Abstract: A display device (10) for producing images to be viewed by an observer includes an optical system (14) and a control unit (20). The optical system receives input light indicative of an image into a light propagation channel (14A) and produces, at an exit pupil (14B), output light having a field of view (FOV) corresponding to the image to be presented to the observer (18). The light propagation channel has an intensity transfer function map I1(x,?) of the optical system across a lateral dimension x of the exit pupil and an angular 20 span ? of the FOV.

Abstract: A system for uniform optical illumination of an image light provider in a smaller (compact) configuration than conventional implementations includes a lightguide having: a first external surface and a second external surface mutually parallel, and a first sequence of facets, at least a portion of which are: a plurality of parallel, partially reflecting, and polarization selective surfaces, at an oblique angle relative to the first and second external surfaces, and between the first and second external surfaces, and a front-lit reflective polarization rotating image modulator: deployed to spatially modulate light coupled-out from the first external surface, outputting reflected light corresponding to an image, and deployed such that the reflected light traverses the lightguide from the first external surface via the first sequence of facets to the second external surface.

Abstract: At various positions in an eye motion box (EMB) an output image from an optical device can be captured and analyzed for detection and evaluation of image propagation via the optical device. Optical testing along a specific axis can evaluate optical engine transfer function uniformity across facet's active area, detect the existence and degree of “smearing” of a projected image from an optical device, and detect the existence and degree of a “white stripes” (WS) phenomenon related to scattering and diffraction in the wedge-to-LOE interface. A variety of metrics can be derived for quality control and feedback into the production system, and for disposition of the optical devices.

Abstract: Binocular augmented reality display devices and corresponding methods allow alignment calibration to be performed by an end user. According to one approach, a camera is positioned to have a field of view which includes simultaneously part of a projected image from the left-eye display and part of a projected image from the right-eye display. By projecting via each display at least part of a calibration image and identifying within the camera-sampled image right-field and left-field alignment features, an alignment correction can be derived. Alternative approaches employ correlation of images sampled by forward-looking cameras rigidly associated with the respective right-eye and left-eye display units, or require a user to input a manual adjustment for aligning transversely-swapped camera images with the real world view.

Abstract: Optical sample characterization facilitates measurement and testing such as transmittance or reflectance at any discrete angle in a full range of angles of light propagation through a coated glass plate having a higher than air index of refraction. A rotatable assembly includes a cylinder having a hollow, and a receptacle including the hollow. The receptacle also contains a fluid having a refractive index matching the refractive index of the cylinder and coated plate. An optical light beam is input normal to the surface of the cylinder, travels through the cylinder, then via the index matching fluid through the coating, the coated glass plate, the fluid, the other side of the cylinder, and is collected for analysis. Due at least in part to the index matching fluid surrounding the coated plate, the plate can be rotated through a full range of angles (±90°, etc.) for full range testing of the coating.

Abstract: An optical assembly for optical aperture expansion combines facet reflective technology with diffractive technology. At least two diffractive components having opposite optical power (matching) are used, so that chromatic dispersion introduced by the first diffractive component will then be cancelled by the second diffractive component. The two diffractive components are used in combination with a reflective optical component to achieve more efficient aperture expansion (for near eye display), reducing distortions and noise, while also reducing design constraints on the system and individual components, as compared to conventional techniques. The assembly eliminates and/or reduces the need for polarization management, while enabling wider field of view. In addition, embodiments can have reduced nonuniformity, as compared to conventional single technology implementations, since the distortion patterns of the two technologies do not correlate.

Abstract: There is provided an optical system, including a light-transmitting substrate having at least two major surfaces parallel to each other edges, and an optical device for coupling light into the substrate by total internal reflection. The device includes a polarization sensitive reflecting surface.

Abstract: Specific management of configuration of overlap of facets reduces non-uniformity in an image outcoupled toward a nominal point of observation. A waveguide including at least two parallel surfaces, first, middle, and last partially reflecting facets are configured such that in a geometrical projection of the facets onto one of the surfaces the facets overlap, preferably with adjacent facets overlapping and non-adjacent facets starts and ends coinciding along at least a portion of the waveguide.

Abstract: A method fabricates an optical device that includes at least one partially reflecting surface and a light-wave transmitting substrate is fabricated. A plurality of transparent plates is obtained. At least one surface of at least one of the transparent plates is coated with a partially reflecting coating to form the at least one partially reflecting surface. The plates are arranged in a stack and attached to each other. The plates at the opposing ends of the stack are thicker than the remaining plates in the stack. The stack is sliced to form the substrate such that the substrate has two major external surfaces. The substrate is grinded or polished, and at least one of the two major external surfaces is coated with a coating that compensates for non-uniformity of the substrate.

Abstract: An optical aperture expansion arrangement particularly useful for near-eye displays employs a waveguide (30, 140, 145) with wedge configurations (25, 26) to generate two modes of propagation of image illumination along the waveguide, and to couple out both modes from the waveguide. Various embodiments employ rectangular waveguides within which the image illumination propagates by four-fold internal reflection. In some cases, the wedge configurations are combined with an array of partially-reflective internal surfaces (45, 150) to achieve two-dimensional aperture expansion.

Abstract: An optical system including a light-guide optical element (LOE) with first and second sets (204, 206) of mutually-parallel, partially-reflecting surfaces at different orientations. Both sets of partially-reflecting surfaces are located between parallel major external surfaces. A third set of at least partially-reflecting surfaces (202), deployed at the coupling-in region, receive image illumination injected from a projector (2) with an optical aperture having a first in-plane width and direct the image illumination via reflection of at least part of the image illumination at the third set of at least partially-reflective facets towards the first set of partially-reflective facets with an effective optical aperture having a second width larger than the first width.

Abstract: A near-eye display has a light-guide optical element (LOE) with two major parallel external surfaces. An image projector introduces image illumination into the LOE so as to propagate by internal reflection. The image projector includes one or more light-generating laser diode operated by a controller. A coupling-out arrangement includes a set of mutually-parallel, partially-reflective surfaces associated with the LOE at an oblique angle to the major external surfaces for coupling the illumination out of the LOE towards the eye of the observer. The light-generating laser diode has a characteristic variation of coherence length of generated light as a function of diode actuation power. The controller actuates the laser diode at a level of diode actuation power that generates light with a coherence length that is less than twice a spacing between adjacent partially-reflective surfaces of the coupling-out arrangement.

Abstract: An optical device, including a light waves-transmitting substrate has two major surfaces and edges, optical means for coupling light into the substrate by total internal reflection, and a plurality of partially reflecting surfaces (22a, 22b) carried by the substrate. The partially reflecting surfaces (22a, 22b) are parallel to each other and are not parallel to any of the edges of the substrate, one or more of the partially reflecting surfaces (22a, 22b) being an anisotropic surface. The optical device has dual operational modes in see-through configuration. In a first mode, light waves are projected from a display source through the substrate to an eye of a viewer. In a second mode, the display source is shut off and only an external scene is viewable through the substrate.

Abstract: There is provided an optical system, including a light-transmitting substrate (20) having at least two major surfaces (26) and edges, all optical prism (54) having at least a first (58), a second (56) and a third (60) surface, for coupling light waves having a given field-of-view into the substrate by total internal reflection, at least one partially reflecting surface located in the substrate, the partially reflecting surface being orientated non-parallelly with respect to the major surfaces of the substrate, for coupling light waves out of the substrate, at least one of the edges (50) of the substrate is slanted at an oblique angle with respect to the major surfaces, the second surface of the prism is located adjacent to the slanted edge of the substrate, and a part of the substrate located next to the slanted edge is substantially transparent, wherein the light waves enter the prism through the first surface of the prism, traverse the prism without any reflection and enter the substrate through the slanted

Abstract: An optical structure and corresponding process of manufacture for light guide optical elements (LOEs) which guide light by reflection at major surfaces. The structure further includes light directing surfaces for coupling light out of the LOE, obliquely inclined with respect to the major surfaces. The optical structure is formed from a stack of multiple optically transparent layers each of which has a surface pattern of regions configured as light directing surfaces which are arranged in an X-Z plane in a spaced-apart relationship along at least the X-axis with optically transparent regions between them. The layers are stacked along a Y-axis so that each of the surface patterns is located at an interface between two adjacent layers and the patterns of the layers are aligned with a shift of a predetermined value along one or both of the X-axis and Z-axis.

Abstract: A near eye display including: a first optical waveguide having a direction of elongation, at least one pair of parallel faces, and a first coupling-out mechanism; a second optical waveguide having an input aperture, a pair of parallel faces, and a second coupling out-mechanism; an optical coupling between the first optical waveguide and the second waveguide, the optical coupling including at least an air gap configured to enable total internal reflection within the first waveguide, and an interface window, the interface window comprising a transparent optical element with a refractive index substantially the same as a refractive index of the second optical waveguide; and wherein at least a portion of the interface window projects beyond the input aperture of the second optical waveguide such that undesired light exiting the first waveguide is prevented from entering the second waveguide.

Abstract: Binocular augmented reality display devices and corresponding methods allow alignment calibration to be performed by an end user. According to one approach, a camera is positioned to have a field of view which includes simultaneously part of a projected image from the left-eye display and part of a projected image from the right-eye display. By projecting via each display at least part of a calibration image and identifying within the camera-sampled image right-field and left-field alignment features, an alignment correction can be derived. Alternative approaches employ correlation of images sampled by forward-looking cameras rigidly associated with the respective right-eye and left-eye display units, or require a user to input a manual adjustment for aligning transversely-swapped camera images with the real world view.

Abstract: An optical system for displaying a projected image to an observer includes a light-guide optical element having two major parallel surfaces and configured for guiding illumination corresponding to a projected image collimated to infinity by internal reflection at the major parallel surfaces from a coupling-in region to a coupling-out region where at least part of the illumination is coupled out towards an eye of the observer, and a projector configuration associated with the coupling-in region of the light-guide optical element. The projector configuration includes a number of adjacent optical arrangements, each including collimating optics deployed for projecting a subset of the illumination. The adjacent optical arrangements cooperate to provide an entirety of the projected image to the coupling-out region.

Abstract: There is provided an optical system, including a light-transmitting substrate (20) having at least two major surfaces (26) and edges, an optical prism (54) having at least a first (58), a second (56) and a third (60) surface, for coupling light waves having a given field-of-view into the substrate by total internal reflection, at least one partially reflecting surface located in the substrate, the partially reflecting surface being orientated non-parallelly with respect to the major surfaces of the substrate, for coupling light waves out of the substrate, at least one of the edges (50) of the substrate is slanted at an oblique angle with respect to the major surfaces, the second surface of the prism is located adjacent to the slanted edge of the substrate, and a part of the substrate located next to the slanted edge is substantially transparent, wherein the light waves enter the prism through the first surface of the prism, traverse the prism without any reflection and enter the substrate through the slanted