Patents by Inventor Kevin James MacKenzie

Kevin James MacKenzie has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10598941
    Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) presented herein comprises an electronic display, an optical assembly with a dynamic optical axis component (DOAC), an eye tracker and a controller. The electronic display is configured to emit image light. The eye tracker is configured to determine a gaze vector of a user wearing the HMD. The DOAC is positioned in front of the electronic display and refracts the image light received from the electronic display. The controller provides emission instructions to the DOAC to dynamically move an optical axis of the DOAC to align the optical axis with the determined gaze vector. The optical assembly directs the image light refracted by the DOAC to an eye box of the HMD corresponding to a location of an eye of the user. An optical error associated with the refracted image light directed to the eye box is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Wanli Chi, Pasi Saarikko, Lu Lu, Kevin James MacKenzie, Yijing Fu
  • Patent number: 10567731
    Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying an image across a plurality of displays are described herein. Pixel intensity values in the multifocal display are determined using correlation values and numerical iterations. An eye tracking system measures eye tracking information about a position of a user's eye, and the pixel intensity values are modified based on the eye tracking information. An image is displayed on the plurality of displays based on the determined pixel intensity values. The plurality of displays may be within an HMD, and address vergence accommodation conflict by simulating retinal defocus blur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Olivier Mercier, Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam Sulai, Kevin James MacKenzie, Marina Zannoli, James Hillis, Derek Nowrouzezahrai, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Patent number: 10546430
    Abstract: A near-eye display (NED) has an orientation detection device and a display block. The orientation detection device collects orientation data that describe an orientation of the NED. The display block has a display assembly, a focusing assembly, and a controller. The controller determines an orientation vector of the NED based in part on the orientation data and computes an angular difference between the orientation vector of the NED and a gravity vector. After comparing the angular difference to a threshold value, the controller generates multifocal instructions that adjusts the optical element to display an augmented scene at the selected image plane corresponding to the multifocal instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Lu Lu, Ji Luo, Nicholas Daniel Trail, Kevin James MacKenzie, Pasi Saarikko, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Scott Charles McEldowney
  • Publication number: 20200018962
    Abstract: A lens assembly includes two or more polarization-dependent lenses sensitive to either linear or circular polarization, and at least one switchable polarization converter. The switchable polarization converter is configured to rotate linearly polarized light or change the handedness of circularly polarized light when switched on. The lens assembly is configurable to project displayed images on two or more different image planes. For example, when the switchable polarization converter is switched off, the lens assembly projects a displayed image on a first image plane. When the switchable polarization converter is switched on, the lens assembly projects a displayed image on a second image plane different from the first image plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Inventors: Lu Lu, Yijing Fu, Oleg Yaroshchuk, Kevin James MacKenzie, Mengfei Wang, Alireza Moheghi, John Cooke, Andrew John Ouderkirk
  • Publication number: 20190318677
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a pixelated display, an eye tracking system, and a segmented resolution enhancing device coupled to the eye tracking system and operable to selectively enhance effective image resolution for the electronic display in the gaze direction. The segmented resolution enhancing device may include a polarization switch in series with a polarization gratings, at least one of which is segmented, for shifting image pixels in the gaze direction between offset positions while displaying a frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Inventors: Lu Lu, Fenglin Peng, Michael Sean Mounier, Kevin James MacKenzie, Wai Sze Tiffany Lam
  • Patent number: 10432908
    Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying an image across a plurality of displays are described herein. Pixel intensity values in the multifocal display are determined using correlation values and numerical iterations. An eye tracking system measures eye tracking information about a position of a user's eye, and the pixel intensity values are modified based on the eye tracking information. An image is displayed on the plurality of displays based on the determined pixel intensity values. The plurality of displays may be within an HMD, and address vergence accommodation conflict by simulating retinal defocus blur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Olivier Mercier, Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam Sulai, Kevin James MacKenzie, Marina Zannoli, James Hillis, Derek Nowrouzezahrai, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Patent number: 10389996
    Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying an image across a plurality of displays are described herein. Pixel intensity values in the multifocal display are determined using correlation values and numerical iterations. An eye tracking system measures eye tracking information about a position of a user's eye, and the pixel intensity values are modified based on the eye tracking information. An image is displayed on the plurality of displays based on the determined pixel intensity values. The plurality of displays may be within an HMD, and address vergence accommodation conflict by simulating retinal defocus blur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Olivier Mercier, Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam Sulai, Kevin James MacKenzie, Marina Zannoli, James Hillis, Derek Nowrouzezahrai, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Patent number: 10345600
    Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) presented herein comprises an electronic display, an optical assembly with a dynamic optical axis component (DOAC), an eye tracker and a controller. The electronic display is configured to emit image light. The eye tracker is configured to determine a gaze vector of a user wearing the HMD. The DOAC is positioned in front of the electronic display and refracts the image light received from the electronic display. The controller provides emission instructions to the DOAC to dynamically move an optical axis of the DOAC to align the optical axis with the determined gaze vector. The optical assembly directs the image light refracted by the DOAC to an eye box of the HMD corresponding to a location of an eye of the user. An optical error associated with the refracted image light directed to the eye box is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Wanli Chi, Pasi Saarikko, Lu Lu, Kevin James MacKenzie, Yijing Fu
  • Patent number: 10326977
    Abstract: A multifocal test system is described herein. The system includes a plurality of displays located at different focal distances. Each display includes a plurality of pixels with pixel intensity values. The system includes an eye tracking system that determines eye tracking information about a position of an eye relative to the displays. A controller is configured to determine pixel intensity values based on decomposition of a scene across the plurality of displays, and the position of the eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Olivier Mercier, Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam Sulai, Kevin James MacKenzie, Marina Zannoli, James Hillis, Derek Nowrouzezahrai, Douglas Robert Lanman
  • Publication number: 20180239145
    Abstract: A multiplanar head mounted display (HMD) includes two or more artificial display planes for each eye located at optical distances that can be dynamically adjusted based on a location within a scene presented by the HMD that the user views. For example, a scene is presented on two or more electronic display elements (e.g., screens) of the HMD. A focal length of an optics block that directs image light from the electronic display elements towards the eyes of a user is adjusted using a varifocal system (e.g., an element that mechanically changes a distance between a lens system in the optics block and the electronic display element, an element that changes shape of one or more lenses in the lens system in the optics block, etc.) based on a location or object within the scene where the user is looking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventors: Douglas Robert Lanman, William Aaron Nicholls, Marina Zannoli, Kevin James MacKenzie, James Hillis, Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam Sulai, Olivier Mercier