Hybrid heads-up display for presenting virtual content outside boundaries

A system comprising:

• tracking means;
• a light field display unit;
• an optical combiner;
• and
• at least one processor configured to:
• determine a relative location of a first eye and a second eye of at least one user with respect to the optical combiner, by utilising the tracking means;
• determine a position and an orientation of at least a first region of a light-emitting component of the light field display unit with respect to the first eye and the second eye of the at least one user, by utilising the tracking means;
• generate a first region of a given light field image to be displayed via the light field display unit, based on the position and the orientation of at least the first region of the light-emitting component of the light field display unit with respect to the first eye and the second eye of the at least one user, wherein the first region of the light-emitting component is to be employed to display the first region of the given light field image;
• generate a second region of the given light field image, based on the relative location of the first eye and the second eye of the at least one user with respect to the optical combiner, and a position and an orientation of a second region of the light-emitting component of the light field display unit with respect to the optical combiner, wherein the second region of the light-emitting component is to be employed to display the second region of the given light field image, the second region being different from the first region;
• and
• display the given light field image via the light field display unit to produce a synthetic light field, wherein a first part of the synthetic light field corresponding to the first region of the given light field image is directed towards the at least one user, while a second part of the synthetic light field corresponding to the second region of the given light field image is directed towards the optical combiner,
• wherein the optical combiner is employed to reflect respective sub-parts of the second part of the synthetic light field towards the first eye and the second eye of the at least one user, while optically combining a real-world light field with the respective sub-parts of the second part of the synthetic light field, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
• determine gaze directions of eyes of the at least one user, by utilising the tracking means;
• detect whether the gaze directions of the eyes of the at least one user pass through the light field display unit or the optical combiner;
• and
• when it is detected that the gaze directions pass through the optical combiner, perform at least one of:
• lower a resolution of respective first regions of light field images to be displayed;
• selectively lower a frame rate at which the respective first regions of the light field images are to be displayed;
• generate the respective first regions of the light field images to present at least one virtual object at an optical depth that is within a predefined threshold distance from a distance between the light-emitting component of the light field display unit and the at least one user.

A method comprising:

• determining a relative location of a first eye and a second eye of at least one user with respect to an optical combiner, by utilising tracking means;
• determining a position and an orientation of at least a first region of a light-emitting component of a light field display unit with respect to the first eye and the second eye of the at least one user, by utilising the tracking means;
• generating a first region of a given light field image to be displayed via the light field display unit, based on the position and the orientation of at least the first region of the light-emitting component of the light field display unit with respect to the first eye and the second eye of the at least one user, wherein the first region of the light-emitting component is to be employed to display the first region of the given light field image;
• generating a second region of the given light field image, based on the relative location of the first eye and the second eye of the at least one user with respect to the optical combiner, and a position and an orientation of a second region of the light-emitting component of the light field display unit with respect to the optical combiner, wherein the second region of the light-emitting component is to be employed to display the second region of the given light field image, the second region being different from the first region;
• and
• displaying the given light field image via the light field display unit to produce a synthetic light field, wherein a first part of the synthetic light field corresponding to the first region of the given light field image is directed towards the at least one user, while a second part of the synthetic light field corresponding to the second region of the given light field image is directed towards the optical combiner,
• wherein the optical combiner is employed to reflect respective sub-parts of the second part of the synthetic light field towards the first eye and the second eye of the at least one user, while optically combining a real-world light field with the respective sub-parts of the second part of the synthetic light field.