Image display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9411210-B2
Application number	US-201414403237-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2014
Priority date	Mar 28, 2013
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

An image display device includes a light source which emits light, a display element which receives the light, from the light source for generating display light, a light guiding plate which causes the display light to propagate therein, an incident element which allows the display light from the display element to be incident into the light guiding plate, and a dynamic output diffraction element provided in the light guiding plate for outputting the display light to the outside of the light guiding plate. The dynamic output diffraction element includes dynamic diffraction segment elements configured such that a diffraction function of diffracting light is invalidated or validated by voltage application. The image display device further includes a control unit which controls the dynamic output diffraction element such that one dynamic diffraction segment element whose diffraction function is validated is selected each at a time from among the dynamic diffraction segment elements.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An image display device, comprising:
a light source which emits light;
a display element which receives the light from the light source for generating display light;
a light guiding plate which causes the display light to propagate therein;
an incident element which allows the display light from the display element to be incident into the light guiding plate; and
a dynamic output diffraction element provided in the light guiding plate for outputting the display light to an outside of the light guiding plate, wherein
the dynamic output diffraction element includes a plurality of dynamic diffraction segment elements configured such that a diffraction function of diffracting light is invalidated or validated by voltage application, and
the image display device further comprises a control unit which controls the dynamic output diffraction element in such a manner that one dynamic diffraction segment element whose diffraction function is validated is selected each at a time from among the dynamic diffraction segment elements, and
when the diffraction function of the one dynamic diffraction segment element is validated, the diffraction function of the rest of the dynamic diffraction segments is invalidated.

2. The image display device according to claim 1 , wherein
a length L of the dynamic diffraction segment element is a value smaller than 2×T×tan θ, assuming that T is a thickness of the light guiding plate, and θ is a reflection angle of the display light within the light guiding plate.

3. The image display device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a pupil detection unit which detects an eyeball position of a user, wherein
the control unit is configured to select a dynamic diffraction segment element whose diffraction function is validated from among the dynamic diffraction segment elements in response to a detection result of the pupil detection unit.

4. The image display device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an input unit through which position information of an eyeball of a user is input, wherein
the control unit is configured to select a dynamic diffraction segment element whose diffraction function is validated from among the dynamic diffraction segment elements in response to the position information input through the input unit.

5. The image display device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a polarizing plate disposed on a side of the dynamic output diffraction element on which external light is incident, and configured to transmit only polarized light in a specific direction, wherein
the dynamic output diffraction element is inoperative to diffract the polarized light in the specific direction.

6. The image display device according to claim 1 , wherein
the display element includes a display element using a computer generated hologram.

7. The image display device according to claim 1 , wherein
the dynamic output diffraction element includes:
a dynamic output diffraction element for a red wavelength region configured to diffract first polarized light;
a dynamic output diffraction element for a green wavelength region configured to diffract second polarized light different from the first polarized light; and
a dynamic output diffraction element for a blue wavelength region configured to diffract the first polarized light.

8. The image display device according to claim 1 , wherein
the light guiding plate includes:
a first light guiding plate which divides the display light into first display light and second display light, and causes the first display light to propagate therein;
a second light guiding plate which receives the second display light to be output from the first light guiding plate, and causes the second display light to propagate therein; and
a third light guiding plate disposed on the same side as the first light guiding plate with respect to the second light guiding plate, and configured to receive the second display light to be output from the second light guiding plate and to cause the second display light to propagate therein,

the dynamic output diffraction element includes:
a first dynamic output diffraction element provided in the first light guiding plate for outputting the first display light to an outside of the first light guiding plate; and
a second dynamic output diffraction element provided in the third light guiding plate for outputting the second display light to an outside of the third light guiding plate,

the first dynamic output diffraction element includes a plurality of first dynamic diffraction segment elements configured such that a diffraction function of diffracting light is invalidated or validated by voltage application,
the second dynamic output diffraction element includes a plurality of second dynamic diffraction segment elements configured such that a diffraction function of diffracting light is invalidated or validated by voltage application, and
the control unit controls the first dynamic output diffraction element in such a manner that one first dynamic diffraction segment element whose diffraction function is validated is selected each at a time from among the first dynamic diffraction segment elements, and controls the second dynamic output diffraction element in such a manner that one second dynamic diffraction segment element whose diffraction function is validated is selected each at a time from among the second dynamic diffraction segment elements.

9. The image display device according to claim 1 , wherein
the light guiding plate includes:
a first light guiding plate which receives the display light, causes the display light to propagate therein for outputting first enlarged display light in which the display light is enlarged in a first direction; and
a second light guiding plate which receives the first enlarged display light to be output from the first light guiding plate, causes the first enlarged display light to propagate therein for outputting second enlarged display light in which the first enlarged display light is enlarged in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, and

the dynamic output diffraction element is provided in the second light guiding plate for outputting the second enlarged display light to an outside of the second light guiding plate.

10. The image display device according to claim 9 , wherein
a length of the dynamic output diffraction element in the second direction is configured to increase toward the display element.

11. The image display device according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a dynamic incident diffraction element provided in the second light guiding plate for guiding the first enlarged display light to the dynamic output diffraction element, wherein
the dynamic incident diffraction element includes a plurality of dynamic incident diffraction segment elements configured such that a diffraction function of diffracting light is invalidated or validated by voltage application,
the control unit controls the dynamic incident diffraction element in such a manner that one dynamic incident diffraction segment element whose diffraction function is validated is selected each at a time from among the dynamic incident diffraction segment elements, and
a length of each of the dynamic incident diffraction segment elements is configured to be shorter than a maximum incident width of the first enlarged display light to be extracted from the dynamic output diffraction element, and a total length of the dynamic incident diffraction element is configured to be longer than the maximum incident width.

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sugiyama Keiji
• Kasazumi Kenichi

Classifications

• G02F1/292 Primary

  by controlled diffraction or phased-array beam steering (controlled diffraction for optical switching G02F1/31) · CPC title

• G02B5/18

  Diffraction gratings {(holographic optical elements G02B5/32, G03H; integrally combined with optical fibres G02B6/02057; for coupling light guides G02B6/34; integrally combined with optical integrated light guides G02B6/12; grating systems G02B27/44)} · CPC title

• G06F3/013

  Eye tracking input arrangements (G06F3/015 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B27/0103

  comprising holographic elements · CPC title

• G02B25/02

  with means for illuminating object viewed · CPC title