Display device with optical waveguide and projector
A display device for use in displaying an augmented reality image of a real-world view or a virtual reality image. The display device comprises an optical waveguide having an input optical element for receiving an image and at least one output optical element for outputting the image, a projector for generating the image, the projector being physically coupled to the optical waveguide, and a projector housing containing at least some components of the projector. The projector housing is moveable with respect to the optical waveguide. The projector housing contains the at least some components of the projector so that the image generated by the projector is fixed relative to the projector housing. The projector includes an image processor to correct the image generated by the projector and received by the input optical element of the optical waveguide dependent on a position of the projector housing relative to the optical waveguide.
1. A display device for use in displaying an augmented reality image of a real-world view or a virtual reality image to a user, the display device comprising:
an optical waveguide having an input optical element for receiving an image;
a projector for generating the image, the projector being physically coupled to the optical waveguide; and
a projector housing containing at least some components of the projector, the projector housing being moveable with respect to the optical waveguide, the projector housing containing the at least some components of the projector so that the image generated by the projector is fixed relative to the projector housing,
the projector including an image processor to correct the image generated by the projector and received by the input optical element of the optical waveguide dependent on a position of the projector housing relative to the optical waveguide.
2. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the projector housing:
is rotatably attached to the optical waveguide; and
is rotatable with respect to the optical waveguide between a first relative position and a second relative position.
3. The display device of claim 2 , wherein the projector housing is coupled to the optical waveguide to rotate about the input optical element.
4. The display device of claim 2 , wherein the optical waveguide extends in a plane, and the projector housing is rotatable about an axis substantially normal to the plane of the optical waveguide.
5. The display device of claim 4 , wherein the image processor correcting the image comprises correcting an orientation of the image.
6. The display device of claim 4 , wherein the projector housing extends substantially parallel to the optical waveguide, and the projector housing is rotatable relative to the optical waveguide so that the projector housing remains substantially parallel to the optical waveguide.
7. The display device of claim 4 , wherein the projector housing is rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to the plane of the optical waveguide.
8. The display device of claim 2 , wherein the first relative position is at 90°, 180°, or 270° to the second relative position.
9. The display device of claim 2 , wherein;
a projector output element of the projector is fixed to the optical waveguide separate from the projector housing;
the projector housing rotates relative to the projector output element; and
at least one optical coupling is provided between components in the projector housing and the projector output element.
10. The display device of claim 9 , wherein the projector output element includes at least one optical component.
11. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the optical waveguide and the projector housing are configured to enable the projector housing to move with respect to the optical waveguide by translation.
12. The display device of claim 11 , wherein:
a projector output element of the projector is fixed to the optical waveguide separate from the projector housing;
the projector housing translates relative to the projector output element; and
at least one optical coupling is provided between components in the projector housing and the projector output element.
13. The display device of claim 12 , wherein the projector output element includes at least one optical component.
14. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the optical waveguide includes an output optical element configured to output the image.
15. The display device of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the input optical element and the output optical element is a surface relief diffractive element.
16. The display device of claim 14 , wherein the output optical element is adapted to output the image in a form that is expanded compared with a form of the image input to the input optical element from the projector.
17. The display device of claim 14 , wherein the optical waveguide includes a least one intermediate optical element to receive the image from the input optical element and to output the image in an expanded form to the output optical element, where the output image is expanded compared with the form of the image input to the input optical element from the projector.
18. The display device of claim 14 , wherein the projector is arranged to input the image to the input optical element on a first side of the optical waveguide, and the output optical element is arranged to output the image on a second side opposed the first side.
19. A method of displaying an augmented reality image of a real-world view or a virtual reality image to a user, the method comprising:
generating an image using a projector based on image data;
receiving the image at an input optical element of an optical waveguide;
outputting the image from at least one output optical element of the optical waveguide, the at least one output optical element occupying a region of the optical waveguide, the optical waveguide being physically coupled to the projector;
moving a projector housing with respect to the optical waveguide from a first relative position to a second relative position, the projector housing containing at least some components of the projector; and
processing the image data to correct the image generated by the projector and received by the input optical element of the optical waveguide dependent on a position of the projector housing relative to the optical waveguide.
20. A device for displaying an augmented reality image of a real-world view or a virtual reality image to a user, comprising:
a projector for projecting an image;
an optical waveguide having an input optical element and at least one output optical element occupying a region of the optical waveguide, the optical waveguide being configured to receive the image and to output the image from the at least one output optical element; and
a projector housing containing at least some components of the projector, the projector housing being moveable with respect to the optical waveguide, the projector housing containing the at least some components of the projector so that the image generated by the projector is fixed relative to the projector housing,
the projector including an image processor to correct the image generated by the projector and received by the input optical element of the optical waveguide dependent on a position of the projector housing relative to the optical waveguide.