Abstract: An image light guide system including an image light guide having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, an in-coupling diffractive optic operable to couple image-bearing light beams into the image light guide, an out-coupling diffractive optic operable to direct at least a first portion of the image-bearing light beams from the image light guide toward an eyebox and direct a second portion of the image-bearing light beams from the image light guide away from the eyebox, and an interference filter configured to reflect at least a sub-portion of the second portion of the image-bearing light beams and direct the sub-portion of the second portion of the image-bearing light beams towards the eyebox.

Abstract: A virtual image display apparatus including a projector operable to direct image-bearing light beams along a projection axis, a waveguide having an in-coupling diffractive optic and an out-coupling diffractive optic, wherein the waveguide is oriented at an obtuse angle with respect to the projection axis, and an optical coupler configured to receive the image-bearing light beams along the projection axis, reorient the projection axis to an acute angle of incidence with respect to the waveguide, rotate the image-bearing light beams from a first orientation to a second orientation with respect to the projection axis, and direct the rotated image-bearing light beams along the reoriented projection axis to the in-coupling diffractive optic.

Abstract: An image light guide including a surface having a coating, a first plurality of diffractive features arranged in the coating, and a second plurality of diffractive features arranged in the coating. Wherein at least one of the first and second pluralities of diffractive features comprise a sub-wavelength stepped pattern configured to diffract incident light as if the stepped pattern diffractive features were linear diffractive features.

Abstract: An image light guide system for conveying a virtual image including a first waveguide and a second waveguide. A first in-coupling diffractive optic formed along the first waveguide and operable to diffract a first set of image-bearing light beams into the first waveguide in an angularly encoded form. A second in-coupling diffractive optic formed along the first waveguide and operable to diffract a second set of image-bearing light beams into the first waveguide in an angularly encoded form. A first out-coupling diffractive optic formed along the first waveguide and operable to expand at least a portion of the first and second sets of image-bearing light beams and direct the expanded image-bearing light beams from the first waveguide in an angularly decoded form. A first intermediate diffractive optic formed along the first waveguide and operable to direct the second set of image-bearing light beams to the first out-coupling diffractive optic.

Abstract: An image light guide having a planar waveguide including a transmissive substrate having a first refractive index and at least one outer layer of transmissive material having a second refractive index, wherein the second refractive index is higher than the first refractive index. The transmissive substrate including a front surface and a back surface, wherein the at least one outer layer of a transmissive material is engaged with at least one of the front and back surfaces of the transmissive substrate. The image light guide further including at least one of an in-coupling optic and an out-coupling optic formed in or on the at least one outer layer of transmissive material, wherein the at least one of the in-coupling optic and the out-coupling optic is operable to couple image-bearing light beams into or out of the planar waveguide, respectively.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a substrate includes providing a substrate having a flat surface and a beam writing system operable to write in a first direction and a second direction, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, The method further includes providing a diffraction grating layout pattern having a first diffraction grating, a second diffraction grating, and a third diffraction grating. The method also includes locating the substrate in the beam writing system, whereby the beam writing system is operable to write into the flat surface, and aligning one of the first, second, and third diffraction gratings parallel with the beam writing system first direction. Additionally, the method includes writing the diffraction grating layout pattern into the substrate flat surface via the beam writing machine.

Abstract: An imaging light guide for conveying a virtual image comprises a first planar waveguide. The first planar waveguide includes first and second co-located in-coupling diffractive optics. each comprising a plurality of periodic diffractive structures, wherein the first in-coupling diffractive optic is operable to diffract a first portion of image-bearing light beams into the first planar waveguide in an angularly encoded form.

Abstract: A near-eye display for conveying virtual images within a real-world view includes a projector having an illuminator with an extended light source including a plurality of cells, each containing light sources, and a partial homogenizer for partially overlapping light from the plurality of cells at an illumination plane of a spatial light modulator. A controller adjusts the outputs of the plurality of cells to alter a distribution of the light over the illumination plane.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus for stereoscopic viewing having a frame operable to be reshaped from a first shape to a second shape. A left-eye imaging apparatus and a right-eye imaging apparatus supported by the frame, wherein the left-eye imaging apparatus and the right-eye imaging apparatus have a first relative alignment operable to convey stereoscopic virtual images to the viewer when the frame is in the first shape, and wherein the left-eye imaging apparatus and the right-eye imaging apparatus are arranged at a second relative alignment when the frame is in the second shape. An adjustment mechanism operable to change an angular alignment of one or more components of the left-eye imaging apparatus and/or the right-eye imaging apparatus relative to the frame to restore the first relative alignment of the left-eye imaging apparatus and the right-eye imaging apparatus when the frame is in the second shape.

Abstract: A method for alignment of images in a near-eye binocular display system, including providing a substantially rigid binocular frame operable to receive two or more planar waveguides, wherein each of the two or more planar waveguides include an in-coupling diffractive optic operable to diffract image-bearing light beams from an image source into the waveguide, and an out-coupling diffractive optic operable to diffract the image-bearing light beams from the waveguide toward an eyebox. The in-coupling diffractive optic is operable to in-couple light incident from a first direction and said out-coupling diffractive optic is operable to out-couple light in the first direction. Securing the binocular frame to a stationary alignment mount, positioning a first projector on a right side of the frame to project a first image and projecting the first image upon a screen without the one or more planar waveguides in place.

Abstract: A near-eye display for conveying virtual images within a real-world view includes a projector arranged to compensate for undesirable color gradients in the virtual images. The projector includes an illuminator with an extended light source having a plurality of cells each containing different color light sources and a partial homogenizer for partially overlapping light from the plurality of cells at an illumination plane of a spatial light modulator. A controller adjusts the color outputs of the cells to provide a color distribution over the illumination plane to compensate for the color gradients within the virtual images.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an in-coupling diffractive optic directs image-bearing light beams into a planar waveguide, an out-coupling diffractive optic directs the image-bearing light beams from the waveguide toward a viewer eyebox, and a turning diffractive optic directs the image-bearing light beams along the waveguide between the in-coupling and out-coupling diffractive optics. The grating vectors of the in-coupling and out-coupling diffractive optics differ in magnitude and orientation while the grating vectors of all three diffractive optics sum to substantially zero. The turning diffractive optic is further arranged to preserve a desired angular relationship of the propagating image bearing beams within the waveguide.

Abstract: A light secure image light guide including an image source operable to generate image-bearing light beams and a waveguide operable to propagate the image-bearing light beams. An in-coupling diffractive optic formed along the waveguide, wherein the in-coupling diffractive optic is operable to diffract a portion of the image-bearing light beams from the image source into the waveguide in an angularly encoded form, and an out-coupling diffractive optic formed along the waveguide, wherein the out-coupling diffractive optic is operable to expand the portion of image-bearing light beams, direct a first portion of expanded image-bearing light beams from the waveguide in an angularly decoded form in a first direction toward an eyebox, and direct a second portion of expanded image-bearing light beams from the waveguide in a second direction different from said first direction.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus for conveying a virtual image including a waveguide having first and second surfaces. An in-coupling diffractive optic and an out-coupling diffractive optic arranged along one of the first and second surfaces, wherein the in-coupling diffractive optic is operable to direct image-bearing light beams into the waveguide for propagation by total internal reflection, and wherein the out-coupling diffractive optic is operable to direct at least a portion of the image-bearing light beams from the waveguide through the second surface toward an eyebox.

Abstract: An image light guide for conveying a virtual image including a substrate operable to propagate image-bearing light beams along a length thereof. An in-coupling diffractive optic is formed along the substrate and is operable to diffract image-bearing light beams from an image source into the substrate in an angularly encoded form. An out-coupling diffractive optic is formed along the substrate, wherein the out-coupling diffractive optic is operable to diffract the image-bearing light beams from the substrate in an angularly decoded form. The in-coupling diffractive optic has three pluralities of periodic diffractive structures symmetric about three equidistant axes and the out-coupling diffractive optic has two pluralities of periodic diffractive structures having a periodicity equivalent to two of the three pluralities of periodic diffractive structures of the in-coupling diffractive optic.

Abstract: An image light guide for conveying a virtual image, including a waveguide, an in-coupling diffractive optic operable to direct image-bearing light beams into the waveguide, and an out-coupling diffractive optic operable to direct the image-bearing light beams from the waveguide toward an eyebox. The out-coupling diffractive optic having two or more zones each including a set of diffractive features, wherein successive zones along one dimension of the out-coupling diffractive optic have different respective sets of diffractive features, wherein the diffractive features are operable to direct image-bearing light beams of a first pixel incident upon the diffractive features at a first angle whereby the directed image-bearing light beams of the first pixel further propagate within the waveguide, and wherein the diffractive features are operable to out-couple a portion of the image-bearing light beams of the first pixel incident upon the diffractive features at a second angle.

Abstract: A wearable display apparatus has a support that mounts the display apparatus against the head of a viewer; a ball joint that is fitted within the support and coupled to a clamp that extends from the support; a slide that is translatable within the clamp in a first direction and that holds a display module for forming the display image; and a display coupled to the display module and rotatable in a first arc about a vertical axis that extends in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction and further rotatable in a second arc about a horizontal axis that is substantially orthogonal to the vertical axis.

Abstract: An augmented reality near-eye display system including an image source system operable to generate image-bearing light beams, the image source system including a plurality of individually addressable components, a temperature sensor operable to detect a temperature within the image source system, and a processor and non-transitory computer-readable memory configurated to execute and store a set of computer-readable instructions that when executed by the processor are configured to selectively drive each of the plurality of individually addressable components based on the temperature of the image source system.

Abstract: An image light guide for conveying a virtual image including a substrate operable to propagate image-bearing light beams along a length thereof. An in-coupling diffractive optic is formed along the substrate and is operable to diffract image-bearing light beams from an image source into the substrate in an angularly encoded form. An out-coupling diffractive optic is formed along the substrate, wherein the out-coupling diffractive optic is operable to diffract the image-bearing light beams from the substrate in an angularly decoded form. The in-coupling diffractive optic has three pluralities of periodic diffractive structures symmetric about three equidistant axes and the out-coupling diffractive optic has two pluralities of periodic diffractive structures having a periodicity equivalent to two of the three pluralities of periodic diffractive structures of the in-coupling diffractive optic.

Abstract: An image light guide for conveying a virtual image including a substrate operable to propagate image-bearing light beams along a length thereof. An in-coupling diffractive optic is formed along the substrate and is operable to diffract image-bearing light beams from an image source into the substrate in an angularly encoded form. An out-coupling diffractive optic is formed along the substrate, wherein the out-coupling diffractive optic is operable to diffract the image-bearing light beams from the substrate in an angularly decoded form. The in-coupling diffractive optic having three pluralities of periodic in-coupling diffractive structures and the out-coupling diffractive optic having at least two pluralities of periodic out-coupling diffractive structures. The two pluralities of periodic out-coupling diffractive structures being parallel with two of the three pluralities of periodic in-coupling diffractive structures.