SEE-THROUGH COMPUTER DISPLAY SYSTEMS
Aspects of the present invention relate to providing see-through computer display with improved optics.
1 . A head-worn display with folded optics for providing a displayed image overlaid onto a see-through view of a surrounding environment, comprising:
a. a combiner that provides a see-through view of a surrounding environment and simultaneously redirects an image light toward a user's eye to provide the overlaid displayed image;
b. a light source that illuminates the user's eye;
c. a camera that captures images of the user's eye comprised of light reflected by the user's eye when the user views the displayed image overlaid onto the see-through view; and
d. wherein the light source provides infrared light and the camera is sensitive to infrared light.
2 . The head-worn display of claim 1 wherein a portion of the combiner includes a hot mirror coating that is reflective to the infrared light and transmissive to visible light.
3 . The head-worn display of claim 2 wherein the camera is positioned to a side of the combiner.
4 . The head-worn display of claim 3 wherein the combiner includes a partial mirror coating that reflects a portion of the image light.
5 . The head-worn display of claim 3 wherein the combiner includes a notch mirror coating that reflects a portion of the image light.
6 . The head-worn display of claim 3 wherein the combiner includes a holographic optical element that reflects a portion of the image light.
7 . The head-worn display of claim 3 wherein the light source is positioned to a side of the combiner.
8 . The head-worn display of claim 1 wherein the combiner includes a waveguide to convey the image light from an image source to a display area.
9 . The head-worn display of claim 8 wherein the waveguide includes an angled partial reflector that redirects a portion of the image light for viewing by the user and also redirects a portion of the light reflected by the user's eye for capture by the camera.
10 . The head-worn display of claim 9 wherein the image light and the light reflected by the user's eye are coaxial.
11 . The head-worn display of claim 10 wherein the waveguide includes a first partial reflector to redirect a portion of the image light along the waveguide while transmitting a portion of the light reflected by the user's eye to the camera and a second partial reflector to redirect a portion of the image light toward the user's eye and also redirect a portion of the light reflected by the user's eye along the waveguide.
12 . The head-worn display of claim 11 wherein the light source is directed along the waveguide and a portion of the light redirected toward the user's eye by the second partial reflector.
13 . The head-worn display of claim 3 wherein the combiner includes a waveguide to convey the image light from an image source to a display area.
14 . The head-worn display of claim 13 wherein the illuminating light is conveyed by the waveguide from the light source to illuminate the user's eye.
15 . The head-worn display of claim 14 wherein the combiner includes a holographic optical element that redirects the image light towards the user's eye.
16 . The head-worn display of claim 2 wherein the coating reflects greater than 80% of the infrared light and transmits greater than 50% of visible light.