Back to results
US 11,237,394 B2Granted
Freeform head mounted display
AssigneeGoogle Inc.
InventorOzan Cakmakci
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical apparatus for a near-eye display includes a microdisplay to emit image light and one or more field lenses positioned to receive the image light from the microdisplay. The one or more field lenses have a combined optical power to form a curved intermediate image. A freeform combiner, having an eyeward side and an external side, is positioned to receive the image light from the one or more field lenses and reflect the image light. A curved intermediate image is formed between the freeform combiner and the one or more field lenses.
Claims17
A head mounted display system comprising:
- an optical system including:
- a microdisplay disposed to emit image light in a direction away from a user of the head mounted display system;
- one or more field lenses positioned to receive the image light from the microdisplay and form a curved intermediate image along a curved image plane of the one or more field lenses;
- and
- a freeform combiner positioned to receive the image light and reflect the image light into an eye of the user, wherein the curved image plane is disposed between the one or more field lenses and the freeform combiner;
- and
- a frame assembly to support the optical system on a head of the user with the freeform combiner aligned to the eye, wherein the frame assembly holds the microdisplay and the one or more field lenses are proximate to an ear side of the head of the user when the head mounted display system is worn by the user,
- wherein the one or more field lenses include:
- a first field lens with a first spherical surface and a freeform surface opposite the first spherical surface;
- and
- a second field lens with a second spherical surface and a toroidal surface opposite the second spherical surface, and wherein the first field lens is optically disposed between the second field lens and the microdisplay, and the second field lens is optically disposed between the first field lens and the freeform combiner, and wherein a first abbe number of the first field lens is less than a second abbe number of the second field lens.
8 more elements
A method of optical magnification, comprising:
- emitting image light from a microdisplay towards one or more field lenses in a direction away from a user;
- receiving the image light from the microdisplay with the one or more field lenses;
- forming a curved intermediate image with the one or more field lenses;
- combining the image light with a freeform optical combiner and reflecting the image light into an eye of the user, wherein the curved intermediate image is disposed between the one or more field lenses and the freeform optical combiner, and wherein a concave surface of the curved intermediate image faces the one or more field lenses, and
- wherein the one or more field lenses include:
- a first field lens with a first spherical surface and a freeform surface opposite the first spherical surface;
- and
- a second field lens with a second spherical surface and a toroidal surface opposite the second spherical surface, and wherein the first field lens is optically disposed between the second field lens and the microdisplay, and the second field lens is optically disposed between the first field lens and the freeform combiner, and wherein a first abbe number of the first field lens is less than a second abbe number of the second field lens.
5 more elements
A method, comprising:
- emitting, from a first microdisplay of a head mounted display system, image light in a direction away from a user of the head mounted display system;
- receiving the image light from the microdisplay at one or more field lenses and forming a curved intermediate image along a curved image plane of the one or more field lenses;
- and
- receiving the image light at a freeform combiner and reflecting the image light into an eye of the user, wherein the curved image plane is disposed between the one or more field lenses and the freeform combiner,
- wherein a frame assembly holds the first microdisplay and the one or more field lenses are proximate to an ear side of the head of the user when the head mounted display system is worn by the user,
- wherein the one or more field lenses include:
- a first field lens with a first spherical surface and a freeform surface opposite the first spherical surface;
- and
- a second field lens with a second spherical surface and a toroidal surface opposite the second spherical surface, and wherein the first field lens is optically disposed between the second field lens and the first microdisplay, and the second field lens is optically disposed between the first field lens and the freeform combiner, and wherein a first abbe number of the first field lens is less than a second abbe number of the second field lens.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.