Magic Leap, Inc.

Nintendo Co., Ltd.

Inphase Technologies, Inc.

Akonia Holographics LLC

Displaytech, Inc.

Ascentia Imaging, Inc.

Akonia Holographies LLC

Bradley Jay Sissom

Kevin R Curtis

Hui-Chuan Cheng

Miller Harry Schuck, Iii

William Hudson Welch

Eric C Browy

Paul M Greco

Samarth Bhargava

Heidi Leising Hall

Mark R Ayres

Kenneth E Anderson

Adam Urness

Rodney Carl Harris

Erik Heath Arend

Miller Schuck

Chulwoo Oh

Clinton Carlisle

Edward Raymond Dowski, Jr

Victor Kai Liu

Ravi Kumar Komanduri

Mark A Handschy

Kevin Messer

Gregory Johnson

Michael R Meadows

Bernard W Bell

Fredric R Askham

Charles M Crandall

Alan Hoskins

Ernest Y Chuang

Volker Zagolla

Apostolos Deslis

Carlos Alberto Macias Romero

An optical reflective device referred to as a skew mirror, having a reflective axis that need not be constrained to surface normal, is described. Examples of skew mirrors are configured to reflect light about a constant reflective axis across a relatively wide range of wavelengths. In some examples, a skew mirror has a constant reflective axis across a relatively wide range of angles of incidence. Exemplary methods for making and using skew minors are also disclosed. Skew mirrors include a grating structure, which in some examples comprises a hologram.

Skew mirrors, methods of use, and methods of manufacture

This disclosure describes a wearable display system configured to project light to the eye(s) of a user to display virtual (e.g., augmented reality) image content in a vision field of the user. The system can include light source(s) that output light, spatial light modulator(s) that modulate the light to provide the virtual image content, and an eyepiece configured to convey the modulated light toward the eye(s) of the user. The eyepiece can include waveguide(s) and a plurality of in-coupling optical elements arranged on or in the waveguide(s) to in-couple the modulated light received from the spatial light modulator(s) into the waveguide(s) to be guided toward the user's eye(s). The spatial light modulator(s) may be movable, and/or may include movable components, to direct different portions of the modulated light toward different ones of the in-coupling optical elements at different times.

Tilting array based display

In some embodiments, optical systems with a reflector and a lens proximate a light output opening of the reflector provide light output with high spatial uniformity and high efficiency. The reflectors are shaped to provide substantially angularly uniform light output and the lens is configured to transform this angularly uniform light output into spatially uniform light output. The light output may be directed into a spatial light modulator, which modulates the light to project an image.

Light output system with reflector and lens for highly spatially uniform light output

A method of reducing optical artifacts includes injecting a light beam generated by an illumination source into a polarizing beam splitter (PBS), reflecting a spatially defined portion of the light beam from a display panel, reflecting, at an interface in the PBS, the spatially defined portion of the light beam towards a projector lens, passing at least a portion of the spatially defined portion of the light beam through a circular polarizer disposed between the PBS and the projector lens, reflecting, by one or more elements of the projector lens, a return portion of the spatially defined portion of the light beam, and attenuating, at the circular polarizer, the return portion of the spatially defined portion of the light beam.

Method of reducing optical artifacts

An eyepiece for projecting an image includes a first planar waveguide positioned in a first lateral plane. The first planar waveguide comprises a first diffractive optical element (DOE) disposed at a first lateral position. The eyepiece also includes a second planar waveguide positioned in a second lateral plane adjacent to the first lateral plane. The second planar waveguide comprises a second DOE disposed at a second lateral position different from the first lateral position. The eyepiece further includes a third planar waveguide positioned in a third lateral plane adjacent to the second lateral plane. The third planar waveguide comprises a third DOE disposed at a third lateral position different from the first lateral position and the second lateral position. The eyepiece also includes an optical filter positioned between the second planar waveguide and the third planar waveguide. The optical filter is disposed at the third lateral position.

Projector architecture incorporating artifact mitigation

An optical system for an augmented reality head mounted display eyepiece that is configured to deliver images to the eye wherein the optical system includes optics. The optics are disposed so as to receive light output from the light source. The optics further arranged with respect to a spatial light modulator such that the light received from the light source passes through the optics and illuminates the spatial light modulator. The light illuminating the spatial light modulator is redirected back through the optics and is coupled into at least one waveguide through at least one in-coupling optical element. At least a portion of the coupled light is ejected from at least one waveguide by at least one out-coupling optical element and directed to the eye of the user.

Waveguide illuminator

An optical device includes two or more light sources configured for providing input light beams having different wavelengths. The optical device also has a curved reflective element configured to receive the input light beams to provide two or more reflected light beams. The optical device also has a cylindrical lens for each of the reflected light beams configured to transmit each of the reflected light beams to provide a corresponding collimated output light beam.

RGB illuminator system having curved surfaces

A viewing optics assembly comprising a spatial light modulator is configured to rotate the spatial light modulator.

An artifact mitigation system includes a projector assembly and a set of imaging optics optically coupled to the projector assembly. The artifact mitigation system also includes an eyepiece optically coupled to the set of imaging optics. The eyepiece includes a diffractive incoupling interface. The artifact mitigation system further includes an artifact prevention element disposed between the set of imaging optics and the eyepiece. The artifact prevention element includes a linear polarizer, a first quarter waveplate disposed adjacent the linear polarizer, and a color select component disposed adjacent the first quarter waveplate.

In some embodiments, a polarizing beam splitter is provided. The beam splitter may comprise an optically transmissive spacer having first and second opposing faces, with a first polarizer on the first opposing face and a second polarizer on the second opposing face. The optically transmissive spacer may separate first and second triangular prisms of a cube-type beam splitter, with the first polarizer between the first triangular prism and the first opposing face of the spacer, and the second polarizer between the second triangular prism and the second opposing face of the spacer.

Polarizing beam splitter with low light leakage

A method for determining a residual retardance of an LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) panel includes transmitting a light beam to the LCOS panel at an angle of incidence and measuring an intensity of a reflected light beam. The method includes biasing the LCOS panel in a dark state and measuring a dark state intensity of the reflected light beam. The method also includes biasing the LCOS panel in a bright state, and measuring a bright state intensity of the reflected light beam. A residual retardance of the LCOS panel is determined based on a contrast ratio of the bright state intensity and the dark state intensity. The method can also include selecting a compensator for the LCOS panel based on the residual retardance.

Panel retardance measurement

Techniques for artifact mitigation in an optical system are disclosed. Light associated with a world object is received at the optical system, which is characterized by a world side and a user side. Light associated with a virtual image is projected onto an eyepiece of the optical system, causing a portion of the light associated with the virtual image to propagate toward the user side and light associated with an artifact image to propagate toward the world side. A dimmer of the optical system positioned between the world side and the eyepiece is adjusted to reduce an intensity of the light associated with the artifact image impinging on the dimmer and an intensity of the light associated with the world object impinging on the dimmer.

Eyepiece architecture incorporating artifact mitigation

Growing community of inventors

Boulder, CO, United States of America

Bradley Jay Sissom