Abstract: A pupil-replicating lightguide includes a slab of transparent material for guiding image light in the slab, and an out-coupling structure supported by the slab for out-coupling portions of the image light from the slab. The portions are laterally offset from one another along a path of the image light in the slab. The out-coupling grating structure has a switchable distribution of out-coupling efficiency for redirecting the portions of out-coupled light to a desired location such as a current location of an eye of the viewer determined by an eye tracking system. The out-coupling grating structure may include a plurality of diffraction gratings having different local slant angles of grating fringes.

Abstract: A directional illuminator for a display apparatus includes a switchable diffuser for tuning a divergence of a light beam illuminating a display panel of the display apparatus. The tunable divergence of the illuminating light beam translates into a tunable exit pupil size at the eyebox of the display apparatus, which may be matched to a pupil size of a user’s eye, thus providing a configurable illumination of the eye pupil. A tiltable reflector in an optical path of the illuminating light beam may be used to shift the location of the exit pupil at the eyebox of the display apparatus.

Abstract: A pupil-replicating lightguide includes a slab of transparent material, a switchable out-coupling grating for out-coupling portions of image light to propagate towards an eyebox, and a switchable tracking grating for redirecting tracking light carrying an eye image towards an eye tracking camera. One of the two gratings may be turned ON while the other is turned OFF, in a time-sequential manner, allowing the combined use of the pupil-replicating lightguide for carrying image light and eye tracking light.

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 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 switchable grating may be used to redirect illuminating light for illuminating a user’s eye in an eye tracking system, to facilitate the determination of eye position and/or orientation. The eye tracking system may be used in a near-eye display. An eye tracking camera obtains an eye image, and a controller performs an initial determination of the eye position. The controller may switch the switchable grating to direct the illuminating light beam onto the eye, for a better position and/or eye orientation determination.

Abstract: An optical lens assembly includes an optical lens and a Pancharatnam Berry Phase (“PBP”) element coupled to the optical lens. The PBP element is configured to provide chromatic aberration correction for the optical lens. An Abbe number of the PBP element and an Abbe number of the optical lens have opposite signs.

Abstract: A waveguide, e.g. a pupil-replicating waveguide, is provided. The waveguide includes a substrate having two outer surfaces, for propagating a beam of light in the substrate by reflecting the beam from the outer surfaces. An output coupler, such as a diffraction grating in the substrate, is configured for diffracting the impinging beam out of the substrate. A beam splitter is disposed in the substrate between the outer surfaces upstream of the output coupler, so as to avoid substantially intersecting the output beam. The partial reflector is configured for splitting the impinging beam, increasing the number of beam portions in the waveguide, thereby improving output pupil density.

Abstract: A device includes a light guide and at least one in-coupling element configured to couple an image light into the light guide. The device also includes a first out-coupling element configured to couple a first portion of the image light out of the light guide as a plurality of first output lights. The device further includes a second out-coupling element spaced apart from the first out-coupling element by a distance and configured to couple a second portion the image light out of the light guide as a plurality of second output lights. The second output lights are substantially non-overlapping with the first output lights.

Abstract: An optical assembly includes a first polarization-sensitive reflector, a second polarization-sensitive reflector, and a Faraday rotator. The first polarization-sensitive reflector is positioned to transmit light having a first polarization, and reflect light having a second polarization that is orthogonal to the first polarization. The second polarization-sensitive reflector is positioned to reflect light having a third polarization that is different from the first polarization and the second polarization, and transmit light having a fourth polarization that is orthogonal to the third polarization.

Abstract: An optical assembly for projecting light output by a display includes an optical waveguide, a reflective optical element, and a in-coupler coupled with the optical waveguide. The reflective optical element is positioned to receive first light and to reflect the first light as second light. The in-coupler is positioned to receive the first light and transmit the first light toward the reflective optical element. The in-coupler is further positioned to receive the second light and redirect a first portion of the second light so that the first portion of the second light undergoes total internal reflection inside the optical waveguide. The reflective optical element includes a negative meniscus lens having a concave lens surface and a convex lens surface coupled with a reflective surface. The reflective optical element is positioned to focus the first light such that the second light is more collimated than the first light.

Abstract: An optical assembly a substrate having a first surface and a second surface that is opposite to and substantially parallel with the first surface. The first surface has a first curved profile and the second surface has a second curved profile. The optical assembly also includes a beam splitter on the first surface and a reflector on the second surface. The optical assembly is configured to transmit image light received at the first surface in an optical path that includes reflection at each of the reflector and the beam splitter before the image light is output from the second surface. The optical assembly is also configured to transmit ambient light received at the first surface such that the second light is output from the second surface without undergoing reflection at either the reflector or the beam splitter. A method of transmitting light through the optical assembly is also disclosed.

Abstract: A device includes a diffraction element and an optical filter stacked with the diffraction element. The optical filter is configured to forwardly deflect a light from a real-world environment incident onto the optical filter, at an incidence angle greater than or equal to a predetermined angle, toward the diffraction element. The diffraction element is configured to substantially transmit the light forwardly deflected by the optical filter.

Abstract: An optical assembly includes at least one substrate that provides a first curved surface and a second surface. The optical assembly also includes a beam splitter on the first curved surface, a reflector on the second surface, and an optical retarder disposed between the beam splitter and the reflector. The optical assembly is configured to receive first light at the first curved surface and reflect the first light at the reflector and subsequently, at the beam splitter before outputting the first light from the reflector. The first light is transmitted through the optical assembly at a first optical power. The optical assembly is also configured to transmit second light at a second optical power that is less than the first optical power. The second light is transmitted through peripheral portions of the beam splitter and reflector without reflection at the reflector.

Abstract: An optical assembly includes at least one substrate that provides a first curved surface and a second surface. The optical assembly also includes a beam splitter on the first curved surface, a reflector on the second surface, and an optical retarder disposed between the beam splitter and the reflector. The optical assembly is configured to transmit the first light through the optical assembly at a first optical power. The optical assembly is also configured to transmit second light through peripheral portions of the optical assembly at a second optical power that is less than the first optical power. The first light includes light having a first polarization and wavelengths within a predetermined wavelength range. The second light includes light having wavelengths within the predetermined wavelength range and a second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization, as well as light having wavelengths outside the predetermined wavelength range.

Abstract: A wearable display device includes a light source, a beam scanner, a pupil-replicating lightguide, and a detector. The light source is configured to emit an image beam and a ranging beam. The beam scanner co-scans both beams. The image beam is used to form an image in angular domain for displaying to a user of the wearable display device, and a ranging beam is used to scan outside environment at the same time. Light reflected from objects in the outside environment is detected by the detector, and a 3D map of the outside environment is built using time-of-flight measurements of the reflected signal and/or triangulation. For triangulation measurements, the detector may include a digital camera.

Abstract: A varifocal ocular lens is disclosed. The varifocal ocular lens is based on a pancake lens having a polarization-folded optical path formed by two reflectors, e.g. one polarization-selective reflector and one partial reflector. By placing at least one of the reflectors onto a flexible deformable membrane, the shape e.g. radius of curvature and/or cylindricity of the reflector(s) may be dynamically changed to vary focal length and/or astigmatism of the ocular lens. Viewer's visual prescription and eye vergence may be dynamically and/or statically accommodated by the varifocal lens.

Abstract: A device includes a light guide. The device also includes a first in-coupling element configured to couple a first input light into the light guide, and a first out-coupling element configured to couple the first input light out of the light guide as a first output light having a first output field of view (“FOV”). The device also includes a second in-coupling element configured to couple a second input light into the light guide. The device further includes a second out-coupling element configured to couple the second input light out of the light guide as a second output light having a second output FOV substantially non-overlapping with the first output FOV. A combination of the first and second output FOVs is larger than at least one of the first or second output FOV, and the first and second input lights have orthogonal polarizations.

Abstract: An optical device includes a first polarization selective reflector; a second polarization selective reflector positioned relative to the first polarization selective reflector so that the first polarization selective reflector directs first light having a first nonplanar polarization toward the second polarization selective reflector and the second polarization selective reflector directs at least a portion of the first light toward the first polarization selective reflector as second light. The optical device includes a first reflector positioned relative to the first polarization selective reflector so that the first polarization selective reflector directs at least a portion of the second light having a second nonplanar polarization toward the first reflector as third light.