Augmented reality head-mounted display with a focus-supporting projector for pupil steering

A head-mounted display device for providing images to a wearer, the device comprising:

• a focus-supporting light projector configured to project light for rendering images based at least on virtual reality contents and/or augmented reality contents, wherein the light projected from the focus-supporting light projector corresponds to an image plane that is selected based at least in part on a position of a pupil of an eye of the wearer;
• and
• a beam steerer configured to change a path of the light projected from the focus-supporting light projector based on the position of the pupil of the eye of the wearer, wherein the focus-supporting light projector includes:
• a light source configured to project an image;
• one or more lenses optically coupled with the light source to transmit the image projected from the light source;
• and
• one or more actuators mechanically coupled with the one or more lenses and configured to move the image plane that corresponds to the light projected from the focus-supporting light projector.

A head-mounted display device for providing images to a wearer, the device comprising:

• a focus-supporting light projector configured to project light for rendering images based at least on virtual reality contents and/or augmented reality contents, wherein the light projected from the focus-supporting light projector corresponds to an image plane that is selected based at least in part on a position of a pupil of an eye of the wearer;
• and
• a beam steerer configured to change a path of the light projected from the focus-supporting light projector based on the position of the pupil of the eye of the wearer, wherein the focus-supporting light projector includes:
• a light source configured to project an image;
• a blocker defining an aperture, the blocker optically coupled with the light source to transmit the image projected by the light source through the aperture;
• and
• one or more focusing elements configured to focus the image transmitted through the aperture.

A method for providing images to a wearer using a head-mounted display device that includes a focus-supporting light projector and a beam steerer, the method comprising:

• projecting, with the focus-supporting light projector, light for rendering images based at least on virtual reality contents and/or augmented reality contents, wherein the light projected from the focus-supporting light projector corresponds to an image plane that is selected based at least in part on a position of a pupil of an eye of the wearer;
• changing, with the beam steerer, a path of the light projected from the focus-supporting light projector based on the position of the pupil of the eye of the wearer;
• determining, with a first eye tracker, a position of a pupil of a first eye of the wearer;
• determining, with a second eye tracker, a position of a pupil of a second eye, of the wearer, that is distinct from the first eye of the wearer;
• and
• determining, with one or more processors, a vergence based on the position of the pupil of the first eye of the wearer and the position of the pupil of the second eye of the wearer, wherein the light projected from the focus-supporting light projector corresponds to an image plane that is selected based on the position of the pupil of the eye of the wearer and the determined vergence.