Patents by Inventor R Andrew Wall
R Andrew Wall 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).
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Patent number: 10746994Abstract: The technology provides decoupling an aspheric optical element from a birdbath optical element in a near-eye display (NED) device. One or more aspheric lens are used with a spherical birdbath reflective mirror in a projection light engine of a NED device. A projection light engine provides image light (or other information), by way of the spherical birdbath reflective mirror and at least one aspheric lens, to a near-eye display of the NED device. The spherical birdbath reflective mirror collimates and reflects the image light to an exit pupil external to the projection light engine. Decoupling the aspheric optical element from the spherical birdbath reflective mirror may enable high modulation transfer function (MTF) and improved manufacturability of the projection light engine. The NED device having aspheric optical elements decoupled from a birdbath optical element may be positioned by a support structure in a head-mounted display (HMD) or head-up display (HUD).Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2014Date of Patent: August 18, 2020Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Yarn Chee Poon, Joshua A Hudman, R Andrew Wall, Scott McEldowney, Steven John Robbins
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Patent number: 10551616Abstract: A display device system includes a display engine and optical waveguide. The display engine includes an image former, that produces light corresponding to an image, and one or more lens groups that collimate the light corresponding to the image and outputs the light from the display engine. Each lens group includes one or more lenses that share a mechanical axis. The light corresponding to the image produced by the image former has an optical axis ray coincident with a principal ray of the light that originates at a center of the image produced by the image former. At least one lens group has its mechanical axis tilted relative to the optical axis ray of the light corresponding to the image produced by the image former, to prevent a ghost image from being formed by light corresponding to the image that is reflected-back from the waveguide toward the display engine.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2016Date of Patent: February 4, 2020Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: R. Andrew Wall, Dmitry Reshidko
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Patent number: 10359627Abstract: An apparatus for use in replicating an image associated with an input-pupil to an output-pupil includes a planar optical waveguide including a bulk-substrate, and also including an input-coupler, an intermediate-component and an output-coupler. The input-coupler couples light corresponding to the image into the bulk-substrate and towards the intermediate-component. The intermediate-component performs horizontal or vertical pupil expansion and directs the light corresponding to the image towards the output-coupler. The output-coupler performs the other one of horizontal or vertical pupil expansion and couples light corresponding to the image, which travels from the input-coupler to the output-coupler, out of the waveguide. The apparatus further includes an adjacent planar optical component to provide a more uniform intensity distribution compared to if the adjacent planar optical component were absent.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2015Date of Patent: July 23, 2019Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: R. Andrew Wall, Scott Woltman, Steven John Robbins, Xinye Lou, Gangok Lee, Yarn Chee Poon, Tuomas Vallius, Pasi Kostamo, Tapani Levola, Yijing Fu
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Patent number: 10310268Abstract: An apparatus, for use in replicating an image associated with an input-pupil to an output-pupil, comprises an optical waveguide including a bulk-substrate, an input-coupler and an output-coupler. The bulk-substrate includes first and second major sides and peripheral sides. The input-coupler couples, into the waveguide, light corresponding to the image associated with the input-pupil. The output-coupler couples, out of the waveguide, light corresponding to the image that has traveled through the waveguide from the input-coupler to the output-coupler at least in part by way of TIR. At least one of the peripheral sides includes first and second surfaces that define first and second planes angled 45 degrees relative to one another. Such a peripheral side provides for effective recycling of light that would otherwise leak out of the waveguide through the peripheral side.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2016Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: R. Andrew Wall, Dmitry Reshidko
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Patent number: 10261320Abstract: Examples are disclosed that relate to mixed reality display devices. One example provides a head-mounted display device comprising, a display, a lens system, and a curved Fresnel combiner. The curved Fresnel combiner is configured to direct light received from the display via the lens system toward an eyebox, and is at least partially transmissive to background light.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2016Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLCInventors: Bernard C. Kress, R. Andrew Wall
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Publication number: 20180164583Abstract: A display device system includes a display engine and optical waveguide. The display engine includes an image former, that produces light corresponding to an image, and one or more lens groups that collimate the light corresponding to the image and outputs the light from the display engine. Each lens group includes one or more lenses that share a mechanical axis. The light corresponding to the image produced by the image former has an optical axis ray coincident with a principal ray of the light that originates at a center of the image produced by the image former. At least one lens group has its mechanical axis tilted relative to the optical axis ray of the light corresponding to the image produced by the image former, to prevent a ghost image from being formed by light corresponding to the image that is reflected-back from the waveguide toward the display engine.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2016Publication date: June 14, 2018Inventors: R. Andrew Wall, Dmitry Reshidko
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Publication number: 20180157042Abstract: An apparatus, for use in replicating an image associated with an input-pupil to an output-pupil, comprises an optical waveguide including a bulk-substrate, an input-coupler and an output-coupler. The bulk-substrate includes first and second major sides and peripheral sides. The input-coupler couples, into the waveguide, light corresponding to the image associated with the input-pupil. The output-coupler couples, out of the waveguide, light corresponding to the image that has traveled through the waveguide from the input-coupler to the output-coupler at least in part by way of TIR. At least one of the peripheral sides includes first and second surfaces that define first and second planes angled 45 degrees relative to one another. Such a peripheral side provides for effective recycling of light that would otherwise leak out of the waveguide through the peripheral side.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2016Publication date: June 7, 2018Inventors: R. Andrew Wall, Dmitry Reshidko
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Patent number: 9915825Abstract: An apparatus for use in replicating an image associated with an input-pupil to an output-pupil includes a planar optical waveguide including a bulk-substrate, and also including an input-coupler, an intermediate-component and an output-coupler. The input-coupler couples light corresponding to the image into the bulk-substrate and towards the intermediate-component. The intermediate-component performs horizontal or vertical pupil expansion and directs the light corresponding to the image towards the output-coupler. The output-coupler performs the other one of horizontal or vertical pupil expansion and couples light corresponding to the image, which travels from the input-coupler to the output-coupler, out of the waveguide. The apparatus further includes a volume layer, embedded between first and second major planar surfaces of the bulk-substrate, configured to cause light that is output by the output-coupler to have a more uniform intensity distribution compared to if the volume layer were absent.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2015Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Steven John Robbins, Scott Woltman, R. Andrew Wall, Yarn Chee Poon
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Patent number: 9891436Abstract: A near eye or heads up display system includes a display engine, at least two optical waveguides, and a respective coating on at least one of the major surfaces of at least one of the waveguides. At least one such coating has a low reflectance for light within a specific wavelength range for the waveguide and incident on a major surface of the waveguide on which the coating is located at an angle below a low threshold angle relative to a normal, and has a high reflectance for light within the specific wavelength range for the waveguide that is incident on the major surface on which the coating is located at an angle above a high threshold angle relative to the normal.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2016Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: R. Andrew Wall, Tuomas Vallius, Pasi Pietila, Keita Oka
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Publication number: 20180003972Abstract: Examples are disclosed that relate to mixed reality display devices. One example provides a head-mounted display device comprising, a display, a lens system, and a curved Fresnel combiner. The curved Fresnel combiner is configured to direct light received from the display via the lens system toward an eyebox, and is at least partially transmissive to background light.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2016Publication date: January 4, 2018Inventors: Bernard C. Kress, R. Andrew Wall
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Patent number: 9791696Abstract: An apparatus for use in replicating an image associated with an input-pupil to an output-pupil includes a planar optical waveguide including a bulk-substrate, and also including an input-coupler, an intermediate-component and an output-coupler. The input-coupler couples light corresponding to the image into the bulk-substrate and towards the intermediate-component. The intermediate-component performs horizontal or vertical pupil expansion and directs the light corresponding to the image towards the output-coupler. The output-coupler performs the other one of horizontal or vertical pupil expansion and couples light corresponding to the image, which travels from the input-coupler to the output-coupler, out of the waveguide.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2015Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLCInventors: Scott Woltman, Steven John Robbins, R. Andrew Wall, Tuomas Vallius, Tapani Levola, Pasi Kostamo
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Publication number: 20170235142Abstract: A near eye or heads up display system includes a display engine, at least two optical waveguides, and a respective coating on at least one of the major surfaces of at least one of the waveguides. At least one such coating has a low reflectance for light within a specific wavelength range for the waveguide and incident on a major surface of the waveguide on which the coating is located at an angle below a low threshold angle relative to a normal, and has a high reflectance for light within the specific wavelength range for the waveguide that is incident on the major surface on which the coating is located at an angle above a high threshold angle relative to the normal.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2016Publication date: August 17, 2017Inventors: R. Andrew Wall, Tuomas Vallius, Pasi Pietila, Keita Oka
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Publication number: 20170131551Abstract: An apparatus for use in replicating an image associated with an input-pupil to an output-pupil includes a planar optical waveguide including a bulk-substrate, and also including an input-coupler, an intermediate-component and an output-coupler. The input-coupler couples light corresponding to the image into the bulk-substrate and towards the intermediate-component. The intermediate-component performs horizontal or vertical pupil expansion and directs the light corresponding to the image towards the output-coupler. The output-coupler performs the other one of horizontal or vertical pupil expansion and couples light corresponding to the image, which travels from the input-coupler to the output-coupler, out of the waveguide. The apparatus further includes a volume layer, embedded between first and second major planar surfaces of the bulk-substrate, configured to cause light that is output by the output-coupler to have a more uniform intensity distribution compared to if the volume layer were absent.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2015Publication date: May 11, 2017Inventors: Steven John Robbins, Scott Woltman, R. Andrew Wall, Yarn Chee Poon
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Publication number: 20170131546Abstract: An apparatus for use in replicating an image associated with an input-pupil to an output-pupil includes a planar optical waveguide including a bulk-substrate, and also including an input-coupler, an intermediate-component and an output-coupler. The input-coupler couples light corresponding to the image into the bulk-substrate and towards the intermediate-component. The intermediate-component performs horizontal or vertical pupil expansion and directs the light corresponding to the image towards the output-coupler. The output-coupler performs the other one of horizontal or vertical pupil expansion and couples light corresponding to the image, which travels from the input-coupler to the output-coupler, out of the waveguide.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2015Publication date: May 11, 2017Inventors: Scott Woltman, Steven John Robbins, R. Andrew Wall, Tuomas Vallius, Tapani Levola, Pasi Kostamo
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Publication number: 20170131545Abstract: An apparatus for use in replicating an image associated with an input-pupil to an output-pupil includes a planar optical waveguide including a bulk-substrate, and also including an input-coupler, an intermediate-component and an output-coupler. The input-coupler couples light corresponding to the image into the bulk-substrate and towards the intermediate-component. The intermediate-component performs horizontal or vertical pupil expansion and directs the light corresponding to the image towards the output-coupler. The output-coupler performs the other one of horizontal or vertical pupil expansion and couples light corresponding to the image, which travels from the input-coupler to the output-coupler, out of the waveguide. The apparatus further includes an adjacent planar optical component to provide a more uniform intensity distribution compared to if the adjacent planar optical component were absent.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2015Publication date: May 11, 2017Inventors: R. Andrew Wall, Scott Woltman, Steven John Robbins, Xinye Lou, Gangok Lee, Yarn Chee Poon, Tuomas Vallius, Pasi Kostamo, Tapani Levola, Yijing Fu
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Publication number: 20160041390Abstract: The technology provides decoupling an aspheric optical element from a birdbath optical element in a near-eye display (NED) device. One or more aspheric lens are used with a spherical birdbath reflective mirror in a projection light engine of a NED device. A projection light engine provides image light (or other information), by way of the spherical birdbath reflective mirror and at least one aspheric lens, to a near-eye display of the NED device. The spherical birdbath reflective mirror collimates and reflects the image light to an exit pupil external to the projection light engine. Decoupling the aspheric optical element from the spherical birdbath reflective mirror may enable high modulation transfer function (MTF) and improved manufacturability of the projection light engine. The NED device having aspheric optical elements decoupled from a birdbath optical element may be positioned by a support structure in a head-mounted display (HMD) or head-up display (HUD).Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2014Publication date: February 11, 2016Inventors: Yarn Chee Poon, Joshua A Hudman, R Andrew Wall, Scott McEldowney, Steven John Robbins