Fan assembly for displaying an image
Apparatus and methods for displaying an image by a rotating structure are provided. The rotating structure can comprise blades of a fan. The fan can be a cooling fan for an electronics device such as an augmented reality display. In some embodiments, the rotating structure comprises light sources that emit light to generate the image. The light sources can comprise light-field emitters. In other embodiments, the rotating structure is illuminated by an external (e.g., non-rotating) light source.
1 . An augmented reality device comprising:
a display system positioned in front of eyes of a user, the display system including one or more light field sub-displays with one or more pixels forming a first array of pixels and at least a first micro-lens associated with the first array of pixels, wherein each pixel of the first array of pixels is a light field emitter configured to emit light isotropically to be received by the first micro-lens, and
wherein the first array of pixels is spaced apart from the first micro-lens at a distance approximately equal to a focal length of the first micro-lens such that the isotropic light from the first array of pixels is redirected by the first micro-lens into an array of substantially collimated beams of light at different outgoing angles;
a non-transitory memory configured to store image data; and
a processor operably coupled to the non-transitory memory and the display system, the processor comprising executable instructions to operate the pixels of the one or more light field sub-displays to display an image,
wherein the display system further comprises a rotatable structure, and wherein the first array of pixels is mounted on the rotatable structure such that different viewing angles are generated by physical rotation of the rotatable structure, and
wherein an angular direction of light emitted by a given pixel is determined at least in part by an instantaneous orientation of the rotatable structure.
2 . The augmented reality device of claim 1 , wherein the first array of pixels contains at least five pixels.
3 . The augmented reality device of claim 1 , wherein the processor executing the instructions is configured to vary a color, intensity, and direction of at least a portion of the image by driving at least one of the first micro-lens and the first array of pixels.
4 . The augmented reality device of claim 1 , wherein the image generated by the one or more light field sub-displays from the collimated beams of light at the different outgoing angles is a light field image.
5 . The augmented reality device of claim 4 , wherein the light field image is configured to simulate a ray of light that originates at a point in space at a focal plate at which an observer is focusing.
6 . The augmented reality device of claim 1 , wherein the light field sub-displays are formed with at least one stacked waveguide assembly.
7 . The augmented reality device of claim 1 , wherein the display system comprises a plurality of light-field sub-displays disposed along an elongated rotatable element.
8 . The augmented reality device of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable structure includes a contoured optical surface configured to redirect light emitted by the first array of pixels into multiple outgoing viewing directions.
9 . The augmented reality device of claim 1 , wherein each light-field emitter comprises a waveguide assembly configured to emit light corresponding to multiple depth planes or angular components of a light field.
10 . An augmented reality device comprising:
a display system positioned in front of eyes of a user, the display system including one or more light field sub-displays with one or more pixels forming a first array of pixels and at least a first micro-lens associated with the first array of pixels, wherein each pixel of the first array of pixels is a light field emitter configured to emit light isotropically to be received by the first micro-lens, and
wherein the first array of pixels is spaced apart from the first micro-lens at a distance approximately equal to a focal length of the first micro-lens such that the isotropic light from the first array of pixels is redirected by the first micro-lens into an array of substantially collimated beams of light at different outgoing angles;
a non-transitory memory configured to store image data; and
a processor operably coupled to the non-transitory memory and the display system, the processor comprising executable instructions to operate the pixels of the one or more light field sub-displays to display an image,
wherein the display system further comprises a rotatable structure, and wherein the first array of pixels is mounted on the rotatable structure such that different viewing angles are generated by physical rotation of the rotatable structure, and
wherein the processor is configured to temporally multiplex different emitted light-field views over successive rotational positions of the rotatable structure.
11 . The augmented reality device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to control emission of the first array of pixels in synchronization with a rotational position or rotational angle of the rotatable structure.