Holographic wide angle display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016291328-A1
Application number	US-201615048954-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 19, 2016
Priority date	Apr 25, 2012
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus for displaying an image, including: an input image node configured to provide at least a first and a second image modulated lights; and a holographic waveguide device configured to propagate the at least one of the first and second image modulated lights in at least a first direction. The holographic waveguide device includes: at least a first and second interspersed multiplicities of grating elements disposed in at least one layer, the first and second grating elements having respectively a first and a second prescriptions. The first and second multiplicity of grating elements are configured to deflect respectively the first and second image modulated lights out of the at least one layer into respectively a first and a second multiplicities of output rays forming respectively a first and second FOV tiles.

First claim

1 .- 20 . (canceled)

21 . An apparatus for displaying an image, comprising:
an input image node configured to provide modulated light; and a plurality of waveguides arranged to propagate the modulated light along the plurality of waveguides in a propagation direction, the plurality of waveguides being in a stacked arrangement, each of the plurality of waveguides having a curved output surface and gratings, wherein each of the plurality of waveguides is configured to deflect the modulated light out of a respective of the curved output surfaces via the gratings.

22 . The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein each of the curved output surfaces is curved in a same plane.

23 . The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein each of the plurality of waveguides is optimized for a single different optical wavelength.

24 . The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the plurality of waveguides comprise a color waveguide.

25 . The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein each of the plurality of waveguides is optimized for at least two optical wavelengths.

26 . The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the gratings are Bragg gratings.

27 . The apparatus of claim 21 , further comprising an optical-electronic module disposed at one end of the plurality of waveguides, wherein the input image node is disposed at an other end of the plurality of waveguides.

28 . The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein adjacent waveguides of the plurality of waveguides are separated by cladding layers.

29 . The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein adjacent waveguides of the plurality of waveguides are not separated by cladding layers.

30 . The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the apparatus is a helmet mounted display.

31 . The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the plurality of waveguides comprise a visor of the helmet mounted display.

32 . A method of displaying an image, comprising:
providing modulated light to a plurality of waveguides, the plurality of waveguides being in a stacked arrangement, each of the plurality of waveguides having a curved output surface and gratings; propagating the modulated light along the plurality of waveguides in a propagation direction, deflecting the modulated light out of a respective of the curved output surfaces of the plurality of waveguides via the gratings for each of the plurality of waveguides.

33 . The method of claim 32 , wherein each of the curved output surfaces is curved in a same plane.

34 . The method of claim 32 , wherein each of the plurality of waveguides is optimized for a single different optical wavelength.

35 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the plurality of waveguides comprise a color waveguide.

36 . The method of claim 32 , wherein adjacent waveguides of the plurality of waveguides are separated by cladding layers.

37 . The method of claim 32 , wherein adjacent waveguides of the plurality of waveguides are not separated by cladding layers.

38 . An apparatus for displaying an image, comprising:
an input image node configured to provide at least first and second image modulated lights; and a holographic waveguide device configured to propagate at least one of the first and second image modulated lights in at least a first direction, the holographic waveguide device comprising:
at least first and second interspersed multiplicities of grating elements disposed in at least one layer;
wherein the first and second image modulated lights are modulated respectively with first field of view (FOV) image information and second FOV image information;
wherein the first multiplicity of grating elements have k-vectors which vary along the direction of propagation of the first image modulated light and are configured to deflect the first image modulated light out of the at least one layer, and the second multiplicity of grating elements have k-vectors which vary along the direction of propagation of the second image modulated light and are configured to deflect the second image modulated light out of the layer.

39 . The apparatus of claim 38 , wherein apparatus is a helmet mounted display.

40 . The apparatus of claim 38 , wherein the holographic waveguide device has a curved output surface.

Assignees

• Rockwell Collins Inc
• Sbg Labs Inc

Inventors

• Popovich Milan Momcilo
• Waldern Jonathan David
• Grant Alastair John
• Hendrick Wyatt L
• Stanley James H

Classifications

• G02B30/34

  Stereoscopes providing a stereoscopic pair of separated images corresponding to parallactically displaced views of the same object, e.g. three-dimensional [3D] slide viewers · CPC title

• G02B30/26

  of the autostereoscopic type · CPC title

• G02B6/0076

  Stacked arrangements of multiple light guides of the same or different cross-sectional area · CPC title

• G02B2027/015

  involving arrangement aiming to get less bulky devices · CPC title

• G03H2001/2239

  Enlarging the viewing window · CPC title