Head-mounted display system and components

Abstract

A head-mounted display system including a contact lens having a first region and a second region adjacent the first region, an eyewear lens having an inner surface facing the contact lens, and an illuminator configured to produce an imaged light output directed toward the inner surface of the eyewear lens. A first imaged light ray produced by the illuminator is incident on the inner surface and is reflected by the eyewear lens to the first region. The first region is configured to transmit the first imaged light ray, and the second region is configured to reflect or absorb a second imaged light ray produced by the illuminator and reflected from the eyewear lens. The eyewear lens is configured to transmit an ambient light ray to the second region and the second region is configured to transmit the ambient light ray.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A contact lens comprising a first region and a second region and incorporating a multilayer optical film comprising at least one stack of microlayers arranged into a plurality of optical repeat units, each microlayer continuously extending through the first and second regions of the contact lens, each optical repeat unit comprising a first microlayer that is birefringent in the second region and substantially isotropic in the first region. 
     
     
         2 . The contact lens of  claim 1 , wherein in the second region, the at least one stack of microlayers substantially transmits visible light having a first polarization state and substantially reflects visible light having an orthogonal second polarization state. 
     
     
         3 . The contact lens of  claim 1 , wherein in the first region, the at least one stack of microlayers substantially transmits visible light having a first polarization state and substantially transmits visible light having an orthogonal second polarization state. 
     
     
         4 . The contact lens of  claim 1 , wherein the first region is a central region and the second region is an annular region surrounding the central region. 
     
     
         5 . The contact lens of  claim 1 , wherein the first region is not simply connected and either the first region is bounded by the second region or the second region is bounded by the first region. 
     
     
         6 . The contact lens of  claim 5 , wherein the first region comprises a plurality of discrete zones surrounded by the second region. 
     
     
         7 . The contact lens of  claim 1 , wherein the multilayer optical film is micro-perforated. 
     
     
         8 . A head-mounted display system comprising the contact lens of  claim 1 , an eyewear lens having an inner surface facing the contact lens, and an illuminator configured to produce a light output directed toward the inner surface of the eyewear lens. 
     
     
         9 . A multilayer optical film comprising microstructures configured to reflect at least a portion of a light incident on the multilayer optical film at an angle of incidence in a range of about 10 degrees to about 80 degrees into a direction substantially normal to the multilayer optical film. 
     
     
         10 . The multilayer optical film of  claim 9 , comprising a plurality of alternating polymeric layers thermoformed to provide the microstructures. 
     
     
         11 . The multilayer optical film of  claim 9 , comprising two layers having a structured interface therebetween, the structured interface comprising the microstructures. 
     
     
         12 . The multilayer optical film of  claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of alternating polymer layers. 
     
     
         13 . The multilayer optical film of  claim 9  being configured to substantially transmit visible light having a first polarization state and substantially reflect visible light having an orthogonal second polarization state. 
     
     
         14 . The multilayer optical film of  claim 9 , wherein the microstructures include diffraction features or Fresnel mirrors. 
     
     
         15 . A lens comprising the multilayer optical film of  claim 9 . 
     
     
         16 . A lens comprising a multilayer optical film, wherein the lens has opposing first and second major surfaces, and wherein the multilayer optical film comprises microstructures configured to reflect at least a portion of a light incident on the first major surface of the lens at an angle of incidence in a range of about 10 degrees to about 80 degrees into a direction substantially normal to the lens. 
     
     
         17 . The lens of  claim 16 , wherein the multilayer optical film substantially transmits visible light having a first polarization state and substantially reflects visible light having an orthogonal second polarization state. 
     
     
         18 . The lens of  claim 16 , wherein the multilayer optical film comprises two layers having a structured interface therebetween, the structured interface comprising the microstructures. 
     
     
         19 . The lens of  claim 18 , wherein the multilayer optical film further comprising a plurality of alternating polymeric layers. 
     
     
         20 . A head-mounted display system comprising the lens of  claim 16 , a contact lens disposed such that the first major surface of the lens faces the contact lens, and an illuminator configured to produce a light output directed toward the first major surface of the lens.