US 12,625,314 B2Granted

Curved waveguide-based augmented reality device, method for operation of said device, augmented reality glasses based on said device

AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

InventorsGavril Nikolaevich Vostrikov, Nikolay Viktorovich Muravyev, Aleksandr Evgenyevich Angervaks, Roman Aleksandrovich Okun, Anastasia Sergeevna Perevoznikova

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Abstract

A curved waveguide-based augmented reality device is provided. The device includes a projector, and a curved waveguide. The waveguide has a shape of a concentric cylindrical meniscus and includes an in-coupling diffractive optical element and an out-coupling diffractive optical element, a grating period of a diffraction grating of the in-coupling diffractive optical element at each point of the in-coupling diffractive optical element is such that rays from one point of an initial image are input into the curved waveguide in each point of the in-coupling diffractive optical element at the same angle relative to a normal to a surface of the curved waveguide at a point of ray incidence, and at least at one point on each of the diffractive optical elements a diffraction grating period of the in-coupling diffractive optical element is equal to a diffraction grating period of the out-coupling diffractive optical element.

Claims15

Dependent claims

An augmented reality display device comprising

a projector forming an initial image;
and
a curved waveguide having a shape of a concentric cylindrical meniscus and comprising an in-coupling diffractive optical element and an out-coupling diffractive optical element,
wherein a grating period of the in-coupling diffractive optical element at each point of the in-coupling diffractive optical element is such that rays emanating from one point of the initial image undergo diffraction at the in-coupling diffractive optical element at a same angle relative to a normal to a surface of the curved waveguide at a point of incidence, and
wherein, when a point radiation source corresponding to the one point of the initial image is located at a finite distance ZLGT from a concave surface of the curved waveguide, the grating period of the in-coupling diffractive optical element in the cross-section under consideration is defined by an expression:
T
YOZ
OUT
(
L
out
)
=
λ
…
⁢
sin
⁢
(
L
out
/
R
⁢
1
)
+
λ
/
T
0
,
where Lin is a linear coordinate along a concave surface of the curved waveguide with an origin in the center of the in-coupling diffractive optical element,
R1 is a curvature radius of the concave surface of the curved waveguide,
λ is an incident radiation wavelength corresponding to the initial image, and
To is a diffraction grating period of the in-coupling diffractive optical element in the point where ray with a wavelength λ falling on the in-coupling diffractive optical element along the normal to the surface of the curved waveguide undergoes diffraction into a −1st diffraction order by the in-coupling diffractive optical element.

33 more elements

A method of operating an augmented reality device, the method comprising:

forming, by a projector, an initial image;
and
inputting, by an in-coupling diffractive optical element, rays of the initial image into a curved waveguide,
wherein rays emanating from one point of the initial image undergo diffraction at the in-coupling diffractive optical element at a same angle relative to a normal to a surface of the curved waveguide at a point of incidence,
wherein the rays inputted into the curved waveguide propagate within the curved waveguide based on total internal reflection from surfaces of the curved waveguide;
and
transforming, based on an out-coupling diffractive optical element, the rays passed through the curved waveguide into parallel beams of rays to form a virtual image on a user retina,
wherein, when a point radiation source corresponding to the one point of the initial image is located at a finite distance ZLGT from a concave surface of the curved waveguide, the grating period of the in-coupling diffractive optical element in the cross-section under consideration is defined by an expression:
T
TOZ
IN
(
L
i
⁢
n
)
=
λ
sin
⁡
(
tan
-
1
(
R
⁢
1
·
sin
⁡
(
L
i
⁢
n
/
R
⁢
1
)
Z
LGT
-
R
⁢
1
·
cos
⁡
(
L
i
⁢
n
/
R
⁢
1
)
+
R
⁢
1
)
+
L
i
⁢
n
R
⁢
1
)
+
λ
T
0
.
where Lin is a linear coordinate along a concave surface of the curved waveguide with an origin in the center of the in-coupling diffractive optical element,
R1 is a curvature radius of the concave surface of the curved waveguide,
λ is an incident radiation wavelength corresponding to the initial image, and
To is a diffraction grating period of the in-coupling diffractive optical element in the point where ray with a wavelength λ falling on the in-coupling diffractive optical element along the normal to the surface of the curved waveguide undergoes diffraction into a −1st diffraction order by the in-coupling diffractive optical element.

81 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/455,257Filed 24 Aug 2023 · continuation
Priority: RU RU202213330419 Dec 2022
Published: US 2024/0201429 A120 Jun 2024
Granted: 12 May 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G02B 6/0016
Provided on the surface of the light guide or in the bulk of it: grooves, prisms, gratings, scattering particles or rough surfaces
G02B 6/0036
Provided on the surface of the light guide or in the bulk of it: 2-D arrangement of prisms, protrusions, indentations or roughened surfaces
G02B 6/0076
Arrangements of multiple light guides: stacked arrangements of multiple light guides of the same or different cross-sectional area
G02B 27/0081
Optical systems or apparatus not provided for by any of the groups G02B1/00 - G02B26/00, G02B30/00: with means for altering, e.g. enlarging, the…