Remote optical engine for virtual reality or augmented reality headsets
A virtual reality/augmented reality (VR/AR) headset system (including the capability for one or both of virtual reality and augmented reality) includes a remote optical engine. The remote disposition of the optical engine removes many or all of the components of the VR/AR headset system that add weight, heat, and other characteristics that can add to user discomfort in using the system from the headset. An electronic image is received and/or generated remotely at the optical engine and is transmitted optically from the remote location to the headset to be viewed by the user. One or more optical waveguides may be used to transmit the electronic image to one or more passive displays of the headset, from the remote optical engine.
1. A system, comprising:
a head-mountable frame configured to be worn by a user to view an electronically generated image at a viewing area of the frame;
an image processing unit disposed remote from the frame and arranged to receive and to process an electrical image signal and to generate a processed electrical image signal;
an optical engine electrically coupled to the image processing unit and electrically decoupled from the viewing area, the optical engine arranged to receive the processed electrical image signal and to generate an optical image;
a rigid optical waveguide integral to or coupled to the frame and optically coupled to the viewing area at a first end of the rigid optical waveguide, the rigid optical waveguide arranged to project the entire optical image onto the viewing area of the frame; and
an optical waveguide coupled at a first end of the optical waveguide to a second end of the rigid optical waveguide of the frame and coupled at a second end of the optical waveguide to the optical engine, the optical waveguide and the rigid optical waveguide arranged to optically deliver the entire optical image from the optical engine to the viewing area of the frame for viewing by the user without the use of electrical or data signals at the viewing area.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the image processing unit is electrically decoupled from the frame.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the optical engine is disposed on the frame, remote from the viewing area.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein remote is defined as greater than or equal to 5 cm.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the optical engine is electrically coupled to the image processing unit via a wireless connection.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the optical waveguide comprises at least two waveguide segments releasably joined together by at least one adjustable joining piece.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first end of the optical waveguide is releasably connected to the second end of the rigid optical waveguide using at least one adjustable joining piece between the optical waveguide and the rigid optical waveguide.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the optical waveguide is a first optical waveguide, and further comprising a second optical waveguide coupled at a first end of the second optical waveguide to the frame and coupled at a second end of the second optical waveguide to the optical engine, the first optical waveguide arranged to deliver a first part of a stereoscopic optical image to a first part of the viewing area of the frame and the second optical waveguide arranged to deliver a second part of the stereoscopic optical image to a second part of the viewing area of the frame.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the rigid optical waveguide is a first rigid optical waveguide and the viewing area is a first portion of the viewing area, and further comprising a second rigid optical waveguide integral to or coupled to the frame, opposite the first rigid optical waveguide, the second rigid optical waveguide coupled to a second portion of the viewing area at a first end of the second rigid optical waveguide and coupled to the optical waveguide at a second end of the second rigid optical waveguide, the second rigid optical waveguide arranged to deliver project the entire optical image to the second portion of the viewing area of the frame.
10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a first divergent lens at the first end of the first rigid optical waveguide and a second divergent lens at the first end of the second rigid optical waveguide, the first and second divergent lenses arranged to project the optical image onto an inside surface of the viewing area.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the viewing area comprises a mirrored waveguide coupled at the first end of the first and second rigid optical waveguides, and wherein a bending mirror or reflector is disposed at the first end of the optical waveguide and arranged to insert the optical image from the first and second rigid optical waveguides into the mirrored waveguide to deliver the optical image to multiple partial mirrors within the mirrored waveguide.
12. A system, comprising:
a head-mountable frame configured to be worn by a user to view an electronically generated image at a viewing area of the frame;
an image processing unit disposed remote from the frame and arranged to receive and to process an electrical image signal and to generate a processed electrical image signal;
an optical engine electrically coupled to the image processing unit and electrically decoupled from the viewing area, the optical engine arranged to receive the processed electrical image signal and to generate an optical image;
an optical waveguide coupled at a first end of the optical waveguide to the frame and coupled at a second end of the optical waveguide to the optical engine, the optical waveguide arranged to optically deliver the entire optical image from the optical engine to the viewing area of the frame for viewing by the user without electrical or data signals at the viewing area; and
a rigid optical waveguide integral to or coupled to the frame, the rigid optical waveguide optically coupled to the viewing area at a first end of the rigid optical waveguide and connected to the optical waveguide at a second end of the rigid optical waveguide, the rigid optical waveguide arranged to receive the entire optical image from the optical waveguide and to project the entire optical image onto the viewing area of the frame.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first end of the optical waveguide is releasably connected to the second end of the rigid optical waveguide using at least one adjustable joining piece between the optical waveguide and the rigid optical waveguide.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the image processing unit is electrically decoupled from the frame.
15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the optical engine is disposed on the frame, at least 5 cm from the viewing area.
16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the optical engine is electrically coupled to the image processing unit via a wireless connection.
17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the optical waveguide comprises two or more waveguide segments releasably joined together, with at least one adjustable joining piece between joined segments.
18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the optical waveguide comprises one or more flexible optical cables arranged to simultaneously deliver multiple different optical images superimposed in a field of view of the user that have different focal distances from a point of view of the user.
19. A method, comprising:
providing a head-mountable frame configured to be worn by a user to view an electronically generated image at a viewing area of the frame;
providing an image processing unit disposed remote from the frame and arranged to receive and to process an electrical image signal and to generate a processed electrical image signal;
providing an optical engine electrically coupled to the image processing unit and electrically decoupled from the viewing area, the optical engine arranged to receive the processed electrical image signal and to generate an optical image;
providing an optical waveguide coupled at a first end of the optical waveguide to the frame and coupled at a second end of the optical waveguide to the optical engine, the optical waveguide arranged to optically deliver the entire optical image from the optical engine to the viewing area of the frame for viewing by the user without electrical or data signals at the viewing area; and
providing a rigid optical waveguide at the frame, integral to or coupled to the frame, the rigid optical waveguide optically coupled to the viewing area at a first end of the rigid optical waveguide and releasably joined to the optical waveguide at a second end of the rigid optical waveguide via at least one adjustable joining piece, the rigid optical waveguide arranged to receive the entire optical image from the optical waveguide and to project the entire optical image onto the viewing area of the frame.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the rigid optical waveguide is a first rigid optical waveguide, and further comprising providing a second rigid optical waveguide at the frame, integral to or coupled to the frame, the optical waveguide being coupled to the first and second rigid optical waveguides and the first and second rigid optical waveguides being optically coupled to separate portions of the viewing area of the frame.