Using a display assembly for augmented or virtual reality

Abstract

Configurations are disclosed for presenting virtual reality and augmented reality experiences to users. The system may comprise an image-generating source to provide one or more frames of image data in a time-sequential manner, a light modulator configured to transmit light associated with the one or more frames of image data, a substrate to direct image information to a user's eye, wherein the substrate houses a plurality of reflectors, a first reflector of the plurality of reflectors to reflect transmitted light associated with a first frame of image data at a first angle to the user's eye, and a second reflector to reflect transmitted light associated with a second frame of the image data at a second angle to the user's eye.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for displaying virtual content to a user, the system comprising:
 an image-generating source to provide one or more frames of image data in a time-sequential manner;   a display assembly to project light rays associated with the one or more frames of image data, the display assembly comprises a first display element corresponding to a first frame-rate and a first bit depth, and a second display element corresponding to a second frame-rate and a second bit depth; and   a variable focus element (VFE) configurable to vary a focus of the projected light and transmit the light to the user's eye.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first frame-rate is higher than the second frame-rate, and the first bit depth is lower than the second bit depth. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first display element is a DLP projection system. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second display element is a liquid crystal display (LCD). 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first display element projects light to a subset of the second display element such that a periphery of the LCD has constant illumination. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein only light transmitted from the first display element is focused through the VFE. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the VFE is optically conjugate to an exit pupil, such that a focus of the projected light is varied without affecting a magnification of the image data. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first display element is a DLP, and the second display element is an LCD, and wherein the DLP is of low resolution, and wherein the LCD is of high resolution. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein an intensity of backlight is varied over time to equalize a brightness of sub-images projected by the first display element, thereby increase a frame rate of the first display element. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the VFE is configurable to vary the focus of the projected light on a frame-by-frame basis. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising software to compensate for optical magnification associated with an operation of the VFE. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the image-generating source produces slices of a particular image that when projected together or sequentially produces a three-dimensional volume of an object. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the DLP is operated in a binary mode. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the DLP is operated in a grayscale mode. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the VFE varies the projected light such that a first frame is perceived as coming from a first focal plane, and a second frame is perceived as coming from a second focal plane, wherein the first focal plane is different from the second focal plane. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a focal distance associated with the focal plane is fixed. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a focal distance associated with the focal plane is variable.