Head Up Display Patents (Class 359/13)
  • Patent number: 11966060
    Abstract: An optical waveguide device is disclosed, in which an input section comprises a first waveguide substrate and a first relief grating formed on a surface thereof, and refractive indices n1, n2 of the first relief grating and the first waveguide substrate satisfy n2<n1, such that a first maximum average number of reflections that a light beam within a predetermined FOV range is subjected to on the surface after diffraction of the predetermined order before leaving a region where the first relief grating lies, is N, and N?2, wherein when N?1, N?M?0.25; when 1<N?1.5, N?M?0.5; and when 1.5<N?2, N?M?0.75, wherein M is a second maximum average number of reflections assuming the first waveguide substrate has the same refractive index as the first relief grating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: JIAXING UPHOTON OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhentao Fan, Lei Sui, Kehan Tian
  • Patent number: 11960106
    Abstract: The disclosure provides an augmented reality (AR) device, a notebook, and smart glasses. The AR device includes a laser source, a spatial light modulator (SLM), and a hologram optical element (HOE). The laser source provides a coherent laser ray. The SLM provides a diffraction pattern solely corresponding to the coherent laser ray. When the SLM receives the coherent laser ray, the diffraction pattern diffracts the coherent laser ray as a hologram in response to the coherent laser ray. The HOE provides a concave mirror effect merely in response to a wavelength of the coherent laser ray, wherein the HOE receives the hologram and magnifies the hologram as a stereoscopic virtual image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Acer Incorporated
    Inventors: Yi-Jung Chiu, Wei-Kuo Shih, Shih-Ting Huang
  • Patent number: 11953711
    Abstract: A diffractive light guide plate including a light guide unit; an input diffractive optical element that receives lights output from a light source and diffracts the received lights to be guided on the light guide unit; and two output diffractive optical elements disposed in a predetermined region of the light guide unit and having different linear grating patterns from each other, wherein the two output diffractive optical elements are configured so that each one output diffractive optical element receives the lights from the input diffractive optical element and allows the received lights to be directed to the other output diffractive optical element by diffraction, and so that each one output diffractive optical element receives lights from the other output diffractive optical element and allows the received lights to be output from the light guide unit by diffraction, and the two output diffractive optical elements having different linear grating patterns are alternately arranged in at least one dimension
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Jeong Ho Park, Seong Min Park, Sang Choll Han, Bu Gon Shin
  • Patent number: 11947316
    Abstract: Provided is a multi-image display apparatus including a light source configured to emit light, a spatial light modulator configured to provide a first image by modulating the light emitted from the light source, and an optical system configured to transmit the first image provided by the spatial light modulator to a viewer, wherein the optical system is configured such that a travelling path of the first image provided by the spatial light modulator includes a first optical path in a first direction, a second optical path in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and a third optical path in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction, respectively, and wherein the optical system is configured such that the first image and a second image provided from an optical path different from the travelling path of the first image are provided to the viewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wontaek Seo, Youngil Kim, Byeongsoo Son, Changkun Lee, Gyewon Seo, Geeyoung Sung
  • Patent number: 11947314
    Abstract: VHOEs with expanded acceptance angle ranges are described as well as various systems and methods for fabricating VHOEs with expanded acceptance angle ranges. The VHOE with expanded acceptance angle range may include two or more individual Bragg gratings. The two or more individual Bragg gratings have the same diffraction geometry but with shifted Bragg conditions. Having the same diffraction geometry means when light is incident on the VHOE including two or more individual Bragg gratings, the diffracted light from each of the Bragg gratings is co-linear or overlapping with the diffracted light from the other Bragg gratings. The Bragg condition for each of the Bragg gratings are shifted with respect to each neighboring Bragg grating by an amount up to the acceptance angle range of each individual Bragg grating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: A9.com, Inc.
    Inventor: Arkady Bablumyan
  • Patent number: 11935274
    Abstract: An iris scanning device that includes a single camera sensor utilized for generating iris scan data is described herein. The iris scanning device includes a selector, a lens, and the camera sensor. The selector is configured to receive a first optical signal representative of a first eye and a second optical signal representative of a second eye. The selector selectively allows a passed optical signal to be optically propagated to the lens and inhibits a blocked optical signal from being optically propagated to the lens during a time period. The passed optical signal is one of the first optical signal or the second optical signal during the time period. The blocked optical signal is a differing one of the first optical signal or the second optical signal during the time period. The lens causes the passed optical signal to be incident on the camera sensor during the time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Worldcoin Foundation
    Inventors: Sandro Herbig, Auguste Pugnet, Alex Blania, Pierre Türschmann
  • Patent number: 11921287
    Abstract: The information display apparatus has a housing with an opening and a transparent cover formed on the opening, the housing includes image-light generating means configured to generate image light that displays the image information and an optical system configured to allow a driver of the vehicle to recognize image information based on the image light from the image-light generating means as a virtual image in front of the windshield. When S-polarized light on the windshield is assumed to be a first polarized wave while polarized light that orthogonally crosses the S-polarized light in a polarizing direction is assumed to be a second polarized wave, the image-light generating means is configured to generate the image light made of the first polarized wave, and a transmittance/reflectance control means blocks a part of the first polarized wave and the second polarized wave of incident external light entering the housing from the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: MAXELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoki Yamamoto, Toshinori Sugiyama, Koji Hirata, Masahiko Yatsu
  • Patent number: 11914145
    Abstract: Disclosed in the present invention is a floating hologram system. The floating hologram system includes a diffuser configured to form a projection image using light beams transmitted from an image transmitter and diffuse the formed image, and a holographic optical element on which the image diffused from the diffuser is incident and which generates a virtual image floating at a position a predetermined distance therefrom and has a convex lens characteristic. A distance between the diffuser and the holographic optical element is determined based on a focal length of the holographic optical element and a distance from the holographic optical element to the virtual image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: KWANGWOON UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COLLABORATION FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Seung Hyun Lee, Lee Hwan Hwang, Jae Hyun Lee, Sung Jae Ha, Soon Chul Kwon, Kwang Pyo Hong
  • Patent number: 11910525
    Abstract: Structures are described having thin flexible polymer substrates with electrically conductive films on each opposing surface while having high optical transmittance and good optical properties. The structures can have total thicknesses of no more than about 30 microns and good flexibility. Processing approaches are described that allow for the coating of the very thin structures by providing support through the coating process. The structures are demonstrated to have good durability under conditions designed to test accelerated wear for touch sensor use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: C3 Nano, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaofeng Chen, Byunghwan Kang, Jackie Chen, Yadong Cao, Vicki Luo, Arthur Yung-Chi Cheng, Andrew Hyeongjoo Moon, Xiqiang Yang, Ajay Virkar
  • Patent number: 11899283
    Abstract: Eyewear including a see-through display including an optical waveguide module and one or more integrated antennas. In one example, the antenna is disposed on one of the non-active waveguide substrates, which non-active waveguide substrates are used as encapsulants to protect the waveguide active layer from environmental factors and do not have an active optical function in the waveguide operation. In another example, the antenna is disposed on one of the active waveguide substrate surfaces opposite another active waveguide substrate. As a result, there is a large lee-way available in patterning desired antenna shapes, length, and area on these surfaces using optically transparent, high conductivity materials. The antenna is not subject to some design constraints and compromises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: Ugur Olgun, Amit Singh
  • Patent number: 11886633
    Abstract: Systems, devices, media, and methods are presented for displaying a virtual object on the display of a portable eyewear device using motion data gathered by a face-tracking application on a mobile device. A controller engine leverages the processing power of a mobile device to locate the face supporting the eyewear, locate the hand holding the mobile device, acquire the motion data, and calculate an apparent path of the virtual object. The virtual object is displayed in a series of locations along the apparent path, based on both the course traveled by the mobile device (in the hand) and the track traveled by the eyewear device (on the face), so that the virtual object is persistently viewable to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: Ilteris Canberk, Dhritiman Sagar, Mathieu Emmanuel Vignau
  • Patent number: 11874465
    Abstract: A head-up display system includes an image generating apparatus configured to emit light having a first polarization and including image information; a polarization beam splitter provided on an optical path of the light having the first polarization and configured to transmit the light having the first polarization; a wave plate configured to transmit the light transmitted through the polarization beam splitter while changing a phase of the light; and a mirror configured to reflect the light sequentially transmitted through the polarization beam splitter and the wave plate back to the polarization beam splitter through the wave plate. The polarization beam splitter may reflect light having a second polarization that is different from the first polarization and obtained by transmitting the light reflected by the mirror back through the wave plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jangwoo You, Wontaek Seo, Daeho Yang, Changkun Lee, Hongseok Lee
  • Patent number: 11874463
    Abstract: A waveguide combiner includes an in-coupling area, a waveguide body, an out-coupling area and at least one film layer. The in-coupling area is configured to introduce a light beam. The waveguide body is configured to guide the light beam introduced by the in-coupling area. The out-coupling area is configured to output the light beam guided by the waveguide body. Said at least one film layer is embedded in at least one portion of the in-coupling area, the waveguide body and the out-coupling area. Said at least one film layer is configured to divide said at least one portion of the in-coupling area, the waveguide body and the out-coupling area into a plurality of layers, and the light beam is reflected by said at least one film layer or penetrates said at least one film layer between different layers of the plurality of layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: HIMAX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Jiun-Yi Lien, Chien-Feng Hung
  • Patent number: 11853006
    Abstract: A light engine arranged to form an image visible from a viewing window. The light engine comprises: a display device arranged to display a hologram of the image and spatially modulate light in accordance with the hologram; a hologram replicator arranged to receive the spatially modulated light and provide a plurality of different light propagation paths for the spatially modulated light from the display device to the viewing window; and a control device disposed in an optical path between the first replicator and the second replicator. The control device is angled such that light from the first replicator is incident at an acute angle on the control device, and each cell of the array is switchable between a first state and a second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Envisics Ltd
    Inventors: Alexander Cole, Timothy Smeeton, Jamieson Christmas
  • Patent number: 11835922
    Abstract: Provided is an augmented reality (AR) device based on a waveguide with a holographic diffractive grating structure and an apparatus for recording the holographic diffractive grating structure. The apparatus includes a light source, a beam splitter, a first amplitude filter and a first triangular prism that are arranged on a path of a first light beam, and a second amplitude filter and a second triangular prism that are arranged on a path of a second light beam, in which a first part of the first light beam passes through the first triangular prism without attenuation, a second part of the first light beam passes through the first triangular prism after being attenuated, and the second light beam passes through the second triangular prism after being attenuated, and the holographic diffractive grating structure is recorded between the first triangular prism and the second triangular prism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nikolay Victorovich Muravev, Vladimir Nikolaevich Borisov, Mikhail Vyacheslavovich Popov
  • Patent number: 11828941
    Abstract: An optical device includes a stack that includes a first curved optical element stacked with a second curved optical element. The second curved optical element propagates light by total internal reflection. The stack also includes an incoupling diffractive grating that incouples the light into the second optical element and an outcoupling diffractive grating optically coupled to the incoupling diffractive grating through the second curved optical element. The outcoupling diffractive grating directs the light. The first curved optical element has a first refractive index, the second curved optical element has a second refractive index, and the first refractive index is different from the second refractive index by approximately 0.15 to 1.2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael Lucien Genier, Mark Francis Krol, Michael John Moore, Horst Schreiber
  • Patent number: 11815681
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing glare from a heads-up display (HUD). Internal and external antireflective coatings may be provided on interior and outer surfaces of glass layers surrounding a holographic polymer layer. A substrate guided hologram may be integrated into a HUD to diffract and direct external radiation to the edge of a HUD. An arrangement for forming a substrate guided hologram includes an array of reflectors and a shaped glass block. Antireflective coated glass layers may be index-matched to opposite sides of a holographic polymer film prior to recording a reflection hologram. An inactive playback beam may be used to monitor the diffraction efficiency of a reflection hologram and of a spurious transmission hologram with the recording of the reflection hologram to maximize the difference between the diffraction efficiencies of useful reflection hologram and spurious transmission hologram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: LUMINIT LLC
    Inventor: Fedor Dimov
  • Patent number: 11816863
    Abstract: A method and device for assisting the driving of an aircraft (AC) moving on the ground, on a taxiing circuit (CP) including a taxi line (TL) to be followed by the aircraft (AC). The taxi line (TL) has different portions (PR) forming between them intersections (IP). The device is configured to use a digital modeling of the taxi line (TL), called digital trajectory (TR), including nodes corresponding to the intersections (IP). In addition, the device includes a detection unit (4) configured to detect at least one of the intersections (IP), as well as an increment unit (6) configured to increment a counter associated with the digital trajectory (TR), after detection of the intersection (IP), the counter being designed to count a series of the nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Airbus (SAS)
    Inventors: Alexis Durand, Juliette Charpentier
  • Patent number: 11782277
    Abstract: A waveguide display includes multiple diffractive optical elements (DOEs) that are configured to in-couple image light, provide expanded exit pupil in two directions, and out-couple the image light to a user. An in-coupling DOE is configured to split the full field of view (FOV) of the image light into left and right portions. The left and right FOV portions are respectively propagated laterally in left and right directions in intermediate DOEs which comprise upper and lower portions. The intermediate DOEs provide for exit pupil expansion in a horizontal direction while coupling light to an out-coupling DOE. The out-coupling DOE provides for exit pupil expansion in a vertical direction and out-couples image light with expanded exit pupil for the full FOV. The intermediate DOE portions are configured to steer image light back towards the center of the waveguide to avoid dark areas or stripes in portions of the out-coupling DOE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Jani Kari Tapio Tervo
  • Patent number: 11774657
    Abstract: A skew mirror is an optical reflective device whose reflective axis forms a non-zero angle with the surface normal. A spatially varying skew mirror is a skew mirror whose reflective axes vary as a function of lateral position. If a spatially varying skew mirror was subdivided into many pieces, some or all of the many pieces could have a reflective axis that points in a different direction. In some variations, a spatially varying skew mirror can act as a focusing mirror that focuses incident light. A spatially varying skew mirror can be made by recording interference patterns between a phase-modulated writing beam and another writing beam or by recording interference patterns between planar wavefronts in a curved holographic recording medium that is later bent or warped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Akonia Holographics LLC
    Inventors: Mark R. Ayres, Adam Urness, Kenneth E. Anderson, Friso Schlottau
  • Patent number: 11768372
    Abstract: A head up display arrangement for a motor vehicle includes a head up display module having a picture generation unit emitting a light field. A polarizing device is rotatable between at least a first rotational position and a second rotational position. The polarizing device receives the light field from the picture generation unit and emits the light field regardless of whether the polarizing device is in the first rotational position or the second rotational position. More of the light is emitted by the polarizer in a P-polarization state in the second rotational position than in the first rotational position. A windshield reflects the light field from the polarizing device such that the reflected light field is visible to a human driver of the motor vehicle as a virtual image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America, Division of Panasonic corporation of North America
    Inventors: Edo Omanovic, Patrick O'Connell
  • Patent number: 11754836
    Abstract: A projection augmented reality headset (ARHS), providing a wide field-of-view and an optimized eye relief. THE ARHS includes a projection having an imager and imaging optics which provides image light to a partially reflecting combiner. Further, the partially reflecting combiner configured to receive the image light, and is configured to re-direct the image light towards an eyebox, with an eye relief offset between the partially reflecting combiner and the eyebox. As such, the imaging optics include a combination of lens elements having symmetrical or free-form lens surfaces that are tilted and decentered to expand a field-of-view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: AURORATECH COMPANY
    Inventors: Ziqi Peng, Don Dilworth
  • Patent number: 11740467
    Abstract: An electronic device may have a pixel array. A light source may illuminate the pixel array to produce image light. The image light may pass through a multi-element lens and may be coupled into a waveguide using an input coupler such as a prism. An output coupler such as a diffraction grating may couple the image light out of the waveguide and towards a user. The user may view the image light and may observe real-world objects through the waveguide. The waveguide may have locally modified portions that define an aperture stop at a distance from an exit surface of the multi-element lens. The multi-element lens may have first and second achromatic doublets and first and second singlets between the first and second achromatic doublets. The lens elements of the multi-element lens may include lens elements with aspheric surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Guolin Peng, Hyungryul Choi, Scott M. DeLapp, Tyler G. Anderson
  • Patent number: 11733539
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for displaying a three-dimensional (3D) image. A 3D display apparatus includes an optical layer including a plurality of optical elements, a projector configured to scan a light onto the optical layer, and a processor configured to control a timing at which the projector scans the light onto the optical layer and generate a 3D image in a viewing space based on the timing at which the light is scanned onto the optical layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jinho Lee, Elena Malinovskaya, Igor Yanusik, Dong Kyung Nam, Yoonsun Choi
  • Patent number: 11719932
    Abstract: A main controller of an HUD is configured to: acquire road surface information of a front road surface based on a plurality of measurement points on the front road surface, which is detected by a road surface detection sensor mounted on a vehicle with the HUD and is positioned forward of a traveling direction of the vehicle; calculate, by using the road surface information, a virtual image plane position on a virtual image plane where a virtual image of a display object is displayed, which is a display position of the virtual image for displaying the virtual image along the front road surface; and calculate a display position of a display surface within an image display device, which corresponds to the virtual image plane position, so as to output, to the image display device, a control signal for displaying the display object on the display position of the display surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: MAXELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Haruhiko Yoneda, Souta Sato, Nozomu Shimoda
  • Patent number: 11694399
    Abstract: Systems and methods for generating augmented reality environments from 2D drawings are provided. The system performs a camera calibration process to determine how a camera transforms images from the real world into a 2D image plane. The system calculates a camera pose and determines an object position and an object orientation relative to a known coordinate system. The system detects and processes a 2D drawing/illustration and generates a 3D model from the 2D drawing/illustration. The system performs a rendering process, wherein the system generates an augmented reality environment which includes the 3D model superimposed on an image of the 2D drawing/illustration. The system can generate the augmented reality environment in real time, allowing the system to provide immediate feedback to the user. The images processed by the system can be from a video, from multiple image photography, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Insurance Services Office, Inc.
    Inventors: Juan Carlos Núñez, Francisco Rivas, Alberto Martín
  • Patent number: 11686946
    Abstract: Some embodiments described herein relate to head-mounted displays having an optical assembly and a support structure. The optical assembly can include the display, lenses, sensors, electronics and similar components. In this way, fragile and/or expensive components can be concentrated in the optical assembly. The support structure can include a faceplate and straps configured to hold the head-mounted display to the user's head. The optical assembly can be removeably coupled to the support structure. Support structures can be interchangeable with optical assemblies such that one support structure can be configured to be removeably coupled to all, most, or several optical assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: RAZER (ASIA-PACIFIC) PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Yuval S. Boger, Yaron Kaufman
  • Patent number: 11662811
    Abstract: A display system for a vehicle includes a display unit mounted to the vehicle and is selectively operable in a first mode as a holographic display and in a second mode as a mirror. Holographic images may include rear view images obtained from a camera or computer generated graphics. Holographic images are displayed at a virtual image plane behind the display to reduce the operator's eyes accommodation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Kai-Han Chang, Thomas A. Seder
  • Patent number: 11656390
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a module having multiple pattern areas, a module having multiple pattern areas according to the method, and a method of manufacturing a diffraction grating module or a mold for a diffraction grating module. The method of manufacturing a module having multiple pattern areas comprises: disposing a first substrate having a first pattern on a first base substrate; forming a first cutting line on the first substrate; forming a second cutting line on the first substrate; removing any one of a first area defined by the first cutting line and a second area defined by the second cutting line from the first substrate to form a removed area on the first substrate; disposing a second base substrate having a second pattern different from the first pattern in the removed area; and removing the first substrate from the base substrate without removing the first and second areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Jeong Ho Park, Bu Gon Shin, Eun Kyu Her, Jung Hwan Yoon, So Young Choo
  • Patent number: 11640059
    Abstract: A head-mounted display optical module includes an optical lens group located at a light-emitting display side of the display panel and a protective layer located on an optical path between the display panel and the optical lens group. The protective layer includes at least one first protective layer. A refractive index of the first protective layer continuously changes therein at least along a radial direction that is located in a plane of the first protective layer and points from a center of the first protective layer to an edge of the first protective layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: SeeYA Optronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sunjie Qiu, Lei Niu
  • Patent number: 11640054
    Abstract: An eyebox region is illuminated with first coherent light and second coherent light having a different wavelength than the first coherent light. A first self-mixed interferometer (SMI) signal is generated in response to first feedback light received back from the eyebox region. A second SMI signal is generated in response to second feedback light received back from the eyebox region. Eye data is generated in response to at least the first SMI signal and the second SMI signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Maik Andre Scheller, Liliana Ruiz Diaz, Marc Aurele Gilles, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Robert Dale Cavin
  • Patent number: 11635626
    Abstract: An eyepiece for use in front of an eye of a viewer includes a waveguide configured to propagate light therein, and a diffractive optical element optically coupled to the waveguide. The diffractive optical element includes a plurality of first ridges protruding from a surface of the waveguide. Each of the plurality of first ridges has a first height and a first width. The diffractive optical element further includes a plurality of second ridges. Each of the plurality of second ridges protrudes from a respective first ridge and has a second height greater than the first height and a second width less than the first width. The diffractive optical element is configured to diffract a portion of a light beam incident on the diffractive optical element toward the eye as a first order transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Tekolste, Victor K. Liu
  • Patent number: 11624920
    Abstract: A display module includes an image light generation device configured to generate image light, a first diffraction element including a first surface and a second surface and configured to diffract the image light, a first reflection section configured to reflect the image light, and a second diffraction element including a third surface and configured to diffract the image light. The first diffraction element is configured to transmit the image light incident on the first surface and emit the image light toward the first reflection section, the first reflection section is configured to reflect the image light toward the second surface, the first diffraction element is configured to diffract the image light incident on the second surface and emit the image light toward the second diffraction element, and the second diffraction element is configured to diffract the image light, emit the image light, and form an exit pupil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masatoshi Yonekubo, Mitsutaka Ide
  • Patent number: 11619776
    Abstract: A light guide assembly includes a light guide plate and a light source. The light guide plate has a through hole, an inner sidewall that surrounds the through hole, and an outer sidewall that surrounds the inner sidewall. The inner sidewall has a halo elimination structure that faces the through hole. The outer sidewall has a light incident surface. The light source faces the light incident surface of the outer sidewall of the light guide plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: E Ink Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Hsin-Hao Jen, Tsai-Wei Shei, Chin-Chi Yu, Chih-Chun Chen
  • Patent number: 11609418
    Abstract: An eyepiece includes a substrate and an in-coupling grating patterned on a single side of the substrate. A first grating coupler is patterned on the single side of the substrate and has a first grating pattern. The first grating coupler is optically coupled to the in-coupling grating. A second grating coupler is patterned on the single side of the substrate adjacent to the first grating coupler. The second grating coupler has a second grating pattern different from the first grating pattern. The second grating coupler is optically coupled to the in-coupling grating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Kang Luo, Vikramjit Singh, Nai-Wen Pi, Shuqiang Yang, Frank Y. Xu
  • Patent number: 11598961
    Abstract: The display apparatus of the present disclosure includes an imaging light generating device and an optical system on which imaging light emitted from the imaging light generating device is incident. The optical system includes a first optical unit having positive power, a second optical unit having a positive power and including a first diffraction element, a third optical unit having positive power, and a fourth optical unit having positive power and including a second diffraction element forming an exit pupil, the first optical unit, the second optical unit, the third optical unit, and the fourth optical unit being aligned in order along an optical path of the imaging light. The second diffraction element is constituted of a volume hologram and has, in a cross-sectional view of the volume hologram, interference fringes continuously varying in pitch and inclination thereof from one end toward another end of the second diffraction element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Atsushi Saito
  • Patent number: 11586036
    Abstract: A depth camera assembly (DCA) for depth sensing of a local area includes a structured light generator, an imaging device, and a controller. The structured light generator illuminates the local area with a structured light pattern. The structured light generator includes a programmable diffractive optical element (PDOE) that generates diffracted scanning beams using optical beams. The PDOE functions as a dynamic diffraction grating that dynamically adjusts diffraction of the optical beams to generate the diffracted scanning beams of different patterns. The diffracted scanning beams are projected as the structured light pattern into the local area, wherein the structured light pattern is dynamically adjustable based on the PDOE. The imaging device captures image(s) of at least a portion of the structured light pattern reflected from object(s) in the local area. The controller determines depth information for the object(s) based on the captured image(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Matthew Bardagjy, Joseph Duggan, Cina Hazegh, Fei Liu, Mark Timothy Sullivan, Simon Morris Shand Weiss
  • Patent number: 11567320
    Abstract: An optical device comprising may include a light turning element. The optical device can include a first surface that is parallel to a horizontal axis and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The optical device may include a light module that includes a plurality of light emitters. The light module can be configured to combine light for the plurality of emitters. The optical device can further include a light input surface that is between the first and the second surfaces and is disposed with respect to the light module to receive light emitted from the plurality of emitters. The optical device may include an end reflector that is disposed on a side opposite the light input surface. The light coupled into the light turning element may be reflected by the end reflector and/or reflected from the second surface towards the first surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Hui-Chuan Cheng, Hyunsun Chung, Jahja I. Trisnadi, Clinton Carlisle, Chulwoo Oh, Kevin Richard Curtis
  • Patent number: 11567324
    Abstract: An exit pupil expander (EPE) has entrance and exit pupils, a back surface adjacent to the entrance pupil, and an opposed front surface. In one embodiment the EPE is geometrically configured such that light defining a center wavelength that enters at the entrance pupil perpendicular to the back surface experiences angularly varying total internal reflection between the front and back surfaces such that the light exiting the optical channel perpendicular to the exit pupil is at a wavelength shifted from the center wavelength. In another embodiment a first distance at the entrance pupil between the front and back surfaces is different from a second distance at the exit pupil between the front and back surfaces. The EPE may be deployed in a head-wearable imaging device (e.g., virtual or augmented reality) where the entrance pupil in-couples light from a micro display and the exit pupil out-couples light from the EPE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventor: Jyrki Sakari Kimmel
  • Patent number: 11561393
    Abstract: To improve brightness of an image to be perceived by a user and enhance visibility there is provided a light guide plate including an incident diffraction grating which diffracts incident imaging light, an exit diffraction grating through which the imaging light goes out, and an intermediate diffraction grating existing in optical paths from the incident diffraction grating to the exit diffraction grating. In this light guide plate, a periodic linear corrugated pattern is formed as the incident diffraction grating, and when an imaginary line is established that passes through an incident point of imaging light onto the incident diffraction grating and is parallel with a periodic direction of the corrugated pattern, the intermediate diffraction grating has a first region on one side of the imaginary line and a second region on another side of the imaginary line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: HITACHI-LG DATA STORAGE, INC.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Minemura, Yumiko Anzai
  • Patent number: 11550152
    Abstract: In a display device, an image having an aspect not equal to 1 is formed by an image forming unit configured to form an image, and the image is guided as an image light to a display position by an optical system. The optical system, which is provided with a diffraction optical element, deflects the image light. In the diffraction optical element, a pitch direction of a pattern for deflecting the image light coincides with a direction in which the aspect of the image is narrow. In the display device, the direction in which the image light is deflected by the diffraction optical element coincides with the direction in which the aspect of the image formed is narrow, thus making it possible to suppress unevenness of brightness and hue within a plane of an image displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Noguchi
  • Patent number: 11543583
    Abstract: An optical system including a light-guide optical element (LOE) with a first set of mutually-parallel, partially-reflecting surfaces and a second set of mutually-parallel, partially-reflecting surfaces at a different orientation from the first set. Both sets of partially-reflecting surfaces are located between a set of mutually-parallel major external surfaces. Image illumination introduced at a coupling-in location propagates along the LOE, is redirected by the first set of partially-reflecting surfaces towards the second set of partially-reflecting surfaces, where it is coupled out towards the eye of the user. The first set of partially-reflecting surfaces are implemented as partial surfaces located where needed for filling an eye-motion box with the required image. Additionally, or alternatively, spacing of the first set of partially-reflecting surfaces is varied across a first region of the LOE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Lumus Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsion Eisenfeld, Ronen Chriki
  • Patent number: 11536967
    Abstract: A light-guiding device is configured to accept image light through a light incidence part, guide the image light through reflection, and emit, to outside through a light emission part, the image light that is guided, the light-guiding device includes a protective member having a sheet shape and configured to cover a body member in a region corresponding to an optical surface of a surface of the light-guiding device, and an adhesive layer is formed between the body member and the protective member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki Miyao, Masayuki Takagi, Tokito Yamaguchi, Takashi Takeda
  • Patent number: 11531201
    Abstract: There is disclosed an optical device, including a light-transmitting substrate having an input aperture, an output aperture, at least two major surfaces and edges, an optical element for coupling light waves into the substrate by total internal reflection, at least one partially reflecting surface located between the two major surfaces of the light-transmitting substrate for partially reflecting light waves out of the substrate, a first transparent plate, having at least two major surfaces, one of the major surfaces of the transparent plate being optically attached to a major surface of the light-transmitting substrate defining an interface plane, and a beam-splitting coating applied at the interface plane between the substrate and the transparent plate, wherein light waves coupled inside the light-transmitting substrate are partially reflected from the interface plane and partially pass therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Lumus Ltd.
    Inventor: Yaakov Amitai
  • Patent number: 11531147
    Abstract: There is provided a transparent screen which is capable of separating a direction where a hot spot is observed and a direction where a bright video is allowed to be observed, and establishing a direction where a video is allowed to be wholly brightly observed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: AGC Inc.
    Inventors: Naruki Yamada, Yukihiro Tao, Tsuneo Ichimatsu
  • Patent number: 11520158
    Abstract: In an optical system, a first optical section having positive power, a second optical section provided with a first diffractive element and having positive power, a third optical section having positive power, and a fourth optical section provided with a second diffractive element and having positive power are disposed along a light path of image light emitted from an image light generation device. A first intermediate image of the image light is formed between the first optical section and the third optical section, a pupil is formed in the vicinity of the third optical section, a second intermediate image of the image light is formed between the third optical section and the fourth optical section, and the fourth optical section collimates the image light to form an exit pupil. The first diffractive element and the second diffractive element are in a conjugate relation or a roughly conjugate relation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsutaka Ide, Masatoshi Yonekubo
  • Patent number: 11506895
    Abstract: A light-guiding device includes a pair of light-guiding portions, a pair of light-incident portions that causes image light to be incident on the respective pair of light-guiding portions, and a pair of light-emitting portion that causes image light guided by the respective pair of light-guiding portions to exit outside, in which a pair of optical members including the pair of light-guiding portions are coupled by a central member having light transmissivity, and in which the central member includes a light-guide blocking structure that suppresses light from being incident from one end to another end of the central member by absorbing the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki Miyao, Masayuki Takagi, Takashi Takeda, Tokito Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 11493759
    Abstract: It is an objective of this disclosure to protect a highly transparent hologram light guide plate from water vapor and ultraviolet ray, thereby suppressing deterioration of the hologram light guide plate even when employed in a head mount display used in outdoor environments. A hologram light guide plate according to this disclosure comprises a protection layer that protects a hologram layer and an intermediate layer that is placed between a glass layer and the protection layer, wherein the glass layer and the hologram layer form a transfer layer that transfers image light. The intermediate layer causes the image light to transfer only in the transfer layer in a section from an input area of the image light to an output area of the image light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI-LG DATA STORAGE, INC.
    Inventors: Tomoto Kawamura, Takeru Utsugi, Mitsuru Nagasawa, Hiromichi Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 11487117
    Abstract: Provided a display apparatus including an image forming apparatus configured to form an image, a projection optical system configured to project the image formed by the image forming apparatus, and a combining optical system configured to provide the image projected from the projection optical system combined with light emitted from an external landscape, wherein the combining optical system is configured to divide the image projected from the projection optical system into same images and focus the same images on different positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sunil Kim, Druzhin Vladislav, Malinina Polina, Bongsu Shin, Dubynin Sergey
  • Patent number: 11472541
    Abstract: An autogyro includes an autorotation rotor and an instrument panel that includes comprising one or both of a display unit and a control unit. The instrument panel has a viewing window formed by a recess in the instrument panel located to expand a field of view for an autogyro pilot. A pilot seat is arranged in front of the instrument panel and is positioned centrally in a transverse direction of the autogyro in front of the instrument panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Fraundorfer Aeronautics AG
    Inventor: Christoph Fraundorfer