Integrated depth sensor window lens and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12379522-B2
Application number	US-202117463200-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2021
Priority date	Feb 22, 2019
Publication date	Aug 5, 2025
Grant date	Aug 5, 2025

Abstract

A method of making an integrated depth sensor window lens, such as for an augmented reality (AR) head set, the depth sensor window lens comprising a sensor lens and an illuminator lens separated by an opaque dam. The method uses a two-shot injection molding process, a first shot comprising an optically clear polymeric material to form the sensor lens and the illuminator lens and the second shot comprising an opaque polymeric material to form the separator of the two.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. In a head mountable device wearable by a user, a depth sensor window lens, wherein a back side of the depth sensor window lens is positioned to be proximate to eyes of the user and a front side of the depth sensor window lens is positioned to be distal to the eyes of the user on an opposite side of the depth sensor window lens, the depth sensor window lens comprising:
a sensor lens comprising an infrared (IR) transparent polymer and having a front surface on the front side of the depth sensor window lens with a root mean square (RMS) surface finish of no more than 6 nanometers (nm);
an illuminator lens comprising an IR transparent polymer and having a front surface on the front side of the depth sensor window lens with an RMS surface finish of no more than 6 nm; and
a dam between the sensor lens and the illuminator lens on the front side of the depth sensor window lens, the dam comprising an opaque polymer and having a front surface within 10 nm of the front surface of the sensor lens and the front surface of the illuminator lens.

2. The depth sensor window lens of claim 1 , wherein the dam has a width between the sensor lens and the illuminator lens of 1 mm or less.

3. The depth sensor window lens of claim 1 , wherein the front surface of the dam is within 6 nm of the front surface of the sensor lens and within 6 nm of the front surface of the illuminator lens.

4. The depth sensor window lens of claim 1 , wherein a valley at a juncture of the front surface of the dam and the front surface of the sensor lens and a valley at a juncture of the front surface of the dam and the front surface of the illuminator lens are no more than 10 nm deep.

5. The depth sensor window lens of claim 4 , wherein the valleys are no more than 6 nm deep.

6. The depth sensor window lens of claim 1 , wherein the sensor lens and the illuminator lens include IR transparent polycarbonate, and the dam includes polycarbonate having an absorbance of at least 99.99% for infrared radiation.

7. The depth sensor window lens of claim 1 , wherein the sensor lens and the illuminator lens each have a thickness of 1 mm or less.

8. The depth sensor window lens of claim 1 further comprising:
a frame in contact with a periphery of the sensor lens and a periphery of the illuminator lens.

9. The depth sensor window lens of claim 8 , wherein the frame further contacts a back surface of the sensor lens proximate the periphery of the sensor lens and a back surface of the illuminator lens proximate the periphery of the illuminator lens.

10. The depth sensor window lens of claim 8 , wherein the dam is integral with the frame.

11. A head mountable device (HMD) for augmented reality (AR) comprising:
a visor lens; and
a depth sensor window lens integrated into the visor lens, wherein a back side of the depth sensor window lens is positioned to be proximate to eyes of a user and a front side of the depth sensor window lens is positioned to be distal to the user on an opposite side of the depth sensor window lens, the depth sensor window lens comprising:
a sensor lens comprising an infrared (IR) transparent polymer and having a front surface on the front side of the depth sensor window lens with a root mean square (RMS) surface finish of no more than 6 nanometers (nm);
an illuminator lens comprising an IR transparent polymer and having a front surface on the front side of the depth sensor window lens with an RMS surface finish of no more than 6 nm; and
a dam between the sensor lens and the illuminator lens on the front side of the depth sensor window lens, the dam comprising an opaque polymer and having a front surface within 10 nm of the front surface of the sensor lens and the front surface of the illuminator lens.

12. The HMD of claim 11 , wherein the dam has a width between the sensor lens and the illuminator lens of 1 mm or less.

13. The HMD of claim 11 , wherein the front surface of the dam is within 6 nm of the front surface of the sensor lens and within 6 nm of the front surface of the illuminator lens.

14. The HMD of claim 11 , wherein a valley at a juncture of the front surface of the dam and the front surface of the sensor lens and a valley at a juncture of the front surface of the dam and the front surface of the illuminator lens are no more than 10 nm deep.

15. The HMD of claim 14 , wherein the valleys are no more than 6 nm deep.

16. The HMD of claim 11 , wherein the sensor lens and the illuminator lens include IR transparent polycarbonate, and the dam includes polycarbonate having an absorbance of at least 99.99% for infrared radiation.

17. The HMD of claim 11 , wherein the depth sensor window lens further comprises a frame in contact with a periphery of the sensor lens and a periphery of the illuminator lens.

18. The HMD of claim 17 , wherein the frame further contacts a back surface of the sensor lens proximate the periphery of the sensor lens and a back surface of the illuminator lens proximate the periphery of the illuminator lens.

19. The HMD of claim 17 , wherein the dam is integral with the frame.

20. The HMD of claim 17 , wherein the frame is present between the depth sensor window lens and the visor lens.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Ye Maosheng
• Yanez Javier
• Holloway Frank C
• Beerman Michael
• Riccomini Roy Joseph

Classifications

• G02B27/0172

  characterised by optical features · CPC title

• G02B5/003

  Light absorbing elements · CPC title

• G01S17/894

  Three-dimensional [3D] imaging with simultaneous measurement of time-of-flight at a two-dimensional [2D] array of receiver pixels, e.g. time-of-flight cameras or flash lidar · CPC title

• B29K2995/0027

  for light outside the visible spectrum · CPC title

• G02B2027/0138

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