Optical combiner apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11520147-B2
Application number	US-202016877490-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2020
Priority date	Jul 8, 2016
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

Optical combiners are provided. The optical combiner may have a see through optically transparent substrate and a patterned region included in the optically transparent substrate and disposed along a wave propagation axis of the substrate. The patterned region may be partially optically reflective and partially optically transparent. The patterned region may comprise a plurality of optically transparent regions of the optically transparent substrate and a plurality of optically reflective regions inclined relative to the optical transparent substrate wave propagation axis. Augmented reality optical apparatus, such a head up display, may include the optical combiner.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An optical combiner comprising
an optically transparent substrate comprising a volume of optically transparent material defined by a front face, a rear face opposite the front face, a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a wave propagation axis extending along a length of the volume from the first end to the second end;
optically reflective dots disposed within the volume in a first direction parallel to the wave propagation axis and a second direction perpendicular to the wave propagation axis that reflect optical image rays emitted from the first end or the second end through the front face, wherein the optically reflective dots are inclined relative to the wave propagation axis and spaced apart from one another in the first direction and the second direction; and
transparent regions disposed between the optically reflective dots extending in the first direction and the second direction.

2. The optical combiner of claim 1 , wherein the optically reflective dots and the transparent regions disposed between the optically reflective dots are included in a patterned region of the optically transparent substrate, and wherein the patterned region comprises an irregular patterned region.

3. The optical combiner of claim 1 , wherein the optically reflective dots and the transparent regions disposed between the optically reflective dots are included in a patterned region of the optically transparent substrate, and wherein the patterned region comprises a regular patterned region.

4. The optical combiner of claim 1 , wherein the transparent regions comprise regions of the optically transparent substrate unoccupied by the optically reflective dots.

5. The optical combiner of claim 1 , wherein the optically reflective dots are distributed in a plurality of planes spaced apart along the wave propagation axis.

6. The optical combiner of claim 5 , wherein the optically reflective dots are also distributed in intermediate regions of the optically transparent substrate between respective planes of the plurality of planes.

7. The optical combiner of claim 5 , wherein the transparent regions comprise first transparent regions disposed between the optically reflective dots within the plurality of planes and wherein the optically transparent substrate further comprises second transparent regions between respective planes of the plurality of planes.

8. The optical combiner of claim 1 , wherein the optically reflective dots are arranged in at least one regular array.

9. The optical combiner of claim 1 , wherein the optically reflective dots are fully reflective elements.

10. The optical combiner of claim 1 , wherein the optically reflective dots respectively comprise a fully or substantially reflective front side and fully or substantially absorbing rear side.

11. The optical combiner of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the optically reflective dots comprise tilted dots which are tilted parallel to each other.

12. The optical combiner of claim 11 , wherein the tilted dots are distributed within a same plane.

13. The optical combiner of claim 11 , wherein the tilted dots are distributed within different planes.

14. The optical combiner of claim 11 , wherein the tilted dots are distributed throughout the volume of the optically transparent substrate.

15. The optical combiner of claim 1 , wherein the optically dots comprise groups of dots, the groups of dots being spaced apart along the optically transparent substrate, wherein a first group of the groups of dots is arranged for partially reflecting first optical image rays propagating along the wave propagation axis, and wherein at least one second group of the groups of dots is arranged for reflecting second optical image rays that are not reflected by the first group.

16. The optical combiner of claim 1 , wherein a size, shape, and spacing of the optically dots varies.

17. The optical combiner of claim 1 , wherein a size, shape, reflectivity, number and/or distribution of the optically dots is electronically adjustable to adjust a reflectivity to transmission ratio of the optical combiner.

18. An optical combiner comprising
an optically transparent substrate comprising a volume of optically transparent material defined by a front face, a rear face opposite the front face, a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a wave propagation axis extending along a length of the volume from the first end to the second end; and
a patterned region included within the volume of the optically transparent substrate;
wherein the patterned region comprises optically transparent regions and optically reflective regions; and
wherein the optically reflective regions comprise reflective dots that are distributed throughout a portion of the volume in a first direction parallel to the wave propagation axis and a second direction perpendicular to the wave propagation axis, wherein the reflective dots are inclined at an angle relative to the wave propagation axis and spaced apart from one another in the first direction and the second direction, and wherein the reflective dots reflect rays emitted from the first end or the second end through the front face.

19. The optical combiner of claim 18 , wherein the patterned region comprises an irregular patterned region.

20. The optical combiner of claim 18 , wherein the patterned region comprises a regular patterned region.

21. The optical combiner of claim 18 , wherein the optically transparent regions comprise regions of the optically transparent substrate unoccupied by the reflective dots.

22. The optical combiner of claim 18 , wherein the reflective dots are distributed in a plurality of planes of the optically transparent substrate and spaced apart along the wave propagation axis.

23. The optical combiner of claim 22 , wherein the reflective dots are further distributed in intermediate regions of the optically transparent substrate between respective planes of the plurality of planes.

24. The optical combiner of claim 22 , wherein the reflective dots are inclined at a same angle relative to the wave propagation axis.

25. The optical combiner of claim 18 , wherein the reflective dots are arranged in at least one regular array.

26. The optical combiner of claim 18 , wherein the reflective dots comprise fully reflective elements.

27. The optical combiner of claim 18 , wherein the reflective dots respectively comprise a fully or substantially reflective front side and fully or substantially absorbing rear side.

28. The optical combiner of claim 18 , wherein the reflective dots comprise two or more tilted reflective dots that are tilted parallel to each other.

29. The optical combiner of claim 28 , wherein the two or more tilted reflective dots that are distributed within a same plane.

30. The optical combiner of claim 28 , wherein the two or more tilted reflective dots that are distributed within different planes.

31. The optical combiner of claim 18 , wherein a size, shape, and spacing of the reflective dots varies.

32. The optical combiner of claim 18 , wherein a size, shape, reflectivity, number and/or distribution of the reflective dots is electronically adjustable to adjust a reflectivity to transmission ratio of the optical combiner.

Assignees

• Meta Platforms Tech Llc

Inventors

• Leighton James
• Wellington Iain
• Stannard Adrian
• Greenhalgh Philip A
• Ma Nan

Classifications

• G02B27/147

  using averaging effects by spatially variable reflectivity on a microscopic level, e.g. polka dots, chequered or discontinuous patterns, or rapidly moving surfaces (G02B27/1086 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B2027/0125

  Field-of-view increase by wavefront division · CPC title

• G02B2027/0178

  Eyeglass type (eyeglass details G02C) · CPC title

• G02B27/0172 Primary

  characterised by optical features · CPC title

• G02B2027/0118

  comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility · CPC title