Methods and systems for augmented reality

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018196265-A1
Application number	US-201615740971-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 30, 2016
Priority date	Jul 3, 2015
Publication date	Jul 12, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and systems for image display with a head-mounted device involve the use of a light-field display. Such a display is useful for providing augmented reality.

First claim

1 . A head-mounted device (HMD) intended to be worn by a wearer,
wherein the head-mounted device is configured for the display and visualization, by the wearer, of computer-generated images, wherein said head-mounted device (HMD) comprises:
an image source (IS), wherein the image source (IS) comprises a light-field display, and
a see-through mirror (M) situated in front of one eye of the wearer,
wherein the image source (IS) is configured for the emission of a light beam towards said mirror, wherein said emitted light beam is reflected onto said mirror and thereby is directed towards said eye of the wearer, so as to cause visualization of a computer-generated image by the wearer, and wherein the see-through mirror and/or the image source is/are configured for adjusting at least partially the wearer's vision, by correcting at least partially an ametropia of the wearer for the visualization of said displayed computer-generated image by the wearer.

2 . The head-mounted device (HMD) according to claim 1 ,
wherein the see-through mirror is a holographic mirror, and wherein the light-field display comprises:
an array of optical micro-elements, wherein the optical micro-elements are active or passive, and wherein said array of optical micro-elements is selected from:
arrays of micro-lenses,
arrays of micro-holes,
arrays of micro-prisms,
arrays of liquid crystals,
arrays of gratings, and
arrays of phase masks;

and
a digital display element selected from digital display screens.

3 . The head-mounted device (HMD) according to claim 1 ,
wherein the light-field display comprises:
an array of optical micro-elements, and
a digital display element comprising a plurality of pixels, and
wherein, in the array of optical micro-elements, each optical micro-element corresponds to a subset of pixels in the digital display element.

4 . The head-mounted device (HMD) according to claim 3 , wherein all optical micro-elements in the array of optical micro-elements are identical.

5 . The head-mounted device (HMD) according to claim 3 , wherein the array of optical micro-elements is:
an array of micro-lenses, wherein said array of micro-lenses comprises at least two types of micro-lenses; or an array of micro-holes, wherein said array of micro-holes comprises at least two types of micro-holes; or an array of micro-prisms, wherein said array of micro-prisms comprises at least two types of micro-prisms; or an array of liquid crystals, wherein said array of liquid crystals comprises at least two types of liquid crystals; or an arrays of gratings, wherein said array of gratings comprises at least two types of gratings; or an array of phase masks, wherein said array of phase masks comprises at least two types of phase masks.

6 . The head-mounted device (HMD) according to claim 5 ,
wherein the array of optical micro-elements is an array of micro-lenses comprising at least two types of micro-lenses, wherein said at least two types of micro-lenses differ by one or more of the following:
micro-lens diameter,
micro-lens optical power,
micro-lens profile,
relative distance from the micro-lens to its respective subset of pixels in the digital display element,
active or passive nature of the micro-lens;
or

wherein the array of optical micro-elements is an array of micro-holes comprising at least two types of micro-holes, wherein said at least two types of micro-holes differ by one or more of the following:
micro-hole dimension,
micro-hole shape,
relative distance from the micro-hole to its respective subset of pixels in the digital display element.

7 . The head-mounted device (HMD) according to claim 5 , wherein the array of optical micro-elements, which includes said at least two types of micro-lenses, said at least two types of micro-holes, said at least two types of micro-prisms, said at least two types of liquid crystals, said at least two types of gratings, or said at least two types of phase masks, are arranged with a light source of said image source which emits said light beam so as to define at least two different areas in the array of optical micro-elements.

8 . The head-mounted device (HMD) according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor selected from:
one or more scene cameras, one or more luminance sensors and luminosity sensors, and one or more eye-trackers.

9 . A light-field display in a see-through head-mounted device intended to be worn by a wearer,
wherein said head-mounted device comprises a mirror, wherein said light-field display is configured for the emission of a light beam towards said mirror, wherein said emitted light beam is reflected onto said mirror and thereby is directed towards said eye of the wearer, so as to cause visualization of a computer-generated image by the wearer, for correcting at least partially an ametropia of the wearer for the visualization of said displayed computer-generated image by the wearer, and wherein the see-through mirror and/or the image source is/are configured for adjusting at least partially the wearer's vision by correcting at least partially said ametropia for said visualization.

10 . A method for display and visualization of computer-generated images, comprising:
(a) providing a wearer with a head-mounted device (HMD) according to claim 2 , and (b) controlling a location of the array of optical micro-elements with respect to the digital display element of the light-field display, so as to correct at least partially the wearer's ametropia for the visualization of the computer-generated image by the wearer.

11 . The method according to claim 10 ,
wherein the head-mounted device (HMD) further comprises at least one scene camera, and wherein (b) comprises:
(i) determining a distance and/or gaze direction of visualization, by the wearer, of an object in the natural vision field, based on data collected from the scene camera, and
(ii) controlling the location of the array of optical micro-elements with respect to the digital display element of the light-field display, so as to adjust the distance and/or gaze direction of visualization, by the wearer, of the computer-generated image, as a function of the distance and/or gaze direction determined at (i).

12 . The method according to claim 10 ,
wherein the head-mounted device (HMD) further comprises at least one luminance or luminosity sensor, and wherein (b) comprises:
(i) determining at least one value of luminance or of luminosity, based on data collected from the luminance or luminosity sensor, and
(ii) controlling the location of the array of optical micro-elements with respect to the digital display element of the light-field display, so as to adjust the gaze direction of visualization, by the wearer, of the computer-generated image, as a function of the value(s) determined at (i).

13 . The method according to claim 10 ,
wherein the head-mounted device (HMD) further comprises at least one eye-tracker, and wherein (b) comprises:
(i) determining a distance and/or gaze direction of visualization, by the wearer, of an object in the natural vision field, based on data collected by the eye tracker, and
(ii) controlling the location of the array of optical micro-elements with respect to the digital display element of the light-field display, so as to adjust the distance and/or gaze direction of visualization, by the wearer, of the computer-generated image, as a function of the value(s) determined at (i).

14 . The head-mounted device (HMD) according to claim 2 , wherein said arrays of liquid crystals are selected from LCD and LCoS, and said digi

Assignees

• Essilor Int

Inventors

• Bouchier Aude
• Cano Jean-Paul

Classifications

• G03H2270/55

  being an optical element, e.g. spectacles · CPC title

• G03H1/2294

  Addressing the hologram to an active spatial light modulator · CPC title

• G02B27/1066

  for enhancing image performance, like resolution, pixel numbers, dual magnifications or dynamic range, by tiling, slicing or overlapping fields of view · CPC title

• G02B2027/0123

  comprising devices increasing the field of view · CPC title

• G02B3/0006

  Arrays (G02B3/02, G02B5/188 take precedence) · CPC title