Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a display for an electronic device that includes a liquid crystal display panel assembly, a backlight assembly that includes a light source, and a spatially varying polarizer that provides phase retardation that varies as a function of propagation length away from the light source. The display may also include a linear polarizer and other optical components that improve the efficiency of the backlight assembly, thereby reducing power consumption, cost, space requirements, and provide other advantages.

Abstract: Systems and methods for tracking the position of one or more head-mounted display (HMD) system components of an HMD system. The HMD components may carry a plurality of angle sensitive detectors or other types of detectors. The HMD system may be operative to detect corrupted position tracking samples, allowing such samples to be ignored, thereby improving the position tracking process. Control circuitry causes light sources to emit light according a specified pattern, and receives sensor data from the plurality of detectors. Control circuitry may process the sensor data, for example using machine learning or other techniques, to track a position of one or more HMD components.

Abstract: A optical system of a head mounted display (HMD) system that includes a lens assembly comprising a first lens element and a second lens element that are directly or indirectly coupled together, for example, via a suitable optically clear adhesive. The lens assembly may include a quarter-wave plate disposed between the first and second lens elements. The first lens element may include a surface with an anti-reflective coating thereon, and the second lens element may include a surface with a partially reflective coating thereon. The optical system may include a reflective polarizer that, together with the lens assembly, focuses light from a display system to an eye of a user of the head mounted display system.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to techniques for improving the performance and efficiency of optical systems, such as optical systems for using head-mounted display system. The optical systems of the present disclosure may include polarized catadioptric optics, or “pancake optics,” which utilize a wire grid polarizer as a reflective polarizer. Wire grid polarizers may not perform uniformly over wavelength or over varying angles of incidence. To improve performance, a spatially varying polarizer is provided in the optical system that operates to provide polarization compensation for the wire grid polarizer so that the wire grid polarizer performs more uniformly over wavelength and/or over incidence angles (e.g., on-axis and off-axis). The spatially varying polarizer may be formed of a liquid crystal material, such as a multi-twist retarder.

Abstract: Systems and methods for tracking the position of a head-mounted display (HMD) system component. The HMD component may carry a plurality of angle sensitive detectors that are able to detect the angle of light emitted from a light source. The HMD component may include one or more scatter detectors that detect whether light has been scattered or reflected, so such light can be ignored. Control circuitry causes light sources to emit light according a specified pattern, and receives sensor data from the plurality of angle sensitive detectors. The processor may process the sensor data and scatter detector data, for example using machine learning or other techniques, to track a position of the HMD component. An angle sensitive detector may include a spatially-varying polarizer having a position-varying polarizing pattern and one or more polarizer layers that together are operative to detect the angle of impinging light.

Abstract: A head-mounted display including a front, a back, a first actuator, a second actuator, a first adjustable member extending between the front and the back and operably engaging the first actuator, and a second adjustable member extending between the front and the back and operably engaging the second actuator. The first adjustable member and the second adjustable member may be adjustable in length via the second actuator to vary a gap distance between the front and the back. In some embodiments, the head-mounted display may include a wire routing assembly for routing wire(s) between the front and the back of the head-mounted display. Additionally, in some embodiments, the head-mounted display may include a harness for engaging a user.

Abstract: Systems and methods for tracking the position of a head-mounted display (HMD) system component. The HMD component may carry a plurality of angle sensitive detectors that are able to detect the angle of light emitted from a light source. The HMD component may include one or more scatter detectors that detect whether light has been scattered or reflected, so such light can be ignored. Control circuitry causes light sources to emit light according a specified pattern, and receives sensor data from the plurality of angle sensitive detectors. The processor may process the sensor data and scatter detector data, for example using machine learning or other techniques, to track a position of the HMD component. An angle sensitive detector may include a spatially-varying polarizer having a position-varying polarizing pattern and one or more polarizer layers that together are operative to detect the angle of impinging light.

Abstract: An optical system is provided that includes a correction portion including one or more spatially varying polarizers. A first spatially varying polarizer of the one or more spatially varying polarizers has a first control input configured to receive a first control signal indicating whether the first spatially varying polarizer is to be active or inactive. When active, the first spatially varying polarizer is operative to provide a first optical correction on light passing through the correction portion. The optical system includes a controller configured to determine whether to implement the first optical correction on the light passing through the correction portion and in response to determining to implement the first optical correction on the light passing through the correction portion, output the first control signal indicating the first spatially varying polarizer is to be active. Additional spatially varying polarizers may be controlled to provide additional or alternative optical corrections.

Abstract: The disclosure relates generally to techniques for determining pupil location of a display device's user via imaging sensors on the display device, and using that information to verify and/or correct positioning of the display device or its internal components. The display device may be a head-mounted display (“HMD”) device with display panels separated from a wearer's eyes via intervening lenses, with the sensors including optical flow sensor integrated circuits mounted on or near at least one of the display panels to capture images of the wearer's eye locations through the lenses, and with the correction to the positioning including modifications to the alignment or other positioning of the HMD device on the wearer user's head and/or its internal components within the HMD device (e.g., based on automated control of motors on the HMD device) to reflect a target alignment of the wearer's eyes relative to displayed information.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to techniques for improving the performance and efficiency of optical systems, such as optical systems for using head-mounted display system. The optical systems of the present disclosure may include polarized catadioptric optics, or “pancake optics,” which utilize a wire grid polarizer as a reflective polarizer. Wire grid polarizers may not perform uniformly over wavelength or over varying angles of incidence. To improve performance, a spatially varying polarizer is provided in the optical system that operates to provide polarization compensation for the wire grid polarizer so that the wire grid polarizer performs more uniformly over wavelength and/or over incidence angles (e.g., on-axis and off-axis). The spatially varying polarizer may be formed of a liquid crystal material, such as a multi-twist retarder.

Abstract: Systems and methods for tracking the position of a head-mounted display (HMD) system component. The HMD component may carry a plurality of angle sensitive detectors that are able to detect the angle of light emitted from a light source. The HMD component may include one or more scatter detectors that detect whether light has been scattered or reflected, so such light can be ignored. Control circuitry causes light sources to emit light according a specified pattern, and receives sensor data from the plurality of angle sensitive detectors. The processor may process the sensor data and scatter detector data, for example using machine learning or other techniques, to track a position of the HMD component. An angle sensitive detector may include a spatially-varying polarizer having a position-varying polarizing pattern and one or more polarizer layers that together are operative to detect the angle of impinging light.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a polarization recycling structure for use in applications, such as display systems that include a liquid crystal display assembly. The polarization recycling structure may include a first spatially varying polarizer spaced apart from a second spatially varying polarizer. The first spatially varying polarizer may include a lens array that receives light from a light source and focuses light of a first polarization state and passes light of a second polarization state. The second spatially varying polarizer receive light from the first spatially varying polarizer, passes the focused light of the first polarization state, and transforms the light of the second polarization state into the first polarization state, thereby providing only light of the first polarization state at the output of the polarization recycling structure.

Abstract: Methods and systems relating generally to information displays, and more particularly to systems and methods for backlight assemblies for information displays that include light expanding structures. A backlight assembly may include light expander structures that include a plurality of layer sets, wherein each layer set includes a reflective polarizer layer and a wave retarder layer. The layer sets may together be operative transform point light source, such as a laser light beam, into a surface light source for use as a backlight for various types of information displays.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a display for an electronic device that includes a liquid crystal display panel assembly, a backlight assembly that includes a light source, and a spatially varying polarizer that provides phase retardation that varies as a function of propagation length away from the light source. The display may also include a linear polarizer and other optical components that improve the efficiency of the backlight assembly, thereby reducing power consumption, cost, space requirements, and provide other advantages.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing an optical system in a head-mounted display (HMD) that is operable to modify virtual image light to correct for one or more vision conditions of a user's eyes. The optical system includes a left optical subsystem for the left eye and a right optical system for the right eye. Each optical subsystem includes a first correction portion and a second correction portion each having a lens assembly. A first lens assembly includes a first set of lenses having a first lens selectively adjustable along a first axis transverse to an optical path of the virtual image light. A second lens assembly includes a second set of lenses having a second lens selectively rotatable around a second axis transverse to the first axis. Selective adjustment of the first lens and the second lens helps to correct for the vision conditions in the user's eyes.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a display for an electronic device that includes a liquid crystal display panel assembly, a backlight assembly that includes a light source, and a spatially varying polarizer that provides phase retardation that varies as a function of propagation length away from the light source. The display may also include a linear polarizer and other optical components that improve the efficiency of the backlight assembly, thereby reducing power consumption, cost, space requirements, and provide other advantages.

Abstract: Systems and methods for tracking the position of a head-mounted display (HMD). The HMD may include a support structure that carries a forward facing camera and a plurality of optical flow sensor integrated circuits (ICs). The forward camera captures image sensor data in a forward camera field of view (FOV) at a first frame rate, and each of the plurality of sensor ICs captures image sensor data in a respective plurality of sensor IC FOVs at a second frame rate. The sensor IC FOVs may collectively cover at least a substantial portion of the forward camera FOV. A processor may receive the image sensor data from the camera and the plurality of sensor ICs. The processor may process the received image sensor data and/or other sensor data (e.g., IMU data) to track a position of the head-mounted display based on the processing of the received sensor data.

Abstract: Methods and systems relating generally to information displays, and more particularly to systems and methods for backlight assemblies for information displays that emit an angularly narrow cone of light. A backlight assembly that emits a narrow angular cone of light can be particularly beneficial in a head-mounted display configuration, such as for use as part of virtual reality or augmented reality systems, where the head-mounted display comprises a lens assembly that directs light from an information display to the eyes of the user. Such a backlight assembly configuration may help reduce undesirable visual effects like flood illumination, ghost images, glare, and scattering.

Abstract: The disclosure relates generally to techniques for determining pupil location of a display device's user via imaging sensors on the display device, and using that information to verify and/or correct positioning of the display device or its internal components. The display device may be a head-mounted display (“HMD”) device with display panels separated from a wearer's eyes via intervening lenses, with the sensors including optical flow sensor integrated circuits mounted on or near at least one of the display panels to capture images of the wearer's eye locations through the lenses, and with the correction to the positioning including modifications to the alignment or other positioning of the HMD device on the wearer user's head and/or its internal components within the HMD device (e.g., based on automated control of motors on the HMD device) to reflect a target alignment of the wearer's eyes relative to displayed information.

Abstract: The disclosure relates generally to techniques for determining pupil location of a display device's user via imaging sensors on the display device, and using that information to verify and/or correct positioning of the display device or its internal components. The display device may be a head-mounted display (“HMD”) device with display panels separated from a wearer's eyes via intervening lenses, with the sensors including optical flow sensor integrated circuits mounted on or near at least one of the display panels to capture images of the wearer's eye locations through the lenses, and with the correction to the positioning including modifications to the alignment or other positioning of the HMD device on the wearer user's head and/or its internal components within the HMD device (e.g., based on automated control of motors on the HMD device) to reflect a target alignment of the wearer's eyes relative to displayed information.