Image display apparatus having an optical scanner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9885877-B2
Application number	US-201514960792-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2015
Priority date	Dec 8, 2014
Publication date	Feb 6, 2018
Grant date	Feb 6, 2018

Abstract

An image display apparatus includes an image light generator that generates video light modulated based on a video signal, a light diffracting section (first diffractive optical element) that diffracts the video light outputted from the image light generator, a light sweeper (optical scanner) that spatially scans the video light, and a reflector including a light diffracting section (second diffractive optical element) that diffracts the video light scanned by the light sweeper, and the light diffracting section (first diffractive optical element) is provided on an optical path between the image light generator and the light sweeper. The light diffracting section (first diffractive optical element) preferably has a fixed interval between interference fringes, and the light diffracting section (second diffractive optical element) preferably has portions where intervals between interference fringes differ from each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image display apparatus comprising:
an image light generator that generates video light modulated based on a video signal;
a first diffractive optical element that diffracts the video light outputted from the image light generator;
an optical scanner that spatially scans the video light; and
a second diffractive optical element on which the video light scanned by the optical scanner is incident and which diffracts the incident video light,
wherein the first diffractive optical element is provided on an optical path between the image light generator and the optical scanner,
wherein the optical scanner performs primary scanning of the video light along a first direction, and the optical scanner performs secondary scanning of the video light along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction,
the first diffractive optical element has a fixed diffraction grating cycle,
the second diffractive optical element has portions where diffraction grating cycles differ from each other on a scan line of the primary scanning that passes through a center of the secondary scanning of the video light to be incident on the second diffractive optical element, and
wherein the fixed diffraction grating cycle of the first diffractive optical element is an intermediate value between a maximum diffraction grating cycle and a minimum diffraction grating cycle on the scan line of the primary scanning that passes through the center of the secondary scanning of the video light to be incident on the second diffractive optical element.

2. The image display apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second diffractive optical element has a surface on which the video light is incident, and the surface has a concave shape in a direction perpendicular to a diffraction grating of the second diffractive optical element.

3. The image display apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the fixed diffraction grating cycle of the first diffractive optical element is equal to the diffraction grating cycle not only on the scan line of the primary scanning that passes through the center of the secondary scanning of the video light to be incident on the second diffractive optical element but also in a position of a center of the primary scanning.

4. The image display apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the fixed diffraction grating cycle of the first diffractive optical element is equal to an average of the diffraction grating cycles on the scan line of the primary scanning that passes through the center of the secondary scanning of the video light to be incident on the second diffractive optical element.

5. The image display apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the direction in which a diffraction grating of the second diffractive optical element extends is perpendicular to the first direction.

6. The image display apparatus according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a pupil expander optical system provided on an optical path between the optical scanner and the second diffractive optical element.

7. An image display apparatus comprising:
an image light generator that generates video light modulated based on a video signal;
a first diffractive optical element that diffracts the video light outputted from the image light generator;
an optical scanner that spatially scans the video light; and
a second diffractive optical element on which the video light scanned by the optical scanner is incident and which diffracts the incident video light,
wherein the first diffractive optical element is provided on an optical path between the image light generator and the optical scanner,
wherein the optical scanner performs primary scanning of the video light along a first direction, and the optical scanner performs secondary scanning of the video light along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction,
the first diffractive optical element has a fixed diffraction grating cycle, and
the second diffractive optical element has portions where diffraction grating cycles differ from each other on a scan line of the primary scanning that passes through a center of the secondary scanning of the video light to be incident on the second diffractive optical element, and
wherein the fixed diffraction grating cycle of the first diffractive optical element is equal to the diffraction grating cycle not only on the scan line of the primary scanning that passes through the center of the secondary scanning of the video light to be incident on the second diffractive optical element but also in a position of a center of the primary scanning.

8. The image display apparatus according to claim 7 ,
wherein the second diffractive optical element has a surface on which the video light is incident, and the surface has a concave shape in a direction perpendicular to a diffraction grating of the second diffractive optical element.

9. The image display apparatus according to claim 7 ,
wherein the direction in which a diffraction grating of the second diffractive optical element extends is perpendicular to the first direction.

10. The image display apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a pupil expander optical system provided on an optical path between the optical scanner and the second diffractive optical element.

11. An image display apparatus comprising:
an image light generator that generates video light modulated based on a video signal;
a first diffractive optical element that diffracts the video light outputted from the image light generator;
an optical scanner that spatially scans the video light; and
a second diffractive optical element on which the video light scanned by the optical scanner is incident and which diffracts the incident video light,
wherein the first diffractive optical element is provided on an optical path between the image light generator and the optical scanner,
wherein the optical scanner performs primary scanning of the video light along a first direction, and the optical scanner performs secondary scanning of the video light along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction,
the first diffractive optical element has a fixed diffraction grating cycle,
the second diffractive optical element has portions where diffraction grating cycles differ from each other on a scan line of the primary scanning that passes through a center of the secondary scanning of the video light to be incident on the second diffractive optical element, and
wherein the fixed diffraction grating cycle of the first diffractive optical element is equal to an average of the diffraction grating cycles on the scan line of the primary scanning that passes through the center of the secondary scanning of the video light to be incident on the second diffractive optical element.

12. The image display apparatus according to claim 11 ,
wherein the second diffractive optical element has a surface on which the video light is incident, and the surface has a concave shape in a direction perpendicular to a diffraction grating of the second diffractive optical element.

13. The image display apparatus according to claim 11 ,
wherein the direction in which a diffraction grating of the second diffractive optical element extends is perpendicular to the first direction.

14. The image display apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a pupil expander optical system provided on an optical path between the optical scanner and the second diffractive optical element.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Yonekubo Masatoshi
• Ishida Daisuke

Classifications

• G02B27/0081

  with means for altering, e.g. enlarging, the entrance or exit pupil · CPC title

• G02B27/0172 Primary

  characterised by optical features · CPC title

• G02B2027/015

  involving arrangement aiming to get less bulky devices · CPC title

• G02B27/4272

  having plural diffractive elements positioned sequentially along the optical path · CPC title

• G06T19/006

  Mixed reality (object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00) · CPC title