Abstract: An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display including an OLED panel having a series of gore shaped panel portions that form a quasi-spherical display surface. Each gore shaped panel portion includes a middle portion, a first end portion, and a second end portion. The middle portions of adjacent gore shaped panel portions are separated by bend regions. The OLED panel is bent along the first bend regions and each gore shaped panel portion is bent, such as along second bend regions between the middle portion and end portions, to join adjacent first end portions and adjacent second end portions of the gore shaped panel portions. Two OLED displays may be mounted within a head-mounted display (HMD), each behind an optics block. The quasi-spherical display surface of each OLED display generates a substantially flat image for the user after light from the display surface passes through the optic block.

Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) includes an electronic display element and an optics block. The electronic display element includes a plurality of display panels that together output image light. The plurality of panels including a first display panel and a second display panel. The first display panel includes a first plurality of sub-pixels that are separated from each other by a non-emission area. The second panel includes a second plurality of sub-pixels. The second display panel is positioned offset from the first display panel such that the second plurality of sub-pixels emit light through the non-emission area of the first display panel. The optics block configured to direct the image light to an exit pupil of the HMD corresponding to a location of an eye of a user of the HMD.

Abstract: A lens includes an optically transparent substrate having a first lens surface and a second lens surface opposite to the first lens surface. The first lens surface includes a plurality of Fresnel structures. A respective Fresnel structure of the plurality of Fresnel structures includes a slope facet and a draft facet. The draft facet is characterized by a draft angle which is based on a distance of the respective Fresnel structure from a reference axis of the lens. The draft angle is between a first angle and a second angle, the first angle corresponding to a direction of a ray, in a first medium, transmitted from a reference off-axis position through the respective Fresnel structure toward a reference pupil. The second angle corresponding to a direction of the ray, in the optically transparent substrate, transmitted from the reference off-axis position through the respective Fresnel structure toward the reference pupil.

Abstract: A lens configured for transmitting light in a first medium to a first reference pupil includes an optically transparent substrate having a plurality of Fresnel structures. A draft angle of a respective Fresnel structure is based on a distance of the respective Fresnel structure from a reference axis of the lens. The draft angle of the respective Fresnel structure is between a first angle and a second angle. The first angle corresponds to a direction of a ray, in the first medium, transmitted from a reference off-axis position through the respective Fresnel structure toward a second reference pupil located further away from the substrate than the first reference pupil. The second angle corresponds to a direction of the ray, in the optically transparent substrate, transmitted from the reference off-axis position through the respective Fresnel structure toward the second reference pupil.

Abstract: A method of providing display uniformity in a display apparatus comprises retrieving first calibration data representing display characteristics of a display panel of the display apparatus, the first calibration data representing luminance responses or color responses of both left and right panel regions of the display panel when corresponding pixels of both the left and right panel regions are supplied same input image data; receiving stereoscopic image data comprising left and right image data to be supplied to the left and right panel regions; and modifying the received stereoscopic image data in accordance with the first calibration data to display a stereoscopic image with a substantially same luminance response or substantially same color response in both the left panel region and right panel region when the first calibration data indicates discrepancy between the luminance response or color responses between corresponding pixels of the left and right panel regions.

Abstract: An auto-focus head-mounted display (HMD) dynamically generates aberration-adjusted images based on the position and/or orientation of an eye of the user. An aberration-adjusted image is an image distorted to correct aberrations that would otherwise occur at a retina of the user due to image light passing through optics of the HMD that contains one or more optical imperfections. The aberration-adjusted image corrects the aberrations caused by these optical imperfections so that the resulting retinal image is free of optical aberrations due to the HMD while preserving correct eye optical aberrations that correlate with a current accommodative state of the eye.

Abstract: An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display including a conic OLED panel portion and a base OLED panel portion. The conic OLED panel portion includes peripheral display surfaces forming a truncated conic shape with an open base region around a center of the conic OLED panel portion. The OLED base portion includes a display surface. The base OLED panel portion is positioned to cover the open base region of the conic OLED panel portion such that the peripheral display surfaces surround the base display surface. The OLED display approximates a circular convex display. The conic OLED panel portion may be fabricated from a flat, flexible OLED panel portion that is bent along the fold regions defining bending axes between the peripheral display surfaces to form the truncated conic shape.

Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) includes an electronic display element and an optics block. The electronic display element includes a plurality of display panels that together output image light. The plurality of panels including a first display panel and a second display panel. The first display panel includes a first plurality of sub-pixels that are separated from each other by a non-emission area. The second panel includes a second plurality of sub-pixels. The second display panel is positioned offset from the first display panel such that the second plurality of sub-pixels emit light through the non-emission area of the first display panel. The optics block configured to direct the image light to an exit pupil of the HMD corresponding to a location of an eye of a user of the HMD.

Abstract: A distortion calibration system generates a distortion map for a head-mounted display (HMD). The system includes a camera that takes pictures of a test pattern displayed by the HMD. The images are taken at different camera positions and/or states of the HMD. The system determines a distortion map using the captured images, and uploads it to the HMD as part of, e.g., an optical model. The HMD comprises an electronic display, an eye tracking unit, an optics block, and a module. The module estimates distortion values based on eye tracking information from the eye tracking unit, an optical model, and a state of the HMD (e.g., a distance between the optics block and the electronic display). The module determines an adjusted state of the HMD using the estimated distortion values, the eye tracking information, and the optical model, and adjusts the state of the HMD to the adjusted state.

Abstract: A camera colorimeter system simultaneously lights up one or more pixel units on a display panel, each pixel unit including colored subpixels, for characterization of the display panel. The system includes optical elements that directs the light emitted by the simultaneously lit one or more pixel units to a filter and a corresponding imaging device. Each filter is configured to block wavelengths of light other than predetermined range of wavelengths, thereby ensuring that each imaging device captures a filtered spectrum of light that originates from subpixels of the same color. Using the filtered spectrum, the system reconstructs the full spectrum of light, which can subsequently be used to regenerate the display characteristics of each pixel unit (and corresponding colored subpixels). Thus, the camera colorimeter system can characterize a display panel in significantly less time as compared to conventional systems and methods.

Abstract: A system calibrates luminance of an electronic display panel. The system includes a luminance detection device, an actuator and a computing device. The luminance detection device comprises a plurality of detectors arranged along a width or length of the electronic display panel to simultaneously measure luminance parameters of at least one row or column of areas in the electronic display panel. Each of the plurality of detectors covers an area in the at least one row or column of the electronic display panel. The actuator is configured to cause a relative translational movement in a length direction or a width direction of the electronic display panel. The computing device is coupled to the luminance detection device to receive the measured luminance parameters, and the computing device is configured to generate calibration data for adjusting brightness of areas of the electronic display panel by processing the measured luminance parameters.

Abstract: An optical evaluation workstation evaluates quality metrics (e.g., optical contrast) of optical elements of a HMD. The workstation includes a test pattern, an optical element feed assembly, a light source, a camera and a control module. The light source backlights the test pattern with diffuse light. The optical element feed assembly receives an optical element of a HMD and places the optical element at a first distance from the test pattern corresponding to a distance between the optics block in the HMD and an exit pupil of the HMD. The camera images the test pattern through the optical element and the camera is positioned at a second distance from the test pattern corresponding to a distance between the exit pupil and an electronic display in the HMD. The control module generates a test report for presentation to a user based on the evaluation of the optical element.

Abstract: A corner cut liquid crystal display (LCD) device including a LCD panel and a backlight. The LCD panel includes adjacent panel portions of different width that collectively define a corner cut profile shape for the LCD panel. The backlight includes a light guide and light sources that emit light into the light guide. The backlight directs the light from the light sources toward the LCD panel. The light guide includes adjacent light guide portions of different width that define the corner cut profile shape. Each light guide portion illuminates a corresponding LCD panel portion. The LCD device can be incorporated into a head-mounted display (HMD). The corner cut profile shapes of two adjacent LCD devices, one for the left eye and one for the right eye, may define an open region for placement of other components or parts of the user, such as the user's nose when wearing the HMD.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring characteristics of an electronic display panel includes an array of optical elements. Each optical element has a first surface and a second surface. The first surface faces the electronic display panel and receives light from pixels of the electronic display panel. The second surface faces away from the electronic display panel and has an area smaller than the area of the first surface. The second surface emits a combined version of the light received by the first surface. The apparatus further includes a light sensor facing the second surface to measure one or more parameters of the emitted light.

Abstract: The various embodiments described herein include methods and/or systems for depth mapping. In one aspect, a method of depth mapping is performed at an apparatus including a projector, a camera, one or more processors, and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors. The method includes identifying one or more areas of interest in a scene in accordance with variation of depth in the scene as detected at a first resolution. The method also includes, for each area of interest: (1) applying, via the projector, a respective structured-light pattern to the area of interest; (2) capturing, via the camera, an image of the area of interest with the respective structured-light pattern applied to it; and (3) creating a respective depth map of the area of interest using the captured image, the respective depth map having a higher resolution than the first resolution.

Abstract: A system calibrates luminance of an electronic display panel. The system includes a luminance detection device, an actuator and a computing device. The luminance detection device comprises a plurality of detectors arranged along a width or length of the electronic display panel to simultaneously measure luminance parameters of at least one row or column of areas in the electronic display panel. Each of the plurality of detectors covers an area in the at least one row or column of the electronic display panel. The actuator is configured to cause a relative translational movement in a length direction or a width direction of the electronic display panel. The computing device is coupled to the luminance detection device to receive the measured luminance parameters, and the computing device is configured to generate calibration data for adjusting brightness of areas of the electronic display panel by processing the measured luminance parameters.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) device including an LCD panel and a backlight. The backlight includes a plurality of light sources to emit light, and a reflective stack. The reflective stack is positioned to receive light emitted from the light sources and transmit the light to the LCD panel. The reflective stack includes optical elements providing a folded beam path for the light emitted from the light sources to the LCD panel. The light emitted from the light sources is diffused while propagating towards and away from the LCD panel along the folded beam path. The folded beam path has an optical distance that is longer than the spatial distance between the light sources and the LCD panel to improve light diffusion by the backlight without substantially increasing backlight thickness.

Abstract: A virtual reality (VR) includes a sparse projection system configured to generate a plurality of clusters using one or more diffractive optical elements. Each generated cluster has a unique configuration that corresponds to a unique location in a virtual mapping of a local area. The sparse projection system projects the generated clusters throughout the local area. A VR console receives a series of images of the local area from the imaging device, with at least one image includes at least one cluster. The VR console determines a location of a VR headset within the virtual mapping of the local area based at least in part on a configuration of the at least one cluster included in the series of images. Content is generated based at least in part on the determined location of the VR headset and is provided to the VR headset for presentation.

Abstract: The various embodiments described herein include methods and/or systems for depth mapping. In one aspect, a method of depth mapping is performed at an apparatus including a projector, a camera, one or more processors, and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors. The method includes identifying one or more areas of interest in a scene in accordance with variation of depth in the scene as detected at a first resolution. The method also includes, for each area of interest: (1) applying, via the projector, a respective structured-light pattern to the area of interest; (2) capturing, via the camera, an image of the area of interest with the respective structured-light pattern applied to it; and (3) creating a respective depth map of the area of interest using the captured image, the respective depth map having a higher resolution than the first resolution.

Abstract: An optical characterization system tests optical elements of head-mounted displays (HMD) such as lenses. The system emits a test pattern of light through an aperture of a hollow truncated cone. The hollow truncated cone may be rotated to different angles of test positions, for example, to mimic rotation of a human eye of a user wearing an HMD. The emitted light is refracted by a test lens and captured by a detector assembly. Using images captured by the detector assembly, the system determines one or more quality metrics of the test lens. Quality metrics may describe various types of optical aberrations, which may be determined as a function of the test positions (e.g., angle and/or position of the hollow truncated cone relative to the test lens). In addition, the system may generate an optical profile of the test lens using the quality metrics.