Abstract: The disclosed system may include (1) a processing device that generates image data, (2) a wearable display device including (a) a display subsystem that presents an image based on the image data to a user wearing the wearable display device and (b) a battery to supply power to the wearable display device, where the wearable display device receives the image data from the processing device over a data connection, and the wearable display device is physically separate from the processing device, and (3) a display storage case for the wearable display device, where the storage case charges the battery of the wearable display device while the wearable display device resides in the storage case, and the processing device wirelessly charges the battery of the wearable display device while the wearable display device resides atop the processing device external to the storage case. Various other methods and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: A depth camera assembly (DCA) for depth sensing of a local area. The DCA includes a light generator, a detector, and a controller. The light generator illuminates a local area with a light pattern. The detector captures portions of the light pattern reflected from an object in the local area. The detector includes pixel rows and pixel columns that form a dynamically adjustable read-out area. The controller reads first data of the captured portions of the reflected light pattern that correspond to a first read-out area, and locates the object based on the first data. The controller determines a second read-out area of the detector based on a portion of the read-out area associated with the object. The controller reads second data of the captured portions of the reflected light pattern that correspond to the second read-out area, and determines depth information for the object based on the second data.

Abstract: A light assembly can have an array of light sources forming rows and columns, where the array comprises a plurality of chips, and each chip comprises a subarray of light sources forming the rows and columns. A boundary between chips in the array can be configured to extend diagonally across rows and columns of the array such that, for each column across which the boundary extends, the first row of the plurality rows may not have a light source disposed in the respective column, but a second row of the plurality of rows has a light source disposed in the respective column.

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.

Abstract: A near eye display (NED) that includes an illumination source including a photonic array. The photonic array includes at least one waveguide that divides light from one or more emitters into a number of channels, and outputs the divided light using a plurality of outputs. An optical switching assembly includes a one or more input ports and a plurality of output ports. The optical switching assembly is configured to map light from the one or more input ports to the plurality of outputs. In various embodiments, the optical switching assembly is additionally configured to control the relative illumination, timing, and phase of light produced by each of the plurality of outputs. The optical switching assembly selectively outputs some or all of the incoupled light via output ports of the plurality of output ports in accordance with instructions from a controller, the outcoupled light forming a light pattern.

Abstract: In one example, an apparatus comprises: a plurality of photodiodes, one or more charge sensing units, one or more analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), and a controller. The controller is configured to: enable the each photodiode to generate charge in response to a different component of the incident light; transfer the charge from the plurality of photodiodes to the one or more charge sensing units to convert to voltages; receive a selection of one or more quantization processes of a plurality of quantization processes corresponding to a plurality of intensity ranges; based on the selection, control the one or more ADCs to perform the selected one or more quantization processes to quantize the voltages from the one or more charge sensing units to digital values representing components of a pixel of different wavelength ranges; and generate a pixel value based on the digital values.

Abstract: An eyewear device has an optical element, a source, a dichroic mirror, and a camera. The optical element has a front surface, a back surface, a rim, and an angled portion of the rim. The source emits light in a first band of light and is configured to illuminate a portion of an eye of a user of the eyewear device. The dichroic mirror is arranged proximate to the angled portion of the rim, is reflective in the first band of light, is transmissive in a second band of light, and is configured to direct light in the first band reflected from the portion of the eye toward a first position. The camera is located in the first position that is located in a plane of the optical element, and the camera is configured to capture images of the light in the first band reflected by the dichroic mirror.

Abstract: An augmented reality (AR) headset includes a depth camera assembly that combines stereo imaging with structured light (SL) to generate depth information for an area of interest. The depth camera assembly includes at least two image capture devices and a SL illuminator and determines an imaging mode based on a signal to noise ratio or spatial variance of images captured by one or more of the cameras. Different imaging modes correspond to different operation of one or more image capture devices and the SL illuminator. The depth camera assembly includes different ranges of signal to noise ratios that each correspond to an imaging mode, and the depth camera assembly configures the image capture devices and the SL illuminator based on an imaging mode associated with a range of signal to noise ratios including the signal to noise ratio of a captured image.

Abstract: A depth camera assembly (DCA) determines depth information for a scene in a field of view of the DCA. The DCA includes a structured light (SL) illuminator, a camera, and a controller. The SL illuminator includes a source assembly, a SL element, a liquid crystal (LC) array, and a polarizer. The source assembly generates light, and the SL element generates a SL pattern using the generated light source. The LC array includes a plurality of addressable cells configured to polarize the SL pattern in accordance with adjustment instructions. The polarizer attenuates portions of the SL pattern based on the polarization of the portions of the SL pattern. The camera captures an image of the SL pattern, and the controller identifies portions of the image that are saturated and generates adjustment instructions based in part on the identified portions of the image, and provides the adjustment instructions to the LC array.

Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) divides an image into a high resolution (HR) inset portion at a first resolution, a peripheral portion, and a transitional portion. The peripheral portion is downsampled to a second resolution that is less than the first resolution. The transitional portion is blended such that there is a smooth change in resolution that corresponds to a change in resolution between a fovea region and a non-fovea region of a retina. An inset region is generated using the HR inset portion and the blended transitional portion, and a background region is generated using the downsampled peripheral portion. The inset region is provided to a HR inset display, and the background region is provided to a peripheral display. An optics block combines the displayed inset region with the displayed background region to generate composite content.

Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) includes a multifocal block having one or more possible focal distances and includes a multifocal structure. The multifocal structure has a first focal distance and a second focal distance of the one or more possible focal distances. The multifocal structure includes one or more optical components positioned in series such that light from an electronic display is received and passes through each of the one or more optical components at least once before being output from the multifocal structure. The one or more optical components includes a switchable half waveplate (SHWP). The SHWP has a first state that causes the multifocal structure to output image light at the first focal distance, and a second state that causes the multifocal structure to output the image light at the first focal distance.

Abstract: An eye tracker for determining a position of an eye, which may be integrated into a head-mounted display. The eye tracker includes a waveguide, switchable Bragg gratings (SBGs) that selectively out couple light from the waveguide, light sources coupled to the waveguide, a detector coupled to a return path of the waveguide, and a controller. The controller instructs at least one light source to emit at least one light beam propagating through the waveguide, and activates at least one SBG to out-couple the at least one light beam from the waveguide toward the eye. The waveguide in-couples at least one reflected light signal reflected from the eye that originates from the at least one light beam out-coupled from the waveguide. The detector detects the at least one reflected light signal. The controller determines a position of the eye using the detected at least one reflected light signal.

Abstract: An augmented-reality system has canted waveguides. The waveguides are canted at a wrap angle and/or a tilt angle. Input couplers to the waveguides are designed differently because of the different cant angles. Having canted waveguides allows waveguides to be formed in glasses and/or sunglass that have a base curvature.

Abstract: A depth camera assembly (DCA) includes a projector, a detector and a controller. The projector emits a tiled structured light (SL) pattern onto a local area. Each illumination source of the projector includes one or more light emitters and an augmented diffractive optical element (ADOE) designed with a pattern mask. The ADOE diffracts at least a portion of light beams emitted from the light emitters to form a first SL pattern projection having a field-of-view corresponding to a first tileable boundary. The pattern mask prevents projection of light that would otherwise be diffracted outside the first tileable boundary. The first SL pattern projection is combined with at least a second SL pattern projection into the tiled SL pattern illuminating objects in the local area. The detector captures images of the objects illuminated by the SL pattern. The controller determines depth information for the objects using the captured images.

Abstract: An illumination source in a depth camera assembly (DCA) includes multiple emitters on a single substrate and a diffractive optical element (DOE) assembly including multiple DOEs. Each DOE is configured to generate a structured light pattern from the light emitted from a corresponding emitter. The DOE assembly projects the structured light patterns onto portions of a local area based in part on DOE projection geometries associated with the DOEs. The illumination source may also include a second DOE assembly common to the multiple emitters.

Abstract: A depth camera assembly includes an illumination source assembly, a projection assembly, and an imaging device. The illumination source assembly emits light in accordance with emission instructions. The illumination source assembly includes a plurality of emitters on a single substrate. The projection assembly projects light from the illumination source assembly into a local area. The projection assembly includes an optical element that is positioned to receive light from a first emitter at a first angle and project the received light from the first emitter to a first depth zone in the local area, and to receive light from a second emitter at a second angle and project the received light from the second emitter to a second depth zone in the local area. The imaging device captures one or more images of the local area illuminated with the light from the illumination source assembly.

Abstract: An eye tracker characterization system comprising a scanning retinal imaging unit and a controller. The scanning retinal imaging unit characterizes eye tracking information determined by an eye tracking unit under test. The scanning retinal imaging unit includes a scanning optics assembly and a detector. The scanning optics assembly scans light in a first band across a retinal region of an eye of a user. The detector detects the scanned light reflected from the retinal region. The controller selects eye tracking information received from the eye tracking unit under test and corresponding eye tracking parameters received from the scanning retinal imaging unit. The controller calculates differences between the selected eye tracking information and the corresponding selected eye tracking parameters, and characterizes the selected eye tracking information based on the calculated differences.

Abstract: A super-resolution scanning display. The scanning display includes a light source, a conditioning assembly, and a scanning mirror assembly. The light source is configured to emit source light from a plurality of columns of emitters formed along a first dimension, including at least a first column of emitters emitting in a first band of light and a second column of emitters emitting in a second band of light which are offset along the first dimension by a fraction of an emitter width and offset along a second dimension—that is orthogonal to the first dimension—by greater than the emitter width. The conditioning assembly receives and conditions the source light. The scanning mirror assembly scans the conditioned light along the second dimension to generate a portion of an image at a first location with a resolution that is more than a first threshold number of emitters in a unit angle in the first dimension.

Abstract: A an augmented reality (AR) headset includes a depth camera assembly that combines stereo imaging with structured light (SL) to generate depth information for an area of interest. The depth camera assembly includes at least two image capture devices and a SL illuminator and determines an imaging mode based on a signal to noise ratio or spatial variance of images captured by one or more of the cameras. Different imaging modes correspond to different operation of one or more image capture devices and the SL illuminator. The depth camera assembly includes different ranges of signal to noise ratios that each correspond to an imaging mode, and the depth camera assembly configures the image capture devices and the SL illuminator based on an imaging mode associated with a range of signal to noise ratios including the signal to noise ratio of a captured image.

Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) includes an electronic display configured to emit image light, an optical assembly that provides optical correction to the image light, an eye tracking system, and a varifocal module. The optical assembly includes a back optical element configured to receive the image light from the electronic display, and a coupling assembly configured to couple a front optical element to a location within the optical assembly such that the front optical element receives light transmitted by the back optical element. The optical correction is determined in part by an optical characteristic of the front optical element that is replaceable. The eye tracking system determines eye tracking information for a first eye of a user of the HMD. A varifocal module adjusts focus of images displayed on the electronic display, based on the eye tracking information and the optical correction.