Compact near-eye display optics for higher optical performance

Abstract

Systems and apparatus are described for a head-mounted display apparatus comprising at least one optical assembly. Each optical assembly may include a first curved lens including a first surface and a second surface, a second curved lens including a third surface and a fourth surface, the third surface being concave and including a beam splitter layer, the second curved lens being disposed between the first curved lens and an input filter assembly, and a display panel adapted to receive image content from an image projecting device and transmit the image content through the at least one optical assembly. The third surface of the second curved lens may have a radius of curvature that is larger than a radius of curvature of the second surface of the first curved lens.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A head-mounted display apparatus comprising at least one optical assembly, each optical assembly including:
 a first curved lens including a first surface and a second surface, the second surface being convex and coupled to a flexible output filter assembly;   a second curved lens including a third surface and a fourth surface, the third surface being concave and including a beam splitter layer, the second curved lens being disposed between the first curved lens and an input filter assembly; and   a display panel adapted to receive image content from an image projecting device and transmit the image content through the at least one optical assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the third surface of the second curved lens has a radius of curvature that is larger than a radius of curvature of the second surface of the first curved lens. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the flexible output filter assembly is laminated to the second surface of the first curved lens to form to an arcuate surface on the second surface of the first curved lens, and   the input filter assembly is a flat filter stack assembly adjacent to the display panel.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second curved lens and the display panel are adapted to be tilted:
 laterally to an angle from a perpendicular to an optical axis of the first curved lens, and   longitudinally to an angle from a perpendicular to the optical axis of the first curved lens.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the input filter assembly is flexible to be coupled to the fourth surface of the second curved lens. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the flexible output filter assembly is a filter stack that includes a first linear polarizer stacked between the display panel and a first quarter wave plate, the first quarter wave plate stacked between the first linear polarizer and the beam splitter layer; and   the input filter assembly is a filter stack that includes a polarizing beam splitter stacked between a second quarter wave plate and a second linear polarizer,   wherein the second linear polarizer is adjacent to the first curved lens and the first linear polarizer is adjacent to the display panel.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the optical assembly is configured to be tilted to a position that moves the optical assembly out of a line of sight for a user accessing the head-mounted display apparatus, the optical assembly further including at least one additional beam splitter filter seated at a predefined angle to the tilted optical assembly, the beam splitter filter being configured to reflect the image content from the image projecting device. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the optical assembly enables viewing of augmented reality content. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second curved lens and the display panel are configured to slide laterally relative to a bottom plane of a frame housing the head-mounted display apparatus, the slide triggering a diopter adjustment to correct a visual impairment associated with a user accessing the head-mounted display apparatus. 
     
     
         10 . An optical assembly including for each of a first eyepiece and a second eyepiece:
 a first curved lens including a first surface and a second surface, the second surface being convex and coupled to a flexible output filter assembly;   a second curved lens including a third surface and a fourth surface, the third surface being concave and including a beam splitter layer, the second curved lens being disposed between the first curved lens and an input filter assembly; and   a display panel adapted to receive image content from an image projecting device and transmit the image content through the optical assembly.   
     
     
         11 . The optical assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the third surface of the second curved lens has a radius of curvature that is larger than a radius of curvature of the second surface of the first curved lens. 
     
     
         12 . The optical assembly of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the flexible output filter assembly is a coating on the second surface of the first curved lens to form to an arcuate surface on the second surface of the first curved lens, and   the input filter assembly is a flat filter stack assembly adjacent to the display panel.   
     
     
         13 . The optical assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the second curved lens and the display panel are adapted to be tilted:
 laterally to an angle from a perpendicular to an optical axis of the first curved lens, and   longitudinally to an angle from a perpendicular to the optical axis of the first curved lens.   
     
     
         14 . The optical assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the input filter assembly is flexible to be coupled to the fourth surface of the second curved lens. 
     
     
         15 . The optical assembly of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the flexible output filter assembly is a filter stack that includes a first linear polarizer stacked between the display panel and a first quarter wave plate, the first quarter wave plate stacked between the first linear polarizer and the beam splitter layer; and   the input filter assembly is a filter stack that includes a polarizing beam splitter stacked between a second quarter wave plate and a second linear polarizer,   wherein the second linear polarizer is adjacent to the first curved lens and the first linear polarizer is adjacent to the display panel.   
     
     
         16 . A system comprising:
 a wearable display device adapted to house an image projecting device;   at least one processor for providing image content within the wearable display device; and   an optical assembly, the optical assembly including:
 a first curved lens including a first surface and a second surface, the second surface being convex and coupled to a flexible output filter assembly; 
 a second curved lens including a third surface and a fourth surface, the third surface being concave and including a beam splitter layer, the second curved lens being disposed between the first curved lens and an input filter assembly; and 
 a display panel adapted to receive image content from an image projecting device and transmit the image content through the optical assembly. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the third surface of the second curved lens has a radius of curvature that is larger than a radius of curvature of the second surface of the first curved lens. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the flexible output filter assembly is a coating on the second surface of the first curved lens to form to an arcuate surface on the second surface of the first curved lens, and   the input filter assembly is a flat filter stack assembly adjacent to the display panel.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the second curved lens and the display panel are adapted to be tilted:
 laterally to an angle from a perpendicular to an optical axis of the first curved lens, and   longitudinally to an angle from a perpendicular to the optical axis of the first curved lens.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the flexible output filter assembly is a filter stack that includes a first linear polarizer stacked between the display panel and a first quarter wave plate, the first quarter wave plate stacked between the first linear polarizer and the beam splitter layer; and   the input filter assembly is a filter stack that includes a polarizing beam splitter stacked between a second quarter wave plate and a second linear polarizer,   wherein the second linear polarizer is adjacent to the first curved lens and the first linear polarizer is adjacent to the display panel.