Abstract: Light emitted from a virtual retinal display light source passes through a beamsplitter to a scanning subsystem and on to an eyepiece and the viewer's eye. Some of the light is reflected from the viewer's eye passing back along the same path. Such light however is deflected at the beamsplitter toward a photodetector. The reflected light is detected and correlated to the display scanner's position. The content of the reflected light and the scanner position for such sample is used to generate a map of the viewer's retina. Such map includes ‘landmarks’ such as the viewer's optic nerve, fovea, and blood vessels. The map of the viewer's retina is stored and used for purposes of viewer identification.

Abstract: A scanning display includes a control unit and a scanning head linked by a tether. The control unit outputs two beams of orthogonally polarized light, each beam being modulated with a respective set of image information. The fiber is a polarization-maintaining fiber that receives the orthogonally polarized beams and carries them to the scanning head. At the scanning head, a birefringent material separates the beams spatially in response to their different polarizations. Vertical and horizontal scanners then scan the separated beams through a substantially raster pattern to produce an image.

Abstract: Light emitted from a virtual retinal display light source passes through a beamsplitter to a scanning subsystem and on to an eyepiece and the viewer's eye. Some of the light is reflected from the viewer's eye passing back along the same path. Such light however is deflected at the beamsplitter toward a photodetector. The reflected light is detected and correlated to the display scanner's position. The content of the reflected light and the scanner position for such sample is used to generate a map of the viewer's retina. Such map includes ‘landmarks’ such as the viewer's optic nerve, fovea, and blood vessels. The map of the viewer's retina is stored and used for purposes of viewer identification. The viewer's fovea position is monitored to track where the viewer is looking.

Abstract: A scanning beam display controls the curvature of scanning light wave impinging on the eye to simulate image points of differing depth. To simulate an object at a far distance the generated light waves are flatter. To simulate closer objects, the light wave curvature increases. When changing the curvature of the light waves, the eye responds by altering its focus. The curvature of the light waves thus determines the apparent focal distance from the eye to the virtual object. To vary the curvature, either a variable focus lens or a variable index of refraction device is used. Alternatively, a moving point source is used. The generated apparent distance of a virtual object is correlated to a detected distance in a background field of view. Intensity of the virtual object is correlated to detected intensity of background light.

Abstract: An augmented display includes an image display source and a silhouette display source. The image display source generates a virtual image to be perceived by a viewer. The silhouette display source occurs in the path of the background light. The silhouette display source generates a mask corresponding to the image content of the image display. The mask is a darkened area reducing or blocking background light. As the light from the virtual image is overlaid onto the background, there is less background light in the portion where the image appears.

Abstract: A miniature optical scanner includes an electromagnetic drive having stationary magnets and stationary drive coils to minimize the rotational inertia of the scanner and increase the scanner's resonant frequency. The scanner is such that the resonant frequency is manually tunable as well as automatically adjustable to compensate for variables causing frequency drift. The optical scan angle is increased by employing a multiplying mirror with the optical scanner. For a two axis scanning system, the multiplying mirror may be formed of a second optical scanner to increase the optical scan angle relative to both of the axes.

Abstract: Light emitted from a virtual retinal display light source passes through a beamsplitter to a scanning subsystem and on to an eyepiece and the viewer's eye. Some of the light is reflected from the viewer's eye passing back along the same path. Such light however is deflected at the beamsplitter toward a photodetector. The reflected light is detected and correlated to the display scanner's position. The content of the reflected light and the scanner position for such sample is used to generate a map of the viewer's retina. Such map includes ‘landmarks’ such as the viewer's optic nerve, fovea, and blood vessels. The map of the viewer's retina is stored and used for purposes of viewer identification.

Abstract: A scanning beam display controls the curvature of scanning light wave impinging on the eye to simulate image points of differing depth. To simulate an object at a far distance the generated light waves are flatter. To simulate closer objects, the light wave curvature increases. When changing the curvature of the light waves, the eye responds by altering its focus. The curvature of the light waves thus determines the apparent focal distance from the eye to the virtual object. To vary the curvature, either a variable focus lens or a variable index of refraction device is used. Alternatively, a moving point source is used. The generated apparent distance of a virtual object is correlated to a detected distance in a background field of view. Intensity of the virtual object is correlated to detected intensity of background light.

Abstract: An augmented display includes an image display source and a silhouette display source. The image display source generates a virtual image to be perceived by a viewer. The silhouette display source occurs in the path of the background light. The silhouette display source generates a mask corresponding to the image content of the image display. The mask is a darkened area reducing or blocking background light. As the light from the virtual image is overlaid onto the background, there is less background light in the portion where the image appears.

Abstract: Two piezoelectric sensors are mounted on the back of a spring-plate of a mechanical resonance scanner on respective sides of a center line coinciding with an axis of rotation. As the scanner mirror rotates back and forth the two sensors are accelerated and decelerated at a 180° phase difference. Each sensor's output voltage crosses a zero level when the acceleration is unchanging. A differential amplifier detects the zero crossings for motion along the axis of rotation. Common mode rejection eliminates the non-rotational accelerations associated with external vibrations and shocks, and prevents masking the mirror's zero-crossings.

Abstract: Apparent distance of a pixel within an optical field of view is determined. Incoming light is scanned along a raster pattern to direct light for a select pixel onto a light distance detector. The distance is sampled for each pixel or for a group of pixels. The light distance detector includes a concentric set of rings sensors. The larger the spot of light corresponding to the pixel, the more rings are impinged. The diameter of the spot is proportional to the distance at which the light originated (e.g., light source or object from which light was reflected). Alternatively, a variable focus lens (VFL) adjusts focal length for a given pixel to achieve a standard spot size. The distance at which the light originated correlates to the focal length of the VFL.

Abstract: An augmented display includes an image display source and a silhouette display source. The image display source generates a virtual image to be perceived by a viewer. The silhouette display source occurs in the path of the background light. The silhouette display source generates a mask corresponding to the image content of the image display. The mask is a darkened area reducing or blocking background light. As the light from the virtual image is overlaid onto the background, there is less background light in the portion where the image appears.

Abstract: A display device is achieved using a simplified optical system which generates an expanded exit pupil without compromising magnification or resolution. Modulated light from a source is converged toward a focal point by an optics subsystem. A scanning subsystem deflects the converging light, and thus the focal point, along a raster pattern to define a curved intermediate image plane. An exit pupil expanding apparatus defines a curved surface which coincides with the curved image plane. Impinging light rays at a given instant in time span a given incidence angle. Exiting light rays span a larger angle. As a result, the exiting light spans a larger surface area of an ensuing eyepiece. In turn an expanded exit pupil occurs beyond the eyepiece. Embodiments of the expanding apparatus include a curved diffractive optical element, fiber optic face plate, lens array and diffuser. The diffractive optical element generates multiple exit pupils, while the other embodiments generate enlarged exit pupils.

Abstract: A point source array generates an array of output beams defining a plurality of image pixels. A microlens array receives the output beams and direct them toward desired pixel locations. Either one or both of the point source array and microlens array are scanned over time to form an image of pixels. An image is composed of an array of image portions. Each image portion includes a plurality of pixels. For each image portion, there is a corresponding point source of light and a corresponding microlens. The corresponding point source and microlens scan light within the area of the image portion to generate all of the pixels for such image portion. The microlens array is an integral array. Each lens moves together with each image portion being scanned concurrently by the microlens array an point source array.

Abstract: Apparent distance of a pixel within an optical field of view is determined. Incoming light is scanned along a raster pattern to direct light for a select pixel onto a light distance detector. The distance is sampled for each pixel or for a group of pixels. The light distance detector includes a concentric set of rings sensors. The larger the spot of light corresponding to the pixel, the more rings are impinged. The diameter of the spot is proportional to the distance at which the light originated (e.g., light source or object from which light was reflected). Alternatively, a variable focus lens (VFL) adjusts focal length for a given pixel to achieve a standard spot size. The distance at which the light originated correlates to the focal length of the VFL.

Abstract: The scanner includes a first spring plate and a second spring plate of common size and shape symmetrically aligned and spaced. A first reflective surface is located at an end of first spring plate. A counter balance mass is located at a corresponding end of the second spring plate. The first spring plate and counter balance mass have common mass and volume and are symmetrically aligned about an axis of symmetry. During a drive cycle, the first spring plate and second spring plate are deflected equally in opposite directions. The first reflective surface and counter balance mass move equally in opposite directions causing the respective movement of the first reflective surface to be counter balanced by the movement of the counter balance mass. The motion is driven by electromagnetic circuits or piezoelectric circuits.

Abstract: A display device is achieved using a simplified optical system which generates an expanded exit pupil without compromising magnification or resolution. Modulated light from a source is converged toward a focal point by an optics subsystem. A scanning subsystem deflects the converging light, and thus the focal point, along a raster pattern to define a curved intermediate image plane. An exit pupil expanding apparatus defines a curved surface which coincides with the curved image plane. Impinging light rays at a given instant in time span a given incidence angle. Exiting light rays span a larger angle. As a result, the exiting light spans a larger surface area of an ensuing eyepiece. In turn an expanded exit pupil occurs beyond the eyepiece. Embodiments of the expanding apparatus include a curved diffractive optical element, fiber optic face plate, lens array and diffuser. The diffractive optical element generates multiple exit pupils, while the other embodiments generate enlarged exit pupils.

Abstract: Light emitted from a virtual retinal display light source passes through a beamsplitter to a scanning subsystem and on to an eyepiece and the viewer's eye. Some of the light is reflected from the viewer's eye passing back along the same path. Such light however is deflected at the beamsplitter toward a photodetector. The reflected light is detected and correlated to the display scanner's position. The content of the reflected light and the scanner position for such sample is used to generate a map of the viewer's retina. Such map includes `landmarks` such as the viewer's optic nerve, fovea, and blood vessels. The map of the viewer's retina is stored and used for purposes of viewer identification. The viewer's fovea position is monitored to track where the viewer is looking.

Abstract: A scanning display includes a control unit and a scanning head linked by a tether. The control unit outputs two beams of orthogonally polarized light, each beam being modulated with a respective set of image information. The fiber is a polarization-maintaining fiber that receives the orthogonally polarized beams and carries them to the scanning head. At the scanning head, a birefringent material separates the beams spatially in response to their different polarizations. Vertical and horizontal scanners then scan the separated beams through a substantially raster pattern to produce an image.

Abstract: A scanned beam tracking system is included in a virtual retinal display. An infrared light source generates light for scanning the viewer's environment in the direction the viewer is looking. A visible light source generates visible light which is scanned on a viewer's retina to generate a virtual image. A common scanning system is used to scan both the non-visible light and the visible light. The visible light is directed into the viewer's eye. The non-visible light is directed away from the viewer's eye into the environment. Infrared reflectors are positioned in the environment. When the infrared light from the virtual retinal display scans over a reflector the reflector directs the infrared light back toward the virtual retinal display. The current pixel of the scanning cycle when the infrared return light is detected corresponds to the position of the reflector.