IP Library Granted Patent US 10,881,287
Granted Patent B1
US 10,881,287 · App. 16/041,634 · Granted Jan 5, 2021

Multi-element prescription lenses with eye-tracking

Inventors: Andrew John Ouderkirk (Redmond, WA); Karol Constantine Hatzilias (San Francisco, CA); Katherine Marie Smyth (Seattle, WA); Robin Sharma (Redmond, WA)
Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
A61B3/0008A61B3/0033A61B3/0075A61B3/103G02B27/0025A61B3/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,881,287
App. No.
16/041,634
Granted
Jan 5, 2021
Kind
B1
Abstract

The disclosed embodiments are generally directed to optical systems. The optical systems may include a proximal lens that may transmit light toward an eye of a user. The optical systems may also include a distal lens that may, in combination with the proximal lens, correct for at least a portion of a refractive error of the eye of the user. The optical systems may further include a selective transmission interface. The selective transmission interface may couple the proximal lens to the distal lens, transmits light having a selected property, and does not transmit light that does not have the selected property. The optical system can also include an accommodative lens, such as a liquid lens. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Claims (56)

1. An optical system comprising:

a proximal lens configured to transmit light toward an eye of a user;

a distal lens configured to, in combination with the proximal lens, correct for at least a portion of a refractive error of the eye of the user;

a sensor; and

a selective transmission interface that:

couples the proximal lens to the distal lens;

transmits light having a selected property; and

does not transmit light that does not have the selected property, wherein

the selected property comprises a passband range of wavelengths that comprise at least a portion of a visible spectrum of light;

the selective transmission interface transmits light within the passband range;

the selective transmission interface is at least partially non-transmissive outside the passband range; and

the selective transmission interface is configured to reflect at least a portion of an infrared spectrum of light such that infrared light reflected from the eye of the user is diverted toward the sensor.

2. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein:

the selected property comprises a passband range of wavelengths;

the selective transmission interface transmits light within the passband range; and

the selective transmission interface is at least partially non-transmissive outside the passband range.

3. The optical system of claim 1 , further comprising an eye-tracking subsystem programmed to use an output of the sensor to track movement of the eye of the user.

4. The optical system of claim 3 , wherein the eye-tracking subsystem is programmed to:

track a gaze direction of both a right eye of the user and a left eye of the user; and

calculate, based on the gaze directions of the right and left eyes of the user, a depth at which the right and left eyes of the user are focused.

5. The optical system of claim 4 , wherein:

the distal lens comprises an accommodative lens; and

the eye-tracking subsystem is programmed to trigger a change in an optical power of the accommodative lens based on the depth at which the right and left eyes are focused.

6. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein:

the selected property comprises a polarization state of electromagnetic radiation; and

the selective transmission interface comprises a reflective polarizer configured to transmit light having a first polarization state and to reflect or absorb light having a second polarization state that is different than the first polarization state.

7. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein:

at least one of the distal lens and the proximal lens comprises a liquid lens; and

the selective transmission interface comprises a backplane of the liquid lens.

8. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the selective transmission interface comprises a hot-mirror coating.

9. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the selective transmission interface comprises an optical substrate having a plurality of concentric facets.

10. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the proximal and distal lenses are configured as a doublet lens that reduces at least one of:

a chromatic aberration caused by the proximal lens; and

a chromatic aberration caused by the distal lens.

11. The optical system of claim 1 , further comprising an eyewear frame dimensioned to secure the proximal lens, the distal lens, and the selective transmission interface in front of the eye of the user.

12. The optical system of claim 1 , further comprising a head-worn display configured to transmit images through the distal lens, the selective transmission interface, and the proximal lens to the eye of the user.

13. The optical system of claim 12 , wherein the proximal and distal lenses are configured as a doublet lens that reduces a chromatic aberration of the display.

14. A method comprising:

receiving, from an optical sensor, information about light reflected off an eye of a user, wherein the light is directed to the optical sensor by a doublet lens comprising:

a proximal lens configured to transmit light toward an eye of a user;

a distal lens that is configured to, in combination with the proximal lens, correct for at least a portion of a refractive error of the eye of the user; and

a selective transmission interface that:

couples the proximal lens to the distal lens;

transmits light within a passband range of wavelengths that comprise at least a portion of a visible spectrum of light; and

is at least partially non-transmissive outside the passband range;

detecting, based on the information about the light reflected off the eye of the user, a gaze of the user; and

in response to detecting the gaze of the user, changing a state of an optical system worn by the user, wherein the optical system comprises the optical sensor and the doublet lens, wherein the selective transmission interface is configured to reflect at least a portion of an infrared spectrum of light such that infrared light reflected from the eye of the user is diverted toward the sensor.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein changing the state of the optical system comprises at least one of:

modifying a focal length of a display; and

changing a focus of an accommodative lens.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein detecting the gaze of the user comprises:

tracking a gaze direction of both a right eye of the user and a left eye of the user; and

calculating, based on the gaze directions of the right and left eyes of the user, a depth at which the right and left eyes of the user are focused.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein:

at least one of the proximal and distal lenses comprise an adjustable lens; and

changing the state of the optical system comprises triggering an actuator to modify an optical property of the adjustable lens by deforming the adjustable lens.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 26, 2022
From: FACEBOOK TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
To: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 060199/0876 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2019
From: OUDERKIRK, ANDREW JOHN; HATZILIAS, KAROL; SMYTH, KATHERINE MARIE; SHARMA, ROBIN
To: OCULUS VR, LLC
Reel/Frame 048166/0987 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 20, 2018
From: OCULUS VR, LLC
To: FACEBOOK TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 047112/0836 →
Cited By (5)
US 12,422,682 US 12,455,443 US 12,455,451 US 12,591,147 US 12,693,533