Compact two-plane optical device
AssigneePlanop Planar Optics Ltd.
InventorYehuda Niv
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical device for enlarging an eye box, the optical device comprising: (a) a first optical expander being carried by, or formed in, a first light-transmissive substrate engaging a first plane; and (b) a second optical expander being carried by, or formed in, a second light-transmissive substrate engaging a second plane being spaced apart from the first plane. The first and the second optical expanders designed and configured such that light passing through the first optical expander is expanded in a first dimension, enters the second light-transmissive substrate through the second optical expander, and exits from the second light-transmissive substrate, expanded in a second dimension, hence enlarging an eye box of the optical device in both the first and the second dimensions.
Claims141
An optical device for enlarging an eye box, the optical device comprising:
- (a) a first optical expander being carried by, or formed in, a first light-transmissive substrate engaging a first plane;
- and
- (b) a second optical expander being carried by, or formed in, a second light-transmissive substrate engaging a second plane being spaced apart from said first plane;
- said first and said second optical expanders being designed and configured such that:
- (i) at least a first portion of light entering said first light-transmissive substrate experiences a substantially total internal reflection, diffracted by said first optical expander and exits from said first light-transmissive substrate expanded in a first dimension;
- and
- (ii) at least a second portion of said first portion of light enters said second light-transmissive substrate, experiences a substantially total internal reflection, diffracted by said second optical expander and exits from said second light-transmissive substrate expanded in a second dimension;
- such that light rays of said light entering said first light-transmissive substrate are multiplied into a plurality of substantially parallel outgoing rays exiting said second light-transmissive substrate, hence enlarging an eye box of the optical device in both said first and said second dimensions.
A method of enlarging an eye box, the method comprising:
- (a) expanding inputted light rays in a first dimension by propagating said light rays in a first light-transmissive substrate via a substantially total internal reflection and diffracting said light rays out of said first light-transmissive substrate using a first optical expander engaging a first plane;
- and
- (b) expanding said inputted light rays in a second dimension by propagating said light rays in a second light-transmissive substrate via a substantially total internal reflection and diffracting said light rays out of said second light-transmissive substrate using a second optical expander, in a manner such that said inputted light rays are multiplied into a plurality of substantially parallel outgoing rays exiting said second light-transmissive substrate, said second light-transmissive substrate engaging a second plane being spaced apart from said first plane;
- hence enlarging the eye box in both said first and said second dimensions.
A method of manufacturing an optical device, for enlarging an eye box, the method comprising:
- (a) positioning a first light-transmissive substrate having a first optical expander carried thereby, or formed therein in a first plane;
- and
- (b) positioning a second light-transmissive substrate having a second optical expander carried thereby, or formed therein,
- said first and said second optical expanders being designed and configured such that:
- (i) at least a first portion of light entering said first light-transmissive substrate experiences a substantially total internal reflection, diffracted by said first optical expander and exits from said first light-transmissive substrate expanded in a first dimension;
- and
- (ii) at least a second portion of said first portion of light enters said second light-transmissive substrate, experiences a substantially total internal reflection, diffracted by said second optical expander and exits from said second light-transmissive substrate expanded in a second dimension;
- such that light rays of said light entering said first light-transmissive substrate are multiplied into a plurality of substantially parallel outgoing rays exiting said second light-transmissive substrate.
An optical device for enlarging an eye box, the optical device comprising:
- a first light-transmissive substrate engaging a first plane;
- and
- a second light-transmissive substrate engaging a second plane being spaced apart from said first plane;
- said first and said second light-transmissive substrates designed and configured such that light passing through the device first experiences a substantially total internal reflection in said first light-transmissive substrate such that said light exits from said first light-transmissive substrate expanded in a first dimension, and then experiences a substantially total internal reflection in said second light-transmissive substrate such that said light exits from said second light-transmissive substrate expanded in a second dimension, such that light rays of said light passing through the device are multiplied into a plurality of substantially parallel outgoing rays exiting said second light-transmissive substrate, hence enlarging an eye box of the optical device in both said first and said second dimensions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.