System, method, and computer program product for a pinlight see-through near-eye display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2015177514-A1
Application number	US-201314134637-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 19, 2013
Priority date	Dec 19, 2013
Publication date	Jun 25, 2015
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for implementing a pinlight see-through near-eye display. Light cones configured to substantially fill a field-of-view corresponding to a pupil are generated by an array of pinlights positioned between a near focus plane and the pupil. Overlap regions where two of more light cones intersect at a display layer positioned between the array of pinlights and the pupil are determined. The two or more light cones are modulated based on the overlap regions to produce a target image at or beyond the near focus plane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
generating, by an array of pinlights positioned between a near focus plane and a pupil, light cones configured to substantially fill a field-of-view corresponding to the pupil; determining overlap regions where two or more light cones intersect at a display layer positioned between the array of pinlights and the pupil; and modulating the two or more light cones based on the overlap regions to produce a target image at or beyond the near focus plane.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the modulating comprises generating a mask configured to modulate the two or more light cones to project a modified shape through the display layer.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein a transparency of the mask across the modified shape varies based on a radiometric intensity of the array of pinlights.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the display layer encodes the mask.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the display layer encodes an image corresponding to the target image.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the modulating comprises turning on different portions of the pinlights at different times to produce a first set of non-overlapping light cones and a second set of non-overlapping light cones.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein positions of the pinlights are changed at different times to produce a first set of non-overlapping light cones and a second set of non-overlapping light cones.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein apertures defined by a mask are changed at different times to produce a first set of non-overlapping light cones and a second set of non-overlapping light cones.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising closing a shutter configured to prevent light from an environment from passing through the display layer to the pupil when at least one pinlight in the array of pinlights is turned on.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising adjusting a duty cycle controlling when the shutter is opened and closed based on a diameter of the pupil.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the pupil is represented as a range of possible values.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a gaze of the pupil is represented as a range of possible directions.

13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising computing the overlap regions based on a characteristic of the pupil.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the characteristic is one of a diameter of the pupil, a gaze direction of the pupil, a distance from the pupil to the display layer.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the modulating comprises generating a mask configured to modulate the two or more light cones to produce colors of the target image.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the modulating comprises modifying shapes of projections of the light cones at the display layer based on eye tracking information.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the modulating comprises modifying shapes corresponding to the pinlights to abut without overlapping at the display layer.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the modulating comprises modifying shapes corresponding to the pinlights to abut without overlapping at the target image or at the near focus plane.

19 . A system comprising:
an array of pinlights positioned between a near focus plane and a pupil, the array of pinlights configured to generate light cones that substantially fill a field-of-view corresponding to the pupil; a display layer positioned between the array of pinlights and the pupil; and a processor configured to:
determine overlap regions where two of more light cones intersect at the display layer; and
modulate the two or more light cones based on the overlap regions to produce a target image at or beyond the near focus plane.

20 . A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform steps comprising:
generating, by an array of pinlights positioned between a near focus plane and a pupil, light cones configured to substantially fill a field-of-view corresponding to the pupil; determining overlap regions where two of more light cones intersect at a display layer positioned between the array of pinlights and the pupil; and modulating the two or more light cones based on the overlap regions to produce a target image at or beyond the near focus plane.

Assignees

• Nvidia Corp

Inventors

• Maimone Andrew Stephen
• Lanman Douglas Robert
• Luebke David Patrick

Classifications

• G02B2027/015

  involving arrangement aiming to get less bulky devices · CPC title

• G02B2027/014

  comprising information/image processing systems · CPC title

• G02B27/0101 Primary

  characterised by optical features (G02B27/0172 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B2027/0123

  comprising devices increasing the field of view · CPC title