See-through computer display systems
View Patent ↗Aspects of the present invention relate to providing see-through computer display optics.
1. A see-through head mounted display with controllable light blocking comprising:
a. an optics module that provides polarized image light in correspondence to a displayed image;
b. a flat combiner to reflect the image light while simultaneously transmitting more than 50% of incident unpolarized light from the environment, along an optical axis that proceeds to the user's eye to provide a view of the displayed image overlaid onto a see-through view of the environment; and
c. a controllable light blocker positioned adjacent to the flat combiner that controllably blocks light from the environment so it is not incident on the combiner.
2. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the optics module includes a reflective liquid crystal image source.
3. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the optics module includes a DLP image source.
4. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the image light proceeds along a multiply folded optical axis in the optics module to provide an optics module with reduced thickness and height.
5. The see-through head mounted display of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the folds of the optical axis occurs in a plane that is perpendicular to the optical axis that proceeds to the user's eye.
6. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the flat combiner is a partial mirror.
7. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the flat combiner is a notch mirror.
8. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1 , further comprising a rear optical element comprising a protective plate or a prescriptive optic.
9. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the controllable light blocker comprises an electrochromic element.
10. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the controllable light blocker comprises a polymer-stabilized liquid crystal element.
11. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the controllable light blocker comprises a ferroelectric liquid crystal element.
12. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the controllable light blocker is attached to the flat combiner.
13. The see-through head mounted display of claim 12 , wherein the attachment is made to the sidewalls of the flat combiner.
14. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the controllable light blocker is adapted to block light in a single area of the flat combiner.
15. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the controllable light blocker comprises separately controllable areas.
16. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the controllable light blocker comprises an array of separately controllable areas.
17. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1 , further comprising, a processor adapted to present the image light to an area of the flat combiner and cause the controllable light blocker to block at least a portion of environment light behind the area of the flat combiner.
18. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the optics module includes an emissive image source.
19. A see-through head mounted display with controllable light blocking comprising:
a. an optics module that provides image light in correspondence to a displayed image;
b. a flat combiner comprising a notch mirror to reflect the image light while simultaneously transmitting more than 50% of incident light from the environment, along an optical axis that proceeds to the user's eye to provide a view of the displayed image overlaid onto a see-through view of the environment; and
c. a controllable light blocker positioned adjacent to the flat combiner that controllably blocks light from the environment so it is not incident on the combiner.
20. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19 , wherein the image light is polarized and the light from the environment is unpolarized.
21. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19 , wherein the optics module includes a reflective liquid crystal image source.
22. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19 , wherein the optics module includes a DLP image source.
23. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19 , wherein the image light proceeds along a multiply folded optical axis in the optics module to provide an optics module with reduced thickness and height.
24. The see-through head mounted display of claim 23 , wherein at least one of the folds of the optical axis occurs in a plane that is perpendicular to the optical axis that proceeds to the user's eye.
25. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19 , wherein the controllable light blocker comprises an electrochromic element.
26. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19 , wherein the controllable light blocker comprises a polymer stabilized liquid crystal element.
27. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19 , wherein the controllable light blocker comprises a ferroelectric liquid crystal element.
28. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19 , wherein the controllable light blocker is attached to the flat combiner.
29. The see-through head mounted display of claim 28 , wherein the attachment is made to the sidewalls of the flat combiner.
30. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19 , wherein the controllable light blocker is adapted to block light in a single area of the flat combiner.
31. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19 , wherein the controllable light blocker comprises separately controllable areas.
32. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19 , wherein the controllable light blocker comprises an array of separately controllable areas.
33. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19 , further comprising, a processor adapted to present the image light to an area of the flat combiner and cause the controllable light blocker to block at least a portion of environment light behind the area of the flat combiner.
34. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19 , wherein the optics module includes an emissive image source.