Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods that integrate eye tracking capability into scanning laser projector (“SLP”)-based wearable heads-up displays are described. An infrared laser diode is added to an RGB SLP and an infrared photodetector is aligned to detect reflections of the infrared light from features of the eye. A holographic optical element (“HOE”) may be used to combine visible light, infrared light, and environmental light into the user's “field of view.” The HOE may be heterogeneous and multiplexed to apply positive optical power to the visible light and zero or negative optical power to the infrared light.

Abstract: Systems, articles, and methods that integrate photopolymer film with eyeglass lenses are described. One or more hologram(s) may be recorded into/onto the photopolymer film to enable the lens to be used as a transparent holographic combiner in a wearable heads-up display employing an image source, such as a microdisplay or a scanning laser projector. The methods of integrating photopolymer film with eyeglass lenses include: positioning photopolymer film in a lens mold and casting the lens around the photopolymer film; sandwiching photopolymer film in between two portions of a lens; applying photopolymer film to a concave surface of a lens; and/or affixing a planar carrier (with photopolymer film thereon) to two points across a length of a concave surface of a lens. Respective lenses manufactured/adapted by each of these processes are also described.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for beam combining within laser projectors are described. A laser projector includes first, second, and third laser diodes to generate red, green, and blue laser light respectively, a controllable scan mirror, and a heterogeneous beam splitter system. The red, green, and blue laser light have distinct maximum powers. The heterogeneous beam splitter system splits at least one of the red, green, and blue laser light and combines respective first portions of all three into an aggregate beam. Second portions of laser light are excluded from the aggregate beam. At the maximum power of each laser light the aggregate beam is white as defined by a target white point. The heterogeneous beam splitter system directs the aggregate beam towards the controllable scan mirror which scans the beam onto a projection surface. Decreasing the power of the laser light post-generation provides a larger range of aggregate beam colors.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for beam combining within laser projectors are described. A laser projector includes first, second, and third laser diodes to generate red, green, and blue laser light respectively, a controllable scan mirror, and a heterogeneous beam splitter system. The red, green, and blue laser light have distinct maximum powers. The heterogeneous beam splitter system splits at least one of the red, green, and blue laser light and combines respective first portions of all three into an aggregate beam. Second portions of laser light are excluded from the aggregate beam. At the maximum power of each laser light the aggregate beam is white as defined by a target white point. The heterogeneous beam splitter system directs the aggregate beam towards the controllable scan mirror which scans the beam onto a projection surface. Decreasing the power of the laser light post-generation provides a larger range of aggregate beam colors.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods that integrate eye tracking capability into scanning laser projector (“SLP”)-based wearable heads-up displays are described. At least one narrow waveband laser diode is used in an SLP to define one or more portion(s) of a visible image. At least one corresponding narrow waveband photodetector is aligned to detect reflections of the portion(s) of the image from features of the eye. A holographic optical element (“HOE”) may be used to combine the image and environmental light into the user's “field of view.” Three narrow waveband photodetectors each responsive to a respective one of three narrow wavebands output by the RGB laser diodes of an RGB SLP are aligned to detect reflections of a projected RGB image from features of the eye.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for wearable heads-up displays (WHUD) are described. A WHUD includes a front frame with two openings each with one recess which extends along at least a portion of the periphery of the openings, two arms including frame portions and temple portions, two lenses, a projector to generate light, and a holographic optical element (HOE) carried by a lens to redirect light to an eye of a user. Frame portions insert into the recesses and are held in place when the lenses are inserted into the recesses, wherein when the WHUD is assembled the projector and HOE are positioned correctly to create a display for the user. The assembled WHUD is inflexible where the front frame and arms are attached such that when worn the projector maintains a fixed position relative to the HOE and the display remains undistorted and visible to the user.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for focusing laser projectors are described. A laser projector includes N?1 laser diodes, each of which emits laser light having a divergence. Each laser diode is paired with a respective primary or collimation lens to at least reduce a divergence of the laser light that the laser diode produces. Downstream from the primary lens(es) in the optical path(s) of the laser light, a single dedicated secondary or convergence lens converges the laser light to a focus. By initiating the convergence of the laser light at the secondary or convergence lens as opposed to at the primary or collimation lens(es), numerous benefits that are particularly advantageous in laser projection-based wearable heads-up displays are realized.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for beam combining are described. A monolithic beam combiner includes a solid volume of optically transparent material having two orthogonally positioned planar input surfaces, an output surface, and at least two planar dichroic reflectors positioned within the solid volume. Multiple light sources input light into the solid volume through the two planar input surfaces such that each light beam from a respective source is initially incident on one of the planar dichroic reflectors. The light is reflected by and transmitted through the reflectors and an aggregate beam is created. Because the reflectors are within an optically transparent material the beam combiner can be made more compact than a conventional beam combiner. This monolithic beam combiner is particularly well suited for use laser projectors and in wearable heads-up displays that employ laser projectors.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for focusing laser projectors are described. A laser projector includes N?1 laser diodes, each of which emits laser light having a divergence. Each laser diode is paired with a respective primary or collimation lens to at least reduce a divergence of the laser light that the laser diode produces. Downstream from the primary lens(es) in the optical path(s) of the laser light, a single dedicated secondary or convergence lens converges the laser light to a focus. By initiating the convergence of the laser light at the secondary or convergence lens as opposed to at the primary or collimation lens(es), numerous benefits that are particularly advantageous in laser projection-based wearable heads-up displays are realized.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for focusing laser projectors are described. A laser projector includes N?1 laser diodes, each of which emits laser light having a divergence. Each laser diode is paired with a respective primary or collimation lens to at least reduce a divergence of the laser light that the laser diode produces. Downstream from the primary lens(es) in the optical path(s) of the laser light, a single dedicated secondary or convergence lens converges the laser light to a focus. By initiating the convergence of the laser light at the secondary or convergence lens as opposed to at the primary or collimation lens(es), numerous benefits that are particularly advantageous in laser projection-based wearable heads-up displays are realized.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for eyebox expansion by exit pupil replication in wearable heads-up displays (“WHUDs”) are described. A WHUD includes a scanning laser projector (“SLP”), a holographic combiner, and an optical splitter positioned in the optical path therebetween. The optical splitter receives light signals generated by the SLP and separates the light signals into N sub-ranges based on the point of incidence of each light signal at the optical splitter. The optical splitter redirects the light signals corresponding to respective ones of the N sub-ranges towards the holographic combiner effectively from respective ones of N spatially-separated virtual positions for the SLP. The holographic combiner converges the light signals to respective ones of N spatially-separated exit pupils at the eye of the user. In this way, multiple instances of the exit pupil are distributed over the area of the eye and the eyebox of the WHUD is expanded.

Abstract: A holographic optical element includes a set of holograms formed in one or more layers of holographic material. The set of holograms includes a red hologram that is exclusively responsive to a first wavelength of red light incident thereon over a first range of angles of incidence, a green hologram that is exclusively responsive to a second wavelength of green light incident thereon over the first range of angles of incidence, and a blue hologram that is exclusively responsive to a third wavelength of blue light incident thereon over the first range of angles of incidence.

Abstract: A wearable heads-up display includes a support structure that in use is worn on a head of a user, a scanning laser projector carried by the support structure, and a holographic optical element carried by the support structure. The holographic optical element includes a set of holograms formed in one or more layers of holographic material. The set of holograms includes a red hologram that is exclusively responsive to red laser light incident thereon over a first range of angles of incidence, a green hologram that is exclusively responsive to blue laser light incident thereon over the first range of angles of incidence, and a blue hologram that is exclusively responsive to green laser light incident thereon over the first range of angles of incidence.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for engineering the eyebox of a display using multiple heterogeneous exit pupils are described. The eyebox of a display includes at least two heterogeneous exit pupils that are different from one another in terms of size and/or shape. Heterogeneous exit pupils may overlap, one may encompass another, or they may be completely spatially-separated from one another. Such configurations enable specific eyebox and/or visual display configurations that can be advantageous in certain applications. An example in which a scanning laser-based wearable heads-up virtual retina display implements a holographic combiner that is engineered to provide multiple heterogeneous exit pupils is described.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for eyebox expansion by exit pupil replication in wearable heads-up displays (“WHUDs”) are described. A WHUD includes a scanning laser projector (“SLP”), a holographic combiner, and an exit pupil selector positioned in the optical path therebetween. The exit pupil selector is controllably switchable into and between N different configurations. In each of the N configurations, the exit pupil selector receives a light signal from the SLP and redirects the light signal towards the holographic combiner effectively from a respective one of N virtual positions for the SLP. The holographic combiner converges the light signal to a particular one of N exit pupils at the eye of the user based on the particular virtual position from which the light signal is made to effectively originate. In this way, multiple instances of the exit pupil are distributed over the eye and the eyebox of the WHUD is expanded.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods that integrate eye tracking capability into scanning laser projector (“SLP”)-based wearable heads-up displays are described. At least one narrow waveband laser diode is used in an SLP to define one or more portion(s) of a visible image. At least one corresponding narrow waveband photodetector is aligned to detect reflections of the portion(s) of the image from features of the eye. A holographic optical element (“HOE”) may be used to combine the image and environmental light into the user's “field of view.” Three narrow waveband photodetectors each responsive to a respective one of three narrow wavebands output by the RGB laser diodes of an RGB SLP are aligned to detect reflections of a projected RGB image from features of the eye.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for reducing bulk and balancing weight in wearable heads-up displays are described. Bulk can be reduced in a wearable heads-up display by positioning a battery in a first arm of the wearable heads-up display and other electronics in a second arm of the wearable heads-up display, thus reducing the amount of extraneous housing that would otherwise be required to house multiple batteries or electronic components in both arms. Weight of a wearable heads-up display can be balanced by selecting appropriately sized and weight electronics in the first arm, and by adjusting size and therefore weight of the battery in the second arm. Densely filling the first arm with electronics can result in the first arm and the second arm having similar weight.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for spatial multiplexing in holographic optical elements (“HOEs”) are described. A spatially-multiplexed HOE includes multiple spatially-separated holographic regions and each spatially-separated region applies a respective optical function to light that is incident thereon. An exemplary application as a spatially-multiplexed holographic combiner (“SMHC”) in a scanning laser-based wearable heads-up display (“WHUD”) is described. In this exemplary application, a scanning laser projector directs multiple light signals over the area of the SMHC and the SMHC converges the light signals towards multiple spatially-separated exit pupils at or proximate the eye of the user. The particular exit pupil at the eye of the user towards which any particular light signal is converged by the SMHC depends on the particular region of the SMHC upon which the light signal is incident.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods that integrate eye tracking capability into scanning laser projector (“SLP”)-based wearable heads-up displays are described. An infrared laser diode is added to an RGB SLP and an infrared photodetector is aligned to detect reflections of the infrared light from features of the eye. A holographic optical element (“HOE”) may be used to combine visible light, infrared light, and environmental light into the user's “field of view.” The HOE may be heterogeneous and multiplexed to apply positive optical power to the visible light and zero or negative optical power to the infrared light.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods that integrate eye tracking capability into scanning laser projector (“SLP”)-based wearable heads-up displays are described. At least one narrow waveband laser diode is used in an SLP to define one or more portion(s) of a visible image. At least one corresponding narrow waveband photodetector is aligned to detect reflections of the portion(s) of the image from features of the eye. A holographic optical element (“HOE”) may be used to combine the image and environmental light into the user's “field of view.” Three narrow waveband photodetectors each responsive to a respective one of three narrow wavebands output by the RGB laser diodes of an RGB SLP are aligned to detect reflections of a projected RGB image from features of the eye.