MagicLeap Patent | Display system having 1-dimensional pixel array with scanning mirror
Publication Number: 20250291183
Publication Date: 2025-09-18
Assignee: Magic Leap
Abstract
Display systems are described including augmented 1-dimensional pixel arrays and scanning mirrors. In one example, a pixel array includes first and second columns of pixels, relay optics configured to receive incident light and to output the incident light to a viewer, and a scanning mirror disposed to receive the light from the first and second columns of pixels and to reflect the received light toward the relay optics. The scanning mirror may move between a plurality of positions while the first and second columns emit light in temporally spaced pulses so as to form a perceived image at the relay optics having a higher resolution relative to the pixel pitch of the individual columns. Foveated rendering may provide for more efficient use of power and processing resources.
Claims
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Description
PRIORITY CLAIM
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/427,601, filed Jul. 30, 2021, which is a 371 of International Application No. PCT/US2020/015243, filed Jan. 27, 2020, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/800,140, filed Feb. 1, 2019 and titled “DISPLAY SYSTEM HAVING 1-DIMENSIONAL PIXEL ARRAY WITH SCANNING MIRROR,” all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
Field
The present disclosure relates to display systems and, more particularly, to augmented and virtual reality display systems.
Description of the Related Art
Modern computing and display technologies have facilitated the development of systems for so called “virtual reality” or “augmented reality” experiences, in which digitally reproduced images or portions thereof are presented to a user in a manner wherein they seem to be, or may be perceived as, real. A virtual reality, or “VR”, scenario typically involves the presentation of digital or virtual image information without transparency to other actual real-world visual input; an augmented reality, or “AR”, scenario typically involves presentation of digital or virtual image information as an augmentation to visualization of the actual world around the user. A mixed reality, or “MR”, scenario is a type of AR scenario and typically involves virtual objects that are integrated into, and responsive to, the natural world. For example, an MR scenario may include AR image content that appears to be blocked by or is otherwise perceived to interact with objects in the real world.
Referring to FIG. 1, an AR scene 10 is depicted. The user of an AR technology sees a real-world park-like setting 20 featuring people, trees, buildings in the background, and a concrete platform 30. The user also perceives that he/she “sees” “virtual content” such as a robot statue 40 standing upon the real-world platform 30, and a flying cartoon-like avatar character 50 which seems to be a personification of a bumble bee. These elements 50, 40 are “virtual” in that they do not exist in the real world. Because the human visual perception system is complex, it is challenging to produce AR technology that facilitates a comfortable, natural-feeling, rich presentation of virtual image elements amongst other virtual or real-world imagery elements.
SUMMARY
In a first aspect, a display system is provided. The display system comprises a pixel array, relay optics, and a scanning mirror. The pixel comprises first and second columns of pixels. The relay optics is configured to receive incident light and to output the incident light to a viewer. The scanning mirror is disposed to receive the light from the first and second columns of pixels and to reflect the received light toward the relay optics. The scanning mirror is configured to move between a plurality of positions comprising a first position and a second position. The first position is oriented for the mirror to reflect the light from the first column of pixels onto the relay optics as a first one-dimensional array of pixels, and the second position is oriented for the mirror to reflect the received light from the second column of pixels onto the relay optics as a second one-dimensional array of pixels. Locations for the first and the second one-dimensional array of pixels define spatially overlapping lines on the relay optics.
In some embodiments, pixels of the first and second columns of pixels have a column pitch, wherein an effective pitch of a corresponding line of pixels on the relay optics is less than the column pitch. In some embodiments, the effective pitch is less than half the column pitch. In some embodiments, the pixel array is an emissive pixel array comprising an array of emissive pixels. In some embodiments, the emissive pixels comprise light emitting diodes (LEDs). In some embodiments, the emissive pixels have a pitch of 20 μm or less. In some embodiments, the first and second columns of pixels have parallel lengthwise dimensions, and pixels of the second column of pixels are offset along the lengthwise dimension relative to the pixels of the first column of pixels. In some embodiments, the pixels of the first column of pixels are configured to emit light while the scanning mirror moves from the first position to the second position, and the pixels of the second column of pixels are configured to emit light while the scanning mirror moves from the second position to the first position. In some embodiments, the pixel array further comprises at least a third column of pixels, the third column extending along the lengthwise dimension, wherein the third column is parallel to the first and second columns and the pixels of the third column are offset along the lengthwise dimension relative to the pixels of the first and second columns. In some embodiments, the first, second, and third columns are configured to emit light in temporally separated pulses during movement of the scanning mirror. In some embodiments, the pixel array is configured to provide image information corresponding to different total numbers of the pixels depending upon an orientation of the scanning mirror, such that effective pixel densities vary across the relay optics. In some embodiments, each of the first and second columns of pixels are doubled-up with a corresponding twin column having a same pixel pitch and same locations of pixels along a length of the column. In some embodiments, the relay optics comprises a waveguide comprising an in-coupling optical element configured to receive light reflected from the scanning mirror and to redirect the received light for propagation within the waveguide by total internal reflection, and an out-coupling optical element configured to out-couple light propagating within the waveguide by total intern reflection. In some embodiments, the relay optics comprises stack of waveguides, each waveguide comprising an in-coupling optical element and an out-coupling optical element. In some embodiments, the pixel array is a transmissive pixel array.
In a second aspect, an optical apparatus is provided. The optical apparatus includes a pixel array comprising a first column of pixels having a first pixel pitch along a lengthwise dimension of the first column, and a second column of pixels having the first pixel pitch along a lengthwise dimension of the second column. The lengthwise dimension of the first column extends along the lengthwise dimension of the second column, and the pixels of the second column are offset along the lengthwise dimension relative to the pixels of the first column.
In some embodiments, the optical apparatus further comprises a scanning mirror disposed to receive the light from the first and second columns of pixels and to reflect the received light toward relay optics configured to direct received light to a viewer. In some embodiments, the optical apparatus is configured to modify effective pixel densities by providing unique image information from less than all of the pixels of the first and second columns. In some embodiments, each of the first and second columns of pixels are doubled-up with a corresponding column twin having a same pixel pitch and same locations of pixels along a length of the column. In some embodiments, the pixels of the first and second columns have a same size and shape.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 illustrates a user's view of augmented reality (AR) through an AR device.
FIG. 2 illustrates a conventional display system for simulating three-dimensional imagery for a user.
FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate relationships between radius of curvature and focal radius.
FIG. 4A illustrates a representation of the accommodation-vergence response of the human visual system.
FIG. 4B illustrates examples of different accommodative states and vergence states of a pair of eyes of the user.
FIG. 4C illustrates an example of a representation of a top-down view of a user viewing content via a display system.
FIG. 4D illustrates another example of a representation of a top-down view of a user viewing content via a display system.
FIG. 5 illustrates aspects of an approach for simulating three-dimensional imagery by modifying wavefront divergence.
FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a waveguide stack for outputting image information to a user.
FIG. 7 illustrates an example of exit beams outputted by a waveguide.
FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a stacked eyepiece in which each depth plane includes images formed using multiple different component colors.
FIG. 9A illustrates a cross-sectional side view of an example of a set of stacked waveguides that each includes an in-coupling optical element.
FIG. 9B illustrates a perspective view of an example of the plurality of stacked waveguides of FIG. 9A.
FIG. 9C illustrates a top-down plan view of an example of the plurality of stacked waveguides of FIGS. 9A and 9B.
FIG. 9D illustrates an example of wearable display system.
FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a display system including augmented 1-dimensional pixel arrays and a scanning mirror.
FIG. 11A illustrates an example of a portion of an augmented 1-dimensional pixel array.
FIGS. 11B and 11C illustrate an example method for displaying high-resolution 2-dimensional images using the augmented 1-dimensional pixel array of FIG. 11A and a scanning reflective element.
FIG. 12A illustrates an example pixel of a pixel array.
FIG. 12B illustrates an example augmented 1-dimensional emissive pixel array including offset columns of pixels.
FIG. 13A illustrates an example of foveated rendering using an augmented 1-dimensional pixel array.
FIG. 13B illustrates an example pixel array having multiple pixel columns for forming individual projected pixels.
