Augmented reality display having multi-element adaptive lens for changing depth planes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11249309-B2
Application number	US-201816006080-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2018
Priority date	Jun 12, 2017
Publication date	Feb 15, 2022
Grant date	Feb 15, 2022

Abstract

In some embodiments, an augmented reality system includes at least one waveguide that is configured to receive and redirect light toward a user, and is further configured to allow ambient light from an environment of the user to pass therethrough toward the user. The augmented reality system also includes a first adaptive lens assembly positioned between the at least one waveguide and the environment, a second adaptive lens assembly positioned between the at least one waveguide and the user, and at least one processor operatively coupled to the first and second adaptive lens assemblies. Each lens assembly of the augmented reality system is selectively switchable between at least two different states in which the respective lens assembly is configured to impart at least two different optical powers to light passing therethrough, respectively. The at least one processor is configured to cause the first and second adaptive lens assemblies to synchronously switch between different states in a manner such that the first and second adaptive lens assemblies impart a substantially constant net optical power to ambient light from the environment passing therethrough.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An augmented reality system comprising:
at least one waveguide that is configured to receive and redirect light toward a user, wherein the at least one waveguide is further configured to allow ambient light from an environment of the user to pass therethrough toward the user;
a first adaptive lens assembly positioned between the at least one waveguide and the environment, wherein the first adaptive lens assembly is selectively switchable between:
a state in which the first adaptive lens assembly is configured to impart a first optical power to light passing therethrough; and
at least one other state in which the first adaptive lens assembly is configured to impart optical power different from the first optical power to light passing therethrough;

a second adaptive lens assembly positioned such that the second adaptive lens assembly is between the at least one waveguide and the user upon wearing of the augmented reality system by the user, wherein the second adaptive lens assembly is selectively switchable between:
a state in which the second adaptive lens assembly is configured to impart a second optical power different from the first optical power to light passing therethrough; and
at least one other state in which the second adaptive lens assembly is configured to impart optical power different from the second optical power to light passing therethrough; and

at least one processor operatively coupled to the first and second adaptive lens assemblies, wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the first and second adaptive lens assemblies to synchronously switch between different states in a manner such that the first and second adaptive lens assemblies impart a substantially constant net optical power to ambient light from the environment passing therethrough.

2. The augmented reality system of claim 1 , further comprising a micro-display, wherein the at least one waveguide is configured to receive and redirect light from the micro-display toward the user.

3. The augmented reality system of claim 1 , wherein the first optical power and the second optical power are opposite in sign.

4. The augmented reality system of claim 3 , wherein the first optical power and the second optical power are substantially equal in magnitude.

5. The augmented reality system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second adaptive lens assemblies is configured to receive one or more control signals from the at least one processor as input and, in response thereto, switch from one state to another state within a period of time thereafter of less than 400 milliseconds.

6. The augmented reality system of claim 5 , wherein the period of time within which each of the first and second adaptive lens assemblies is configured to switch from one state to another state is less than 200 milliseconds.

7. The augmented reality system of claim 6 , wherein the period of time within which each of the first and second adaptive lens assemblies is configured to switch from one state to another state is less than 100 milliseconds.

8. The augmented reality system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one waveguide comprises an output area through which the at least one waveguide is configured to redirect light toward the user and allow ambient light from the environment of the user to pass therethrough toward the user, the output area of the at least one waveguide being positioned between a portion of the first adaptive lens assembly within which a clear aperture of the first adaptive lens assembly is formed and a portion of the second adaptive lens assembly within which a clear aperture of the second adaptive lens assembly is formed.

9. The augmented reality system of claim 8 , wherein each of the portions of the first and second adaptive lens assemblies within which clear apertures of the first and second adaptive lens assemblies are formed, respectively, is larger in size than the output area of the at least one waveguide.

10. The augmented reality system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second adaptive lens assemblies includes at least one optical element that is single-pole switchable between two states.

11. The augmented reality system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one optical element is single-pole switchable between:
a first state in which the at least one optical element is configured to impart a first polarization state to light passing therethrough toward the user; and
a second state in which the at least one optical element is configured to impart a second polarization state different from the first polarization state to light passing therethrough.

12. The augmented reality system of claim 11 , wherein each of the first and second adaptive lens assemblies include at least one waveplate lens positioned such that the at least one waveplate lens is between the at least one optical element and the user upon wearing of the augmented reality system by the user,
wherein the at least one waveplate lens is configured to impart one optical power to light of the first polarization state passing therethrough and another, different optical power to light of the second polarization state passing therethrough.

13. The augmented reality system of claim 10 , wherein each of the first and second adaptive lens assemblies includes a quantity of optical elements that are single-pole switchable between two states, the quantity of optical elements included in each of the first and second adaptive lens assemblies being equal to a first value, and
wherein each of the first and second adaptive lens assemblies is selectively switchable between states from among a quantity of different states, the quantity of different states being equal to a second value that exponentially depends upon the first value.

14. The augmented reality system of claim 13 , wherein the second value is equal to an exponentiation of two with an exponent, the exponent being equal to the first value.

15. The augmented reality system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one waveguide is configured to receive and redirect light representing virtual content toward the user,
wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the first and second adaptive lens assemblies to synchronously switch between different states from among the quantity of different states to adjust a distance away from the user at which virtual content represented by light passing therethrough is to be perceived by the user.

16. The augmented reality system of claim 15 , wherein the distance away from the user at which virtual content represented by light passing therethrough to be perceived by the user is selectively switchable to any of a quantity of different distances, the quantity of different distances being equal to the second value.

Assignees

• Magic Leap Inc

Inventors

• Schaefer Jason
• Cheng Hui-Chuan
• Manly David
• Trisnadi Jahja I
• Carlisle Clinton
• Klug Michael Anthony

Classifications

• G02B2027/014

  comprising information/image processing systems · CPC title

• G02B2027/0127

  comprising devices increasing the depth of field · CPC title

• G02F1/294

  Variable focal length devices · CPC title

• G02F1/29

  for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection · CPC title

• G02F1/133757

  with different alignment orientations · CPC title