US 6,639,570 B2Granted

Retinal display scanning of image with plurality of image sectors

AssigneeUniversity of Washington

InventorsThomas Adrian Furness, III, Joel S. Kollin

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Abstract

A scanning display produces an image having a plurality of image sectors for viewing by an eye. A first beam set is directed along a first beam path and modulated according to a first of the image sectors. A second beam set is directed along a second beam path and modulated according to a second of the image sectors. A biaxial scanning device receives the first beam set and the second beam set, and scans light from the first beam set along two axes toward a first region of a display field to produce the first image sector, and concurrently scans light from the second beam set along two axes toward a second region of the display field to produce the second image sector. The first region and second region are adjacent, substantially non-overlapping regions of the display field. The image is scanned within the display field.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A scanning display for producing an image for viewing by an eye, the image including a plurality of image sectors, comprising:

a first beam set modulated according to a first of the image sectors;
a second beam set modulated according to a second of the image sectors, the second sector being different from the first sector;
a biaxial scanning device receiving the first beam set and second beam set, the scanning device scanning light in parallel from the first beam set and the second beam set along two axes in a manner which reduces system bandwidth, wherein light from the first beam set is directed toward a first region of a display field to produce the first image sector and light from the second beam set is directed toward a second region of the display field to produce the second image sector, wherein the first region and second region are different regions of the display field;
a lensing system receiving light generated by the first beam set and light generated by the second beam set, the lensing system defining a first optical path from an input toward an output, the lensing system output adapted for transmitting light to and receiving light from the viewer's eye, wherein the light transmitted to the viewer's eye forms the image;
an optical detector receiving a portion of light reflected from the viewer's eye;
means for indicating from the detected received portion of light a position of the viewer's eye;
and
means for altering the image as a function of the indicated position of the viewer's eye.

5 more elements

A method for scanning an image onto a viewer's eye, comprising the steps of:

generating a first beam set of light modulated according to a first image sector of the image;
in parallel with the first beam set generation, generating a second beam set of light modulated according to a second image sector of the image;
receiving the first beam set and second beam set at a common scanning device;
scanning light from the first beam set along two axes to a first region of the display field;
scanning light from the second beam set along two axes to a second region of the display field, wherein light from of the first beam set and light from the second beam set is scanned in parallel reducing display bandwidth, the first region and second region being different regions of the display field;
receiving light generated by the first beam set and light generated by the second beam set at an input of a lensing system, the lensing system defining a first optical path from the input toward an output, the lensing system output adapted for transmitting light to and receiving light from the viewer's eye, wherein the light transmitted to the viewer's eye forms the image;
receiving, at the lensing system, light reflected from the viewer's eye;
directing a portion of the light reflected from the viewer's eye toward an optical detector;
deriving from the directed portion of light an electrical signal which is indicative of the viewer's eye position;
and
altering the image as a function of the indicated position of the viewer's eye.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/918,329Filed 30 Jul 2001 · continuation
Priority: 22 Oct 1992
Published: US 2001/0043208 A122 Nov 2001
Granted: 28 Oct 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification15 codes

H04N 9/3129
Projection devices for colour picture display , e.g. using electronic spatial light modulators [ESLM]: scanning a light beam on the display screen
G02B 27/017
Head-up displays: head mounted
G02B 27/0172
Head mounted: characterised by optical features
G09G 3/003
Using specific devices not provided for in groups G09G3/02 - G09G3/36, e.g. using an intermediate record carrier such as a film slide;…

Family

Application07/965,070Parent of this continuation · filed 22 Oct 1992
Application08/485,630Parent of this continuation · filed 7 Jun 1995
US 5,467,104 AParent of this continuation · filed 14 Nov 1995
Application08/911,989Parent of this continuation · filed 13 Aug 1997
US 5,659,327 AParent of this continuation · filed 19 Aug 1997
Application09/312,932Parent of this continuation · filed 17 May 1999
US 6,008,781 AParent of this continuation · filed 28 Dec 1999
US 6,317,103 B1Parent of this continuation · filed 13 Nov 2001
US 2001/0043208 A1Pre-grant publication · published 22 Nov 2001
US 6,639,570 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.