US-12625374-B2 - Methods, devices, and systems for illuminating spatial light modulators

Abstract

An optical device may include a light turning element. The optical device can include a first surface that is parallel to a horizontal axis and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The optical device may include a light module that includes a plurality of light emitters. The light module can be configured to combine light from the emitters, for example using at least one dichroic combiner and/or a light integrator. The optical device can further include a light input surface that is between the first and the second surfaces and is disposed with respect to the light module to receive light. The optical device may include an end reflector that is disposed on a side opposite the light input surface. The light coupled into the light turning element may be reflected by the end reflector and/or reflected from the second surface towards the first surface.

Inventors

• Hui-Chuan Cheng
• Hyunsun Chung
• Jahja I. Trisnadi
• Clinton Carlisle
• Chulwoo Oh
• Kevin Richard Curtis

Assignees

• MAGIC LEAP, INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20240510

Claims (20)

1. 1 . An integrated optical device comprising: a light pipe integrator comprising a first region and a second region that is separate from and adjacent to the first region, wherein the first region is a dichroic combiner, wherein the second region is a light integrator, and wherein the dichroic combiner is in series with the light integrator such that light passes from the dichroic combiner into the light integrator; a plurality of light emitters comprising: a first light emitter configured to emit light of a first color into the dichroic combiner through a first portion of one or more outer surfaces of the first region of the light pipe integrator; and a second light emitter configured to emit light of a second color into the dichroic combiner through a second portion of the one or more outer surfaces of the first region of the light pipe integrator; and a first dichroic combining element arranged in the dichroic combiner, wherein the first dichroic combining element is configured to redirect, toward the light integrator, the light of the first color that is emitted into the dichroic combiner by the first light emitter, and to transmit, toward the light integrator, the light of the second color that is emitted into the dichroic combiner by the second light emitter, such that the redirected light of the first color is combined with the transmitted light of the second color in the dichroic combiner, wherein the light integrator is configured to receive at least some of the combined light from the dichroic combiner.
2. 2 . The integrated optical device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of light emitters comprises a third light emitter configured to emit light of a third color into the dichroic combiner through a third portion of the one or more outer surfaces of the first region of the light pipe integrator, and wherein the dichroic combiner is configured to combine the light of the first color that is emitted from the first light emitter, the light of the second color that is emitted from the second light emitter, and the light of the third color that is emitted from the third light emitter.
3. 3 . The integrated optical device of claim 2 , further comprising a second dichroic combining element arranged in the dichroic combiner, wherein the second dichroic combining element is configured to redirect, toward the light integrator, the light of the third color that is emitted into the dichroic chamber by the third light emitter, and to transmit, toward the light integrator, the combined light of the first color and the second color, such that the redirected light of the third color is combined with the transmitted combined light of the first color and the second color in the dichroic combiner.
4. 4 . The integrated optical device of claim 2 , wherein the first dichroic combining element is configured to redirect, toward the light integrator, the light of the third color that is emitted into the dichroic combiner by the third light emitter, such that the redirected light of the first color and redirected light of the third color are combined with the transmitted light of the second color in the dichroic combiner.
5. 5 . The integrated optical device of claim 2 , wherein the first portion and the third portion are included in a first surface of the integrated optical device, wherein the second portion is included in a second surface of the integrated optical device, and wherein the first surface is substantially perpendicular to the second surface.
6. 6 . The integrated optical device of claim 1 , wherein the first dichroic combining element comprises one or more tilted surfaces configured to direct light from the plurality of light emitters along a common optical path.
7. 7 . The integrated optical device of claim 6 , wherein the one or more tilted surfaces are inclined with respect to the common optical path.
8. 8 . The integrated optical device of claim 1 , wherein the first dichroic combining element comprises one or more dichroic coatings.
9. 9 . The integrated optical device of claim 1 , wherein the light integrator comprises diffusing features.
10. 10 . The integrated optical device of claim 1 , wherein the light integrator comprises hollow portions defined by inner reflective sidewalls through which light can propagate.
11. 11 . The integrated optical device of claim 1 , wherein the light integrator comprises solid optically transmissive material through which light can propagate via total internal reflection.
12. 12 . The integrated optical device of claim 1 , wherein the outer surfaces of the integrated optical device include one or more planar outer surfaces.
13. 13 . The integrated optical device of claim 1 , wherein the outer surfaces have a shape of a rectangular prism.
14. 14 . A head-mountable display system configured to project light to an eye of a user to display augmented reality image content in a vision field of the user, the head-mountable display system comprising: an integrated optical device, comprising: a light pipe integrator comprising a first region and a second region that is separate from and adjacent to the first region, wherein the first region is a dichroic combiner, wherein the second region is a light integrator, and wherein the dichroic combiner is in series with the light integrator such that light passes from the dichroic combiner into the light integrator; a plurality of light emitters comprising: a first light emitter configured to emit light of a first color into the dichroic combiner through a first portion of one or more outer surfaces of the first region of the light pipe integrator; and a second light emitter configured to emit light of a second color into the dichroic combiner through a second portion of the one or more outer surfaces of the first region of the light pipe integrator; and a first dichroic combining element arranged in the dichroic combiner, wherein the first dichroic combining element is configured to redirect, toward the light integrator, the light of the first color that is emitted into the dichroic combiner by the first light emitter, and to transmit, toward the light integrator, the light of the second color that is emitted into the dichroic combiner by the second light emitter, such that the redirected light of the first color is combined with the transmitted light of the second color in the dichroic combiner, wherein the light integrator is configured to receive at least some of the combined light from the dichroic combiner; a frame configured to be supported on a head of the user; an eyepiece disposed on the frame; a waveguide configured to receive light emitted from the integrated optical device; and a spatial light modulator disposed with respect to the waveguide to receive and modulate light ejected from the waveguide.
15. 15 . The head-mountable display system of claim 14 , wherein the waveguide and the spatial light modulator are disposed with respect to the eyepiece to direct the modulated light into the waveguide such that the modulated light is directed into the user's eye to form images therein.
16. 16 . The head-mountable display system of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of light emitters comprises a third light emitter configured to emit light of a third color into the dichroic combiner through a third portion of the one or more outer surfaces of the first region of the light pipe integrator, and wherein the dichroic combiner is configured to combine the light of the first color that is emitted from the first light emitter, the light of the second color that is emitted from the second light emitter, and the light of the third color that is emitted from the third light emitter.
17. 17 . The head-mountable display system of claim 16 , further comprising a second dichroic combining element arranged in the dichroic combiner, wherein the second dichroic combining element is configured to redirect, toward the light integrator, the light of the third color that is emitted into the dichroic chamber by the third light emitter, and to transmit, toward the light integrator, the combined light of the first color and the second color, such that the redirected light of the third color is combined with the transmitted combined light of the first color and the second color in the dichroic combiner.
18. 18 . The head-mountable display system of claim 16 , wherein the first dichroic combining element is configured to redirect, toward the light integrator, the light of the third color that is emitted into the dichroic combiner by the third light emitter, such that the redirected light of the first color and redirected light of the third color are combined with the transmitted light of the second color in the dichroic combiner.
19. 19 . The head-mountable display system of claim 14 , wherein the first dichroic combining element comprises one or more tilted surfaces configured to direct light from the plurality of light emitters along a common optical path.
20. 20 . The head-mountable display system of claim 19 , wherein the one or more tilted surfaces are inclined with respect to the common optical path.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 18/160,900, filed on Jan. 27, 2023, titled “METHODS, DEVICES, AND SYSTEMS FOR ILLUMINATING SPATIAL LIGHT MODULATORS,” which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/927,997, filed on Mar. 21, 2018, titled “METHODS, DEVICES, AND SYSTEMS FOR ILLUMINATING SPATIAL LIGHT MODULATORS,” which claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/474,591, filed on Mar. 21, 2017, titled “METHODS, DEVICES, AND SYSTEMS FOR ILLUMINATING SPATIAL LIGHT MODULATORS.” The entirety of each application referenced in this paragraph is expressly incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND Field The present disclosure relates to optical devices, including augmented reality imaging and visualization 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 augmented reality 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. Systems and methods disclosed herein address various challenges related to AR and VR technology. Polarizing beam splitters may be used in display systems to direct polarized light to light modulators and then to direct this light to a viewer. There is a continuing demand to reduce the sizes of display systems generally and, as a result, there is also a demand to reduce the sizes of the constituent parts of the display systems, including constituent parts utilizing polarizing beam splitters. SUMMARY Various implementations described herein include an illuminating system configured to provide illumination (e.g., a front light or a back light) to one or more spatial light modulators (e.g., liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) devices). The illumination systems contemplated herein are configured to direct light having a first polarization state towards a spatial light modulator and direct light reflected from the spatial light modulator having a second polarization state different from the first polarization towards a viewer. The illumination systems contemplated herein can be configured as polarization beam splitting components having a reduced size. A head mounted display system can be configured to project light to an eye of a user to display augmented reality image content in a vision field of the user. The head-mounted display system may include a frame that is configured to be supported on a head of the user. The head-mounted display system may also include an eyepiece disposed on the frame. At least a portion of the eyepiece may be transparent and/or disposed at a location in front of the user's eye when the user wears the head-mounted display such that the transparent portion transmits light from the environment in front of the user to the user's eye to provide a view of the environment in front of the user. The eyepiece can include one or more waveguides disposed to direct light into the user's eye. The head mounted display system may further include a light source that is configured to emit light and/or a wedge-shaped light turning element. The wedge-shaped light turning element may include a first surface that is parallel to an axis. The wedge-shaped light turning element can further include a second surface disposed opposite to the first surface and/or inclined with respect to the axis by a wedge angle α. A light input surface between the first and