Google Inc.

Yi Qin

Serge J Bierhuizen

Xinda Hu

Ozan Cakmakci

Oscar A Martinez

Jerome Carollo

Hayes Solos Raffle

John D Perreault

Serge Joel Armand Bierhuizen

Omar Negrete

Patrick F Brinkley

Oscar Alberto Martinez

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

A head mounted display (HMD) provides multiple fields of view of a single micro-display by time-multiplexing the provision of light of different polarizations. The HMD includes a micro-display, a lightguide, and a plurality of combiners coupled to the lightguide, wherein each combiner is configured to combine light of a different polarization. For example, the HMD can include two combiners, with one combiner configured to combine P-polarized light and the other combiner configured to combine S-polarized light. A polarizer switch is included in a filter stack for the lightguide, and a control module controls the switch to alternate the provision of light having P-polarization and S-polarization, respectively. The light of each polarization provides a different field of view of the micro-display.

Head mounted display with lightguide and multiple combiners

An HMD employs a multifocal module having one or more voltage controlled optical elements. By changing the voltage applied to the one or more optical elements, the HMD can change the focal length of an image generated by the micro-display. The multifocal module can include a cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) element and a polarizer switch. By controlling the voltage applied to each of the CLC element and the polarizer switch, the HMD can change the focal length of the image passed through the multifocal module. The HMD can thereby change the focal length of any image generated by the micro-display.

Head mounted display with multifocal module

A head mounted display includes a combiner configured to receive display light from a micro-display. The world-facing surface of the combiner has a curvature that corresponds to a user's vision correction prescription. The head mounted display also includes a corrective layer having a second curvature that corresponds to the user's vision correction prescription. The corrective layer is disposed on the eye-facing surface of the combiner such that the focal point of the display light is adjusted for the specific user as the display light exits the combiner towards the user's eye.

Optical combiner with integrated prescription optical correction and method of manufacturing the same

A head mounted display (HMD) device and method of manufacturing the same. The HMD includes a frame housing a micro-display to project display light, a lightguide configured to receive the display light from the micro-display, and a corrective layer having a world-side surface coupled to the eye-side surface of the lightguide. The lightguide is further configured to have a world-side surface with a radius of curvature based on an ophthalmic corrective prescription and an eye-side surface having an outcoupler feature formed thereon such that the coupled lightguide and corrective layer form a lens configured to fit within the frame.

Freeform lens with integrated lightguide and method of manufacture

A head mounted display (HMD) system employs a holographic element in the optical path of the HMD to direct light to a user's eye. The HMD includes a micro-display, a lightguide, and a holographic element coupled to the lightguide. The holographic element is coupled to a polarization film, and together the element and film reflect and transmit light of different polarities in a specified pattern to assist the lightguide in directing light to the user's eye. For example, the hologram and polarization film can be configured to pass R-polarized light and reflect L-polarized light, thereby directing light from the waveguide along a specified path.

Head mounted display with lightguide and holographic element

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

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 system includes an electronic display for emitting light toward an eye-ward side of the system. A beam splitter receives emitted light from the display. The beam splitter includes a polarization beam splitting (PBS) film and a mirror coating to generate two orthogonal polarization states with different optical paths thereby creating a first focal plane and a second focal plane at the eye-ward side of the system. At least one liquid crystal switch is positioned to receive light from the display in a light path between the display and the eye-ward side of the system.

Multi-focal catadioptric head mounted display with LC switch

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 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.

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Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Yi Qin