Granted Patent B2

US 12,320,979 · App. 18/263,837 · Granted Jun 3, 2025

Inventors: Mohmed Salim Valera (Sutton Coldfield, GB); David Louis Maxime Poussin (London, GB)

Assignee: Snap Inc.

G02B27/0172G02B6/0016G02B27/4222G02B27/4272

Abstract

Claims (45)

1. An optical device for use in an augmented reality or virtual reality display, comprising:

a waveguide;

an input diffractive optical element positioned in or on the waveguide, configured to receive light from a projector and couple it into the waveguide so that it is captured within the waveguide under total internal reflection, wherein the input diffractive optical element has an input grating vector in a plane of the waveguide; and

an output element comprising a plurality of optical structures arranged in an array to provide a first diffractive optical element and a second diffractive optical element overlaid on one another in or on the waveguide and having first and second grating vectors respectively in the plane of the waveguide, wherein the first diffractive optical element is configured to receive light from the input diffractive optical element and to couple it towards the second diffractive optical element, and wherein the second diffractive optical element is configured to receive light from the first diffractive optical element and to couple it out of the waveguide towards a viewer, wherein:

the input grating vector, the first grating vector and the second grating vector have different respective magnitudes, resulting in an asymmetry in angular relationships among the grating vectors that at least partially compensates for a non-zero angle of incidence of light from the projector received by the input diffractive optical element;

each of the first and second diffractive optical elements is configured to receive light from the input diffractive optical element and couple it towards the other diffractive optical element which can then act as an output diffractive optical element, providing outcoupled orders towards a viewer;

the array comprises a plurality of unit cells where each unit cell is in the shape of a non-rectangular parallelogram having sides of unequal length, at least one optical structure being provided within each unit cell, the at least one optical structure within each unit cell having a shape formed by two overlapping parallelograms that includes a plurality of straight sides forming a closed polygon, at least some of the straight sides of each optical structure being parallel with the sides of the parallelogram unit cell; and

a vector addition of the input grating vector, the first grating vector and the second grating vector sums to zero.

2. The optical device of claim 1 , wherein the waveguide has two major surfaces which have respective normal vectors and the first and second diffractive optical elements are separated from one another in a direction that is parallel to the respective normal vectors.

3. The optical device of claim 1 , wherein:

the waveguide has two major surfaces which have respective normal vectors; and

the first and second diffractive optical elements are separated from one another along an axis that is perpendicular to the respective normal vectors.

4. The optical device of claim 1 , further comprising a projector configured to project light towards the input diffractive optical element, wherein the projector is angled to direct light towards the input diffractive optical element so that it subtends a non-zero angle to a plane defined by a waveguide normal vector and the input grating vector.

5. An augmented reality or virtual reality headset comprising:

the optical device of claim 4 ; and

a frame that can be mounted on a user's head, comprising a side arm that extends from a user's ear to the side of their brow, and wherein the projector is mounted on the side arm.

6. An augmented reality or virtual reality headset comprising:

the optical device of claim 4 ; and

a frame that can be mounted on a user's head, wherein the projector is mounted on the frame at a position above a user's eye.

7. A method of manufacture of an augmented reality or virtual reality display, the method comprising:

providing a waveguide;

positioning an input diffractive optical element in or on the waveguide, configured to receive light from a projector and couple it into the waveguide so that it is captured within the waveguide under total internal reflection, wherein the input diffractive optical element has an input grating vector in a plane of the waveguide; and

positioning an output element in the plane of the waveguide, the output element comprising a plurality of optical structures arranged in an array to provide a first diffractive optical element and a second diffractive optical element overlaid on one another in or on the waveguide and having first and second grating vectors respectively, wherein the first diffractive optical element is configured to receive light from the input diffractive optical element and to couple it towards the second diffractive optical element, and wherein the second diffractive optical element is configured to receive light from the first diffractive optical element and to couple it out of the waveguide towards a viewer, wherein:

the input grating vector, the first grating vector and the second grating vector have different respective magnitudes, resulting in an asymmetry in angular relationships among the grating vectors that at least partially compensates for a non-zero angle of incidence of light from the projector received by the input diffractive optical element;

each of the first and second diffractive optical elements is configured to receive light from the input diffractive optical element and couple it towards the other diffractive optical element which can then act as an output diffractive optical element, providing outcoupled orders towards a viewer;

the array comprises a plurality of unit cells where each unit cell is in the shape of a non-rectangular parallelogram having sides of unequal length, at least one optical structure being provided within each unit cell, the at least one optical structure within each unit cell having a shape formed by two overlapping parallelograms that includes a plurality of straight sides forming a closed polygon, at least some of the straight sides of each optical structure being parallel with the sides of the parallelogram unit cell; and

a vector addition of the input grating vector, the first grating vector and the second grating vector sums to zero.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the waveguide has two major surfaces which have respective normal vectors and the first and second diffractive optical elements are separated from one another in a direction that is parallel to the respective normal vectors.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein:

the waveguide has two major surfaces which have respective normal vectors; and

the first and second diffractive optical elements are separated from one another along an axis that is perpendicular to the respective normal vectors.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising providing a projector configured to project light towards the input diffractive optical element, wherein the projector is angled to direct light towards the input diffractive optical element so that it subtends a non-zero angle to a plane defined by a waveguide normal vector and the input grating vector.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

providing a frame that can be mounted on a user's head, comprising a side arm that extends from a user's ear to the side of their brow, and wherein the projector is mounted on the side arm.

12. A method, comprising:

receiving light at an input diffractive optical element positioned in or on a waveguide so that the light is captured within the waveguide under total internal reflection, the input diffractive optical element having an input grating vector in a plane of the waveguide; and

receiving light from the input diffractive optical element at a first diffractive optical element and a second diffractive optical element provided by a plurality of optical structures arranged in an array of an output element, the first diffractive optical element and a second diffractive optical element being overlaid on one another in or on the waveguide and having first and second grating vectors respectively in the plane of the waveguide;

coupling light from the first diffractive optical element towards the second diffractive optical element;

coupling light from the second diffractive optical element towards the first diffractive optical element;

coupling the light received from the first diffractive optical element at the second diffractive optical element out of the waveguide towards a viewer; and

coupling the light received from the second diffractive optical element at the first diffractive optical element out of the waveguide towards the viewer;

wherein:

the input grating vector, the first grating vector and the second grating vector have different respective magnitudes, resulting in an asymmetry in angular relationships among the grating vectors that at least partially compensates for a non-zero angle of incidence of light received by the input diffractive optical element;

the array comprises a plurality of unit cells where each unit cell is in the shape of a non-rectangular parallelogram having sides of unequal length, at least one optical structure being provided within each unit cell, the at least one optical structure within each unit cell having a shape formed by two overlapping parallelograms that includes a plurality of straight sides forming a closed polygon, at least some of the straight sides of each optical structure being parallel with the sides of the parallelogram unit cell; and

a vector addition of the input grating vector, the first grating vector and the second grating vector sums to zero.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (22)