Compact eye-tracked head-mounted display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12265223-B2
Application number	US-202117514335-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 29, 2021
Priority date	Jan 24, 2012
Publication date	Apr 1, 2025
Grant date	Apr 1, 2025

Abstract

Eye-tracked head-mounted displays are provide which, in one aspect, may utilize the same optics for eyetracking and image viewing, with a selected portion of the optics used for an eyetracking optical path and a selected portion of the display optics used for an image viewing optical path.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An eye-tracked head-mounted display for displaying an image to an exit pupil thereof for viewing by a user, comprising:
an infra-red (IR) illumination source having an illumination optical axis associated therewith;
a freeform prism lens in optical communication with the illumination source configured to receive light from the illumination source through a first surface of the freeform prism lens and configured to transmit the light received to the exit pupil; and
an eyetracking sensor having a sensor optical axis associated therewith distinct from the illumination optical axis, the sensor optical axis extending through the freeform prism lens from the exit pupil to the sensor, the sensor located proximate the first surface of the freeform prism lens to receive optical radiation reflected from a user's eye positioned at the exit pupil and transmitted through the freeform prism lens along the sensor optical path to the sensor, wherein the illumination optical axis and the sensor optical axis are tilted with respect to one another and intersect one another at the exit pupil and wherein the illumination optical axis and the sensor optical axis intersect the first surface of the freeform prism lens at different locations of the first surface.

2. The eye-tracked head-mounted display according to claim 1 , comprising a stop having at least one aperture therein disposed at a location along the sensor optical axis between the sensor and the first surface.

3. The eye-tracked head-mounted display according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one aperture comprises a pin-hole.

4. The eye-tracked head-mounted display according to claim 1 , wherein the freeform prism lens comprises an aspheric surface.

5. The eye-tracked head-mounted display according to claim 1 , wherein the freeform prism lens comprises a TIR (total internal reflection) surface oriented to receive and totally internally reflect light received from the illumination source.

6. The eye-tracked head-mounted display according to claim 1 , comprising a freeform corrective lens in optical communication with the freeform prism lens.

7. The eye-tracked head-mounted display according to claim 1 , wherein the freeform prism lens comprises a wedge-shaped prism.

8. The eye-tracked head-mounted display according to claim 7 , comprising a freeform corrective lens in optical communication with the freeform prism lens.

9. The eye-tracked head-mounted display according to claim 8 , wherein a field of view of the freeform corrective lens is larger than a field of view of the display optics.

Assignees

• Univ Arizona
• Augmented Vision Inc

Inventors

• Hua Hong
• Gao Chunyu

Classifications

• G02B2027/0138

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

• G02B2027/011

  comprising device for correcting geometrical aberrations, distortion · CPC title

• G02B5/04

  Prisms · CPC title

• G06F3/013

  Eye tracking input arrangements (G06F3/015 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B2027/0187

  slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye · CPC title