Near-eye parallax barrier displays

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-RE48876-E
Application number	US-201715469603-A
Country	US
Kind code	E1
Filing date	Mar 27, 2017
Priority date	Jul 2, 2012
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

In embodiments of the invention, an apparatus may include a display comprising a plurality of pixels and a computer system coupled with the display and operable to instruct the display to display images. The apparatus may further include an SLM array located adjacent to the display and comprising a plurality of SLMs, wherein the SLM array is operable to produce a light field by altering light emitted by the display to simulate an object that is in focus to an observer while the display and the SLM array are located within a near-eye range of the observer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a display comprising a plurality of pixels;
a computer system coupled with said display and operable to instruct said display to display images including a pre-filtered image associated with a target image, wherein said computer system is operable to determine said pre-filtered image that counteracts aberrations of an observer's eye, said aberrations including at least one of myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, or presbyopia; and
a SLM array located plurality of spatial light modulator (SLM) arrays arranged in a layered configuration adjacent to said display and each comprising a plurality of SLMs,
wherein when said pre-filtered image passes through said plurality of SLM arrays, each of said SLM array arrays is operable to produce a light field by altering an intensity of received light emitted by said display to simulate at varying degrees, wherein an output of said plurality of SLMs simulates an object of said pre-filtered image that is in focus to an and within an accommodation range of said observer while said display and said plurality of SLM array arrays are located within a near-eye range of said observer,
wherein each of said SLM array arrays modulates said intensity of said received light emitted by said display without changing direction of said received light emitted by said display,
wherein each of said SLM arrays refreshes at a rate that is faster than a human flicker fusion threshold to increase at least one of a resolution or a brightness of said target image observed by said observer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each SLM of said plurality of SLMs is operable to modulate said received light produced by said display by partially attenuating said received light emitted by said display.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said display is semi-transparent, and further wherein each SLM of said plurality of SLMs is operable to modulate such that said received light includes in part light passing through said display.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of SLM array arrays is operable to project anisotropic light by altering isotropic light produced by said display.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said light field is operable to simulate a 3D object located beyond said near-eye range of said observer.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said computer system is operable to determine an image for display that counteracts aberrations of said observer's eye.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a feedback system operable to make measurements of said aberrations of said observer's eye; and
wherein said computer system is further operable to determine an said pre-filtered image for display that counteracts said aberrations based on said measurements.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor operable to provide information related to a surrounding environment; and
wherein said computer system is further operable to determine an said pre-filtered image for display that counteracts said aberrations based on said information.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an eye-track adjustment system operable to track a gaze of an eye, wherein said eye-track adjustment system is operable to communicate information related to a gaze of an eye to said computer system for determination of an said pre-filtered image for display by said computer system based on said information.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said display comprises a plurality of sub-displays disposed side by side to one another.

11. An apparatus comprising:
a display operable to produce an a pre-filtered image associated with a target image based upon receipt of corresponding image related signals; and
a computer system coupled with said display and operable to instruct said display to display said pre-filtered image, wherein said computer system is operable to determine said pre-filtered image that counteracts aberrations of an observer's eye, said aberrations including at least one of myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, or presbyopia;
a first SLM array located plurality of spatial light modulator (SLM) arrays arranged in a layered configuration adjacent to said display,
wherein when said pre-filtered image passes through said plurality of SLM arrays, each of said first SLM array arrays together with said display is operable to produce a light field simulating a 3D object that is recognizable to an said observer while said display and said first SLM array are located within a near-eye range of said observer by altering an intensity of received light at varying degrees,
wherein each of said SLM array arrays modulates said intensity of said received light emitted by said display by partially attenuating said intensity of said received light emitted by said display and without changing direction of said received light emitted by said display,
wherein each of said SLM arrays refreshes at a rate that is faster than a human flicker fusion threshold to increase at least one of a resolution or a brightness of said target image observed by said observer.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising at least one additional SLM array located adjacent to said first SLM array.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said first SLM array is operable to display different versions, of an image produced by said display, in different directions.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said pre-filtered image is out of focus if viewed without said first plurality of SLM array arrays and said pre-filtered image is in focus if viewed through said first plurality of SLM array arrays.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said display is semi-transparent.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said first plurality of SLM array and said display are arrays is operable to alter light from a surrounding environment and light from said display to provide an augmented reality experience.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said first plurality of SLM array arrays and said display are operable to provide a virtual reality experience.

18. A method comprising:
determining a pre-filtered image to be displayed, wherein said pre-filtered image corresponds to a target image;
using a computer system to instruct a display to display said pre-filtered image, wherein said computer system is operable to determine said pre-filtered image that counteracts aberrations of an observer's eye, said aberrations including at least one of myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, or presbyopia;
displaying said pre-filtered image on a said display in accordance with received image presentation information; and
producing a near-eye light field after said pre-filtered image travels through a SLM array plurality of spatial light modulator (SLM) arrays arranged in a layered configuration adjacent to said display,
wherein said near-eye light field is operable to simulate a light field corresponding to said target image,
wherein each of said SLM array arrays modulates an intensity of received light emitted by said display at varying degrees by partially attenuating said intensity of said received light emitted by said display without changing direction of said received light emitted by said display,
wherein each of said SLM arrays refreshes at a rate that is faster than a human flicker fusion threshold to increase at least one of a resolution or a brightness of said target image.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein said target image simulated by said near-eye light field is in focus to an said

Assignees

• Nvidia Corp

Inventors

• Luebke David Patrick
• Lanman Douglas
• Fox Thomas F
• Slavenburg Gerrit

Classifications

• G02B27/017 Primary

  Head mounted · CPC title

• G02B2027/014

  comprising information/image processing systems · CPC title

• G06T19/006 Primary

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

• G02B2027/011

  comprising device for correcting geometrical aberrations, distortion · CPC title

• G02B2027/0138

  comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera · CPC title