Near-eye display with self-emitting microdisplay engine

A compact, power-saving, near-eye display, comprising:

• a transmissive waveguide comprising an optically transmissive substrate having parallel front and back surfaces, wherein an input coupler and an output coupler are located along said transmissive waveguide;
• a self-emitting microdisplay system operable to generate images, said self-emitting microdisplay system comprising a two-dimensional image light source having an array of pixels, wherein each pixel of said array of pixels comprises a self-emitting light source operable to emit light as a function of power applied to each said self-emitting light source;
• said two-dimensional image light source oriented to emit light in a first direction;
• a folded optic operable to direct said emitted light in a second direction, wherein said second direction is toward said input coupler;
• said input coupler operable to direct said light emitted from said two-dimensional image light source into said optically transmissive substrate wherein said light is operable to propagate by internal reflections from said parallel front and back surfaces along said optically transmissive substrate to said output coupler;
• said output coupler operable to direct said light out of said optically transmissive substrate to an eyebox within which images generated by said self-emitting microdisplay system are visible as virtual images together with a real-world scene through said parallel front and back surfaces of said transmissive substrate;
• a two-dimensional light sensor operable to detect light levels within different portions of said real-world scene;
• and
• drive electronics operable to drive each pixel overlaying a first portion of said real-world scene having a first light level at a lower power level than each pixel overlaying a second portion of said real-world scene having a second light level, wherein said first light level is lower than said second light level.

A method of presenting virtual images overlapping within a real-world scene within an eyebox, comprising steps of:

• generating images with a self-emitting microdisplay system, said self-emitting microdisplay system comprising a two-dimensional image light source having an array of pixels, wherein each pixel of said array of pixels comprises a self-emitting light source operable to emit light as a function of power applied to each said self-emitting light source;
• directing light emitted from said two-dimensional image light source into an optically transmissive waveguide, wherein said optically transmissive waveguide comprises an optically transmissive substrate having parallel front and back surfaces and an input coupler and an output coupler located along said optically transmissive substrate;
• propagating light entering said optically transmissive substrate through said input coupler via internal reflections from said parallel front and back surfaces to said output coupler, wherein said internally reflected light is conveyed to an eyebox within which images generated by said self-emitting microdisplay system are visible as virtual images together with a real-world scene through said parallel front and back surfaces of said transmissive substrate;
• detecting light levels within different portions of said real-world scene;
• and
• adjusting power applied to each self-emitting light source to modulate amounts of said light emitted from individual pixels of said two-dimensional image light source, whereby power consumption is limited and local contrast values between said virtual images and said real-world scene are adjusted.