Abstract: An optical device for a head-mounted display device includes a first partial reflector and a second partial reflector positioned relative to the first partial reflector so that the second partial reflector receives first light transmitted through the first partial reflector and reflects at least a portion of the first light toward the first partial reflector as second light. At least a portion of the second light is reflected by the first partial reflector as third light, and at least a portion of the third light is transmitted through the second partial reflector. At least one of the first partial reflector or the second partial reflector includes a reflective holographic element.

Abstract: A light field display is composed of a light source assembly (LSA), a collimating lens, an incoupling section, a spatial light modulator (SLM), and gratings. The LSA includes point light sources that emit light at different time periods. The collimating lens collimates light from the point light sources. The incoupling section incouples the collimated light to a waveguide. The SLM spatially modulates the collimated light. The gratings outcouple spatially modulated light from the waveguide, and for any given point light source of the point light sources, the given point light source has a respective corresponding grating of the gratings that outcouples from the waveguide light that originated from the given point light source. The spatially modulated light output in each time period forms a respective virtual emitter in an eyebox, and over the different time periods the virtual emitters in aggregate form at least one virtual object.

Abstract: Techniques are described for backlighting electronic headset display panels. The method can include emitting light from a light source. The light can be transmitted from the light source via a light transmitting element to illuminate a light guide plate that is located remotely from the light source. The light guide plate can illuminate a display panel that is located remotely from the light source. A photodiode can detect a characteristic of the light that is transmitted by the light transmitting element at a location proximate the display panel and remote from the light source. One or more processors can determine a power level of the light source that is based at least in part on the characteristic detected by the photodiode.

Abstract: Techniques are described for backlighting electronic headset display panels. The backlight can include a light guide plate that is illuminated via a light transmitting element that is coupled to a light source. The light guide plate, in turn, illuminates the display panel. The light source is located within the headset but is disposed remotely from the display panels. A photodiode is coupled to a surface of the light transmitting element and is configured to detect a characteristic of the light transmitted by the light transmitting element.

Abstract: A waveguide assembly is provided. The waveguide assembly includes a pair of pupil-replicating waveguides. The first pupil-replicating waveguide is configured for receiving an input beam of image light and providing an intermediate beam comprising multiple offset portions of the input beam. The second pupil-replicating waveguide is configured for receiving the intermediate beam from the first pupil-replicating waveguide and providing an output beam comprising multiple offset portions of the intermediate beam. The input beam may be expanded by the waveguide assembly in such a manner that pupil gaps are reduced or eliminated.

Abstract: A lightguide for conveying image light to an eyebox of a display device includes a tunable grating, e.g. an out-coupling grating for out-coupling the image light from the lightguide. The tunable grating may be tuned or switched to effectively diffract light of a color channel of a color-sequential display. In augmented reality display systems, a lightguide combiner element may include a switchable grating to out-couple the image light only during short time intervals and to not out-couple the image light in between these time intervals. Effectively, the out-coupling grating is present only a portion of overall operation time of the display, which improves the transparency of the combiner element to the outside light and reduces rainbow effects.

Abstract: A display apparatus includes a lightguide for conveying images to a viewing area in a target field-of-view (FOV), and an eye detector for detecting a position of an eye in the viewing area. The lightguide includes a tunable segmented output diffraction grating, each segment for diffracting a portion of the image light to a corresponding segment of the viewing area. A controller is configured to switch to a non-diffracting state those of the segments that are located outside of the target FOV when viewed from the detected eye position.

Abstract: A lightguide for conveying image light to an eyebox of a display device includes a tunable grating, e.g. an out-coupling grating for out-coupling the image light from the lightguide. The tunable grating may be tuned or switched to effectively diffract light of a color channel of a color-sequential display. In augmented reality display systems, a lightguide combiner element may include a switchable grating to out-couple the image light only during short time intervals and to not out-couple the image light in between these time intervals. Effectively, the out-coupling grating is present only a portion of overall operation time of the display, which improves the transparency of the combiner element to the outside light and reduces rainbow effects.

Abstract: A display apparatus includes a lightguide for conveying images to a user in a target field-of-view (FOV). The lightguide includes a tunable output diffraction grating for displaying different portions of the target field-of-view at different time instances. The tunable output diffraction grating may include grating segments that are selectively switchable between a diffracting state and a non-diffracting state in dependence on a content of an image being displayed, providing content-dependent FOV switching.

Abstract: A display device includes a display module for providing first image light. The display device also includes a first optical element for receiving and transmitting the first image light from the display module. The display module includes a region from which the first image light is provided in directions other than a direction perpendicular to the first optical element. The display device further includes a second optical element so that the second optical element receives the first image light transmitted through the first optical element and sends the received first image light back toward the first optical element as second image light. The first optical element receives the second image light from the second optical element and sends the second image light back toward the second optical element, and the second optical element receives and transmits the second image light from the first optical element.

Abstract: An optical assembly includes a beam steering device and a holographic optical element. The beam steering device is switchable between different states including a first state and a second state. The beam steering device includes a first polarization-selective optical element and a first tunable optical retarder optically coupled with the first polarization-selective optical element. The holographic optical element is positioned relative to the beam steering device for receiving light from the beam steering device and projecting a first light pattern while the beam steering device is in the first state and a second light pattern distinct from the first light pattern while the beam steering device is in the second state.

Abstract: An optical device for a head-mounted display device includes a first partial reflector and a second partial reflector positioned relative to the first partial reflector so that the second partial reflector receives first light transmitted through the first partial reflector and reflects at least a portion of the first light toward the first partial reflector as second light. At least a portion of the second light is reflected by the first partial reflector as third light, and at least a portion of the third light is transmitted through the second partial reflector. At least one of the first partial reflector or the second partial reflector includes a reflective holographic element.

Abstract: A system for making a holographic medium for use in generating light patterns for eye tracking includes a light source configured to provide light and a beam splitter configured to separate the light into a first portion of the light and a second portion of the light that is spatially separated from the first portion of the light. The system also includes a first set of optical elements configured to transmit the first portion of the light for providing a first wide-field beam onto an optically recordable medium and one or more diffractive optical elements configured to receive the second portion of the light and project a plurality of separate light patterns onto the optically recordable medium for forming the holographic medium.

Abstract: A device includes a waveguide, an in-coupling element, and an out-coupling element coupled with the waveguide. The waveguide, the in-coupling element, and the out-coupling element are configured to deliver a plurality of portions of an image light to an eye-box of the device. At least one of the in-coupling element or the out-coupling element includes a polarization selective diffractive element. The polarization selective diffractive element includes a grating including a plurality of microstructures defining a plurality of grooves filled with a passive optically anisotropic material having a first effective refractive index along a groove direction of the grooves and a second effective refractive index along an in-plane direction perpendicular to the groove direction. One of the first effective refractive index or the second effective refractive index substantially matches with a refractive index of the microstructures.

Abstract: An optical device includes a light source configured to provide a light beam. The optical device includes a light source configured to generate a light beam, and a spatial light modulator (“SLM”) configured to modulate the light beam to provide a hologram for generating a display image. The optical device includes a polarization-selective steering assembly configured to provide a plurality of steering states for the modulated light beam. The optical device includes an image combiner configured to focus the modulated light beam steered by the polarization-selective steering assembly to generate an array of spots at an eye-box of the optical device.

Abstract: A system is provided. The system includes a waveguide configured to guide an image light to propagate inside the waveguide. The system also includes a plurality of diffractive components coupled to the waveguide and switchable between operating in a diffraction state to direct the image light from the waveguide to an eye-box of the system, and operating in a non-diffraction state to transmit a light from a real-world environment to the eye-box. The system further includes a controller coupled with the plurality of diffractive components and configured to switch each of the plurality of diffractive components between operating in the diffraction state during a virtual-world subframe of a display frame and operating in the non-diffraction state during a real-world subframe of the display frame.

Abstract: An optical device includes a light source assembly configured to generate an image light; and at least one waveguide including an in-coupling element and an out-coupling element configured to transmit, via the at least one waveguide, a plurality of light fields of the image light to an eye-box of the optical device, in a time-multiplexing manner. At least one of the in-coupling element or the out-coupling element includes at least one switchable diffractive optical grating, which includes a surface relief grating (SRG) filled with an optically anisotropic material having a first principal refractive index along a groove direction of the SRG and a second principal refractive index along an in-plane direction perpendicular to the groove direction. One of the first and second refractive principal refractive indices substantially matches a refractive index of the SRG, and the other mismatches.

Abstract: An optical device for a head-mounted display device includes a first partial reflector and a second partial reflector positioned relative to the first partial reflector so that the second partial reflector receives first light transmitted through the first partial reflector and reflects at least a portion of the first light toward the first partial reflector as second light. At least a portion of the second light is reflected by the first partial reflector as third light, and at least a portion of the third light is transmitted through the second partial reflector. At least one of the first partial reflector or the second partial reflector includes a reflective holographic element.

Abstract: A wearable display with coherent replication of optical beams is presented. The display includes a replication element comprising a plurality of features configured to receive and split impinging light into a plurality of sub-beams for propagation in a plurality of directions. At least a portion of the split sub-beams propagating in a direction of an eyebox of the NED form an image by optical interference.

Abstract: A system for making a holographic medium for use in generating light patterns for eye tracking includes a light source configured to provide light and a beam splitter configured to separate the light into a first portion of the light and a second portion of the light that is spatially separated from the first portion of the light. The system also includes a first set of optical elements configured to transmit the first portion of the light for providing a first wide-field beam onto an optically recordable medium and one or more diffractive optical elements configured to receive the second portion of the light and project a plurality of separate light patterns onto the optically recordable medium for forming the holographic medium.