# US 11,029,523 B2 · Near-eye display with self-emitting microdisplay engine

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- Number: US 11,029,523 B2
- Document ID: US11029523B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/797,968
- Filed: 2020-02-21
- Published: 2020-06-18
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2014-07-18
- Assignees: Vuzix Corporation
- Applicants: Vuzix Corporation
- Inventors: Paul J. Travers
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11029523B2

## CPC

- G02B 27/0172: {characterised by optical features}
- G02B 6/00: Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B 6/0001: {specially adapted for lighting devices or systems (lighting or signalling on vehicles using light guides B60Q1/00; lighting devices for vehicle dashboards B60Q3/10; lighting devices for vehicle interior using light guides B60Q3/62; lighting devices mounted on the vehicle rear part using light guides F21S43/235; measuring arrangements having light conducting pointers G01D13/265; illumination of liquid crystal displays G02F1/1336; illuminated signs G09F13/00)}
- G02B 6/0016: {Grooves, prisms, gratings, scattering particles or rough surfaces}
- G02B 6/0035: {provided on the surface of the light guide or in the bulk of it}
- G02B 27/01: Head-up displays
- G02B 27/017: {Head mounted}
- G02C 7/10: Filters, e.g. for facilitating adaptation of the eyes to the dark; Sunglasses
- G06F 3/011: {Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00)}
- G06T 19/006: {Mixed reality (object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00)}
- H04N 13/332: Displays for viewing with the aid of special glasses or head-mounted displays [HMD]
- G02B 27/0081: {with means for altering, e.g. enlarging, the entrance or exit pupil}
- G02B 2027/0118: {comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility}
- G02B 2027/0138: {comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera}
- G02B 2027/014: {comprising information/image processing systems}
- G02B 2027/0178: {Eyeglass type (eyeglass details G02C)}
- G02B 2027/0187: {slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye}
- G09G 2320/0626: for control of overall brightness
- G09G 2320/066: for control of contrast
- G09G 2360/144: the light being ambient light
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02C: SPECTACLES; SUNGLASSES OR GOGGLES INSOFAR AS THEY HAVE THE SAME FEATURES AS SPECTACLES; CONTACT LENSES (trial frames for testing the eyes A61B3/04; goggles or eyeshields not having the same features as spectacles A61F9/00)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00)

## Abstract

A near-eye display for an augmented reality display system couples a self-emitting microdisplay to a transmissive waveguide through an input coupler. Light from the self-emitting microdisplay propagates along the waveguide and through an output coupler for generating a virtual image that is visible together with a real-world scene through the waveguide within an eyebox located in front of the output coupler. A light sensor detects light levels within different portions of the real world scene visible within the eyebox. Drive electronics control the light output from individual pixels of the self-emitting microdisplay to preserve desired local contrast values between the virtual image and the real-world scene.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An augmented reality 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 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 self-emitting light source at a plurality of power levels as a function of said light level within different portions of said real-world scene.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The augmented reality near-eye display of claim 1, wherein said two-dimensional image light source is supported on one of said parallel front and back surfaces of said optically transmissive substrate.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The augmented reality near-eye display of claim 2, wherein said two-dimensional image light source is oriented to direct said emitted light away from said optically transmissive substrate.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The augmented reality near-eye display of claim 3 further comprising a folded optic operable to reflect said emitted light toward said optically transmissive substrate through a positive lens to said input coupler.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The augmented reality near-eye display of claim 1, further comprising an electro-optical modulator operable to regulate passage of light from said real-world scene.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The augmented reality near-eye display of claim 5, wherein said two-dimensional light sensor and said drive electronics are operable to differentially attenuate local passages of light from said real-world scene to preserve contrast values between said virtual images and said real-world scene.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The augmented reality near-eye display of claim 1, wherein said light source is controllable to modulate an average pixel scene brightness.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The augmented reality near-eye display of claim 1, wherein said drive electronics are operable to adjust said light output of individual pixels in a first portion of said virtual images with respect to said light output of individual pixels in a second portion of said virtual images in accordance with different detected local light levels within said real-world scene that overlap said first and second portions of said virtual images.

### Claim 9

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.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The compact, power-saving, near-eye display of claim 9, wherein said transmissive waveguide further comprises a beam expander in the form of a grating between said input and output coupler; and wherein said input and output couplers are formed as gratings.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The compact, power-saving, near-eye display of claim 9, further comprising an electro-optical modulator operable to regulate passage of light from said real-world scene through said transmissive waveguide.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The compact, power-saving, near-eye display of claim 11, wherein said electro-optical modulator includes control electronics operable to differentially attenuate local passages of light from said real-world scene to preserve local contrast values between said virtual images and said real-world scene.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The compact, power-saving, near-eye display of claim 9, wherein said folded optic supports successive reflections of said emitted light in two directions and through a positive lens to said input coupler.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The compact, power-saving, near-eye display of claim 13, wherein said folded optic is a prism-shaped reflecting structure.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The compact, power-saving, near-eye display of claim 14, further comprising a heat sink through which said two-dimensional image light source is mounted in a coplanar fashion on one of said parallel front and back surfaces of said optically transmissive substrate.

### Claim 16

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.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of presenting virtual images overlapping within a real-world scene within an eyebox of claim 16, wherein adjusting power applied to each self-emitting light source includes adjusting said light emitted from individual pixels in a first portion of said virtual images with respect to said light emitted from individual pixels in a second portion of said virtual images in accordance with different detected local light levels within said real-world scene that overlap said first and second portions of said virtual images.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of presenting virtual images overlapping within a real-world scene within an eyebox of claim 16, further comprising attenuating passage of light from said real-world scene through said waveguide to preserve contrast values between said virtual images and said real-world scene.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of presenting virtual images overlapping within a real-world scene within an eyebox of claim 16, further comprising differentially attenuating local passages of light from said real-world scene through said waveguide to preserve said local contrast values between said virtual images and said real-world scene.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The method of presenting virtual images overlapping within a real-world scene within an eyebox of claim 17, further comprising attenuating passage of light from said real-world scene through said waveguide to preserve said contrast values between said virtual images and said real-world scene.

### Claim 21 (depends on 16)

The method of presenting virtual images overlapping within a real-world scene within an eyebox of claim 16, wherein directing light emitted from said two-dimensional image light source into said optically transmissive waveguide includes directing said light emitted from said two-dimensional image light source in a first direction, and reflecting said emitted light using a folded optic in a second direction toward said input coupler.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of presenting virtual images overlapping within a real-world scene within an eyebox of claim 21, wherein reflecting said emitted light using said folded optic includes successively reflecting said emitted light in two directions for propagation through a positive lens to said input coupler.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The method of presenting virtual images overlapping within a real-world scene within an eyebox of claim 21, wherein said two-dimensional image light source is supported in a coplanar fashion on one of said parallel front and back surfaces of said optically transmissive substrate.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The method of presenting virtual images overlapping within a real-world scene within an eyebox of claim 21, wherein reflecting said emitted light using said folded optic includes reflecting said emitted light toward said optically transmissive substrate through a positive lens to said input coupler.