Valve Corporation

Microvision, Inc.

Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Joshua Mark Hudman

Kameron Wade Rausch

Evan Fletcher

Gordon Wayne Stoll

Alan Yates

Christian Dean DeJong

Prafulla Jinendra Masalkar

Marshall Thomas DePue

Douglas Vanderwel

Joshua Owen Miller

Wyatt Owen Davis

Mark O Freeman

Jeremy Adam Selan

Jeffrey George Leinbaugh

Jeffrey Walter Mucha

Charles N Lohr

Eric James Hope

Ivan Andrew McCracken

Margaret K Brown

Mark P Helsel

Dean R Brown

Clement Gallois

Carl Samuel Conlee, Iv

Markus Stefan Duelli

Gregory T Gibson

Richard Allen James

Alban N Lescure

Maarten Niesten

Andrew Kilgour Juenger

Montgomery Vincent Goodson

Kelly D Linden

David Roy Bowman

Ivan McCraken

Doug VanderWel

Robert A Sprowl

Methods and systems relating generally to information displays, and more particularly to systems and methods for backlight assemblies for information displays that emit an angularly narrow cone of light. A backlight assembly that emits a narrow angular cone of light can be particularly beneficial in a head-mounted display configuration, such as for use as part of virtual reality or augmented reality systems, where the head-mounted display comprises a lens assembly that directs light from an information display to the eyes of the user. Such a backlight assembly configuration may help reduce undesirable visual effects like flood illumination, ghost images, glare, and scattering.

Head-mounted display with narrow angle backlight

The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods of object tracking for use in various applications, such as eye tracking in virtual reality or augmented reality applications that include head-mounted display devices. An eye tracking system may be provided that includes a plurality of assemblies that each include a light detector, such as a quadrant photodetector, and an imaging lens configured to generate an image of the eye on the quadrant photodetector. Machine learning or other techniques may be used to track or otherwise determine a user's gaze direction, which may be used by one or more components of an HMD device to improve its functionality in various ways.

Optical tracking including imaging-based angle sensitive detectors

Described herein are active noise reduction (ANR) techniques for reducing noise produced by a fan(s) of a head-mounted display (HMD). An example process may include receiving data indicative of a noise that is being produced by the fan(s), determining, based at least in part on the data and using a model(s), one or more audio parameter values, and outputting, via one or more off-ear speakers of the HMD, a sound(s) having one or more audio characteristics based at least in part on the one or more audio parameter values to reduce the noise produced by the fan(s) at a location(s) of an ear(s) of the user of the HMD.

Active reduction of fan noise in a head-mounted display

A backlight assembly includes a display panel (such as a liquid crystal display), an optics system for focusing a portion of the display onto an eye of a user, a light guide, a plurality of extraction features positioned on a surface of the light guide, and at least one laser diode for directing light into the light guide. The light guide is sized and dimensioned to illuminate only a portion of the display that is focused by the optics system; with the plurality of light extraction features configured to diffuse light toward the display panel for back illuminating the display panel.

Head-mounted display devices with non-rectangular backlight

Systems and methods for tracking the position of one or more head-mounted display (HMD) system components of an HMD system. The HMD components may carry a plurality of angle sensitive detectors or other types of detectors. The HMD system may be operative to detect corrupted position tracking samples, allowing such samples to be ignored, thereby improving the position tracking process. Control circuitry causes light sources to emit light according a specified pattern, and receives sensor data from the plurality of detectors. Control circuitry may process the sensor data, for example using machine learning or other techniques, to track a position of one or more HMD components.

Position tracking systems and methods for head-mounted display systems

A lens system for a head-mounted display includes a first lens, a second lens, a first waveplate, a partial reflector, and a second waveplate. The partial reflector is between the first lens and the second lens. The first waveplate is between the first lens and the partial reflector. The second waveplate is between the second lens and the partial reflector. Reflective polarizers are on curved surfaces of the first lens and the second lens.

Folded optics for a head mounted display

Methods and systems relating generally to information displays, and more particularly to systems and methods for backlight assemblies for information displays that include light expanding structures. A backlight assembly may include light expander structures that include a plurality of layer sets, wherein each layer set includes a reflective polarizer layer and a wave retarder layer. The layer sets may together be operative transform point light source, such as a laser light beam, into a surface light source for use as a backlight for various types of information displays.

Display backlight with light expander structures

Systems and methods for tracking the position of a head-mounted display (HMD) system component. The HMD component may carry a plurality of angle sensitive detectors that are able to detect the angle of light emitted from a light source. The HMD component may include one or more scatter detectors that detect whether light has been scattered or reflected, so such light can be ignored. Control circuitry causes light sources to emit light according a specified pattern, and receives sensor data from the plurality of angle sensitive detectors. The processor may process the sensor data and scatter detector data, for example using machine learning or other techniques, to track a position of the HMD component. An angle sensitive detector may include a spatially-varying polarizer having a position-varying polarizing pattern and one or more polarizer layers that together are operative to detect the angle of impinging light.

Position tracking system for head-mounted display systems

Systems and methods of the present disclosure provide a compact camera device that utilizes one or more spatially varying polarizers, such as one or more multi-twist retarders, to provide compact designs with improved performance. The spatially varying polarizers may be used to multiplex light received by a camera, which allows optics to modify (e.g., focus) incident light in a polarization specific manner to provide better resolution, reduced form factor, or other advantages.

Camera device employing spatially varying polarizers

The present disclosure related generally to techniques for improving the performance and efficiency of display systems, such as laser scan beam display systems or other types of display systems (e.g., micro-displays). Display systems of the present disclosure may include a polarization compensation optic, such as a spatially varying polarizer, that provides phase retardation that varies as a function of position, which provides polarization compensation to provide light that is well suited for a polarization sensitive optic of the display system, such as a waveguide-based optical system, a pancake optical system, a birdbath optical system, a coating-based optical system, etc. The display systems of the present disclosure may be components of head-mounted display systems, or other types of display systems.

Correction polarization compensation optic for display systems

Systems and methods for tracking the position of one or more objects, such as components of a head-mounted display (HMD) system. One or more objects may carry a plurality of angle sensitive optical detectors. Each of the optical detectors may include an optical subsystem that is configured to vary at least one of phase or intensity of light imparted on the optical detector. The optical subsystem may include one or more of diffractive optical elements, lens arrays, intensity masks, phase masks, or the like. The optical detectors may include a photodetector that includes a plurality of optically active areas, such as a quadrant cell photodetector, an image sensor with an array of photodiodes, etc. Control circuitry may cause light sources to emit light, and may receive sensor data from the plurality of optical detectors. Control circuitry may process the sensor data to track a position of one or more objects.

The present disclosure is related generally to techniques for improving the performance and efficiency of display systems, such as laser scan beam display systems or other types of display systems (e.g., micro-displays) of an HMD system or other device. Display systems of the present disclosure may utilize polarization multiplexing that allow for improved optimization of diffraction optics. In at least some implementations, a display system may selectively polarize light dependent on wavelength (e.g., color) or field of view. An optical combiner may include polarization sensitive diffractive optical elements that are each optimized for a subset of colors or portions of an overall field of view, thereby providing improved correction optics for a display system.

Polarization-multiplexed optics for head-mounted display systems

A head-mounted display device includes a display panel (such as a liquid crystal display), an optics system for focusing a portion of the display onto an eye of a user, and a backlight assembly including a light guide, a plurality of extraction features positioned on a surface of the light guide, and at least one laser diode for directing light into the light guide. The light guide is sized and dimensioned to illuminate only a portion of the display that is focused by the optics system; with the plurality of light extraction features configured to diffuse light toward the display panel for back illuminating the display panel.

Growing community of inventors

Issaquah, WA, United States of America

Joshua Mark Hudman