Abstract: A waveguide arranged as a pupil expander for a display system is disclosed. The waveguide comprises a pair of opposing surfaces arranged to guide a light field therebetween by internal reflection. An input port is arranged to receive light from the display system. A reflective element is arranged to internally reflect the light field. The input port and reflective element are formed on a second surface of the pair of opposing surfaces. An output port is formed on a first surface of the pair of opposing surfaces by a transmissive-reflective element configured to divide the light field at each internal reflection therefrom such that a plurality of replicas of the light field are transmitted out of the waveguide through the output port.

Abstract: There is provided ahead-up display in a vehicle arranged to display a picture, the head-up display comprises a first optical sub-system disposed in an upper region of the windscreen and a second optical sub-system disposed underneath the dashboard of the vehicle proximate a lower region of the windscreen. The first optical sub-system is arranged to output a light field. The first optical sub-system comprises a light source and a spatial light modulator. The light source is arranged to emit light. The spatial light modulator is arranged to receive the light from the light source and spatially-modulated the light in accordance with a computer-generated hologram displayed on the spatial light modulator. The second optical sub-system is arranged to receive the light field from the first optical sub-system and project the light field onto a windscreen of the vehicle to form a virtual image on the windscreen.

Abstract: There is provided a lighting system for a vehicle. The lighting system comprises a holographic projector and a light distribution system. The holographic projector comprises a hologram engine and a spatial light modulator. The hologram engine is arranged to output holograms. The spatial light modulator is arranged to display each hologram and spatially-modulate light in accordance with each hologram. The spatially-modulated light forms a holographic reconstruction, corresponding to each hologram, on a replay plane. The light distribution system comprises a plurality of optical fibres. Each optical fibre comprises an input optically-coupled to respective sub-area of the replay plane and an output optically coupled with an illumination sub-system of the vehicle.

Abstract: There is provided a head-up display for a vehicle having a window. The head-up display comprises a picture generating unit (410) and an optical system (420). The picture generating unit is arranged to output pictures. The optical system is arranged to receive the pictures output by the picture generating unit and project the pictures onto the window (430) of the vehicle to form a virtual image (450, 707) of each picture within a virtual image area (605). The picture generating unit is arranged to output pictures within a cropped picture area such that the virtual image area (605) has a corresponding cropped shape. FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of a three lanes road (501,502,503) onto which a virtual image (707) within a cropped virtual image area (605) is overlaid.

Abstract: A head-up display for a vehicle having a window. The head-up display comprises a picture generating unit and a projection engine. The picture generating unit is arranged to output pictures. Each picture comprises a first picture component and a second picture component. The projection engine is arranged to receive the pictures output by the picture generating unit and project the pictures onto the window of the vehicle in order to form a first virtual image of the first picture component at a first virtual image distance and a second virtual image of the second picture component at a second virtual image distance. Light of the first picture component is polarised in a first polarisation direction and light of the second picture component is polarised in a second polarisation direction perpendicular to the first polarisation direction.

Abstract: A projector arranged to project an image within a display area on a display plane. The image comprises a light feature. A light sensor is spatially separated from the display plane. In an aligned state, light forming the light feature of the image on the display plane is at least partially disposed around the light sensor. In the aligned state, substantially no light forming the light feature impinges on the light sensor. The aligned state defines a selected alignment between the display area and the display plane (i.e. a selected position of the display area on the display plane).

Abstract: There is provided a head-up display for a vehicle having a window. The head-up display comprises a picture generating unit (410) and an optical system (420). The picture generating unit is arranged to output pictures. The optical system is arranged to receive the pictures output by the picture generating unit and project the pictures onto the window (430) of the vehicle to form a virtual image (450, 707) of each picture within a virtual image area (605). The picture generating unit is arranged to output pictures within a cropped picture area such that the virtual image area (605) has a corresponding cropped shape. FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of a three lanes road (501,502,503) onto which a virtual image (707) within a cropped virtual image area (605) is overlaid.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging, “LiDAR”, system arranged to make time of flight measurements of a scene. The LiDAR system comprises a holographic projector comprising: a spatial light modulator arranged to display light modulation patterns, each light modulation pattern comprising a hologram and a grating function having a periodicity; a light source arranged to illuminate each displayed light modulation pattern in turn; and a projection lens arranged to receive spatially modulated light from the spatial light modulator and project a structured light pattern corresponding to each hologram onto a respective replay plane. The LiDAR system further comprises a system controller arranged to receive distance information related to the scene and output to the holographic projector a control signal corresponding to the distance information. The holographic projector is arranged to use the control signal to determine a parameter for projection of a subsequent structured light pattern.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging system arranged to scan a scene is provided. A light source outputs light having a first characteristic. A spatial light modulator receives output light from the light source and outputs spatially-modulated light in accordance with computer-generated holograms represented thereon. A light detector receives light having the first characteristic from the scene and outputs a light response signal. A holographic controller is arranged to output a plurality of computer-generated holograms to the spatial light modulator. Each computer-generated hologram is arranged to form structured light having a corresponding pattern within the scene. The holographic controller is further arranged to change the pattern of the structured light formed by at least one of the plurality of computer-generated holograms.

Abstract: A method of holographic projection includes projecting at least one calibration image.

Abstract: A waveguide comprising a pair of parallel surfaces arranged to provide waveguiding therebetween. A first surface of the pair of parallel surfaces comprises a plurality of layers of a first dielectric and a plurality of layers of second dielectric arranged in an alternating configuration. Each layer of the first and second dielectric has a first end and a second end. A percentage change in the thickness of each layer from the first end to the second end of that layer has one of a plurality of discrete allowable values. The total number of layers of the first and second dielectric is greater than the total number of discrete allowable values. A difference in refractive index between the first dielectric and second dielectric is greater than 0.4.

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.

Abstract: A head-up display arranged to form a virtual image viewable from an eye-box area. The head-up display is arranged to received picture content within a sub-region of a substantially quadrilateral display area. The head-up display further comprises an optical relay system arranged to relay the received picture content to an eye-box of the head-up display such that a virtual image of the picture content is visible therefrom. The optical relay system comprises at least one optical component shaped in correspondence with the shape of the sub-region. The shape of the eye-box area is non-rectangular such as a corner-cropped rectangular shape or elliptical shape.

Abstract: A system, such as a driver assistance system, arranged to form images of outside a vehicle for viewing from an eye box region within the vehicle. The system comprises an image capture device, a picture generating unit and an optical element. The image capture device is arranged to be mounted to the vehicle. The image capture device is arranged to capture images outside the vehicle. The optical element is disposed in front of the replay plane. The optical element has a focal length. The distance between the replay plane and the optical element is less that the focal length of the optical element such that the optical element forms a virtual image of each picture for viewing from the eye box region. The picture generating unit may be a holographic projector. The holographic projector may be arranged to form pictures on a replay plane. Each picture may correspond to an image captured by the image capture device.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging system arranged to scan a scene comprises a light source arranged to output light having a first characteristic. A spatial light modulator is arranged to receive the light from the light source and output spatially-modulated light in accordance with computer-generated holograms represented thereon. A holographic controller is arranged to output a plurality of holograms to the spatial light modulator. Each hologram is arranged to form a corresponding light footprint within the scene. The holographic controller is further arranged to change the position of the light footprint within the scene. A light detector is arranged to receive light having the first characteristic from the scene and output a light response signal.

Abstract: A head-up display for a vehicle, the head-up display including a picture generating unit arranged to generate a picture on a light receiving surface; and an optical system arranged to image the picture, where the optical system includes an input arranged to receive light of the picture; an output arranged to output light forming an image of the picture; a first mirror and second mirror arranged to guide light from the input to the output along an optical path, where the optical path includes a first optical path from the input to the second mirror including a transmission through the first mirror; and second optical path from the second mirror to the output including a reflection off the first mirror.

Abstract: A light shuttering device comprises a plurality of liquid crystal cells, wherein each liquid crystal cell is operable in a first optical state or a second optical state in response to a respective first or second drive signal. A drive circuit comprises a plurality of switches and a drive controller. Each switch is arranged to output the respective first or second drive signal to a respective liquid crystal cell. The drive controller is arranged to sequentially update the output of each switch during an update cycle. The drive circuit is arranged to determine the order in which the switches are sequentially updated during an update cycle based on any changes to the respective drive signals that will be made during the update.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging system arranged to scan a scene comprises a light source arranged to output light having a first characteristic. A spatial light modulator is arranged to receive the light from the light source and output spatially-modulated light in accordance with computer-generated holograms represented thereon. A holographic controller is arranged to output a plurality of holograms to the spatial light modulator. Each hologram is arranged to form a corresponding light footprint within the scene. The holographic controller is further arranged to change the position of the light footprint within the scene. A light detector is arranged to receive light having the first characteristic from the scene and output a light response signal. The plurality of computer-generated holograms comprise a first plurality of holograms arranged to provide a first scan and a second plurality of holograms arranged to provide a second scan.

Abstract: An image processing engine and method of forming a hologram of a target image for projection using data streaming. An input or primary image is sub-sampled using a kernel and the secondary image output used to generate a hologram of the target image. A technique of kernel sub-sampling using a plurality of two or more data streams provides improvements in efficiency, including reduced data storage requirements and increased processing speed.

Abstract: An image projector arranged to project an image onto a display plane. The image projector comprises a processing engine, a display device, an optical element and a light source. The processing engine outputs a computer-generated diffractive pattern comprising a hologram of an image for projection and a lens function corresponding to a lens having a first optical power. The display device is arranged to display the computer-generated diffractive pattern. The optical element is disposed between the display device to the display plane. The optical element has second optical power. The light source is arranged to provide off-axis illumination of the display device in order to spatially-modulated light in accordance with the hologram and lens function. The lens function of the computer-generated diffractive pattern and the optical element collectively perform a hologram transform of the hologram such that a reconstruction of the image is formed on the display plane.