DYNAMIC FIELD OF VIEW VARIABLE FOCUS DISPLAY SYSTEM
An augmented reality (AR) device is described with a display system configured to adjust an apparent distance between a user of the AR device and virtual content presented by the AR device. The AR device includes a first tunable lens that change shape in order to affect the position of the virtual content. Distortion of real-world content on account of the changes made to the first tunable lens is prevented by a second tunable lens that changes shape to stay substantially complementary to the optical configuration of the first tunable lens. In this way, the virtual content can be positioned at almost any distance relative to the user without degrading the view of the outside world or adding extensive bulk to the AR device. The augmented reality device can also include tunable lenses for expanding a field of view of the augmented reality device.
1 . A wearable display device, comprising:
a projector;
an eyepiece comprising:
one or more optical steering components; and
a waveguide configured to receive and direct light from the projector through the one or more optical steering components and towards a user of the wearable display device;
an eye-gaze tracker configured to detect movement of one or both eyes of the user; and
control circuitry communicatively coupled to the one or more optical steering components and the eye-gaze tracker, the control circuitry being configured to adjust an optical steering pattern of the one or more optical steering components in accordance with detected movement of one or both eyes of the user.
2 . The wearable display device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more optical steering components comprises an array of tunable prisms.
3 . The wearable display device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first lens; and
a second lens, the first and second lenses being arranged on opposing sides of the waveguide.
4 . The wearable display device of claim 3 , wherein the first lens is configured to change its phase profile to adjust an apparent distance between the user of the wearable display device and virtual content displayed by the wearable display device.
5 . The wearable display device of claim 1 , wherein the wearable display device is an augmented reality (AR) device.
6 . A method of operating a wearable display device, the method comprising:
receiving and directing, by a waveguide of an eyepiece of the wearable display device, light from a projector through the one or more optical steering components and towards a user of the wearable display device;
detecting, by an eye-gaze tracker of the wearable display device, movement of one or both eyes of the user; and
adjusting, by control circuitry communicatively coupled to the one or more optical steering components and the eye-gaze tracker, an optical steering pattern of one or more optical steering components of the eyepiece in accordance with the detected movement of one or both eyes of the user.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the one or more optical steering components comprises an array of tunable prisms.
8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the wearable display device further comprises a first lens and a second lens, the first and second lenses being arranged on opposing sides of the waveguide.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first lens is configured to change its phase profile to adjust an apparent distance between the user of the wearable display device and virtual content displayed by the wearable display device.
10 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the wearable display device is an augmented reality (AR) device.