Facebook Technologies, LLC

Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC

Alexander Sohn

Jacques Gollier

Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam Sulai

Ying Geng

Brian M Wheelwright

Andrew John Ouderkirk

Robin Sharma

Matthew E Colburn

Abbas Mehdi Kazmi

Nelson Cardenas

Kurt Jenkins

An example optical substrate, according to aspects of the present disclosure, includes a support structure, a plurality of lenses, and a plurality of flexures. Each flexure is engaged with the support structure and a respective lens for allowing independent lateral movements of the lenses during assembly of the optical substrate with another layer of an optical assembly. A first lateral movement provided by a first flexure of the plurality of flexures during the assembly is different from a second lateral movement provided by a second flexure of the plurality of flexures.

Flexures for optical lens

An electronic display assembly includes a display element and a corrective element coupled to the display element. The display element has a first plurality of sub-pixels of a first type and a second plurality of sub-pixels of a second type. Two adjacent sub-pixels of the first plurality of sub-pixel are separated by a sub-pixel distance. The corrective element has a plurality of features configured to diffuse light emitted by the first plurality of sub-pixels such that an apparent distance between the two adjacent sub-pixels of the first type, viewed at a viewing distance away from the electronic display assembly, is less than the sub-pixel distance.

Corrective optics for reducing fixed pattern noise in head mounted displays

A backlight device includes a first surface and a second surface that is opposite to the first surface. The backlight device is configured to emit light in a first optical band through the second surface toward a display panel of a head-mounted display (HMD). The display panel is configured to convert the light from the backlight device to image light. The backlight device is transparent to light in a second optical band that is different than the first optical band. An eye tracking system illuminates an eyebox with light in the second optical band. A camera assembly positioned adjacent to the first surface of the backlight device. The camera assembly is configured to capture images of the eye in the second optical band through the backlight device, the display panel. The eye tracking system determines eye tracking information based at least in part on the captured images.

Infrared transparent backlight device

Aspects of an optical element are provided herein for use in an optical assembly. The optical element may include an optical substrate, an optical component (e.g., a lens), and a plurality of alignment features. The optical component is configured to receive light and is included in a middle region of the optical substrate. The alignment features are included in a periphery region on a surface of the optical substrate. The alignment features are configured to contact a corresponding plurality of alignment features included in another optical element of the optical assembly to provide a kinematic coupling between the optical element and the other optical element for aligning the optical components.

Kinematic couplings for optical elements

A method for manufacturing thin, multi-bend optics includes placing an optical substrate and a protective sheet into a compression mold and closing the compression mold to deform the optical substrate and to deform the protective sheet. The optical substrate can include an optical surface and the protective sheet can be disposed between the compression mold and the optical surface of the optical substrate. The compression mold can include a mold contact surface that is characterized by a surface roughness. The compression mold can be held in a closed position for a compression time period, during which, the protective sheet contacts the mold contact surface and provides a buffer layer between the mold contact surface and the optical surface thereby mitigating against transfer of the surface roughness of the mold contact surface onto the optical surface.

Method of manufacture for thin, multi-bend optics by compression molding

An example optical substrate, according to aspects of the present disclosure, includes a support structure, a plurality of optical components, and a plurality of flexures. Each flexure is engaged with the support structure and a respective optical component for allowing independent lateral movements of the optical components during assembly of the optical substrate with another layer of an optical assembly.

Flexures for optical components

A method includes placing an optical substrate onto a vacuum mold having a bent contact surface characterized by a surface roughness. The method further includes bending, by an applied bending force, the optical substrate and the protective sheet to cause the protective sheet to come into contact with the bent contact surface of the vacuum mold, generating a vacuum-induced holding force to hold the protective sheet against the bent contact surface of the vacuum mold. After a holding time period, the vacuum-induced holding force is released. During molding, a protective sheet provides a buffer layer between the bent contact surface of the vacuum mold and an optical surface of the optical substrate thereby mitigating against transfer of the surface roughness of the bent contact surface onto the optical surface.

Method of manufacture for thin, multi-bend optics by vacuum molding

Infrared transparent backlight device for eye tracking applications

A head-mounted display (HMD) comprises an electronic display having a display region divided into a central region and one or more periphery regions. The central region may correspond to a binocular field of view of the user, while the periphery regions correspond to portions of a monocular field of view. The HMD further comprises an eye tracking system configured to determine a position of an eye of a user of the HMD. The HMD is configured to display a content item within a periphery region of the display that does not interfere with the user's view of content within the central region. In response to a determination by the eye tracking system that the user's eye is directed at the displayed content item within the periphery region, the HMD changes a visual property of the content item.

Display and manipulation of content items in head-mounted display

The disclosed apparatus may include (1) a deformable stepped lens that (a) provides a first optical power when a shape of the deformable stepped lens includes a first state, and (b) provides a second optical power different from the first optical power when the shape of the deformable stepped lens includes a second state different from the first state and (2) an actuator coupled to the deformable stepped lens that, when actuated, applies force to the deformable stepped lens to alter the shape of the deformable stepped lens from the first state to the second state. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Varifocal apparatuses, systems, and methods employing a deformable stepped lens

A head-mounted device (HMD) comprises a display element, a Fresnel assembly, an illumination source, and a camera assembly. The display element outputs image light in a first band of light through a display surface. The optics block directs light from the display element to a target region (e.g., includes a portion of a user's face, eyes, etc.). The Fresnel assembly transmits light in the first band and directs light in a second band different than the first band to a first position. The source illuminates the target area with light in the second band. The camera is located in the first position and captures light in the second band corresponding to light reflected from the target area that is then reflected by the Fresnel assembly toward the camera. A controller may use the captured light to determine tracking information for areas of a user's face (e.g., eyes).

Fresnel assembly for light redirection in eye tracking systems

A Fresnel lens with truncated apexes includes a first lens surface that defines at least one portion of a Fresnel surface profile. The at least one portion of the Fresnel lens surface profile is defined by a plurality of truncated Fresnel structures. Each truncated Fresnel structure of the plurality of the truncated Fresnel structures corresponds to a respective slope facet, a respective draft facet and a respective flat apex surface located between the respective slope facet and the respective draft facet. Also disclosed are a method of making a Fresnel lens mold, and a method of making the Fresnel lens with truncated apexes using the Fresnel lens mold.

Fresnel lens with flat apexes

A head-mounted display includes an electronic display configured to output image light, an optics assembly configured to direct image light in a first band from the electronic display to an eye box, an eye tracking unit configured to generate eye tracking information, and a beamsplitter configured to redirect light in a second band reflected from the eye box toward the eye tracking unit and transmit the image light in the first band. The beamsplitter includes a first region and a second region, and a first portion that joins the first region and the second region is curved such that an angle between the first region and the optical axis is larger than an angle between second region and the optical axis, and the beamsplitter is positioned along the optical axis between the optics assembly and the electronic display.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Alexander Sohn