Abstract: A polarization volume hologram (PVH) lens includes a PVH layer having a freeform design. The PVH layer includes a first region and a second region having different optical properties.

Abstract: A head-mounted device (HMD) contains a display, an optics block, a redirection structure, and an eye tracking system. The display is configured to emit image light and provide it to an eye of a user. The optics block is configured to direct the emitted light in order to allow it to reach the eye. The eye tracking system contains a camera, an illumination source, and a controller. The camera is configured to capture image data using infrared light reflected from the eye. The controller is configured to use this image data to determine eye tracking information. The illumination source is configured to illuminate the eye with infrared light for the purpose of taking eye tracking measurements. The redirection structure is configured to direct infrared light reflected from the eye to the eye tracking system. In multiple embodiments, redirection structures may comprise prism arrays, lenses, liquid crystal layers, or grating structures.

Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) includes a pancake lens block, an eye tracking system, and an electronic display. The electronic display is coated with a dichroic film that transmits visible light and reflects infrared light (IR). An IR emitter illuminates an eye of the user, and infrared light is reflected from an eye through the pancake lens block and is incident on the dichroic film. The reflected light is captured by an image capturing element of the eye tracking system that is positioned at a periphery of HMD located off-axis relative to an optical axis of the pancake lens block.

Abstract: A display includes a display pixel array and a light bending assembly. The display pixel array is configured to generate display light. The light bending assembly is disposed over the display pixel array to receive the display light and generate compensated display light. The light bending assembly bends a given ray of the display light based on an incidence position that the given ray of the display light becomes incident upon the light bending assembly.

Abstract: An optical lens assembly and an optical system is provided. The optical lens assembly includes a first optical element including a partial reflector and a quarter-wave plate and a second optical element including a reflective polarizer. The first optical element and the second optical element form a cavity. The pancake lens assembly further includes a varifocal lens having an adjustable optical power, and the varifocal lens is disposed inside or outside the cavity.

Abstract: An optical lens assembly and a head-mounted display (HMD) is provided. The optical lens assembly includes a first optical element including a partial reflector and a quarter-wave plate, a second optical element including a reflective polarizer, and a varifocal lens disposed inside a cavity formed by the first optical element and the second optical element. The varifocal lens is a liquid crystal (LC) lens stack including a plurality of LC lenses. An LC lens of the plurality of the LC lenses has a plurality of optical states including an additive state that adds optical power to the varifocal lens and a subtractive state that removes optical power from the varifocal lens. The plurality of optical states provides a range of adjustment of optical power for the optical lens assembly.

Abstract: An optical lens assembly includes an optical lens and a Pancharatnam Berry Phase (“PBP”) element coupled to the optical lens. The PBP element is configured to provide chromatic aberration correction for the optical lens. An Abbe number of the PBP element and an Abbe number of the optical lens have opposite signs.

Abstract: Described herein is a human eye emulator device that emulates the human eye's responses to light. The human eye emulator device is based on an electro-optical liquid crystal eye model. The human eye emulator device includes a Pancharatnam berry phase (PBP) liquid crystal (LC) lens, a liquid crystal (LC) shutter glass, and a liquid crystal (LC) lens. The PBP LC lens emulates the cornea. The PBP LC lens receives light and refracts the received light. The LC shutter glass emulates the pupil. The LC shutter glass forms a dynamic aperture that transmits a portion of the light refracted by the PBP LC lens. The LC lens emulates the crystalline lens. The LC lens receives the portion of light transmitted by the LC shutter glass and refracts the received portion of light through the LC shutter glass onto an imaging surface.

Abstract: A head-mounted device (HMD) comprises a display element, a Fresnel assembly, an illumination source, and a camera assembly. The display element outputs image light in a first band of light through a display surface. The optics block directs light from the display element to a target region (e.g., includes a portion of a user's face, eyes, etc.). The Fresnel assembly transmits light in the first band and directs light in a second band different than the first band to a first position. The source illuminates the target area with light in the second band. The camera is located in the first position and captures light in the second band corresponding to light reflected from the target area that is then reflected by the Fresnel assembly toward the camera. A controller may use the captured light to determine tracking information for areas of a user's face (e.g., eyes).

Abstract: A multifocal test system is described herein. The system includes a plurality of displays located at different focal distances. Each display includes a plurality of pixels with pixel intensity values. The system includes an eye tracking system that determines eye tracking information about a position of an eye relative to the displays. A controller is configured to determine pixel intensity values based on decomposition of a scene across the plurality of displays, and the position of the eye.

Abstract: The disclosed system may include (1) a light source that generates light for an image, (2) an optical subsystem that (a) receives the generated light from the light source, and (b) generates, based on the received light, converging light defining an exit pupil that includes the image, where the exit pupil is smaller than a pupil of an eye of a viewer, and (3) a control subsystem that controls at least one of the light source or the optical subsystem to reduce aberration of the image that is caused by the eye of the viewer. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: A head-mounted device (HMD) comprises a display element, a Fresnel assembly, an illumination source, and a camera assembly. The display element outputs image light in a first band of light through a display surface. The optics block directs light from the display element to a target region (e.g., includes a portion of a user's face, eyes, etc.). The Fresnel assembly transmits light in the first band and directs light in a second band different than the first band to a first position. The source illuminates the target area with light in the second band. The camera is located in the first position and captures light in the second band corresponding to light reflected from the target area that is then reflected by the Fresnel assembly toward the camera. A controller may use the captured light to determine tracking information for areas of a user's face (e.g., eyes).

Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) presents content for viewing by users. The HMD includes a display element for displaying content to a user wearing the HMD and a detector (e.g., camera) for capturing one or more images of a retina of an eye of the user, where the one or more images are captured while the retina is reflecting light originating from one or more tracking light sources positioned at predetermined locations. The HMD also includes a controller for identifying one or more features of the retina based on the captured one or more images of the retina and for determining one or more optical metrics based in part on the identified one or more features of the retina.

Abstract: Techniques for eye-tracking in a near-eye display system are disclosed. One example of a near-eye display system includes a waveguide-based display substrate that is transparent to visible light and configured to be placed in front of a user's eye. The waveguide-based display substrate includes a first surface area configured to specularly reflect a first portion of invisible light reflected by the user's eye to a camera to form a first image of the user's eye in a first area of an image frame, and a light deflector embedded in the waveguide-based display substrate or formed on a second surface area of the waveguide-based display substrate. The light deflector is configured to direct a second portion of the invisible light reflected by the user's eye to the camera to form a second image of the user's eye in a second area of the image frame.

Abstract: A tunable polarizing beam splitter receives light, reflects a portion of the light that is linearly polarized in a first direction and transmits a second portion of the light that is linearly polarized in a second direction. The first and second polarization directions can be adjusted by controlling the fast axis of switchable liquid crystals (LCs) in the tunable polarizing beam splitter. The tunable polarizing beam splitter may include interlaced isotropic layers and LC birefringent layers, each LC birefringent layer including integrated switchable LCs. In another example, the tunable polarizing beam splitter includes switchable half wave plates (HWPs) with switchable LCs, and a static beam splitter including interlaced isotropic and birefringent layers.

Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) contains an oscillating electronic display, an optics block, a controller, and an optional eye tracking system. The oscillating electronic display vibrates according to instructions in a manner that allows it to correct optical errors, including vergence-accommodation conflict, field curvature, fixed pattern noise, and chromatic aberration. The oscillating electronic display is configured to emit image light by oscillating through different positions along an optical axis. The optics block is configured to direct the emitted image light to an eyebox. The controller is configured to determine and provide instructions to the oscillating electronic display. These instructions include instructions specifying the amplitude and frequency of vibration as well as instructions specifying a plurality of specific sub-pixels on the display surface to activate. The eye tracking system provides eye tracking information to the controller.

Abstract: An eye-tracker for determining a position of the pupil of an eye includes a detector and an optical element. The optical element is configured to receive first light reflected off the eye and reflectively diffract a portion of the first light that has a first polarization toward the detector. The optical element is also configured to transmit second light. The second light includes a second portion of the first light that has a second polarization that is different from the first polarization. A head-mounted display device that includes a display system and the eye-tracker is also disclosed. A method for determining the location of a pupil of an eye is also disclosed herein.

Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying an image across a plurality of displays are described herein. Pixel intensity values in the multifocal display are determined using correlation values and numerical iterations. An eye tracking system measures eye tracking information about a position of a user's eye, and the pixel intensity values are modified based on the eye tracking information. An image is displayed on the plurality of displays based on the determined pixel intensity values. The plurality of displays may be within an HMD, and address vergence accommodation conflict by simulating retinal defocus blur.

Abstract: A head-mounted display includes an electronic display configured to output image light, an optics assembly configured to direct image light in a first band from the electronic display to an eye box, an eye tracking unit configured to generate eye tracking information, and a beamsplitter configured to redirect light in a second band reflected from the eye box toward the eye tracking unit and transmit the image light in the first band. The beamsplitter includes a first region and a second region, and a first portion that joins the first region and the second region is curved such that an angle between the first region and the optical axis is larger than an angle between second region and the optical axis, and the beamsplitter is positioned along the optical axis between the optics assembly and the electronic display.

Abstract: A display includes a display pixel array and a light bending assembly. The display pixel array is configured to generate display light. The light bending assembly is disposed over the display pixel array to receive the display light and generate compensated display light. The light bending assembly bends a given ray of the display light based on an incidence position that the given ray of the display light becomes incident upon the light bending assembly.