Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Eliezer Glik

Steven John Robbins

Xinye Lou

Bernard Charles Kress

Robert Thomas Held

Matthew Calbraith Crisler

Sihui He

Hagar Edelstain

Joel Steven Kollin

Joshua Owen Miller

Tapani Levola

Andrew Maimone

Andreas Georgiou

Yarn Chee Poon

Jani Kari Tapio Tervo

Richard Andrew Wall

Ian Anh Nguyen

Scott Woltman

Ian Nguyen

Embodiments are disclosed for an optical waveguide display configured for use with a near-eye display (NED) device. In an embodiment the waveguide display includes a light-transmissive substrate and an optical coupling element configured to input light rays to the substrate or output light rays from the substrate, the optical coupling element configured to deflect a plurality of wavelengths of an incident light ray collinearly for propagation within the light-transmissive substrate through total internal reflection (TIR). The optical coupling element can include a pattern of nano-structures that collectively form a metasurface on the substrate.

Metasurface optical coupling elements for a display waveguide

An input-coupler of an optical waveguide includes one or more Bragg polarization gratings for coupling light corresponding to the image in two different directions into the optical waveguide. The input-coupler splits the FOV of the image coupled into the optical waveguide into first and second portions by diffracting a portion of the light corresponding to the image in a first direction toward a first intermediate component, and diffracting a portion of the light corresponding to the image in a second direction toward a second intermediate component. An output-coupler of the waveguide combines the light corresponding to the first and second portions of the FOV, and couples the light corresponding to the combined first and second portions of the FOV out of the optical waveguide so that the light corresponding to the image and the combined first and second portions of the FOV is output from the optical waveguide. The input-coupler splitting the light to two or more intermediate components provides an increased FOV.

Field of view tiling in waveguide-based near-eye displays

In implementations of hologram focus accommodation, a focus accommodation system is implemented for variable focus of a generated image, such as a hologram, that is displayed for viewing on a waveguide display. The focus accommodation system includes switchable polarization retarders that rotate a polarization of light of the generated image, where the light passes through the switchable polarization retarders along an imaging path in which the generated image is viewable. The focus accommodation system also includes polarization sensitive gratings alternatingly interspersed with the switchable polarization retarders. Each of the polarization sensitive gratings are configurable to diffract the light in a first polarization state and transmit the light in a second polarization state. The variable focus is adjustable to a focal distance at which a user perceives viewing the generated image as displayed by the waveguide display.

Hologram focus accommodation

Peripheral visualizations are based on user movements and/or interactions with elements in a scene. Various user movements are detected while a scene is being rendered. Afterwards, the embodiments determine whether one of the movements corresponds with an increase in a level of focus by the user to the one or more elements and/or an interaction by the user with the one or more elements. Thereafter, peripheral visualizations are rendered on one or more peripheral displays proximate elements that correspond with the user movements/interactions/focus. In some instances, the selective rendering is performed in response to a determination that the user movement does correspond with the increase in the level of focus by the user to the one or more elements and/or the interaction by the user with the one or more elements.

Selective rendering of sparse peripheral displays based on user movements

Examples are disclosed that relate to a near-eye display device including a holographic display system. The holographic display system includes a light source configured to emit light that is converging or diverging, a waveguide configured to be positioned in a field of view of a user's eye, and a digital dynamic hologram configured to receive the light, and project the light into the waveguide such that the light propagates through the waveguide.

Holographic projector for a waveguide display

Peripheral visualizations are based on various attributes associated with a scene. Characteristics of elements in a scene are determined. Based on these characteristics, the salience of the elements is determined. When the element is salient, then this determination also includes a saliency magnitude of the element. Thereafter, the embodiments determine whether the element's saliency magnitude exceeds a particular saliency threshold. If the magnitude does exceed this threshold, then the embodiments render a corresponding peripheral visualization with the peripheral display(s) proximate the salient element(s).

Selective rendering of sparse peripheral displays based on element saliency

An optical waveguide, for use a near-eye or heads-up display system, includes an input-coupler, an intermediate-component and an output-coupler. The input-coupler is configured to couple light corresponding to an image that is incident on the input-coupler, into the optical waveguide and towards the intermediate-component. The intermediate-component can be implemented as a Bragg polarization grating that comprises a stack of birefringent layers configured to diffract the light corresponding to the image that is incident thereon into a zero-order beam having one of right handed circular polarization or left handed circular polarization, and a first-order beam having the other one of right handed circular polarization or left handed circular polarization. The output-coupler is configured to couple, out of the optical waveguide, the light corresponding to the image that travels in the optical waveguide from the input-coupler to the output-coupler via the intermediate-component by way of total internal reflection (TIR).

Waveguide comprising a bragg polarization grating

A MEMS laser scanner is disclosed for use in a near-eye display including an increased field of view (FOV). In embodiments, one or more polarization gratings may be applied to the mirror of the MEMS laser scanner, which polarization gratings may be configured according to the Bragg regime. Using light of different polarizations, the MEMS laser scanner is able to expand the FOV without increasing the range over which the mirror of the scanner oscillates.

MEMS laser scanner having enlarged FOV

A near eye or heads up display system includes at least one light source, an imaging device, and an optical structure. The at least one light source can be, e.g., a red light source that produces light within a red wavelength range that has at least two different narrow bands of light having respective different emission peaks. The imaging device produces an image using light produced by the light source(s). The optical structure is configured to transfer light corresponding to the image from an input-pupil to an output-pupil where the image is viewable. By producing at least two different narrow bands of light having respective different emission peaks within a color (e.g., red) wavelength range, and taking advantage of chromatic dispersion, a more uniform intensity distribution is provided in the viewable image compared to if only one narrow band of light within the color wavelength range were produced.

Imaging using multiple different narrow bands of light having respective different emission peaks

In a near-eye or heads-up display system including a display engine and an optical waveguide, a quarter-wave retarder (QWR) is positioned between a polarizing beam splitter (PBS) of the display engine and an input diffraction grating of the waveguide. Additionally, a linear polarizer can be positioned between the PBS and the QWR. Light corresponding to an image generated by a reflective microdisplay of the display engine is diffracted into the waveguide by the input diffraction grating, so it can travel by way of total internal reflection to an output coupler and viewed by a human eye. The QWR alone, or in combination with the linear polarizer, prevents a ghost image that may otherwise occur if a portion of the light corresponding to the image, that is diffracted into the waveguide by the input diffraction grating, is diffractively out-coupled by the input diffraction grating and thereafter reflects off the reflective microdisplay.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Eliezer Glik