Abstract: An apparatus including a first display for a user's first eye; a first motion sensor and/or a first externally facing image capture device configured to capture at least a first image of a user's real world point of view; a second display for a user's second eye; a second motion sensor and/or a second externally facing image capture device configured to capture at least a second image of a user's real world scene; and a controller configured to: receive a first signal from: the first motion sensor and/or the first image capture device, receive a second signal from: the second motion sensor and/or the second image capture device, determine, based on the first and second signals, a change in orientation of the first display with respect to the second display, and control display of first content on the first display in dependence on the determined change in orientation.

Abstract: An apparatus has a display including a plurality of pixels; and control circuitry configured to selectively control transparency states of the plurality of pixels of the display. The control circuitry includes a multiplicity of cells. A transparency state of one or more pixels is controlled by a state of an associated cell. A cell is configured to provide a propagation signal dependent upon a state of that cell to physically adjacent cells and is configured to receive propagation signals provided by physically adjacent cells. The state of the cell is controllable via addressing and is controllable via the received propagation signals.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing gaze tracking in a near-eye display. Certain examples provide an apparatus including a light modulator configured to receive light of a first range of wavelengths and generate an image beam therefrom. The light modulator is further configured to receive light of a second range of wavelengths and generate a probe beam therefrom. The apparatus also includes one or more light guides including one or more in-coupling element areas, and one or more out-coupling element areas. The one or more in-coupling diffractive element areas are configured to receive and in-couple the image beam and the probe beam into the one or more light guides. The one or more out-coupling element areas are configured to out-couple, from the one or more light guides: the image beam to a user's eye for user viewing, and the probe beam to the user's eye for detection of reflection therefrom.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing gaze tracking in a near-eye display. Certain examples provide an apparatus including a light modulator configured to receive light of a first range of wavelengths and generate an image beam therefrom. The light modulator is further configured to receive light of a second range of wavelengths and generate a probe beam therefrom. The apparatus also includes one or more light guides including one or more in-coupling element areas, and one or more out-coupling element areas. The one or more in-coupling diffractive element areas are configured to receive and in-couple the image beam and the probe beam into the one or more light guides. The one or more out-coupling element areas are configured to out-couple, from the one or more light guides: the image beam to a user's eye for user viewing, and the probe beam to the user's eye for detection of reflection therefrom.

Abstract: Certain examples of the present invention relate to an apparatus, method, computer program and system for use in gaze dependent foveated rendering. Certain examples provide an apparatus including at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code; the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform adapting a gaze dependent foveated rendering process in response to a determination of a sub-optimal operational condition of the gaze dependent foveated rendering process.

Abstract: Certain examples of the present invention relate to an apparatus, method, and system for use in a display Certain examples provide an apparatus including a waveguide including a plurality of diffractive sections configured to: in-couple an input beam of light into the waveguide, expand the input beam of light, and out-couple the expanded beam of light from the waveguide to provide an expanded output light beam configured for use in a reflection based heads-up display system wherein the expanded output light beam is directed to a curved reflective surface, having a non-zero optical power, for reflection therefrom to a user's eye; wherein the waveguide is configured to adjust the expanded output light beam so as to compensate for the optical power of the curved reflective surface and provide a collimated reflected expanded output light beam to the user's eye.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus comprising a first out-coupling diffractive optical element and a second out-coupling diffractive optical element. Each of the first and second out-coupling diffractive optical elements comprises a first region having a first repeated diffraction spacing, d1, and a second region adjacent to the first region having a second repeated diffraction spacing, d2, different from the first spacing, d1. The first region of the first out-coupling diffractive optical element is superposed on and aligned with the second region of the second out-coupling diffractive optical element. The second region of the first out-coupling diffractive optical element is superposed on and aligned with the first region of the second out-coupling diffractive optical element.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus (3) comprising a first out-coupling diffractive optical element (10) and a second out-coupling diffractive optical element (20). Each of the first and second out-coupling diffractive optical elements comprises a first region (12a, 22a) having a first repeated diffraction spacing, d1, and a second region (12b, 22b) adjacent to the first region having a second repeated diffraction spacing, d2, different from the first spacing, d1. The first region (12a) of the first out-coupling diffractive optical element (10) is superposed on and aligned with the second region (22b) of the second out-coupling diffractive optical element (20). The second region (12b) of the first out-coupling diffractive optical element (10) is superposed on and aligned with the first region (22a) of the second out-coupling diffractive optical element (20).

Abstract: An apparatus including an internal optical projection element configured to project light internally towards an eye of a user of the apparatus; an external optical projection element configured to project light externally away from an eye of the user of the apparatus; and one or more optical engines configured to provide light to the internal optical projection element and the external optical projection element. The apparatus preferably further includes a light guide with diffractive in and out-coupling elements and is configured as a head mounted display.

Abstract: According to various but not necessarily all embodiments of the invention, there is provided an apparatus including an optical engine configured to provide one or more light beams, a camera, a waveguide configured to guide the one or more light beams wherein the waveguide includes a diffractive in-coupling grating and at least one diffractive out-coupling, wherein the at least one out-coupling grating is configured to out-couple the one or more light beams towards an eye of a user and towards the camera.

Abstract: Certain examples of the present invention relate to an apparatus, method, computer program and system for use in gaze dependent foveated rendering. Certain examples provide an apparatus including at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code; the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform adapting a gaze dependent foveated rendering process in response to a determination of a sub-optimal operational condition of the gaze dependent foveated rendering process.

Abstract: An apparatus including a first display for a user's first eye; a first motion sensor and/or a first externally facing image capture device configured to capture at least a first image of a user's real world point of view; a second display for a user's second eye; a second motion sensor and/or a second externally facing image capture device configured to capture at least a second image of a user's real world scene; and a controller configured to: receive at4east a first signal from: the first motion sensor and/or the first image capture device, receive at-least a second signal from: the second motion sensor and/or the second image capture device, determine, based on the first and second signals, a change in orientation of the first display with respect to the second display, and control display of first content on the first display in dependence on the determined change in orientation.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing gaze tracking in a near-eye display. Certain examples provide an apparatus including a light modulator configured to receive light of a first range of wavelengths and generate an image beam therefrom. The light modulator is further configured to receive light of a second range of wavelengths and generate a probe beam therefrom. The apparatus also includes one or more light guides including one or more in-coupling element areas, and one or more out-coupling element areas. The one or more in-coupling diffractive element areas are configured to receive and in-couple the image beam and the probe beam into the one or more light guides. The one or more out-coupling element areas are configured to out-couple, from the one or more light guides: the image beam to a user's eye for user viewing, and the probe beam to the user's eye for detection of reflection therefrom.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing gaze tracking in a near-eye display. Certain examples provide an apparatus including a light modulator configured to receive light of a first range of wavelengths and generate an image beam therefrom. The light modulator is further configured to receive light of a second range of wavelengths and generate a probe beam therefrom. The apparatus also includes one or more light guides including one or more in-coupling element areas, and one or more out-coupling element areas. The one or more in-coupling element areas are configured to receive and in-couple the image beam and the probe beam into the one or more light guides. The one or more out-coupling element areas are configured to out-couple, from the one or more light guides: the image beam to a user's eye for user viewing, and the probe beam to the user's eye for detection of reflection therefrom.

Abstract: An apparatus has a display comprising including a plurality of pixels; and control circuitry configured to selectively control transparency states of the plurality of pixels of the display. The control circuitry comprises includes a multiplicity of cells. A transparency state of one or more pixels is controlled by a state of an associated cell. A cell is configured to provide a propagation signal dependent upon a state of that cell to physically adjacent cells and is configured to receive propagation signals provided by physically adjacent cells.

Abstract: The apparatus including an optical arrangement including at least one light guide wherein the at least one light guide is configured to propagate a beam of light from an image source towards a user's eye to direct the beam of light to a location proximate to the user's eye. The apparatus also including absorptive material positioned within the optical arrangement so as to absorb light having a first wavelength from the optical arrangement and re-emit light having a second wavelength where the second wavelength is different to the first wavelength.

Abstract: A method including forming a substrate to form a template which includes areas of high relief and areas of low relief; and forming a high refractive index diffraction grating in the template by adding high refractive index material to the template to form a continuous low relief surface The high refractive index material fills the areas of low relief and covers the areas of high relief of the template to form a high refractive index diffraction grating. The high refractive index diffraction grating includes the high refractive index material configured to have a low relief side corresponding to the continuous low relief surface and configured by the template to have a periodic side including areas of high relief and areas of low relief which periodically alternate in the first direction with the first periodicity and are interconnected by the high refractive index material.

Abstract: An apparatus including a light source, a first display, a first polarizing beam splitter having a first light input surface, a first light input transmission surface, a first display interface surface, and a first display projection surface, a second display, a second polarizing beam splitter having a second light input surface, a second display interface surface, and a second display projection surface, and a retarder that is positioned between the first light input transmission surface and the second light input surface is disclosed.

Abstract: A method including forming a substrate to form a template which includes areas of high relief and areas of low relief; and forming a high refractive index diffraction grating in the template by adding high refractive index material to the template to form a continuous low relief surface. The high refractive index material fills the areas of low relief and covers the areas of high relief of the template to form a high refractive index diffraction grating. The high refractive index diffraction grating includes the high refractive index material configured to have a low relief side corresponding to the continuous low relief surface and configured by the template to have a periodic side including areas of high relief and areas of low relief which periodically alternate in the first direction with the first periodicity and are interconnected by the high refractive index material.

Abstract: A method is disclosed, comprising providing video data representing a plurality of frames of virtual reality content captured by a camera. A further step comprises determining a reference depth or object within the content. A further step comprises adjusting the position of content in one or more frames, based on the reference depth or object, to compensate for the movement of the camera during capture.