US-12625373-B2 - Magnified optical display assembly

US12625373B2US 12625373 B2US12625373 B2US 12625373B2US-12625373-B2

Abstract

A wearable optical display assembly includes an array of light-emitting elements arranged as a display device, and one or more optical elements arranged as a magnification system. The array is positioned at a predetermined viewing distance from an eye of a user wearing the optical display assembly. The array has an unmagnified element spacing; the magnification system forms a magnified image of the array that can be seen by the user with a magnified element spacing larger than the unmagnified element spacing. The magnified element spacing is no smaller than spatial resolution of at least a portion of the eye of the user at the predetermined viewing distance. In some instances, the magnified element spacing can subtend an angle no smaller than 1 arcminute at the predetermined viewing distance.

Inventors

Hisashi Masui

Assignees

LUMILEDS LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20240508

Claims (17)

1 . A wearable optical display assembly comprising: an array of light-emitting elements arranged as a display device, the array being characterized by an unmagnified element spacing of the light-emitting elements of the array, the optical display assembly being structurally arranged so as to position the array at a predetermined viewing distance from an eye of a user wearing the optical display assembly; and one or more optical elements arranged as a magnification system, the magnification system being positioned and arranged so as to form a magnified image of the array that can be seen by the user, the magnified image being characterized by a magnified element spacing of the light-emitting elements of the array that is larger than the unmagnified element spacing, the magnified element spacing being no smaller than spatial resolution of at least a portion of the eye of the user at the predetermined viewing distance, wherein either (i) the predetermined viewing distance is 2 cm and the magnified element spacing is no smaller than 4 microns, or (ii) the predetermined viewing distance is 10 cm and the magnified element spacing is no smaller than 20 microns.
2 . A wearable optical display assembly comprising: an array of light-emitting elements arranged as a display device, the array being characterized by an unmagnified element spacing of the light-emitting elements of the array, the optical display assembly being structurally arranged so as to position the array at a predetermined viewing distance from an eye of a user wearing the optical display assembly; and one or more optical elements arranged as a magnification system, the magnification system including one or more transparent immersion media in contact with light output surfaces of the light-emitting elements, the magnification system being positioned and arranged so as to form a magnified image of the array that can be seen by the user, the magnified image being characterized by a magnified element spacing of the light-emitting elements of the array that is larger than the unmagnified element spacing, the magnified element spacing being no smaller than spatial resolution of at least a portion of the eye of the user at the predetermined viewing distance.
3 . The wearable optical display assembly of claim 2 , the magnified element spacing subtending an angle no smaller than 1 arcminute at the predetermined viewing distance.
4 . The wearable optical display assembly of claim 2 , the magnified element spacing being no smaller than spatial resolution of a foveal portion of the eye of the user at the predetermined viewing distance.
5 . The wearable optical display assembly of claim 4 , the display device being structured and connected to operate as a foveated display with display resolution of a foveal portion of an image on the display device being no smaller than the spatial resolution of the foveal portion of the eye of the user at the predetermined viewing distance.
6 . The wearable optical display assembly of claim 5 further comprising an eye-tracking system operatively coupled to the display device so as to enable movement of the foveal portion of the display in response to detected movement of the eye of the user.
7 . The wearable optical display assembly of claim 2 , the wearable optical display assembly being arranged as eyeglasses, eyewear, goggles, a headset, a helmet, or a head-mounted device, the display device being mounted on or incorporated into at least a portion of a window, lens, eyepiece, display screen, faceplate, or visor of the wearable optical display assembly.
8 . The wearable optical display assembly of claim 2 , at least a portion of the one or more immersion media being arranged as one or more focusing optical elements of the magnification system.
9 . The wearable optical display assembly of claim 2 , at least a portion of the one or more immersion media filling space between the light output surfaces and one or more focusing optical elements of the magnification system.
10 . The wearable optical display assembly of claim 2 , the one or more immersion media including one or more solid media.
11 . The wearable optical display assembly of claim 2 , the one or more immersion media including one or more gel or liquid media.
12 . The wearable optical display assembly of claim 2 , the one or more immersion media including one or more solid, gel, or liquid polymers.
13 . The wearable optical display assembly of claim 2 , the magnification system including one or more refractive focusing optical elements, one or more reflective focusing optical elements, or one or more diffractive focusing optical elements.
14 . The wearable optical display assembly of claim 2 , the magnification system including one or more refractive focusing optical elements and one or more reflective focusing optical elements.
15 . A wearable optical display assembly comprising: an array of light-emitting elements arranged as a display device, the array being characterized by an unmagnified element spacing of the light-emitting elements of the array, the optical display assembly being structurally arranged so as to position the array at a predetermined viewing distance from an eye of a user wearing the optical display assembly; and one or more optical elements arranged as a magnification system, the magnification system including one or more refractive focusing optical elements and one or more reflective focusing optical elements and being positioned and arranged so as to form a magnified image of the array that can be seen by the user, the magnified image being characterized by a magnified element spacing of the light-emitting elements of the array that is larger than the unmagnified element spacing, the magnified element spacing being no smaller than spatial resolution of at least a portion of the eye of the user at the predetermined viewing distance, the one or more refractive focusing optical elements being arranged for collecting paraxial portions of output light from the light-emitting elements, and the one or more reflective focusing optical elements being arranged for collecting off-axis portions of the output light from the light-emitting elements.
16 . The wearable optical display assembly of claim 2 , each light-emitting element of the array comprising one or more visible-emitting, direct-emitting or phosphor-converted, semiconductor light-emitting diodes (LEDs), each LED including one or more materials among III-V, II-VI, or Group IV semiconductor materials.
17 . The wearable optical display assembly of claim 2 , the light-emitting elements being integrally formed on, or assembled onto, a display substrate.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The field of the present invention relates to display devices. In particular, a wearable optical display assembly is disclosed having a display with magnified element spacing no smaller than spatial resolution of an eye of a user. SUMMARY An inventive wearable optical display assembly includes (i) an array of light-emitting elements arranged as a display device, and (ii) one or more optical elements arranged as a magnification system. The array is characterized by an unmagnified element spacing of the light-emitting elements of the array. The optical display assembly positions the array at a predetermined viewing distance from an eye of a user wearing the optical display assembly. The magnification system is positioned and arranged to form a magnified image of the array that can be seen by the user, with the magnified image being characterized by a magnified element spacing of the light-emitting elements of the array that is larger than the unmagnified element spacing. The magnified element spacing is no smaller than spatial resolution of at least a portion of the eye of the user at the predetermined viewing distance. In some instances, the magnified element spacing can subtend an angle no smaller than 1 arcminute at the predetermined viewing distance. Objects and advantages pertaining to wearable optical display assemblies may become apparent upon referring to the example embodiments illustrated in the drawings and disclosed in the following written description or appended claims. This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. 1A and 1B are front and side views, respectively, of an example inventive wearable optical display assembly. FIG. 2 illustrates schematically an array of light-emitting elements. FIG. 3 shows a plot of spatial resolution of a human eye as a function of viewing angle. FIG. 4 shows plots of spatial resolution of a human eye as a function of transverse distance for two different viewing distances. FIG. 5 illustrates schematically an example magnification system including a refractive focusing optical element. FIG. 6 illustrates schematically an example magnification system including refractive and reflective focusing optical elements. FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate schematically space between a focusing optical element and an output surface of a light-emitting element without (FIG. 7A) and with (FIG. 7B) an immersion medium filling that space. The embodiments depicted are shown only schematically; all features may not be shown in full detail or in proper proportion; for clarity certain features or structures may be exaggerated or diminished relative to others or omitted entirely; the drawings should not be regarded as being to scale unless explicitly indicated as being to scale. In particular, the number and density of light-emitting elements of the display device that are shown are reduced for clarity, relative to a real display device. The embodiments shown are only examples and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure or appended claims. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following detailed description should be read with reference to the drawings, in which identical reference numbers refer to like elements throughout the different figures. The drawings, which are not necessarily to scale, depict selective examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventive subject matter. The detailed description illustrates by way of example, not by way of limitation, the principles of the inventive subject matter. Wearable optical display assemblies are employed in, e.g., augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) systems. In some examples a wearable optical display assembly 99 can be arranged as, e.g., eyeglasses, eyewear, goggles (as in the example of FIG. 1A), a headset, a helmet, or a head-mounted device. A display device 97 can be mounted on or incorporated into at least a portion of a window, lens 98, eyepiece, display screen, faceplate, or visor of the wearable optical display assembly 99. In the example shown the display device 97 occupies a relatively small fraction of the area of the lens 98 near the center of the lens 98. In some examples the display device 97 can occupy a larger fraction of the lens 98, or the entire lens 98; in some ether examples the display device 97 might occupy a smaller fraction of the lens 98. Any suitable position of the display device 97 can be employed within the area of the lens 98. An inventive wearable optical display assembly 99 includes (i) an array 10 of light-emitting elements 15 arranged as a display device 97, and (ii) one or more optical elements arranged a