that is non-parallel to the optical axis of the light projector at a first time; and
move the light projector in a second direction that is non-parallel to the first direction and the optical axis of the light projector at a second time.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the beam shifter is configured to move the light projector in a direction that is parallel to the optical axis of the light projector.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the head-mounted display device is coupled with an eye tracker configured to determine a position of the pupil of the eye of the wearer.

8. A head-mounted display device for providing images to a wearer, the device comprising:
a light projector configured to project light for rendering images based at least on virtual reality contents and/or augmented reality contents;
a beam shifter configured to change a path of the light projected from the light projector based on a position of a pupil of an eye of the wearer, wherein:
the beam shifter is mechanically coupled with the light projector; and
the beam shifter is configured to change the path of the light from the light projector by moving the light projector in a direction that is non-parallel to an optical axis of the light projector;

a lens optically coupled with the light projector; and
the device further includes the beam shifter configured to move the lens in a direction that includes a component parallel to the optical axis of the light projector.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the device is configured to:
move the light projector in a first direction that is non-parallel to the optical axis of the light projector at a first time; and
move the light projector in a second direction that is non-parallel to the first direction and the optical axis of the light projector at a second time.

10. The device of claim 8 , comprising:
a reflector configured to receive the light from the light projector and direct the light toward the pupil of the eye of the wearer;
the beam shifter is mechanically coupled with the reflector; and
the beam shifter is configured to change the path of the light by moving the reflector.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein:
the light projected from the light projector has a cross-section that is characterized by a first dimension and a second dimension that is shorter than the first dimension; and
the beam shifter is configured to move the reflector by tilting the reflector about a first axis without tilting the reflector about a second axis that is non-parallel to the first axis.

12. The device of claim 10 , wherein:
the beam shifter is configured to move the reflector by tilting the reflector about a first axis at a first time and tilting the reflector about a second axis that is non-parallel to the first axis at a second time.

13. The device of claim 8 , wherein:
the beam shifter is configured to move the light projector in a direction that is parallel to the optical axis of the light projector.

14. The device of claim 8 , wherein:
the head-mounted display device is coupled with an eye tracker configured to determine a position of the pupil of the eye of the wearer.

15. A head-mounted display device for providing images to a wearer, the device comprising:
a light projector configured to project light for rendering images based at least on virtual reality contents and/or augmented reality contents; and
a beam shifter configured to change a path of the light projected from the light projector based on a position of a pupil of an eye of the wearer, wherein:
the beam shifter includes a tunable waveguide; and
the tunable waveguide includes:
a waveguide configured to receive the light projected from the light projector; and
a plurality of individually-addressable control regions located adjacent to the waveguide along the waveguide, a respective region of the plurality of individually-addressable control regions is configured to have a first optical thickness under a first operating condition and a second optical thickness that is distinct from the first optical thickness under a second operation condition that is distinct from the first operating condition,

wherein the tunable waveguide is configured to:
propagate the received light through the waveguide at a location that corresponds to the respective region while the respective region has the first optical thickness; and
emit at least a portion of the received light from the waveguide at the location that corresponds to the respective region while the respective region has the second optical thickness.

16. The device of claim 15 , wherein:
the head-mounted display device is coupled with an eye tracker configured to determine a position of the pupil of the eye of the wearer.

17. A head-mounted display device for providing images to a wearer, the device comprising:
a light projector configured t

Assignees

• Facebook Tech Llc

Inventors

• Lanman Douglas Robert
• Ebert Ryan Michael

Classifications

• G02B27/0093

  with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking · 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

• G02B26/105

  with one or more pivoting mirrors or galvano-mirrors (G02B26/101 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B27/0172

  characterised by optical features · CPC title

• G06F3/013 Primary

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