System, apparatus, and method for displaying an image using focal modulation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9995857-B2
Application number	US-201514678875-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2015
Priority date	Apr 3, 2015
Publication date	Jun 12, 2018
Grant date	Jun 12, 2018

Abstract

A system ( 100 ), apparatus ( 110 ), and method ( 900 ) for displaying an image ( 880 ). The light ( 800 ) in the image ( 880 ) is modified by a tuning assembly ( 700 ) to possess more than one focal point ( 870 ). Thus a single image ( 880 ) can include multiple depth regions ( 860 ). Each depth region ( 860 ) can be comprised of light ( 800 ) possessing a distinct focal point ( 870 ). The tuning assembly ( 700 ) can be implemented in the form a tunable lens ( 710 ), a tunable lens array ( 720 ), a movable lens ( 730 ), or a deformable mirror ( 740 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system ( 100 ) for displaying an image ( 880 ) to a user ( 90 ), said system ( 100 ) comprising:
an illumination assembly ( 200 ) that provides for supplying a plurality of light ( 800 );
an imaging assembly ( 300 ) that provides for creating an interim image ( 850 ) comprised from said light ( 800 );
a projection assembly ( 400 ) that provides for creating said image ( 880 ) from said light ( 800 ) in said interim image ( 850 ), wherein said projection assembly ( 400 ) provides for making said image ( 880 ) accessible to the user ( 90 ); and
a tuning assembly ( 700 ) that provides for a plurality of focal points ( 870 ) in said plurality of light ( 800 ) in a single image ( 880 ).

2. The system ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein said tuning assembly ( 700 ) is comprised of tunable lens ( 710 ).

3. The system ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein said tuning assembly ( 700 ) is comprised of tunable lens array ( 720 ).

4. The system ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein said tuning assembly ( 700 ) is comprised of a movable lens ( 730 ).

5. The system ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein said tuning assembly ( 700 ) is comprised of a deformable mirror ( 740 ).

6. The system ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein said image ( 800 ) is a stereoscopic image ( 881 ) that is part of a stereoscopic video ( 891 ).

7. The system ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein said system ( 100 ) is a VRD visor apparatus ( 116 ).

8. The system ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein said tuning assembly ( 700 ) is positioned in at least one of:
(a) said illumination assembly ( 200 );
(b) said imaging assembly ( 300 ); and
(c) said projection assembly ( 400 ).

9. The system ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein said image ( 880 ) includes a plurality of depth regions ( 860 ), said plurality of depth regions ( 860 ) including a first depth region ( 860 ) and a second depth region ( 860 ), said plurality of focal points ( 870 ) including a first focal point ( 870 ) and a second focal point ( 870 ), wherein said light ( 800 ) in said first depth region ( 860 ) has said first focal point ( 870 ), and wherein said light ( 800 ) in said second depth region ( 860 ) has said second focal point ( 870 ).

10. The system ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein said image ( 880 ) includes a plurality of depth regions ( 860 ), and wherein said plurality of depth regions ( 860 ) include plurality of pre-defined depth regions ( 861 ).

11. The system ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein said image ( 880 ) includes a plurality of depth regions ( 860 ), and wherein said plurality of depth regions ( 860 ) are selectively influenced by an eye-tracking attribute ( 530 ) pertaining to the user ( 90 ).

12. The system ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein said image ( 880 ) includes a plurality of depth regions ( 860 ), wherein said plurality of depth regions ( 860 ) include plurality of pre-defined depth regions ( 861 ), and wherein said plurality of pre-defined depth regions ( 861 ) are selectively influenced by an eye-tracking attribute ( 530 ) pertaining to the user ( 90 ).

13. The system ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein said image ( 880 ) is comprised of a plurality of subframes ( 852 ) displayed in a subframe sequence ( 854 ) wherein said plurality of subframes ( 852 ) includes a first subframe ( 852 ) and a second subframe ( 852 ), wherein said image ( 880 ) is comprised of a plurality of depth regions ( 860 ), said plurality of depth regions ( 860 ) including a first depth region ( 860 ) and a second depth region ( 860 ), wherein said tuning assembly ( 700 ) further provides for a plurality of focal points ( 870 ) of said light ( 800 ), said plurality of focal points ( 870 ) including a first focal point ( 870 ) for said first subframe ( 852 ) comprising said first depth region ( 860 ) and a second focal point ( 870 ) for said second subframe ( 852 ) comprising said second depth region ( 860 ).

14. The system ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein said image ( 880 ) includes a plurality of depth regions ( 860 ), said plurality of depth regions ( 860 ) including a first depth region ( 860 ) perceived as being less than about 3 feet from the user ( 90 ), a second depth region ( 860 ) perceived as being between about 3-5 feet from the user ( 90 ), a third depth region ( 860 ) perceived as being between about 5-8 feet from the user ( 90 ), a fourth depth region ( 860 ) perceived as being between about 8-12 feet from the user ( 90 ), and a fifth depth region ( 860 ) perceived as being about 12 feet or further from the user ( 90 ).

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein said image ( 880 ) is comprised by a plurality of depth regions ( 860 ), said system ( 100 ) further comprising a sensor assembly ( 500 ) that provides for capturing an eye tracking attribute ( 530 ) pertaining to the user ( 90 ), wherein said eye tracking attribute ( 530 ) dynamically influences the number of said depth regions ( 880 ).

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of focal points ( 870 ) includes one focal point ( 870 ) with an at least substantially infinite focal length.

17. A system ( 100 ) for displaying an image ( 880 ) to a user ( 90 ), said system ( 100 ) comprising:
an illumination assembly ( 200 ) that includes a light source ( 210 ) that provides for supplying a plurality of light ( 800 ) used to comprise said image ( 880 );
an imaging assembly ( 300 ) that includes a modulator ( 320 ) that provides for creating an interim image ( 850 ) comprised from said light ( 800 ) provided by said illumination assembly ( 200 );
a projection assembly ( 400 ) that provides for creating said image ( 880 ) from said light ( 800 ) in said interim image ( 850 ), wherein said projection assembly ( 400 ) provides for making said image ( 880 ) accessible to the user ( 90 ), and wherein said projection assembly ( 400 ) includes a curved mirror ( 420 ) and a splitter plate ( 430 ); and
a tuning assembly ( 700 ) that provides for modifying said light ( 800 ) to include a plurality of focal points ( 870 ), said tuning assembly ( 700 ) including at least one of: (a) a tunable lens ( 710 ); (b) a tunable lens array ( 720 ); (c) a movable lens ( 730 ); and (d) a deformable mirror ( 740 );
wherein said image ( 880 ) is comprised of a plurality of subframes ( 852 ), each of the plurality of subframes ( 852 ) associated with one of a plurality of depth regions, each of the plurality of depth regions ( 860 ) having a different one of the plurality of focal points ( 870 ).

18. The system ( 100 ) of claim 17 , said system ( 100 ) further comprising a sensor assembly ( 500 ), wherein said light ( 800 ) in said image ( 880 ) is comprised of a plurality of depth regions ( 860 ) and a plurality of focal points ( 870 ), wherein said first depth region ( 860 ) is at least substantially comprised of a light ( 800 ) with said first focal point ( 870 ), and wherein said second depth region ( 860 ) is at least substantially comprised of light ( 800 ) with said second focal point ( 870 ), wherein at least one said focal point ( 870 ) has an at least substantially infinite focal length, wherein said sensor assembly ( 500 ) uses said curved mirror ( 420 ) and said splitter plate ( 430 ) to capture an eye tracking attribute ( 530 ) from the user ( 90 ), and wherein said eye tracking attribute ( 530 ) selectively influences at least one said focal point ( 870 ).

19. The system ( 100 ) of claim 17 , wherein said system ( 100 ) is a VRD visor apparatus ( 116 ) that provides for displaying a stereoscopic video ( 891 ).

20. A method ( 900 ) for displaying an image ( 880 ) to a user ( 90 ), said me

Assignees

• Avegant Corp

Inventors

• Evans Allan Thomas
• Gross Andrew John

Classifications

• G02B2027/014

  comprising information/image processing systems · CPC title

• G02B27/0172

  characterised by optical features · CPC title

• G06F3/013

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

• G06F3/011

  Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00) · CPC title

• G02B27/017

  Head mounted · CPC title