IP Library Granted Patent US 12,386,179
Granted Patent B2
US 12,386,179 · App. 17/733,340 · Granted Aug 12, 2025

Optical waveguide system with angle-multiplexing polarization volume grating and electronic device

Inventor: Lingshan Li (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Goertek Inc.
G02B27/0172G02B6/0075G02B6/4213G02B27/286
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,386,179
App. No.
17/733,340
Granted
Aug 12, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An optical waveguide system with angle-multiplexing polarization volume gratings and an electronic device are disclosed. The system comprises: a waveguide; an input coupler coupling a combined image light for a combined image into the waveguide; and an output coupler coupling the combined image light out of the waveguide. The combined image light includes a first image light for a first image and a second image light for a second image, which are combined to form the combined image. The first image light and the second image light have different polarizations. The output coupler includes first and second output polarization volume gratings, which are optimized for different polarizations, respectively, wherein the first output polarization volume grating couples the first image light out of the waveguide, and the second output polarization volume grating couples the second image light out of the waveguide.

Claims (29)

1. An optical waveguide system, comprising

a waveguide;

an input coupler, provided at an input side of the waveguide and coupling a combined image light for a combined image into the waveguide;

an output coupler, provided at an output side of the waveguide and coupling the combined image light out of the waveguide; and

a pupil tracking unit, which determines a pupil position of an eye,

wherein the combined image light includes a first image light for a first image and a second image light for a second image, and the first image and the second image are combined to form the combined image,

wherein the first image light and the second image light have different polarizations,

wherein the output coupler includes a first output polarization volume grating and a second output polarization volume grating, and the first output polarization volume grating and the second output polarization volume grating are optimized for different polarizations, respectively,

wherein the first output polarization volume grating couples the first image light out of the waveguide, and the second output polarization volume grating couples the second image light out of the waveguide,

wherein a position of the second image is adjusted according to the pupil position,

wherein the second output polarization volume grating is an electrically controlled polarization volume grating, and the position of the second image is adjusted by electrically controlling the electrically controlled polarization volume grating.

2. The optical waveguide system according to claim 1 , wherein the input coupler includes:

a first input polarization volume grating; and

a second input polarization volume grating,

wherein the first input polarization volume grating and the second input polarization volume grating are optimized for different polarizations, respectively,

wherein the first input polarization volume grating couples the first image light into the waveguide, and the second input polarization volume grating couples the second image light into the waveguide.

3. The optical waveguide system according to claim 1 , wherein the second image has a higher resolution than that of the first image, and the second image light has a smaller FOV than that of the first image light.

4. The optical waveguide system according to claim 1 , wherein the second image has a pixel location shift of less than one pixel length.

5. The optical waveguide system according to claim 4 , wherein the pixel location shift is 0.5-pixel length.

6. The optical waveguide system according to claim 1 , wherein the second image is a labelled image, including a labelled position for the second image, and

wherein a position of the second image is adjusted according to the labelled position.

7. The optical waveguide system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an optical unit, placed after the output coupler and receiving the combined image light coupled out of the waveguide by the output coupler,

wherein the first image is a far-view image and the second image is a near-view image,

wherein the optical unit focuses the first image light to a negative focal length and focuses the second image light to a positive focal length.

8. An electronic device, comprising:

a display, which generates a combined image light for a combined image; and

an optical waveguide system according to claim 1 , which receives the combined image light.

9. The optical waveguide system according to claim 3 , wherein the combined image light has a FOV equal to that of the first image light.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 15, 2022
From: GOERTEK INC.
To: GOER OPTICAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 062111/0787 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 29, 2022
From: LI, LINGSHAN
To: GOERTEK INC.
Reel/Frame 059712/0254 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230350138A1 · Nov 2, 2023
References Cited (18)
US 11067811B2 · Chi et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11150408B2 · Waldern et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11314093B2 · McEldowney · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 11474352B2 · Calafiore · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20180239177A1 · Oh · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20200081252A1 · Jamali et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200371280A1 · Geng et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20210055551A1 · Chi et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20230176368A1 · He · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20230185091A1 · He · 2023 [cited by examiner]
Improved Saturation and Wide viewing angle color filters based on multi- twist retarders by Li, et al., vol. 29, No. 3, Feb. 2021, Optics Express, 4124. [cited by applicant]
Super Achromatic wide-angle quarter-wave plates using multi-twist retarders by Li, et al., vol. 29, No. 5, Mar. 2021, Optics Express, 7464. [cited by applicant]
Numerical analysis of Bragg Polarization gratings by Xiang, et al., vol. 36, No. 5, May 2019, Journal of Optical Society of America. [cited by applicant]
Nanoscale liquid crystal polymer bragg polarization gratings by Xiang, et al., vol. 25, No. 16, Aug. 7, 2017, Optics Express, 19298. [cited by applicant]
Bragg polarization gratings for wide angular bandwidth and high efficiency at steep deflection angles by Xiang, et al., Nature.com/Scientific Reports, Published May 8, 2018. [cited by applicant]
Reflective polarization volume gratings for high efficiency waveguide-coupling augmented reality displays by Lee, et al., vol. 25, No. 22, Oct. 30, 2017, Optics Express. 27008. [cited by applicant]
Polarization volume gratings for near-eye displays and novel photonic devices by Yin, et al., Crystals 2020, 10, 561. [cited by applicant]
Solc-style Color Filters based on Multi-Twist Retarders by Li, et al., Proc. of SPIE vol. 11483, Aug. 21, 2020. [cited by applicant]