Systems, devices, and methods for angle- and wavelength-multiplexed holographic optical elements

Abstract

A wearable heads-up display includes a support structure that in use is worn on a head of a user, a scanning laser projector carried by the support structure, and a holographic optical element carried by the support structure. The holographic optical element includes a set of holograms formed in one or more layers of holographic material. The set of holograms includes a red hologram that is exclusively responsive to red laser light incident thereon over a first range of angles of incidence, a green hologram that is exclusively responsive to blue laser light incident thereon over the first range of angles of incidence, and a blue hologram that is exclusively responsive to green laser light incident thereon over the first range of angles of incidence.

1 . A wearable heads-up display, comprising:
 a support structure that in use is worn on a head of a user;   a scanning laser projector carried by the support structure; and   a holographic optical element carried by the support structure, the support structure to position the holographic optical element within a field of view of an eye of the user when the support structure is worn on the head of the user, the holographic optical element comprising a set of holograms formed in one or more layers of holographic material, the set of holograms comprising:
 a red hologram responsive to a first wavelength of red laser light incident thereon over a first range of angles of incidence and unresponsive to light of other wavelengths; 
 a green hologram responsive to a second wavelength of green laser light incident thereon over the first range of angles of incidence and unresponsive to light of other wavelengths; and 
 a blue hologram responsive to a third wavelength of blue laser light incident thereon over the first range of angles of incidence and unresponsive to light of other wavelengths. 
   
     
     
         2 . The wearable heads-up display of  claim 1 , wherein the holographic optical element further comprises a second set of holograms formed in the one or more layers of holographic material, the second set of holograms comprising:
 a red hologram responsive to the first wavelength of red laser light incident thereon over a second range of angles of incidence and unresponsive to light of other wavelengths;   a green hologram responsive to the second wavelength of green laser light incident thereon over the second range of angles of incidence and unresponsive to light of other wavelengths; and   a blue hologram responsive to the third wavelength of blue laser light incident thereon over the second range of angles of incidence and unresponsive to light of other wavelengths.   
     
     
         3 . The wearable heads-up display of  claim 1 , wherein the red hologram, the green hologram, and the blue hologram converge light to a same focus. 
     
     
         4 . The wearable heads-up display of  claim 2 , wherein the second red hologram, the second green hologram, and the second blue hologram converge light to a same focus. 
     
     
         5 . The wearable heads-up display of  claim 2 , wherein the red hologram, the green hologram, and the blue hologram converge light to a first same focus; wherein the second red hologram, the second green hologram, and the second blue hologram converge light to a second same focus; and wherein the second same focus is spatially separated from the first same focus. 
     
     
         6 . The wearable heads-up display of  claim 1 , wherein the red hologram, the green hologram, and the blue hologram apply a same optical function to the first wavelength of red light, the second wavelength of green light, and the third wavelength of blue light, respectively. 
     
     
         7 . The wearable heads-up display of  claim 2 , wherein the second red hologram, the second green hologram, and the second blue hologram apply a same optical function to the first wavelength of red light, the second wavelength of green light, and the third wavelength of blue light, respectively. 
     
     
         8 . The wearable heads-up display of  claim 2 , wherein the scanning laser projector comprises at least one scan mirror. 
     
     
         9 . The wearable heads-up display of  claim 8 , further comprising an optic in an optical path between the at least one scan mirror and the holographic optical element, the optic having characteristics to route light along optical paths corresponding to the at least the first and second range of angles of incidence at the holographic optical element. 
     
     
         10 . The wearable heads-up display of  claim 8 , wherein portions of the scanning laser projector and optic are contained within an inner volume of the support structure. 
     
     
         11 . The wearable heads-up display of  claim 8 , wherein the scanning laser projector further comprises a red laser diode to generate the first wavelength of red light, a green laser diode to generate the second wavelength of green light, and a blue laser diode to generate the third wavelength of blue light. 
     
     
         12 . The wearable heads-up display of  claim 1 , wherein the support structure has a general shape and appearance of an eyeglasses frame, and further comprising an eyeglass lens carried by the support structure. 
     
     
         13 . The wearable heads-up display of  claim 12 , wherein the holographic optical element is carried by the eyeglass lens.