Image display device in the form of a pair of eye glasses comprising micro reflectors

1. An image display device in the form of a pair of eye glasses comprising:

at least one spatial light modulator in the form of a planarly extending medium having a first side and a second opposite side and being mounted on a glass position of said eye glasses,

at least one point light source, wherein the light source is placed at a first first side region relative to the spatial light modulator such that the light source directly illuminates a first side surface of the spatial light modulator, and

wherein a matrix of micro reflectors that are attached on a second side surface of the spatial light modulator (SLM) and direct the light from the light source in the direction of at least one viewing region at a second first side region relative to said spatial light modulator, such that diverging illumination created by said point light source is converted to a converging illumination by said matrix of a micro-reflectors.

2. The image display device according to claim 1 wherein the spatial light modulator is a liquid crystal display (LCD).

3. The image display device according to claim 2 wherein the LCD is a phase only spatial light modulator.

4. The image display device according to claim 1 wherein the micro reflector is semi-transparent.

5. The image display device according to claim 1 wherein the micro reflector is coated with thin metal layer.

6. The image display device according to claim 1 wherein the micro reflectors are embedded between two layers with the same refractive index.

7. The image display device according to claim 1 wherein the light from the light source is reflected in the direction of the center of the pupil to form a small exit pupil display.

8. The image display device according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of filters that reflect only the wavelengths corresponding to the emission band of the light sources.

9. The image display device according to claim 1 wherein the spatial light modulator is coupled with a polarizer film.

10. The image display device according to claim 1 wherein the size of each micro reflector is the same size or larger than the SLM pixels and the spacing between the micro reflectors are non-periodic to avoid any visible diffraction artefacts and Moiré patterns.

11. The image display device according to claim 1 wherein the point light source is located on the frame of the eyeglasses.

12. The image display device according to claim 1 wherein in the point light source located on the nose bridge of the eyeglasses.

13. The image display device according to claim 1 wherein in the point light source is narrowband sources such as lasers diodes or VCSELs.

14. The image display device according to claim 1 wherein in the point light source is coupled with a polarizer.

15. The image display device according to claim 1 wherein a pair of image display devices provide illumination to the right and left eyes.

16. The image display device according to claim 1 wherein the micro reflectors that are actively controlled to track the pupil of the viewer's eye.

17. The image display device according to claim 1 wherein the micro reflectors are actively controlled to adjust the brightness of the electronic display and the natural scene.

18. The image display device according to claim 1 wherein the SLM pixel intensity is controlled using an array of programmable micro reflectors.

19. The image display device according to claim 1 further comprises at least four point light sources, at least two for each of the viewer's eye.

20. The image display device according to claim 1 wherein a set of red, green, and blue light sources are selected from LEDs or laser diodes.

21. The image display device according to claim 1 wherein a pupil tracker camera detects the position of the pupil of the viewer's eye.

22. The image display device according to claim 1 wherein the light sources are in optical conjugate position to the pupil of the viewer's eye which is turned ON.

23. The image display device according to claim 1 wherein an exit pupil replicator coupled with the micro reflectors.