Projector with field lens

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11792371-B2
Application number	US-202117187823-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2021
Priority date	Feb 28, 2021
Publication date	Oct 17, 2023
Grant date	Oct 17, 2023

Abstract

A projector having a curved field lens and a displaced light modulating display. The system includes at least one light source configured to generate colored light beams, and a prism routing the light beams to the display. The curved field lens is coupled to a face of the prism, and the prism and curved field lens together decenter the light beam from the prism face and uniformly illuminate the display. A center of the display is displaced from the projection lens optical axis. The decentered light beam and the displaced display together generate a favorable shifted boresight of the created image. Dimensions of components of the projector are a function of a curvature of the curved field lens. The greater the curvature of the curved field lens, the smaller the dimensions of the components and the overall projector. The projector may be used in eyewear.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A projector, comprising:
a light source configured to generate a light beam comprising a center axis;
a controller configured to control the light source;
a display configured to modulate the light beam to generate an image, the display having a display center;
a prism having a prism face and configured to route the light beam from the light source to the display;
a projection lens having an optical axis; and
a curved field lens coupled between the prism face and the display and configured to route the light beam from the prism face to the display, wherein the curved field lens and the prism are configured to decenter the light beam from the prism face and the display center is positioned a distance from a center axis of the curved field lens.

2. The projector of claim 1 , wherein the curved field lens is configured to angle the center axis of the light beam from the prism face to the display such that the angle is not perpendicular to the prism face.

3. The projector of claim 2 , wherein the display is configured to be evenly illuminated by the light beam.

4. The projector of claim 3 , wherein the display center is positioned in an image plane from the projection lens optical axis a distance.

5. The projector of claim 1 , wherein the display center is positioned in an image plane from the projection lens optical axis a distance.

6. The projector of claim 1 , wherein the projector has an illumination section having a dimension that is a function of a curvature of the curved field lens.

7. The projector of claim 1 , wherein the projector has a projection lens having a dimension that is a function of a curvature of the curved field lens.

8. The projector of claim 7 , wherein the projection lens is proximate the display.

9. The projector of claim 8 , wherein projection lens is configured to pass the light beam to the display, and also from the display.

10. The projector of claim 1 , further comprising eyewear, wherein the display is coupled to eyewear.

11. A method of use of a projector, comprising:
a light source generating a light beam comprising a center axis;
a controller controlling the light source;
a display modulating the light beam to generate an image, the display having a display center;
a prism having a prism face and routing the light beam from the light source to the display;
a projection lens having an optical axis; and
a curved field lens coupled between the prism face and the display, wherein the curved field lens and the prism decenter the light beam from the prism face and the display center is positioned a distance from a center axis of the curved field lens.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the curved field lens angles the center axis of the light beam from the prism face to the display such that the angle is not perpendicular to the prism face.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the display is evenly illuminated by the light beam.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the display center is positioned in an image plane from the projector lens optical axis a distance.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the display center is positioned in an image plane from the projection lens optical axis a distance.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the projector has an illumination section having a dimension that is a function of a curvature of the curved field lens.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the projector has a projection lens having a dimension that is a function of a curvature of the curved field lens.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the projection lens is proximate the display.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the projection lens is configured to pass the light beam to the display, and also from the display.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the projector comprises eyewear, wherein the display is coupled to eyewear.

Assignees

• Bates Robert Matthew
• Fliszar David G
• Snap Inc

Inventors

• Bates Robert Matthew
• Fliszar David G

Classifications

• G02B27/0172

  characterised by optical features · CPC title

• H04N9/31 Primary

  Projection devices for colour picture display {, e.g. using electronic spatial light modulators [ESLM]} · CPC title

• G02C11/10

  Electronic devices other than hearing aids · CPC title

• G02B2027/0138

  comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera · CPC title

• G02B2027/0178

  Eyeglass type (eyeglass details G02C) · CPC title