Abstract: A display device is configurable to be operable in a first mode and a second mode. The display device includes an emission surface configured to output image light, a first optical assembly, and a second optical assembly. The first optical assembly is configured to receive image light from the emission surface and to direct the image light toward the eyes of a user at a first optical power. The second optical assembly includes a first region configured to receive image light from the emission surface and to direct the image light toward the eyes of a user at a second optical power. The second optical assembly also includes a second region configured to receive ambient light and to transmit at least a portion of the received ambient light at a third optical power distinct from and less than the first optical power and the second optical power.

Abstract: An optical waveplate is provided. The optical waveplate includes a positive-C film including a first liquid crystal (“LC”) layer. Tilt angles of LC molecules vary along a thickness direction of the first LC layer. The optical wave also includes an LC cell disposed at a first side of the positive-C film and including a second LC layer aligned in an optically compensated bend (“OCB”) mode. The optical waveplate also includes a positive-A film disposed at a second side of the positive-C film. The optical waveplate further includes a negative biaxial retardation film disposed between the positive-A film and the positive-C film. The LC cell is switchable between at least two predetermined states.

Abstract: A hybrid lens is disclosed including optically coupled varifocal lens and adaptive lens. The varifocal lens is configured for varying optical power of the hybrid lens, and an adaptive lens includes a voltage-controlled element for varying optical power of the adaptive lens in coordination with varying the optical power of the varifocal lens and responsive to variation of the optical power of the hybrid lens, for lessening an optical aberration of the hybrid lens. The hybrid lens may be used in head-mounted displays e.g. for lessening a vergence-accommodation conflict.

Abstract: A layered optical element includes a substrate layer, an electrode layer disposed on the substrate layer, a liquid crystal (LC) layer comprising LC molecules, and a nanopatterned alignment layer in physical contact with the LC layer and disposed on a surface of either the substrate layer or the electrode layer. The nanopatterned alignment layer includes an arrangement of nanostructures, e.g., a grouping of nanolines. For a subset of the grouping of nanolines, the nanolines are configured to orient the LC molecules along a varying local orientation direction of each of nanoline in the subset. The varying local orientation direction of each nanoline in the subset can vary along a length of each nanoline.

Abstract: A pupil-replicating waveguide suitable for operation with a coherent light source is disclosed. A waveguide body has opposed surfaces for guiding a beam of image light. An out-coupling element is disposed in an optical path of the beam for out-coupling portions of the beam at a plurality of spaced apart locations along the optical path. Electrodes are coupled to at least a portion of the waveguide body for modulating an optical path length of the optical path of the beam to create time-varying phase delays between the portions of the beam out-coupled by the out-coupling element.

Abstract: A controller for a tiltable MEMS reflector is configured to oscillate the reflector about X axis or about X and Y axes, and to obtain information about current and past tilt angles. The controller is configured to evaluate tilt angles of the tiltable MEMS reflector at a later moment of time based on the previously obtained information about the tilt angles of the tiltable MEMS reflector at the different earlier moments of time. The controller may be further configured to energize the light source providing a light beam to the tiltable MEMS reflector at the later moment of time with brightness and color corresponding to the brightness and color of a pixel that will be painted by the tiltable MEMS reflector at the later moment of time. A statistical model may be combined with machine learning to accurately predict future tilt angles of the tiltable MEMS reflector.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present application sets forth a computer-implemented method that includes receiving, from a first microphone, a first input acoustic signal, generating a first audio spectrum from at least the first input acoustic signal, wherein the first audio spectrum includes a set of time-frequency bins, and selecting a first time-frequency bin from the set based on a first local space-domain distance (LSDD) computed for the first time-frequency bin.

Abstract: Techniques are described for operating a display comprising an array of emitters arranged in at least one column. Data is shifted through the emitters of the column using a data shifting circuit. The data can be shifted sequentially, one emitter at a time. The data shifting circuit includes storage elements for temporary storage of the data as it is shifted down the column. The data can be stored as a charge on a capacitor, where the capacitor is charged to a particular voltage according to a current from a current mirror. The shifting can be performed in synchronization with scanning of the emitters by a scanning assembly, where the scanning produces an output image for viewing by a user.

Abstract: A beam scanner of a projector-based near-eye display includes a polarization volume hologram (PVH) grating. The PVH grating receives a polarized light beam from a light source and couples the beam to a tiltable reflector, e.g. a 2D tiltable MEMS reflector, for angular scanning the beam. The light beam impinging onto the tiltable reflector is separated from the light beam reflected from the tiltable reflector by polarization, due to the PVH grating diffracting light of only one handedness of polarization. Upon reflection from the tiltable reflector, the beam changes the handedness of polarization, which enables its separation from the impinging beam. The beam scanner may receive multiple light beams from multiple light sources. A projector and a near-eye display based on such beam scanners are also disclosed.

Abstract: Techniques are described for collecting feedback on a display comprising a plurality of emitters arranged in a column. Each emitter is driven by a respective emitter cell that generates a driving current for the emitter based on digital data or an analog representation thereof. The digital data or analog representation is sequentially shifted through the entire column. An electrical signal associated with a last emitter to be driven based on the digital data or analog representation is measured, along a feedback path formed by selectively opening or closing a first switch and a second switch, which are respectively connectable to an anode and a cathode of the last emitter. Since each emitter cell contributes to the electrical signal, the value of the electrical signal is indicative of whether there is a problem with an emitter cell somewhere in the column. The subsequently driving of the emitters is adjusted accordingly.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an operating point controller for two or more circuit regions in an integrated circuit is discussed. The OPC is configured to both i) set a resource state, including operating voltage and operating frequency, for each of those circuit regions, and ii) identify events to initiate transitions between two or more operating points for a given circuit region. The operating point controller is also configured to manage transitions between operating points for the two or more circuit regions on the integrated circuit. The operating point controller is a hardware based machine implemented in logic rather than software operating on a CPU processor.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques for improving performance of micro light emitting diodes. According to certain embodiments, a semi-polar-oriented light emitting diode (LED) (e.g., grown on (2021) plane or (1122) plane) includes a buried p-GaN layer that is grown before the active region and the n-GaN layer of the LED are grown, such that the polarization-induced (including strain-induced piezoelectric polarization and spontaneous polarization) electrical field and the built-in depletion field in the active region are in opposite directions during normal operations, thereby reducing or minimizing the overall internal electric field that can contribute to Quantum-Confined Stark Effect. The buried p-GaN layer is grown on an n-i-n sacrificial etch junction, which can be laterally wet-etched to separate the semi-polar-oriented LED from the underlying substrate and expose the p-GaN layer for planar or vertical (rather than horizontal or lateral) activation.

Abstract: A display system is presented for displaying a color stereoscopic image comprising first and second images for user's left and right eyes respectively. A first display is configured for displaying first and second color channels of the first image to the left eye, such that a field of view of the first color channel of the first image is offset from a field of view of the second color channel of the first image in a first direction. A second display is configured for displaying first and second color channels of the second image to the right eye, such that a field of view of the first color channel of the second image is offset from a field of view of the second color channel of the second image in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

Abstract: Techniques related to molded etch masks are disclosed. Etch masks can be formed based on pressing a mold against a layer of pliable masking material applied to a surface of an epitaxial layered structure. The epitaxial layered structure includes a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, and a light-emitting layer between the first and second semiconductor layers. The epitaxial layered structure is etched using the molded etch masks to form etched structures. The etched structures may be optical structures that modify light emitted through the surface or epitaxial mesas that collimate light within the epitaxial layered structure.

Abstract: In one example, an apparatus comprises: a semiconductor substrate including a front side surface, a first photodiode to generate a first charge, a second photodiode to generate a second charge, a barrier layer between the first photodiode and the second photodiode and configured to control flow of the second charge from the second photodiode to the first photodiode, and a drain region to store the first charge and at least a first part of the second charge. The apparatus further comprises a gate on the front side surface over a first channel region between the first photodiode and the drain region to control the flow of the first charge and the at least the first part of the second charge to the drain region, and a second channel region to conduct at least a second part of the second charge away from the barrier layer when the second photodiode saturates.

Abstract: A display apparatus includes an electronic display having a pixel array configured to display a sequence of subframes, and an image shifting electro-optic device that is operable to shift at least a portion of an image of the display pixel array synchronously with displaying the sequence of subframes, so as to form a sequence of offset subframe images for providing an enhanced image resolution and pixel correction in a compound image. The image shifting electro-optic device may include a polarization switch in series with a polarization grating, for shifting image pixels between offset image positions in coordination with displaying consecutive subframes.

Abstract: In an embodiment, the OPC manages at least one of i) gating state and ii) different operating frequencies for a given circuit region. The operating point controller is configured to be capable of both 1) having sole control to set and manage the gating state and operating frequency for the given circuit region based on a first set of events, as well as 2) delegating control to a local power domain controller to set and manage i) gating state for components in that circuit region, ii) different operating frequencies for components in that circuit region, and iii) combinations of both, based on a second set of events, on a per operating point basis. The multiple operating points for that circuit region have different operating voltage levels and operating frequencies, and when delegated, the local power domain controller will chose the gating state and/or operating frequency.

Abstract: In one example, a method comprises: enabling a photodiode to, in response to incident light, accumulate residual charge, and to transfer overflow charge to a first charge storage device and a second charge storage device when the photodiode saturates; disconnecting the second charge storage device from the first charge storage device; enabling the photodiode to transfer the residual charge to the first charge storage device to cause the charge sensing unit to output a first voltage; quantizing the first voltage to generate a first digital value to measure the residual charge; connecting the second charge storage device with the first charge storage device to cause the charge sensing unit to output a second voltage; quantizing the second voltage to generate a second digital value to measure the overflow charge; and generating a digital representation of the incident light intensity based on the first digital value and the second digital value.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques for structured light pattern generation. A method for generating a one-dimensional structured light pattern in a first direction and with a desired intensity pattern includes generating a plurality of one-dimensional light patterns using a two-dimensional diffractive optical element with different periods in two orthogonal directions, and combining the plurality of one-dimensional light patterns to form the one-dimensional structured light pattern with the desired intensity pattern. Each of the one-dimensional light patterns includes a one-dimensional light pattern in the first direction. The plurality of one-dimensional light patterns is distributed in a second direction different from the first direction. A separation angle between each pair of adjacent one-dimensional light patterns of the plurality of one-dimensional light patterns in the second direction and with respect to the two-dimensional diffractive optical element is less than a threshold value.

Abstract: A light-emitting diode includes a first semiconductor region of one of p- or n-conductivity types, a second semiconductor region of the other one of p- or n-conductivity types, forming a p-n junction with the first semiconductor region, and a quantum well layer at the p-n junction between the first and second semiconductor regions. A hyperbolic metamaterial structure is provided in the second semiconductor region. The hyperbolic metamaterial structure is coupled to the quantum well layer for extracting light from the quantum well layer. The hyperbolic metamaterial structure may be patterned to provide an array of nanoantennas to apodize the emitted beam, and to control the polarization state of the emitted beam.