Virtual reality display system and head-mounted display apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023350267-A1
Application number	US-202217890468-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 18, 2022
Priority date	Apr 29, 2022
Publication date	Nov 2, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A virtual reality display system of reduced size and depth but with a point of focus electronically changeable to suit different human eyes includes a display device and a focusing structure. The display device emits light for images, the focusing structure on the light path includes a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, and a first liquid crystal layer between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, these two electrode layers receiving different voltages. The first liquid crystal layer is configured to converge the image light as necessary for the viewer and enlarge images as desired by the viewer. The image light after being focused displays a virtual reality image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A virtual reality display system comprising:
a display device for emitting image light; and a focusing structure on an optical path of the image light, the focusing structure comprising a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, and a first liquid crystal layer between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the first liquid crystal layer being configured to focus the image light according to voltages of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the focused image light displaying virtual reality images.

2 . The virtual reality display system of claim 1 , further comprising an enlargement assembly on the optical path of the image light, wherein the enlargement assembly is configured to guide the image light in the enlargement assembly back and forth by converting polarization states of the image light, thereby extending the optical path of the image light and enlarging the virtual reality images.

3 . The virtual reality display system of claim 2 , wherein the enlargement assembly comprises:
a lens group comprising a plurality of lens, the plurality of lens being configured to focus the image light; and a wave plate between the plurality of lens, the wave plate being configured to guide the image light in the enlargement assembly back and forth by converting the polarization states of the image light.

4 . The virtual reality display system of claim 3 , wherein the image light from the display device is circularly polarized light, the wave plate is configured to convert the image light into linearly polarized light, and the focus structure is configured to receive the image light from the wave plate.

5 . The virtual reality display system of claim 1 , further comprising a polarization element on the optical path of the image light, the polarization element being configured to transmit a part of the image light and filter out another part of the image light.

6 . The virtual reality display system of claim 5 , the polarization element is a linear polarizer.

7 . The virtual reality display system of claim 5 , wherein the polarization element comprises a third electrode layer, a fourth electrode layer, and a second liquid crystal layer between the third electrode layer and the fourth electrode layer;
the second liquid crystal layer is configured to control a part of the image light of a preset polarization direction to transmit from the polarization element according to voltages of the third electrode layer and the fourth electrode layer.

8 . The virtual reality display system of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode layer is conductive and continuous sheet-like, and the second electrode layer is conductive and is sheet-like with a through hole in a central region.

9 . The virtual reality display system of claim 8 , wherein the first electrode layer is on a light exiting side of the focusing structure, and the second electrode layer is on a light entrance side of the focusing structure.

10 . A head-mounted display apparatus comprising two virtual reality display systems, each of the two virtual reality display systems comprising:
a display device for emitting image light; and a focusing structure on an optical path of the image light, the focusing structure comprising a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, and a first liquid crystal layer between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the first liquid crystal layer being configured to focus the image light according to voltages of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the focused image light displaying virtual reality images; wherein, optical paths of the image light emitted from the two virtual reality display systems are independent from each other.

11 . The head-mounted display apparatus of claim 10 , wherein each of the two virtual reality display systems further comprise an enlargement assembly on the optical path of the image light, the enlargement assembly is configured to guide the image light in the enlargement assembly back and forth by converting polarization states of the image light, thereby extending the optical path of the image light and enlarging the virtual reality images.

12 . The head-mounted display apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the enlargement assembly comprises:
a lens group comprising a plurality of lens, the plurality of lens being configured to focus the image light; and a wave plate between the plurality of lens, the wave plate being configured to guide the image light in the enlargement assembly back and forth by converting the polarization states of the image light.

13 . The head-mounted display apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the image light from the display device is circularly polarized light, the wave plate is configured to convert the image light into linearly polarized light, and the focus structure is configured to receive the image light from the wave plate.

14 . The head-mounted display apparatus of claim 10 , wherein each of the two virtual reality display systems further comprise a polarization element on the optical path of the image light, the polarization element is configured to transmit a part of the image light and filter out another part of the image light.

15 . The head-mounted display apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the polarization element is a linear polarizer.

16 . The head-mounted display apparatus of claim 15 , wherein polarization directions of the polarization elements in the two virtual reality display systems are different.

17 . The head-mounted display apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the polarization element comprises a third electrode layer, a fourth electrode layer, and a second liquid crystal layer between the third electrode layer and the fourth electrode layer;
the second liquid crystal layer is configured to control a part of the image light having a preset polarization direction to transmit from the polarization element according to voltages of the third electrode layer and the fourth electrode layer.

18 . The head-mounted display apparatus of claim 17 , wherein polarization directions of the image light transmitted by the second liquid crystal layer in the two virtual reality display systems are different at the same time.

19 . The head-mounted display apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first electrode layer is conductive and continuous sheet-like, and the second electrode layer is conductive and is sheet-like with a through hole in a central region.

20 . The virtual reality display system of claim 19 , wherein the first electrode layer is on a light exiting side of the focusing structure, and the second electrode layer is on a light entrance side of the focusing structure.

Assignees

• Interface Tech Chengdu Co Ltd
• Interface Optoelectronics Shenzhen Co Ltd
• Interface Optoelectronics Wuxi Co Ltd
• General Interface Solution Ltd

Inventors

• Chen Po-Lun
• Chen Yun-Pei
• Chiang Che-Wen
• Tsay Wei-Hung

Classifications

• G02F1/294 Primary

  Variable focal length devices · CPC title

• G06F1/163

  Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt · CPC title

• G02B27/0101 Primary

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

• G02B27/0172

  characterised by optical features · CPC title

• G02B3/14

  of variable focal length · CPC title