Abstract: A wearable image display system comprises a headpiece, a first and a second light engine, and a first and a second optical component. The first and second light engines generate a first and a second set of beams respectively, each beam substantially collimated so that the first and second set form a first and a second virtual image respectively. Each optical component is located to project an image onto a first and a second eye of a wearer respectively. The first and second sets of beams are directed to incoupling structures of the first and second optical components respectively. Exit structures of the first and second optical components guide the first and second sets of beams onto the first and second eyes respectively. The optical components are located between the light engines and the eyes. Both of the light engines are mounted to a central portion of the headpiece.

Abstract: The technology provides an optical system for converting a source of projected light to uniform light for a liquid crystal on silicon microdisplay in a confined space, such as in a near-eye display device. The optical system may include a first microlens array, a second microlens array, and a polarizer device disposed between the first microlens array and the second microlens array. The near-eye display device having first and second microlens arrays may be positioned by a support structure in a head-mounted display or head-up display.

Abstract: In embodiments of eyebox adjustment for interpupillary distance, a first optical lens receives light of an image at a projected orientation of the light, and deviates the light by a deviation angle from the projected orientation of the light. A second optical lens receives the deviated light of the image from the first optical lens at the deviation angle, and alters the deviated light back to the projected orientation of the light for viewing the image. Left and right eyeboxes align with respective left and right eyes that view the image, and a distance between the left and right eyeboxes approximately correlates to an interpupillary distance between the left and right eyes. The light of the image can be laterally shifted to increase or decrease the distance between the left and right eyeboxes.

Abstract: The technology provides a waveguide display having a compact projection light engine and a diffractive waveguide. The diffractive waveguide includes input diffraction gratings with rolled k-vectors. The projection light engine provides collimating light to a projected exit pupil external to the diffractive waveguide. The projection light engine components may include a light (or illuminating) source, microdisplay, lenticular screen, doublet, polarizing beam splitter (PBS), clean-up polarizer, fold mirror, curved reflector and quarter waveplate. A method of manufacturing a diffractive waveguide includes providing input gratings with rolled k-vectors. Rays of light are diffracted by, and passed through, a master hologram to form input diffraction gratings of a copy substrate. A second copy substrate may likewise be formed with a different master hologram.

Abstract: The technology provides decoupling an aspheric optical element from a birdbath optical element in a near-eye display (NED) device. One or more aspheric lens are used with a spherical birdbath reflective mirror in a projection light engine of a NED device. A projection light engine provides image light (or other information), by way of the spherical birdbath reflective mirror and at least one aspheric lens, to a near-eye display of the NED device. The spherical birdbath reflective mirror collimates and reflects the image light to an exit pupil external to the projection light engine. Decoupling the aspheric optical element from the spherical birdbath reflective mirror may enable high modulation transfer function (MTF) and improved manufacturability of the projection light engine. The NED device having aspheric optical elements decoupled from a birdbath optical element may be positioned by a support structure in a head-mounted display (HMD) or head-up display (HUD).

Abstract: In embodiments of a multiple waveguide imaging structure, a wearable display device includes left and right imaging units of respective display lens systems to generate an augmented reality image that includes a virtual image. Each of the left and right imaging units include a first waveguide for see-through viewing at a first field of view, where the first waveguide includes a first polarizing beam splitter to reflect light that enters at a first polarization orientation angle and pass through the light that enters at a second polarization orientation angle. Each of the left and right imaging units also include at least a second waveguide for see-through viewing at a second field of view, where the second waveguide includes a second polarizing beam splitter to reflect the light that enters at the first polarization orientation angle and pass through the light that enters at the second polarization orientation angle.

Abstract: In embodiments of a multiple waveguide imaging structure, an imaging structure includes a first waveguide for see-through viewing of an environment at a first field of view, and includes a second waveguide for see-through viewing of the environment at a second field of view. The first and second waveguides each include a polarizing beam splitter to reflect light that enters at a first polarization orientation angle in the respective first and second waveguides, and the polarizing beam splitters pass through the light that enters at a second polarization orientation angle. The imaging structure also includes a polarization switch to rotate the polarization of the light through the first and second polarization orientation angles.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for detecting angular displacement of a display element relative to a reference position on a head mounted display device for presenting a mixed reality or virtual reality experience. Once the displacement is detected, it may be corrected for to maintain the proper binocular disparity of virtual images displayed to the left and right display elements of the head mounted display device. In one example, the detection system uses an optical assembly including collimated LEDs and a camera which together are insensitive to linear displacement. Such a system provides a true measure of angular displacement of one or both display elements on the head mounted display device.

Abstract: In embodiments of an auto-stereoscopic augmented reality display, the display device is implemented with an imaging structure that includes a waveguide for see-through viewing of an environment. The waveguide also transmits light of a virtual image that is generated as a near-display object to appear at a distance in the environment. The imaging structure includes switchable diffractive elements that are integrated in the waveguide and configured in display zones. The switchable diffractive elements are switchable to independently activate the display zones effective to correct for an accurate stereopsis view of the virtual image that appears at the distance in the environment.

Abstract: In embodiments of eyebox adjustment for interpupillary distance, a first optical lens receives light of an image at a projected orientation of the light, and deviates the light by a deviation angle from the projected orientation of the light. A second optical lens receives the deviated light of the image from the first optical lens at the deviation angle, and alters the deviated light back to the projected orientation of the light for viewing the image. Left and right eyeboxes align with respective left and right eyes that view the image, and a distance between the left and right eyeboxes approximately correlates to an interpupillary distance between the left and right eyes. The light of the image can be laterally shifted to increase or decrease the distance between the left and right eyeboxes.

Abstract: In embodiments of eyebox adjustment for interpupillary distance, a first optical lens receives light of an image from a display optic at a projected orientation of the light, and the first optical lens deviates the light of the image by a deviation angle from the projected orientation of the light. A second optical lens receives the light of the image from the first optical lens at the deviation angle, and the second optical lens alters the deviated light of the image back to the projected orientation of the light for viewing the image. Left and right eyeboxes align with respective left and right eyes that view the image, and a distance between the left and right eyeboxes approximately correlates to an interpupillary distance between the left and right eyes. The light of the image can be laterally shifted to increase or decrease the distance between the left and right eyeboxes.

Abstract: In embodiments of a multiple waveguide imaging structure, an imaging structure includes a first waveguide for see-through viewing of an environment at a first field of view, and includes a second waveguide for see-through viewing of the environment at a second field of view. The first and second waveguides each include a polarizing beam splitter to reflect light that enters at a first polarization orientation angle in the respective first and second waveguides, and the polarizing beam splitters pass through the light that enters at a second polarization orientation angle. The imaging structure also includes a polarization switch to rotate the polarization of the light through the first and second polarization orientation angles.

Abstract: In embodiments of waveguide optics focus elements, an imaging structure includes a waveguide for viewing of an environment that is viewable with the imaging structure. The waveguide transmits light of a virtual image that is generated to appear as part of the environment for augmented-reality imaging or virtual-reality imaging. The imaging structure also includes one or more focus elements that are integrated in the waveguide and switchable to focus the virtual image at a focus depth that approximately correlates to a focal distance of the environment. The focus elements can each be implemented for a different focus depth of the virtual image, and the focus depth is adjustable based on a combination of the focus elements being switched-on or switched-off.

Abstract: Augmented reality and physical game techniques are described. In one or more implementations, an indication is received by a computing device of a location of a physical gaming piece of a game. An augmentation is computed based on the indication by the computing device to be displayed as part of the game. The augmentation is displayed by the computing device on a display device that is at least partially transparent such that a physical portion of the game is viewable through the display device concurrently with the augmentation.

Abstract: Light guide techniques are described. In one or more implementations, an apparatus includes a housing, a light guide supported by the housing, a light engine disposed within the housing and optically coupled to the light guide, and one or more modules disposed within the housing and implemented at least partially in hardware. The one or more modules are configured to cause the light engine to output a user interface for display using the light guide along an image plane focused at infinity.

Abstract: Augmented reality light guide display techniques are described. In one or more implementations, an apparatus includes a housing configured in a hand-held form factor, one or more sensors configured to detect a position and orientation of the housing in three dimensions in a physical environment of the housing, a light guide that is at least partially transparent and supported by the housing, a light engine that is optically coupled to the light guide, and one or more modules disposed within the housing and implemented at least partially in hardware. The one or more modules are configured to calculate a position and orientation of an augmentation and cause the light engine to output the augmentation for display using the light guide such that the augmentation is viewable concurrently with at least a portion of the physical environment through the light guide.

Abstract: Light guide display and field of view techniques are described. In one or more implementations, an apparatus includes one or more modules implemented at least partially in hardware to configure a user interface and a display device communicatively coupled to the one or more modules to output the user interface to be viewable by a user within a range of distances from the display device such that closer distances within the range permit the user to have an increased field of view in comparison with distances within the range that are further away from the user.

Abstract: In embodiments of eyebox adjustment for interpupillary distance, a first optical lens receives light of an image from a display optic at a projected orientation of the light, and the first optical lens deviates the light of the image by a deviation angle from the projected orientation of the light. A second optical lens receives the light of the image from the first optical lens at the deviation angle, and the second optical lens alters the deviated light of the image back to the projected orientation of the light for viewing the image. Left and right eyeboxes align with respective left and right eyes that view the image, and a distance between the left and right eyeboxes approximately correlates to an interpupillary distance between the left and right eyes. The light of the image can be laterally shifted to increase or decrease the distance between the left and right eyeboxes.

Abstract: A display method for selectively rotating windows on a computer display including a window for a computer display having a frame and a display portion. The method allows the user to rotate the window about a preselected rotation point such as the upper left corner of the frame. The rotation may be freely chosen or limited to selected angles of rotation such as 0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees.