# US 2008/0186604 A1 · Substrate-Guided Optical Device Particularly for Vision Enhanced Optical Systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0186604 A1 - Document ID: US20080186604A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 11/815,549 - Filed: 2006-02-08 - Published: 2008-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 2005-02-10 - Assignees: Lumus Ltd. - Inventors: Yaakov Amitai - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080186604A1 ## CPC - G02B 27/0081: {with means for altering, e.g. enlarging, the entrance or exit pupil} - G02B 6/10: of the optical waveguide type (G02B6/02, G02B6/24 take precedence; devices or arrangements for the control of light by electric, magnetic, electro-magnetic or acoustic means G02F1/00; transferring the modulation of modulated light G02F2/00; optical logic elements G02F3/00; optical analogue/digital converters G02F7/00) - G02B 27/0172: {characterised by optical features} - G02B 2027/0118: {comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility} - G02B 2027/0123: {comprising devices increasing the field of view} - G02B 2027/0134: {of stereoscopic type} - G02B 2027/0138: {comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera} - G02B 2027/0178: {Eyeglass type (eyeglass details G02C)} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract There is provided an optical system, including a mechanical body (110), a light-transmitting substrate (20) having two major surfaces and edges, embedded in the mechanical body, an optical element (90) for coupling light into the substrate by total internal reflection and a plurality of partially reflecting surfaces (22) carried by the substrate, wherein the partially reflecting surfaces are parallel to each other and are not parallel to any of the edges of the substrate. The system also includes an image capturing device (112), a display source (4), and an image-processing unit (114). The image-capturing device (112) is connected via the image-processing unit (114) to the display source (4). ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical system, comprising: a mechanical body; a light-transmitting substrate having at least two major surfaces and edges, embedded in said mechanical body; optical means for coupling light into said substrate by total internal reflection; a plurality of partially reflecting surfaces carried by said substrate wherein said partially reflecting surfaces are parallel to each other and are not parallel to any of the edges of said substrate; at least one image-capturing device; at least one display source, and an image-processing unit, characterized in that the image-capturing device is connected via the image-processing unit to the display source. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said two major surfaces are parallel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said display source produces image light waves which are coupled by said optical means into said substrate by total internal reflection. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said image capturing device is a digital video camera. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said image capturing device is a star-light amplifier. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said image capturing device is a thermal camera. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The optical system according to claim 6, wherein said thermal camera is utilizing an uncooled detector. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said image capturing device is a millimeter light-wave detector. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said image capturing device has optical zoom capabilities. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of partially reflecting surfaces couples the light waves trapped by total internal reflection out of said substrate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said display light source is a liquid crystal display (LCD). ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said display light source is an organic light emitting diode display (OLED). ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is partially transparent. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The optical system according to claim 1, further comprising an opaque layer attached to the surface of said substrate, for blocking the entrance of light waves from the external scene. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The optical system according to claim 1, further comprising a variable transmittance layer attached to the surface of said substrate, for controlling the brightness of light waves passing through said device from the external scene. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The optical system according to claim 15, wherein the transmittance of said variable transmittance layer is determined automatically according to the brightness of the external scene. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said image capturing device is attached to said mechanical body. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said display source is attached to said mechanical body. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said image processing unit is attached to said mechanical body. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said mechanical body is a spectacle frame. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The optical system according to claim 20, wherein at least two different light-transmitting substrates are embedded inside said spectacle frame. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The optical system according to claim 21, wherein a single display source is attached to said spectacle frame and wherein the image from said display sources is split into said two light-transmitting substrates. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The optical system according to claim 21, wherein two different display sources are attached to said spectacle frame. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The optical system according to claim 23, wherein two identical images are projected from said two different display sources. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The optical system according to claim 23, wherein two different images are projected from said two different display sources. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The optical system according to claim 25, wherein said two different display sources project two different parts of the same image, with some overlap between the two parts. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The optical system according to claim 25, wherein said two different display sources project two different scenes in order to create a stereoscopic image. ### Claim 28 (depends on 25) The optical system according to claim 25, wherein a single image-capturing device is connected via said image processing unit to said two different display sources. ### Claim 29 (depends on 25) The optical system according to claim 25, wherein at least two different image-capturing devices are connected via said image processing unit to said two different display sources. ### Claim 30 (depends on 20) The optical system according to claim 20, wherein said system functions as a digital video camera having dynamic optical zoom capability. ### Claim 31 (depends on 20) The optical system according to claim 20, wherein said system functions as night vision goggle. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The optical system according to claim 31, wherein said system has unity optical magnification. ### Claim 33 (depends on 20) The optical system according to claim 20, wherein said device functions as low-vision aid. ### Claim 34 (depends on 20) The optical system according to claim 20, wherein said mechanical body is a hand-held device. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The optical system according to claim 34, wherein said system is a part of a cellular phone. ### Claim 36 (depends on 34) The optical system according to claim 34, wherein said system is a part of an entertainment device. ### Claim 37 (depends on 34) The optical system according to claim 34, wherein said system functions as a digital video camera. ### Claim 38 (depends on 34) The optical system according to claim 34, wherein said system functions as a surveillance system. ### Claim 39 (depends on 1) The optical system according to claim 1, wherein said system is a part of a head-up display system. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The optical system according to claim 39, further comprising an external sensor unit which is aligned with said image capturing device. ### Claim 41 (depends on 40) The optical system according to claim 40, wherein said external sensor unit is a RADAR system. ### Claim 42 (depends on 40) The optical system according to claim 40, wherein said external sensor unit is a tracking mechanism of a missile. ### Claim 43 (depends on 40) The optical system according to claim 40, wherein said external sensor unit is a navigation system. ### Claim 44 (depends on 39) The optical system according to claim 39, wherein said system functions as a friend-foe-identification system. ### Claim 45 (depends on 39) The optical system according to claim 39, wherein said system functions as a safety warning system. ### Claim 46 (depends on 39) The optical system according to claim 39, wherein said system functions as a enhanced vision system. ### Claim 47 (depends on 1) The optical device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said partially reflecting surfaces is coated with thin-film angular-sensitive material. ### Claim 48 (depends on 1) The optical device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said partially reflecting surfaces is an anisotropic surface. ### Claim 49 (depends on 48) The optical device according to claim 48, wherein said at least one anisotropic surface has a major axis parallel to the surface plane characterized in that the reflection and transmission properties of the surface substantially depend on the orientation of the polarization of the incident light wave in relation to the major axis of the surface. ### Claim 50 (depends on 49) The optical device according to claim 49, wherein said anisotropic surface reflects the incident light waves with its electrical field vector parallel to said major axis and transmits incident light waves with its electrical field vector perpendicular to said major axis. ### Claim 51 (depends on 48) The optical device according to claim 48, wherein said anisotropic partially reflecting surface is a wire grid polarizing beamsplitter. ### Claim 52 (depends on 51) The optical device according to claim 51, wherein said wire grid polarizing beamsplitter comprising an array of thin parallel conductors supported by a transparent substrate, characterized in that the major axis of the wire grid polarizing beamsplitter is parallel to the array of conductors.