US-12619074-B2 - See-through type display device and glasses type augmented reality device including the same

US12619074B2US 12619074 B2US12619074 B2US 12619074B2US-12619074-B2

Abstract

A see-through type display device includes a display panel configured to generate first image light, a beam splitter configured to reflect the first image light and generate second image light, and a light coupling lens including a first surface on which the second image light is incident and a second surface provided opposite to the first surface, the first surface being aspherical.

Inventors

Changkun Lee
Jaeseung CHUNG
Juwon SEO
Geeyoung SUNG

Assignees

SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20200803
Priority Date: 20191010

Claims (9)

1 . A see-through type display device comprising: an image generator configured to generate first image light; a light path converting device configured to reflect the first image light to generate second image light; and a light combining device configured to reflect and focus the second image light, wherein the light combining device comprises: an inner lens adjacent to the light path converting device; and an outer lens provided opposite to the light path converting device with respect to the inner lens, the outer lens being a single lens, wherein an inner surface of the outer lens and an outer surface of the inner lens are bonded to each other, wherein each of the inner surface of the outer lens and the outer surface of the inner lens is aspherical, wherein an outer surface of the outer lens has a single curved profile, wherein the inner surface of the outer lens comprises: a first region having a uniform first curvature, the first region corresponding to an inner region of the inner surface; and a second region surrounding the first region and having a uniform second curvature that is different from the first curvature, the second region corresponding to an outer region of the inner surface, wherein the first curvature is a spherical curvature and the second curvature is an ellipsoidal curvature, and wherein a position of an upper boundary of the first region is determined based on relative positions of the image generator and the light path converting device, wherein the relative positions of the image generator and the light path converting device are determined such that the second image light passing through a trajectory closest to the image generator among trajectories of the second image light is incident on the upper boundary of the first region, wherein the second image light is configured not to be incident on the second region located above the upper boundary of the first region, wherein an inner surface of the inner lens configured to face a user, and wherein real image light emitted from a real object is directly incident on the outer surface of the outer lens, passes through the light combining device, and is provided to the user, and wherein the outer surface of the outer lens is disposed at an outermost side of the see-through type display device, such that the outer surface of the outer lens is exposed to an external environment.
2 . The see-through type display device of claim 1 , wherein the second curvature of the second region is smaller than the first curvature of the first region.
3 . The see-through type display device of claim 1 , wherein a curved profile of the outer surface of the inner lens is opposite to a curved profile of the inner surface of the outer lens.
4 . The see-through type display device of claim 1 , wherein a radius of the inner lens is equal to a radius of the outer lens.
5 . The see-through type display device of claim 1 , wherein a radius of the inner lens is smaller than a radius of the outer lens.
6 . The see-through type display device of claim 5 , wherein the inner lens is provided on the first region, and wherein the second region is exposed by the inner lens.
7 . The see-through type display device of claim 5 , wherein the outer lens covers a side surface of the inner lens, and wherein the side surface of the inner lens connects the outer surface of the inner lens to the inner surface of the inner lens provided opposite to the outer surface of the inner lens.
8 . The see-through type display device of claim 7 , wherein the second region is coplanar with the inner surface of the inner lens.
9 . The see-through type display device of claim 8 , wherein the second curvature of the second region is equal to a curvature of the inner surface of the inner lens.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0125674, filed on Oct. 10, 2019 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. BACKGROUND 1. Field Example embodiments of the present disclosure relate to see-through type display devices and glasses type augmented reality devices. 2. Description of Related Art Recently, as electronic devices and display devices capable of realizing virtual reality (VR) have been developed, interest in VR has increased. As a next step of VR, technologies (methods) that may realize augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) have been studied. Unlike VR that premises a complete virtual world, AR is a display technique that further increases an effect of reality by overlapping and combining imaginal objects or information on an environment of the real world. Considering that VR is limitedly applicable to a field, such as games or virtual experiences, AR may be applicable to various real environments. In particular, AR is drawing the attention as a next generation display technique suitable for a ubiquitous environment or an internet of things (IoT) environment. AR may be an example of MR in that AR mixes the real world and additional information such as virtual world information. SUMMARY One or more example embodiments provide see-through type display devices including a light combining lens having a high degree of freedom in curvature selection. One or more example embodiments also provide glasses type augmented reality devices including a light combining lens in the lens position of glasses. Additional aspects will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of example embodiments of the disclosure. According to an aspect of an example embodiment, there is provided a see-through type display device including a display panel configured to generate first image light, a beam splitter configured to reflect the first image light and generate second image light, and a light coupling lens including a first surface on which the second image light is incident and a second surface provided opposite to the first surface, the first surface being aspherical. The first surface may include a first region on which the second image light is incident, and a second region surrounding the first region, wherein the first region includes a first curved profile, and wherein the second region includes a second curved profile that is different from the first curved profile. A second curvature of the second region may be smaller than a first curvature of the first region. A first radius of curvature of the first region may be equal to or greater than 30 mm and is smaller than or equal to 50 mm, and a second radius of curvature of the second region may be greater than the radius of curvature of the first region and is smaller than or equal to 200 mm. A position of an upper boundary of the first region may be determined based on relative positions of the display panel and the beam splitter, and the relative positions of the display panel and the beam splitter may be determined such that the second image light passing through a region closest to the display panel is incident on the upper boundary of the first region. A position of an upper boundary of the first region may be determined based on relative positions of the display panel and the beam splitter, and the relative positions of the display panel and the beam splitter may be determined such that the second image light generated from an inside of an upper boundary of the beam splitter reaches the upper boundary of the first region. The display panel may be parallel to a central axis of the first region. The first surface may further include a plurality of regions having different curved profiles, respectively, the plurality of regions being provided between the second region and the first region. A curvature of a region among the plurality of regions that is closest to the first region may be closest to a curvature of the first region among curvatures of the plurality of regions. A center of the first region may overlap a center of the first surface. A center of the first region and a center of the first surface may be spaced apart from each other. An incidence surface of the beam splitter that is configured to receive the first image light may be planar. An incidence surface of the beam splitter that is configured to receive the first image light may be concave. The see-through type display device may further include a focusing lens provided between the display panel and the beam splitter. The display panel may be non-parallel with the central axis of the first region. The second surface may be aspherical. A curved profile of the second surface may be opposite to a curved profile of the first surface. According to an