Google Inc.

The University of Arizona

Xinda Hu

Serge J Bierhuizen

Jerome Carollo

Yi Qin

Oscar A Martinez

Hayes Solos Raffle

Hong Hua

Maaike Louise Evers

Michael Arthur Simonian

John D Perreault

Albert Lee

Erik Hubert Dolly Goossens

Serge Joel Armand Bierhuizen

Phan Thao Benno Dang

Sandeep Singh Waraich

Ronghui Zhu

Byeong Seon Oh

Gerald Kirk McGinty, Jr

Dan Odell

Eric Allan MacIntosh

Andrew Nartker

Xiaohui Tao

A device provides light for augmented reality vision. The device includes a display that emits light toward a beam splitter. The beam splitter reflects light from the display toward a polarization-dependent lens. The beam splitter allows world scene light to pass therethrough to the polarization-dependent lens. The polarization-dependent lens directs display light and world scene light toward a non-polarization-dependent lens positioned at an eye-ward side of the polarization-dependent lens.

Polarization-dependent augmented reality display

Optical assemblies for use in virtual and augmented reality environments are described. The optical assemblies may include lenses, filter stacks, cameras, and image projecting devices. For example, the optical assemblies may include at least one lens, a first filter stack between the at least one lens and an image projecting device, a second filter stack between the first filter stack and the image projecting device, and a camera configured to capture images of an infrared reflection of light through the at least one lens.

Compact eye tracking using folded display optics

The present invention relates generally to stereoscopic displays, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to stereoscopic displays with addressable focus cues.

Stereoscopic displays with addressable focus cues

Systems and apparatus are described for a head-mounted display apparatus comprising at least one optical assembly. Each optical assembly may include a first curved lens including a first surface and a second surface, a second curved lens including a third surface and a fourth surface, the third surface being concave and including a beam splitter layer, the second curved lens being disposed between the first curved lens and an input filter assembly, and a display panel adapted to receive image content from an image projecting device and transmit the image content through the at least one optical assembly. The third surface of the second curved lens may have a radius of curvature that is larger than a radius of curvature of the second surface of the first curved lens.

Compact near-eye display optics for higher optical performance

A near-eye display system includes a polarization waveguide having an in-coupling interface disposed proximate to a first end and an out-coupling interface disposed proximate to an opposite second end. The polarization waveguide is configured to convey light incident at the in-coupling interface to the out-coupling interface by inducing multiple changes in a polarization state of the light as the light traverses the polarization waveguide. At least a subset of the changes in polarization state induce the light to reflect within the polarization waveguide without relying on total internal reflection (TIR).

Near-eye system having polarization waveguide

A headset for experiencing an augmented and/or a virtual reality environment may include a housing defining an interior cavity, with optical components received in the interior cavity of the housing. A front face may be rotatably coupled to a front portion of the housing to selectively enclose the interior of the housing. A computing device including a display may be received in a slot defined between the front portion of the housing and the front face. A face pad may be removably coupled to the housing, opposite the front face, so as to enclose the optical components in the housing. A user may view an augmented/virtual reality environment displayed on the display through the optical components received in the housing. An adjustable head strap assembly may adjustably position the headset on the head of the user.

Augmented and/or virtual reality headset

A near-eye display system includes an optical system facing a display panel. The optical system includes an input filter, and output filter, and a variable-power catadioptric lens assembly disposed between the input and output filters. The input and output filters are configured, along with the catadioptric lens assembly to fold a path of display light from the display panel to a user's eye. The catadioptric lens assembly includes two or more lens elements disposed along an optical axis, each lens element having at least one surface with a freeform curvature. One of the lens elements is configured to be laterally translated relative to the other lens elements so as to change an optical power of the catadioptric lens assembly.

Near-eye display system with polarization-based optical path folding and variable focus catadioptric lens assembly

A lens assembly has two opposing surfaces, each surface introducing field curvature in a direction opposite of the field curvature introduced by the opposing surface, and thus the field curvatures introduced by the two surfaces at least partially cancel each other out, resulting in a net field curvature that provides for a substantially flat image plane or for an image plane with a specified curvature. The lens assembly may be implemented as a lens with two opposing Fresnel surfaces so that the field curvature in one direction introduced by one of the Fresnel surfaces is at least partially canceled out by the field curvature in the opposite direction as introduced by an opposing Fresnel surface. Alternatively, the lens assembly may be implemented as a lens with a positive continuous aspheric surface facing the user's eye and an opposing Fresnel surface facing the display panel.

Optical field curvature control using multi-layer Fresnel lens in VR display

Systems and methods are described for receiving image content from an emissive display toward a first filter stack, the first filter stack adapted to be oriented in a first direction from an optical axis of a first lens, and toward the first lens, transmitting the image content through a curved lens parallel to the optical axis of the first lens, wherein the curved lens transmits a portion of the image content to at least one optical element and to a second filter stack, the second filter stack being adapted to be oriented in a second direction from the optical axis of the first lens, and receiving the portion from the second filter stack and providing at least some of the portion to the first lens for viewing by a user.

Systems and methods that employ a near-eye display system including an optical assembly are described. The optical assembly may include a head-mounted display device worn by a user in which the head-mounted display device adapted to house an image projecting device and an optical assembly. The optical assembly may include, for at least one eyepiece, a first flat filter stack operable to be oriented in a first direction. and a second flat filter stack operable to be oriented in a second direction. The near-eye display system assembly may also include a display panel adapted to receive image content from the image projecting device, wherein the display panel is adapted to be oriented in the second direction.

Compact near-eye display optics

Eye tracking methods and systems for virtual reality (VR) environments are disclosed herein. An example method includes receiving light through a lens positioned in an opening defined through a surface of a head-mounted display (HMD), reflecting an infrared light portion of the light off a display device of the HMD, the display device oriented generally parallel to the lens, and performing eye tracking based on the reflected infrared portion of the light.

Eye tracking systems and methods for virtual reality environments

The present invention relates generally to stereoscopic displays, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to stereoscopic displays with addressable focus cues. A stereoscopic display system with the addressable focus cues, comprises: a microdisplay for providing a virtual image for display to a user; a reflective active optical element configured to provide a variable optical power; a relay lens disposed along an optical path between the microdisplay and the active optical element, the relay lens positioned therebetween such that the microdisplay and the active optical element are disposed at conjugate planes of the relay lens; a beamsplitter disposed along the optical path between the microdisplay and the active optical element at an orientation to receive optical radiation from the active optical element; and a see-through eyepiece comprising a selected surface configured to receive optical radiation from the beamsplitter and reflect the received radiation to an exit pupil of the system to provide a virtual display path, the selected surface also configured to receive optical radiation from a source other than the microdisplay and to transmit such optical radiation to the exit pupil to provide a see-through optical path.

Growing community of inventors

Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Xinda Hu