Abstract: A projector having a curved field lens and a displaced light modulating display. The system includes at least one light source configured to generate colored light beams, and a prism routing the light beams to the display. The curved field lens is coupled to a face of the prism, and the prism and curved field lens together decenter the light beam from the prism face and uniformly illuminate the display. A center of the display is displaced from the projection lens optical axis. The decentered light beam and the displaced display together generate a favorable shifted boresight of the created image. Dimensions of components of the projector are a function of a curvature of the curved field lens. The greater the curvature of the curved field lens, the smaller the dimensions of the components and the overall projector. The projector may be used in eyewear.

Abstract: The present application discloses examples of various apparatuses and systems that can be utilized for augmented reality. According to one example, a wearable device that can optionally comprise: a frame configured for wearing by a user; one or more optical elements mounted on the frame; an array having a plurality of light emitting diodes coupled to the one or more optical elements, wherein the one or more optical elements and the array are mounted within a field of view of the user when the frame is worn by the user; and additional onboard electronic components carried by the frame including at least a battery that is configured to provide for electrically powered operation of the array.

Abstract: A projector having a curved field lens and a displaced light modulating display. The system includes at least one light source configured to generate colored light beams, and a prism routing the light beams to the display. The curved field lens is coupled to a face of the prism, and the prism and curved field lens together decenter the light beam from the prism face and uniformly illuminate the display. A center of the display is displaced from the projection lens optical axis. The decentered light beam and the displaced display together generate a favorable shifted boresight of the created image. Dimensions of components of the projector are a function of a curvature of the curved field lens. The greater the curvature of the curved field lens, the smaller the dimensions of the components and the overall projector. The projector may be used in eyewear.

Abstract: The present application discloses examples of various apparatuses and systems that can be utilized for augmented reality. According to one example, a wearable device that can optionally comprise: a frame configured for wearing by a user; one or more optical elements mounted on the frame; an array having a plurality of light emitting diodes coupled to the one or more optical elements, wherein the one or more optical elements and the array are mounted within a field of view of the user when the frame is worn by the user; and additional onboard electronic components carried by the frame including at least a battery that is configured to provide for electrically powered operation of the array.

Abstract: A compact projector for eyewear including a refractive lens to achromatize an image and to reduce the size of the projector. The compact projector includes two total internal reflection (TIR) prisms, a polarizing beamsplitter, a quarter-wave plate, and the refractive lens combining refractive and reflective power, referred to as catadioptric. In one example, a light source generates light that is directed through a collector, into a first TIR prism, to the polarizing beamsplitter, and to a display panel. The display panel modulates the light and creates an image. The image is directed through the beamsplitter, into a second TIR prism, through a quarter-wave plate, and then to the refractive lens. The refractive lens reflects the image back into the second TIR prism, and which image then exits to a waveguide. In a second example, the display generates an illuminated image which is then processed as in the first example.

Abstract: A projector having a curved field lens and a displaced light modulating display. The system includes at least one light source configured to generate colored light beams, and a prism routing the light beams to the display. The curved field lens is coupled to a face of the prism, and the prism and curved field lens together decenter the light beam from the prism face and uniformly illuminate the display. A center of the display is displaced from the projection lens optical axis. The decentered light beam and the displaced display together generate a favorable shifted boresight of the created image. Dimensions of components of the projector are a function of a curvature of the curved field lens. The greater the curvature of the curved field lens, the smaller the dimensions of the components and the overall projector. The projector may be used in eyewear.

Abstract: The present application discloses examples of various apparatuses and systems that can be utilized for augmented reality. According to one example, a wearable device that can optionally comprise: a frame configured for wearing by a user; one or more optical elements mounted on the frame; an array having a plurality of light emitting diodes coupled to the one or more optical elements, wherein the one or more optical elements and the array are mounted within a field of view of the user when the frame is worn by the user; and additional onboard electronic components carried by the frame including at least a battery that is configured to provide for electrically powered operation of the array.

Abstract: A multi-element imaging lens can be formed from five plastic elements, and an optional null-power or relatively low power sixth plastic element. The lens can use selected plastic materials to reduce a thermal focal shift. In the lens, negative refractive power elements can be formed from plastic materials having a relatively large negative refractive index variation with temperature, abbreviated as dn/dT, while positive refractive power elements can be formed from plastic materials having a relatively small negative dn/dT. Reducing the thermal focal shift, as disclosed, can eliminate the need for an auto-focusing device, such as a voice coil. Reducing the thermal focal shift, as disclosed, can also eliminate the need to use one or more glass elements to further reduce thermal focal shift, which can reduce cost for the lens.

Abstract: A projector having a curved field lens and a displaced light modulating display. The system includes at least one light source configured to generate colored light beams, and a prism routing the light beams to the display. The curved field lens is coupled to a face of the prism, and the prism and curved field lens together decenter the light beam from the prism face and uniformly illuminate the display. A center of the display is displaced from the projection lens optical axis. The decentered light beam and the displaced display together generate a favorable shifted boresight of the created image. Dimensions of components of the projector are a function of a curvature of the curved field lens. The greater the curvature of the curved field lens, the smaller the dimensions of the components and the overall projector. The projector may be used in eyewear.

Abstract: The present application discloses examples of various apparatuses and systems that can be utilized for augmented reality. According to one example, a wearable device that can optionally comprise: a frame configured for wearing by a user; one or more optical elements mounted on the frame; an array having a plurality of light emitting diodes coupled to the one or more optical elements, wherein the one or more optical elements and the array are mounted within a field of view of the user when the frame is worn by the user; and additional onboard electronic components carried by the frame including at least a battery that is configured to provide for electrically powered operation of the array.

Abstract: A compact projector for eyewear including a refractive lens to achromatize an image and to reduce the size of the projector. The compact projector includes two total internal reflection (TIR) prisms, a polarizing beamsplitter, a quarter-wave plate, and the refractive lens combining refractive and reflective power, referred to as catadioptric. In one example, a light source generates light that is directed through a collector, into a first TIR prism, to the polarizing beamsplitter, and to a display panel. The display panel modulates the light and creates an image. The image is directed through the beamsplitter, into a second TIR prism, through a quarter-wave plate, and then to the refractive lens. The refractive lens reflects the image back into the second TIR prism, and which image then exits to a waveguide. In a second example, the display generates an illuminated image which is then processed as in the first example.

Abstract: A compact projector for eyewear including a refractive lens to achromatize an image and to reduce the size of the projector. The compact projector includes two total internal reflection (TIR) prisms, a polarizing beamsplitter, a quarter-wave plate, and the refractive lens combining refractive and reflective power, referred to as catadioptric. In one example, a light source generates light that is directed through a collector, into a first TIR prism, to the polarizing beamsplitter, and to a display panel. The display panel modulates the light and creates an image. The image is directed through the beamsplitter, into a second TIR prism, through a quarter-wave plate, and then to the refractive lens. The refractive lens reflects the image back into the second TIR prism, and which image then exits to a waveguide. In a second example, the display generates an illuminated image which is then processed as in the first example.

Abstract: A compact projector for eyewear including a refractive lens to achromatize an image and to reduce the size of the projector. The compact projector includes two total internal reflection (TIR) prisms, a polarizing beamsplitter, a quarter-wave plate, and the refractive lens combining refractive and reflective power, referred to as catadioptric. In one example, a light source generates light that is directed through a collector, into a first TIR prism, to the polarizing beamsplitter, and to a display panel. The display panel modulates the light and creates an image. The image is directed through the beamsplitter, into a second TIR prism, through a quarter-wave plate, and then to the refractive lens. The refractive lens reflects the image back into the second TIR prism, and which image then exits to a waveguide. In a second example, the display generates an illuminated image which is then processed as in the first example.

Abstract: A projection lens can include four lens elements, each lens element being formed from glass and including spherical or planar incident and exiting surfaces. Compared to a projection lens that uses three lens elements, the four-element projection lens has relaxed manufactured and alignment tolerances. Unlike a projection lens that uses one or more plastic elements or uses aspherical surfaces, the all-glass projection lens can be manufactured using relatively fast and inexpensive grinding and polishing techniques. One or two of the glass lens elements can optionally be formed symmetrically, so as to be reversible. One glass element can optionally be plano-convex. A right-angle prism can direct light from a video display into the four glass elements. An achromatic prism can angularly divert the optical axis by about eight degrees and can direct light out of the four glass elements into a near-eye waveguide.

Abstract: A compact projector for eyewear including a refractive lens to achromatize an image and to reduce the size of the projector. The compact projector includes two total internal reflection (TIR) prisms, a polarizing beamsplitter, a quarter-wave plate, and the refractive lens combining refractive and reflective power, referred to as catadioptric. In one example, a light source generates light that is directed through a collector, into a first TIR prism, to the polarizing beamsplitter, and to a display panel. The display panel modulates the light and creates an image. The image is directed through the beamsplitter, into a second TIR prism, through a quarter-wave plate, and then to the refractive lens. The refractive lens reflects the image back into the second TIR prism, and which image then exits to a waveguide. In a second example, the display generates an illuminated image which is then processed as in the first example.

Abstract: A multi-element imaging lens can be formed from five plastic elements, and an optional null-power or relatively low power sixth plastic element. The lens can use selected plastic materials to reduce a thermal focal shift. In the lens, negative refractive power elements can be formed from plastic materials having a relatively large negative refractive index variation with temperature, abbreviated as dn/dT, while positive refractive power elements can be formed from plastic materials having a relatively small negative dn/dT. Reducing the thermal focal shift, as disclosed, can eliminate the need for an auto-focusing device, such as a voice coil. Reducing the thermal focal shift, as disclosed, can also eliminate the need to use one or more glass elements to further reduce thermal focal shift, which can reduce cost for the lens.

Abstract: A projector having a curved field lens and a displaced light modulating display. The system includes at least one light source configured to generate colored light beams, and a prism routing the light beams to the display. The curved field lens is coupled to a face of the prism, and the prism and curved field lens together decenter the light beam from the prism face and uniformly illuminate the display. A center of the display is displaced from the projection lens optical axis. The decentered light beam and the displaced display together generate a favorable shifted boresight of the created image. Dimensions of components of the projector are a function of a curvature of the curved field lens. The greater the curvature of the curved field lens, the smaller the dimensions of the components and the overall projector. The projector may be used in eyewear.

Abstract: The present application discloses examples of various apparatuses and systems that can be utilized for augmented reality. According to one example, a wearable device that can optionally comprise: a frame configured for wearing by a user; one or more optical elements mounted on the frame; an array having a plurality of light emitting diodes coupled to the one or more optical elements, wherein the one or more optical elements and the array are mounted within a field of view of the user when the frame is worn by the user; and additional onboard electronic components carried by the frame including at least a battery that is configured to provide for electrically powered operation of the array.

Abstract: A projection lens can include four lens elements, each lens element being formed from glass and including spherical or planar incident and exiting surfaces. Compared to a projection lens that uses three lens elements, the four-element projection lens has relaxed manufactured and alignment tolerances. Unlike a projection lens that uses one or more plastic elements or uses aspherical surfaces, the all-glass projection lens can be manufactured using relatively fast and inexpensive grinding and polishing techniques. One or two of the glass lens elements can optionally be formed symmetrically, so as to be reversible. One glass element can optionally be piano-convex. A right-angle prism can direct light from a video display into the four glass elements. An achromatic prism can angularly divert the optical axis by about eight degrees and can direct light out of the four glass elements into a near-eye waveguide.

Abstract: The present application discloses examples of various apparatuses and systems that can be utilized for augmented reality. According to one example, a wearable device that can optionally comprise: a frame configured for wearing by a user; one or more optical elements mounted on the frame; an array having a plurality of light emitting diodes coupled to the one or more optical elements, wherein the one or more optical elements and the array are mounted within a field of view of the user when the frame is worn by the user; and additional onboard electronic components carried by the frame including at least a battery that is configured to provide for electrically powered operation of the array.