WAVEGUIDE ASSEMBLY TO DISPLAY IMAGES AT MULTIPLE FOCAL PLANES
Configurations are disclosed for presenting virtual reality and augmented reality experiences to users. The system may comprise an image-generating source to provide one or more frames of image data in a time-sequential manner, a light modulator configured to transmit light associated with the one or more frames of image data, a substrate to direct image information to a user's eye, wherein the substrate houses a plurality of reflectors, a first reflector of the plurality of reflectors to reflect transmitted light associated with a first frame of image data at a first angle to the user's eye, and a second reflector to reflect transmitted light associated with a second frame of the image data at a second angle to the user's eye.
1 . A system for displaying virtual content to a user, comprising:
an image-generating source to provide one or more frames of image data in a time-sequential manner;
a light modulator to project light associated with the one or more frames of image data;
a waveguide assembly to receiving the projected light and deliver the light towards the user's eye, wherein the waveguide assembly comprises at least a first waveguide component configurable to modify light associated with a first frame of the image data such the light is perceived as coming from a first focal plane, and a second waveguide component configurable to modify light associated with a second frame of the image data such that the light is perceived as coming from a second focal plane, and wherein the first waveguide component and second waveguide component are stacked along a z-axis in front of the user's eye.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a waveguide component of the waveguide assembly comprises a waveguide to distribute the projected light across the length of the waveguide, and a lens to modify the light in a manner such that a wavefront curvature is created, wherein the created wavefront curvature corresponds to a focal plane when viewed by the user.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a waveguide component of the waveguide assembly comprises a diffractive optical element (DOE)
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the DOE is switchable between an on and off state.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a waveguide component of the waveguide assembly comprises a refractive lens.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a waveguide component of the waveguide assembly comprises a Fresnel zone plate.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a waveguide component of the waveguide assembly comprises a substrate guided optics (SGO) element.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the waveguide is switchable between an on and off state.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the waveguide is a static.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first frame of image data and second frame of image data are delivered to the user's eye simultaneously.
11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first frame of image data and second frame of image data are delivered to the user's eye sequentially.
12 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of angled reflectors to deliver light to the user's eye, wherein the first waveguide component and the second waveguide component direct light to the one or more angled reflectors.
13 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a beam distribution waveguide optic, the beam distribution waveguide coupled to the waveguide assembly, wherein the beam distribution waveguide optic is configurable to spread the projected light across the waveguide assembly, such that a light ray injected into the beam distributed waveguide optic is cloned and injected into waveguide components of the waveguide assembly.
14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a waveguide component of the waveguide assembly comprises a reflector configurable to reflect the projected light at a desired angle toward the user's eye.
15 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first waveguide component comprises a first reflector configured to reflect the projected light at a first angle, and wherein the second waveguide component comprises a second reflector to reflect the projected light at a second angle.
16 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first reflector is staggered in relation to the second reflector, thereby expanding a field of view of the image as viewed by the user.
17 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the reflectors of the waveguide components are positioned in a manner to form a continuous curved reflection surface across the waveguide assembly.
18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the continuous curved reflection surface comprises a parabolic curve.
19 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the continuous curved reflection surface comprises an elliptical curve.