Patents by Inventor Victor Kai LIU

Victor Kai LIU 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).

  • Publication number: 20250093581
    Abstract: An eyepiece for an augmented reality display system. The eyepiece can include a waveguide substrate. The waveguide substrate can include an input coupler grating (ICG), an orthogonal pupil expander (OPE) grating, a spreader grating, and an exit pupil expander (EPE) grating. The ICG can couple at least one input light beam into at least a first guided light beam that propagates inside the waveguide substrate. The OPE grating can divide the first guided light beam into a plurality of parallel, spaced-apart light beams. The spreader grating can receive the light beams from the OPE grating and spread their distribution. The spreader grating can include diffractive features oriented at approximately 90° to diffractive features of the OPE grating. The EPE grating can re-direct the light beams from the first OPE grating and the first spreader grating such that they exit the waveguide substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2024
    Publication date: March 20, 2025
    Inventors: Michael Anthony Klug, Robert Dale Tekolste, William Hudson Welch, Eric Browy, Victor Kai Liu, Samarth Bhargava
  • Publication number: 20250085553
    Abstract: Display devices include waveguides with in-coupling optical elements that mitigate re-bounce of in-coupled light to improve in-coupling efficiency and/or uniformity. A waveguide receives light from a light source and includes an in-coupling optical element that in-couples the received light to propagate by total internal reflection within the waveguide. The in-coupled light may undergo re-bounce, in which the light reflects off a waveguide surface and, after the reflection, strikes the in-coupling optical element. Upon striking the in-coupling optical element, the light may be partially absorbed and/or out-coupled by the optical element, thereby reducing the amount of in-coupled light propagating through the waveguide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2024
    Publication date: March 13, 2025
    Inventors: Jeffrey Dean SCHMULEN, Neal Paul RICKS, Samarth BHARGAVA, Kevin MESSER, Victor Kai LIU, Matthew Grant DIXON, Xiaopei DENG, Marlon Edward MENEZES, Shuqiang YANG, Vikramjit SINGH, Kang LUO, Frank Y. XU
  • Publication number: 20250076658
    Abstract: An eyepiece waveguide for an augmented reality display system may include an optically transmissive substrate, an input coupling grating (ICG) region, a multi-directional pupil expander (MPE) region, and an exit pupil expander (EPE) region. The ICG region may receive an input beam of light and couple the input beam into the substrate as a guided beam. The MPE region may include a plurality of diffractive features which exhibit periodicity along at least a first axis of periodicity and a second axis of periodicity. The MPE region may be positioned to receive the guided beam from the ICG region and to diffract it in a plurality of directions to create a plurality of diffracted beams. The EPE region may overlap the MPE region and may out couple one or more of the diffracted beams from the optically transmissive substrate as output beams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2024
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Inventors: Samarth Bhargava, Victor Kai Liu, Kevin Messer
  • Patent number: 12242066
    Abstract: A method of operating an eyepiece waveguide includes directing light from a projector to impinge on an incoupling grating (ICG). The method also includes diffracting a first fraction of the light from the projector into a first portion of the eyepiece waveguide, propagating the first fraction of the light into a second portion of the eyepiece waveguide, and diffracting the first fraction of the light out of the eyepiece waveguide. The method further includes diffracting a second fraction of the light from the projector into the second portion of the eyepiece waveguide, propagating the second fraction of the light into the first portion of the eyepiece waveguide, and diffracting the second fraction out of the eyepiece waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian T. Schowengerdt, Mathew D. Watson, Brandon Michael-James Born, Samarth Bhargava, Victor Kai Liu
  • Patent number: 12235474
    Abstract: A method of operating a dynamic eyepiece in an augmented reality headset includes producing first virtual content associated with a first depth plane, coupling the first virtual content into the dynamic eyepiece, and projecting the first virtual content through one or more waveguide layers of the dynamic eyepiece to an eye of a viewer. The one or more waveguide layers are characterized by a first surface profile. The method also includes modifying the one or more waveguide layers to be characterized by a second surface profile different from the first surface profile, producing second virtual content associated with a second depth plane, coupling the second virtual content into the dynamic eyepiece, and projecting the second virtual content through the one or more waveguide layers of the dynamic eyepiece to the eye of the viewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Chieh Chang, Victor Kai Liu, Samarth Bhargava, Ling Li, Sharad D. Bhagat, Christophe Peroz, Jason Donald Mareno
  • Patent number: 12216311
    Abstract: An eyepiece for an augmented reality display system. The eyepiece can include a waveguide substrate. The waveguide substrate can include an input coupler grating (ICG), an orthogonal pupil expander (OPE) grating, a spreader grating, and an exit pupil expander (EPE) grating. The ICG can couple at least one input light beam into at least a first guided light beam that propagates inside the waveguide substrate. The OPE grating can divide the first guided light beam into a plurality of parallel, spaced-apart light beams. The spreader grating can receive the light beams from the OPE grating and spread their distribution. The spreader grating can include diffractive features oriented at approximately 90° to diffractive features of the OPE grating. The EPE grating can re-direct the light beams from the first OPE grating and the first spreader grating such that they exit the waveguide substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Anthony Klug, Robert Dale Tekolste, William Hudson Welch, Eric Browy, Victor Kai Liu, Samarth Bhargava
  • Publication number: 20250028115
    Abstract: An augmented reality device includes a projector, projector optics optically coupled to the projector, and a substrate structure including a substrate having an incident surface and an opposing exit surface and a first variable thickness film coupled to the incident surface. The substrate structure can also include a first combined pupil expander coupled to the first variable thickness film, a second variable thickness film coupled to the opposing exit surface, an incoupling grating coupled to the opposing exit surface, and a second combined pupil expander coupled to the opposing exit surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2024
    Publication date: January 23, 2025
    Applicant: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Tekolste, Ryan Jason Ong, Victor Kai Liu, Samarth Bhargava, Christophe Peroz, Vikramjit Singh, Marlon Edward Menezes, Shuqiang Yang, Frank Y. Xu
  • Patent number: 12181679
    Abstract: Display devices include waveguides with in-coupling optical elements that mitigate re-bounce of in-coupled light to improve overall in-coupling efficiency and/or uniformity. A waveguide receives light from a light source and/or projection optics and includes an in-coupling optical element that in-couples the received light to propagate by total internal reflection in a propagation direction within the waveguide. Once in-coupled into the waveguide the light may undergo re-bounce, in which the light reflects off a waveguide surface and, after the reflection, strikes the in-coupling optical element. Upon striking the in-coupling optical element, the light may be partially absorbed and/or out-coupled by the optical element, thereby effectively reducing the amount of in-coupled light propagating through the waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Dean Schmulen, Neal Paul Ricks, Samarth Bhargava, Kevin Messer, Victor Kai Liu, Matthew Grant Dixon, Xiaopei Deng, Marlon Edward Menezes, Shuqiang Yang, Vikramjit Singh, Kang Luo, Frank Y. Xu
  • Patent number: 12181682
    Abstract: An eyepiece waveguide for an augmented reality display system may include an optically transmissive substrate, an input coupling grating (ICG) region, a multi-directional pupil expander (MPE) region, and an exit pupil expander (EPE) region. The ICG region may receive an input beam of light and couple the input beam into the substrate as a guided beam. The MPE region may include a plurality of diffractive features which exhibit periodicity along at least a first axis of periodicity and a second axis of periodicity. The MPE region may be positioned to receive the guided beam from the ICG region and to diffract it in a plurality of directions to create a plurality of diffracted beams. The EPE region may overlap the MPE region and may out couple one or more of the diffracted beams from the optically transmissive substrate as output beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2024
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Samarth Bhargava, Victor Kai Liu, Kevin Messer
  • Publication number: 20240427154
    Abstract: A display system includes a waveguide assembly having a plurality of waveguides, each waveguide associated with an in-coupling optical element configured to in-couple light into the associated waveguide. A projector outputs light from one or more spatially-separated pupils, and at least one of the pupils outputs light of two different ranges of wavelengths. The in-coupling optical elements for two or more waveguides are inline, e.g. vertically aligned, with each other so that the in-coupling optical elements are in the path of light of the two different ranges of wavelengths. The in-coupling optical element of a first waveguide selectively in-couples light of one range of wavelengths into the waveguide, while the in-coupling optical element of a second waveguide selectively in-couples light of another range of wavelengths. Absorptive color filters are provided forward of an in-coupling optical element to limit the propagation of undesired wavelengths of light to that in-coupling optical element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2024
    Publication date: December 26, 2024
    Inventors: Mohammadreza KHORASANINEJAD, Victor Kai Liu, Dianmin LIN, Christophe Peroz, Pierre St. Hilaire
  • Publication number: 20240418928
    Abstract: The disclosure describes an improved drop-on-demand, controlled volume technique for dispensing resist onto a substrate, which is then imprinted to create a patterned optical device suitable for use in optical applications such as augmented reality and/or mixed reality systems. The technique enables the dispensation of drops of resist at precise locations on the substrate, with precisely controlled drop volume corresponding to an imprint template having different zones associated with different total resist volumes. Controlled drop size and placement also provides for substantially less variation in residual layer thickness across the surface of the substrate after imprinting, compared to previously available techniques. The technique employs resist having a refractive index closer to that of the substrate index, reducing optical artifacts in the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2023
    Publication date: December 19, 2024
    Inventors: Matthew C Traub, Yingnan Liu, Vikramjit Singh, Frank Y. Xu, Robert D. Tekolste, Qizhen Xue, Samarth Bhargava, Victor Kai Liu, Brandon Michael-James Born, Kevin Messer
  • Patent number: 12105289
    Abstract: A display system includes a waveguide assembly having a plurality of waveguides, each waveguide associated with an in-coupling optical element configured to in-couple light into the associated waveguide. A projector outputs light from one or more spatially-separated pupils, and at least one of the pupils outputs light of two different ranges of wavelengths. The in-coupling optical elements for two or more waveguides are inline, e.g. vertically aligned, with each other so that the in-coupling optical elements are in the path of light of the two different ranges of wavelengths. The in-coupling optical element of a first waveguide selectively in-couples light of one range of wavelengths into the waveguide, while the in-coupling optical element of a second waveguide selectively in-couples light of another range of wavelengths. Absorptive color filters are provided forward of an in-coupling optical element to limit the propagation of undesired wavelengths of light to that in-coupling optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohammadreza Khorasaninejad, Victor Kai Liu, Dianmin Lin, Christophe Peroz, Pierre St. Hilaire
  • Publication number: 20240302663
    Abstract: An eyepiece for a head-mounted display includes one or more first waveguides arranged to receive light from a spatial light modulator at a first edge, guide at least some of the received light to a second edge opposite the first edge, and extract at least some of the light through a face of the one or more first waveguides between the first and second edges. The eyepiece also includes a second waveguide positioned to receive light exiting the one or more first waveguides at the second edge and guide the received light to one or more light absorbers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2024
    Publication date: September 12, 2024
    Inventors: Fahri YARAS, Eric C. Browy, Victor Kai Liu, Samarth Bhargava, Vikramjit Singh, Michal Beau Dennison Vaughn, Joseph Christopher Sawicki
  • Publication number: 20240231111
    Abstract: An eyepiece waveguide for an augmented reality display system may include an optically transmissive substrate, an input coupling grating (ICG) region, a multi-directional pupil expander (MPE) region, and an exit pupil expander (EPE) region. The ICG region may receive an input beam of light and couple the input beam into the substrate as a guided beam. The MPE region may include a plurality of diffractive features which exhibit periodicity along at least a first axis of periodicity and a second axis of periodicity. The MPE region may be positioned to receive the guided beam from the ICG region and to diffract it in a plurality of directions to create a plurality of diffracted beams. The EPE region may overlap the MPE region and may out couple one or more of the diffracted beams from the optically transmissive substrate as output beams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2024
    Publication date: July 11, 2024
    Inventors: Samarth Bhargava, Victor Kai Liu, Kevin Messer
  • Patent number: 12025802
    Abstract: An eyepiece for a head-mounted display includes one or more first waveguides arranged to receive light from a spatial light modulator at a first edge, guide at least some of the received light to a second edge opposite the first edge, and extract at least some of the light through a face of the one or more first waveguides between the first and second edges. The eyepiece also includes a second waveguide positioned to receive light exiting the one or more first waveguides at the second edge and guide the received light to one or more light absorbers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Fahri Yaras, Eric C. Browy, Victor Kai Liu, Samarth Bhargava, Vikramjit Singh, Michal Beau Dennison Vaughn, Joseph Christopher Sawicki
  • Publication number: 20240201503
    Abstract: An example waveguide can include a polymer layer having substantially optically transparent material with first and second major surfaces configured such that light containing image information can propagate through the polymer layer being guided therein by reflecting from the first and second major surfaces via total internal reflection. The first surface can include first smaller and second larger surface portions monolithically integrated with the polymer layer and with each other. The first smaller surface portion can include at least a part of an in-coupling optical element configured to couple light incident on the in-coupling optical element into the polymer layer for propagation therethrough by reflection from the second major surface and the second larger surface portion of the first major surface. The waveguide can include a tilted surface portion forming at least part of an in-coupling optical element, the tilted surface portion having curvature to provide optical power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2024
    Publication date: June 20, 2024
    Inventors: Christophe PEROZ, Victor Kai LIU, Samarth BHARGAVA
  • Publication number: 20240192481
    Abstract: Eyepieces and methods of fabricating the eyepieces are disclosed. In some embodiments, the eyepiece comprises a curved cover layer and a waveguide layer for propagating light. In some embodiments, the curved cover layer comprises an antireflective feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2022
    Publication date: June 13, 2024
    Inventors: Ryan Jason ONG, Ling LI, Chieh CHANG, Sharad D. BHAGAT, Christophe PEROZ, Victor Kai LIU, Samarth BHARAGAVA, Mauro MELLI, Melanie Maputol WEST
  • Publication number: 20240159956
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a head-mounted, near-eye display system comprises a stack of waveguides having integral spacers separating the waveguides. The waveguides may each include diffractive optical elements that are formed simultaneously with the spacers by imprinting. The spacers are disposed on one major surface of each of the waveguides and indentations are provided on an opposite major surface of each of the waveguides. The indentations are sized and positioned to align with the spacers, thereby forming a self-aligned stack of waveguides. Tops of the spacers may be provided with light scattering features, anti-reflective coatings, and/or light absorbing adhesive to prevent light leakage between the waveguides. As seen in a top-down view, the spacers may be elongated along the same axis as the diffractive optical elements. The waveguides may include structures (e.g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2023
    Publication date: May 16, 2024
    Inventors: Christophe Peroz, Chieh Chang, Sharad D. Bhagat, Victor Kai Liu, Roy Matthew Patterson, David Carl Jurbergs, Mohammadreza Khorasaninejad, Ling Li, Michael Nevin Miller, Charles Scott Carden
  • Patent number: 11977233
    Abstract: An eyepiece waveguide for an augmented reality display system may include an optically transmissive substrate, an input coupling grating (ICG) region, a multi-directional pupil expander (MPE) region, and an exit pupil expander (EPE) region. The ICG region may receive an input beam of light and couple the input beam into the substrate as a guided beam. The MPE region may include a plurality of diffractive features which exhibit periodicity along at least a first axis of periodicity and a second axis of periodicity. The MPE region may be positioned to receive the guided beam from the ICG region and to diffract it in a plurality of directions to create a plurality of diffracted beams. The EPE region may overlap the MPE region and may out couple one or more of the diffracted beams from the optically transmissive substrate as output beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Samarth Bhargava, Victor Kai Liu, Kevin Messer
  • Patent number: 11947121
    Abstract: An example waveguide can include a polymer layer having substantially optically transparent material with first and second major surfaces configured such that light containing image information can propagate through the polymer layer being guided therein by reflecting from the first and second major surfaces via total internal reflection. The first surface can include first smaller and second larger surface portions monolithically integrated with the polymer layer and with each other. The first smaller surface portion can include at least a part of an in-coupling optical element configured to couple light incident on the in-coupling optical element into the polymer layer for propagation therethrough by reflection from the second major surface and the second larger surface portion of the first major surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Christophe Peroz, Victor Kai Liu, Samarth Bhargava