Geometries for mitigating artifacts in see-through pixel arrays

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12216367-B2
Application number	US-202318202152-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 25, 2023
Priority date	Jul 5, 2019
Publication date	Feb 4, 2025
Grant date	Feb 4, 2025

Abstract

Disclosed are dimming assemblies and display systems for reducing artifacts produced by optically-transmissive displays. A system may include a substrate upon which a plurality of electronic components are disposed. The electronic components may include a plurality of pixels, a plurality of conductors, and a plurality of circuit modules. The plurality of pixels may be arranged in a two-dimensional array, with each pixel having a two-dimensional geometry corresponding to a shape with at least one curved side. The plurality of conductors may be arranged adjacent to the plurality of pixels. The system may also include control circuitry electrically coupled to the plurality of conductors. The control circuitry may be configured to apply electrical signals to the plurality of circuit modules by way of the plurality of conductors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dimming assembly comprising:
a substrate;
a plurality of pixel electrodes that are disposed above the substrate, each of the plurality of pixel electrodes having a two-dimensional geometry corresponding to a shape with a plurality of curved sides;
a plurality of conductors that are disposed between adjacent pairs of pixel electrodes of the plurality of pixel electrodes;
a plurality of circuit modules that are positioned at intersections of the plurality of conductors, wherein each of the plurality of circuit modules is electrically coupled to (i) a respective pixel electrode from the plurality of pixel electrodes, and (ii) a respective pair of conductors from the plurality of conductors; and
a light-blocking mask that is positioned in alignment with the plurality of conductors and the plurality of circuit modules, wherein the light-blocking mask has a curved footprint at each of the intersections of the plurality of conductors, wherein the curved footprint is a curved star shape having four concave sides, and wherein each of the plurality of circuit modules is positioned entirely within the curved footprint of the light-blocking mask at one of the intersections of the plurality of conductors.

2. The dimming assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
control circuitry electrically coupled to the plurality of conductors, the control circuitry configured to apply electrical signals to the plurality of circuit modules by way of the plurality of conductors.

3. The dimming assembly of claim 1 , wherein a width of the light-blocking mask between the adjacent pairs of pixel electrodes is greater than a width of a spacing between the adjacent pairs of pixel electrodes.

4. The dimming assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of conductors follows a curving path that conforms to the two-dimensional geometry of a pair of pixel electrodes of the plurality of pixel electrodes.

5. The dimming assembly of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is an optically-transmissive substrate.

6. The dimming assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a planar electrode layer disposed above the substrate.

7. The dimming assembly of claim 6 , further comprising:
a layer positioned between the planar electrode layer and the plurality of pixel electrodes that responds to electric fields.

8. The dimming assembly of claim 7 , wherein the layer that responds to electric fields is a liquid crystal layer.

9. The dimming assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pixel electrodes form a particular tessellation.

10. The dimming assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of curved sides is semicircular, serpentine, sinusoidal, or a combination thereof.

11. The dimming assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of curved sides corresponds to a sinuosity value that is less than or equal to a value of 1.02.

12. The dimming assembly of claim 1 , wherein the light-blocking mask includes a quantity of one or more materials deposited over the substrate.

13. The dimming assembly of claim 12 , wherein the one or more materials include resin or chromium.

14. A display system comprising:
a projector configured to emit light;
an eyepiece configured to receive and output the light; and
a dimming assembly arranged in a side-by-side configuration with the eyepiece, the dimming assembly comprising:
a substrate;
a plurality of pixel electrodes that are disposed above the substrate, each of the plurality of pixel electrodes having a two-dimensional geometry corresponding to a shape with a plurality of curved sides;
a plurality of conductors that are disposed between adjacent pairs of pixel electrodes of the plurality of pixel electrodes;
a plurality of circuit modules that are positioned at intersections of the plurality of conductors, wherein each of the plurality of circuit modules is electrically coupled to (i) a respective pixel electrode from the plurality of pixel electrodes, and (ii) a respective pair of conductors from the plurality of conductors; and
a light-blocking mask that is positioned in alignment with the plurality of conductors and the plurality of circuit modules, wherein the light-blocking mask has a curved footprint at each of the intersections of the plurality of conductors, wherein the curved footprint is a curved star shape having four concave sides, and wherein each of the plurality of circuit modules is positioned entirely within the curved footprint of the light-blocking mask at one of the intersections of the plurality of conductors.

15. The display system of claim 14 , wherein the dimming assembly further comprises:
control circuitry electrically coupled to the plurality of conductors, the control circuitry configured to apply electrical signals to the plurality of circuit modules by way of the plurality of conductors.

16. The display system of claim 14 , wherein a width of the light-blocking mask between the adjacent pairs of pixel electrodes is greater than a width of a spacing between the adjacent pairs of pixel electrodes.

17. The display system of claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of conductors follows a curving path that conforms to the two-dimensional geometry of a pair of pixel electrodes of the plurality of pixel electrodes.

18. The display system of claim 14 , wherein the substrate is an optically-transmissive substrate.

19. The display system of claim 14 , wherein the dimming assembly further comprises:
a planar electrode layer disposed above the substrate.

20. The display system of claim 19 , wherein the dimming assembly further comprises:
a layer positioned between the planar electrode layer and the plurality of pixel electrodes that responds to electric fields.

Assignees

• Magic Leap Inc

Inventors

• Russell Andrew Ian
• Trisnadi Jahja I
• Mathur Vaibhav
• Manly David
• Johnson Michael Robert
• Carlisle Clinton

Classifications

• G02F1/133512

  Light shielding layers, e.g. black matrix (G02F1/136209 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02C7/101 Primary

  having an electro-optical light valve (electro-optical elements per se G02F) · CPC title

• G02B2027/0178

  Eyeglass type (eyeglass details G02C) · CPC title

• G02F1/134309

  characterised by their geometrical arrangement · CPC title

• G02F1/136286

  Wiring, e.g. gate line, drain line · CPC title