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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12228736-B2
Application number	US-202318200327-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 22, 2023
Priority date	Jun 12, 2017
Publication date	Feb 18, 2025
Grant date	Feb 18, 2025

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. A display device, comprising:
a pair of adaptive lens assemblies in an optical path, wherein each of the pair of adaptive lens assemblies comprises:
a corresponding switchable waveplate configured to switch between first and second states to selectively alter a polarization state of light passing therethrough, wherein the pair of adaptive lens assemblies have optical powers with opposite signs.

2. The display device of claim 1 , wherein each of the pair of adaptive lens assemblies has a respective optical power that is adjustable based upon a state of the corresponding switchable waveplate of each of the pair of adaptive lens assemblies.

3. The display device of claim 2 , further comprising a controller configured such that, when a first optical power of a first one of the pair of adaptive lens assemblies is a first value, a second optical power of a second one of the pair of adaptive lens assemblies is correspondingly adjusted to a second value.

4. The display device of claim 3 , wherein a net optical power from a combination of the first one of the pair of adaptive lens assemblies with the second one of the pair of adaptive lens assemblies remains at about a constant value.

5. The display device of claim 4 , wherein the constant value is about 0 m −1 .

6. The display device of claim 1 , wherein each of the pair of adaptive lens assemblies comprises first and second waveplate lenses, wherein the corresponding switchable waveplate of the each of the pair of adaptive lens assemblies is interposed between the first and second waveplate lenses, wherein each of the first and second waveplate lenses is configured to alter a polarization state of light passing therethrough.

7. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the display device further comprises a waveguide assembly interposed between the pair of adaptive lens assemblies, wherein the waveguide assembly comprises a waveguide configured to outcouple light propagating therein into one of the pair of adaptive lens assemblies.

8. The display device of claim 7 , wherein each of the pair of adaptive lens assemblies comprises a plurality of waveplate lenses and a plurality of switchable waveplates, wherein the plurality of waveplate lenses and the plurality of switchable waveplates are alternatingly stacked.

9. The display device of claim 8 , wherein different ones of the plurality of switchable waveplates and the plurality of waveplate lenses have different optical powers.

10. A wearable augmented reality head-mountable display system comprising:
a light modulating system configured to output light to form an image; a head-mountable frame;
one or more waveguides attached to the head-mountable frame and configured to receive and redirect the image from the light modulating system to outside the head-mountable frame;
a pair of adaptive lens assemblies, wherein the one or more waveguides are disposed between the pair of adaptive lens assemblies, wherein each of the pair of adaptive lens assemblies comprises:
one or more waveplate lenses in an optical path, wherein each of the one or more waveplate lenses is configured to provide a first optical power for light having a first polarization, and to provide a second optical power for light having a second polarization; and
one or more switchable waveplates in the optical path, wherein each of the one or more switchable waveplates is configured to selectively alter a polarization state of light passing therethrough, wherein each of the pair of adaptive lens assemblies is configured to provide a respective optical power that is adjustable upon application of a respective electrical signal to respective ones of the one or more switchable waveplates.

11. The wearable augmented reality head-mountable display system of claim 10 , further comprising at least one processor operatively coupled to the pair of adaptive lens assemblies, wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the pair of adaptive lens assemblies to synchronously switch between different states of a quantity of different states, wherein the different states provide a substantially constant net optical power to ambient light from an environment passing therethrough.

12. The wearable augmented reality head-mountable display system of claim 10 , further comprising a micro-display, wherein the one or more waveguides are configured to receive and redirect light from the micro-display toward a user.

13. The wearable augmented reality head-mountable display system of claim 10 , wherein the pair of adaptive lens assemblies are configured to provide optical powers that are opposite in sign.

14. The wearable augmented reality head-mountable display system of claim 13 , wherein the pair of adaptive lens assemblies are configured to provide optical powers that are substantially equal in magnitude.

15. The wearable augmented reality head-mountable display system of claim 11 , wherein each of the pair of 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.

16. The wearable augmented reality head-mountable display system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more waveguides are configured to receive and redirect the image toward a user, wherein the image represents virtual content, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the pair of 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 perceived by the user.

17. The wearable augmented reality head-mountable display system of claim 16 , wherein the distance away from the user at which the virtual content is perceived by the user is selectively switchable between a plurality of different distances.

18. An augmented reality system comprising:
a first adaptive lens assembly and a second adaptive lens assembly, wherein the second adaptive lens assembly is positioned between the first adaptive lens assembly and a user, wherein each of the first adaptive lens assembly and the second adaptive lens assembly, comprises:
at least one switchable optical element that is selectively switchable between at least (i) a first state in which the at least one switchable optical element is configured to impart a first polarization state to light passing therethrough toward the user, and (i) a second state in which the at least one switchable optical element is configured to impart a second polarization state to light passing therethrough toward the user; and
at least one waveplate lens that is positioned such that the at least one waveplate lens is between the at least one switchable 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 a first respective optical power to light of the first polarization state passing therethrough toward the user, and to impart a second respective optical power to light of the second polarization state passing therethrough toward the user; and
at least one waveguide positioned between the first adaptive lens assembly and the second adaptive lens assembly, wherein the at least one waveguide is configured to direct light representing virtual content through the second adaptive lens assembly and toward the user.

19. The augmented reality

Assignees

• Magic Leap Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G02F1/133757

  with different alignment orientations · CPC title

• G02F1/294

  Variable focal length devices · CPC title

• G02F1/1326

  Liquid crystal optical waveguides or liquid crystal cells specially adapted for gating or modulating between optical waveguides · CPC title

• G02F1/0136

  for the control of polarisation, e.g. state of polarisation [SOP] control, polarisation scrambling, TE-TM mode conversion or separation (G02F1/0353 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02F1/29

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