Abstract: Different viewing mechanisms are used for left and right eyes. One of the eyes is presented with an image from a single image source that occupies the entire field of view of the eye. The view presented by this first image source is a wide field of view with a relatively low resolution. A second image source presents a second view to the other eye of the user. The second view is a narrower-field-of-view, higher resolution depiction of the same view or scene as presented by the first image source. Additionally, the second image source includes a direct see-through path so that the user can view the real outside surroundings. The combination of low resolution, wide field of view in one eye combined with a high resolution, narrow field of view with see-through in the other eye allows the user to be presented with a computer-generated simulation view having both wide field of view with specific, high resolution at the viewer's visual center of interest.

Abstract: A collimating apparatus that reduces ghost images in the field of view of a main image generated. The collimating apparatus includes a meniscus lens having a reflective concave surface; a cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC), aligned on an axis common with the meniscus lens, disposed on the concave side of the meniscus lens, positioned to reflect light onto the concave surface and having a tilt making the normal of the CLC different from the normal of the meniscus lens; and an image source, disposed on the convex side of the meniscus lens and having a tilt corresponding to the tilt of the CLC. The tilted pair of the meniscus and image source direct any ghost images produced by light leaking through the CLC away from the line of sight of an observer of the main image.

Abstract: A head-mounted display includes an aperture mask between the eye and a viewfinder to mask the line artifacts resulting from visible edges of mechanisms, such as imagers, within the display. The aperture has a translucent area that matches the geometry of the edge desired to be masked. In an application where a high-resolution image is presented to one eye, centered within a lower-resolution image presented to the other eye, the aperture is positioned to mask the edges of the high-resolution image source. In an application where see-through is desired, the opaque area is sacrificed in favor of a partially transparent mask. The translucent area can be graduated so that a smooth transition area between the edges of the high-resolution display and the lower-resolution display is achieved.

Abstract: A compact, lightweight, multi-wavelength display system which can be used as a collimating eyepiece is provided. The system utilizes a polarization selective optical element, or PS element, that reflects one linear polarization state while transmitting radiation of the orthogonal linear polarization state. The PS element is used in combination with a quarter wave plate and an optical element, the optical element including a partially reflective surface. The optical element may either be a single element or an optical doublet. In the latter configuration, the partially reflective surface is at the interface between the two singlets that comprise the doublet. The system also includes an image source that either alone, or in combination with other optical elements, produces circularly polarized light of the desired rotary sense.

Abstract: A compact, lightweight dichoptic display system is provided. The system utilizes a single image generating device which alternately provides low resolution, wide field-of-view images with high resolution, narrow field-of-view images of a specific area of the same scene. The light radiated by the image generating device is linearly polarized. The polarized light passes through a controllable retarder, the retarder imparting a 180 degree phase delay to alternating scenes. Using a polarization sensitive beam splitter, the images generated by the display are directed to alternate eyepieces. Collimating optics are used to insure that the two images appear to be the same distance from the user, therefore enabling the user to properly combine the two images.

Abstract: A compact lightweight display system which can be used as a collimating eyepiece is provided. The system utilizes a cholesteric liquid crystal device in combination with an optical doublet. A partially reflective coating is at the interface between the two singlets which comprise the doublet. The design of this system reduces the number of element to air and/or element to element interfaces, thus reducing losses and ghosting while making a sturdier, more vibration tolerant display system.

Abstract: An optical collimating device employs an optical (concave) mirror and cholesteric liquid crystal element to collimate and project image light into the line-of-sight of an observer in efficient manner. Image light is generated with light components within a predetermined bandwidth and with a predetermined rotary sense. The image light is directed so that it is reflected by the concave mirror, expanding (collimating) the image light, projecting in onto a cholesteric liquid crystal element that reflects those components of the image light within the bandwidth B and having the proper rotary sense of circular polarization. The cholesteric liquid crystal element substantially reflects the returned image to the observer.