Substrate-guide optical device

Abstract

A coupling-in optical arrangement is configured for coupling light waves into a light-waves transmitting substrate by total internal reflection. The light-waves transmitting substrate has at least a first major external surface and a second major external surface. At least one of the first or second major external surfaces is coated with a coating that compensates for non-uniformity of the light-waves transmitting substrate. The light-waves transmitting substrate is formed from a plurality of transparent plates interleaved with a plurality of optical elements such that the transparent plates and the optical elements alternate along the light-waves transmitting substrate. Each of the transparent plates is coated with a partially reflecting coating, thereby forming a plurality of partially reflecting surfaces, which are configured for coupling light waves out of the light-waves transmitting substrate.

1 . An optical system, comprising:
 a light waves-transmitting substrate having at least two major surfaces and edges;   first and second electronic display sources:   an optical device for coupling light waves from the first electronic display source into the substrate by total internal reflection to form an electronic display; and   a plurality of partially reflecting surfaces carried by the substrate, the partially reflecting surfaces being parallel to each other and not parallel to any of the edges of the substrate;   wherein the optical system allows dual operational modes in see-through configuration of an external scene, allowing a viewer to see the electronic display or an external scene, wherein in a first mode, image light waves projected from the first electronic display source are coupled into the substrate and projected into an eye of a viewer by the partially reflected surfaces, and in a second mode, the electronic display is shut-off and an external scene is directly viewable through the substrate and wherein an image from the external scene transmitted through the substrate emerges from the second electronic display source.   
     
     
         2 . The optical system according to  claim 1 , wherein in one of the dual operational modes the device is utilized as a conventional spectacle lens. 
     
     
         3 . The optical system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a mechanical body, wherein the display sources, the optical device and the substrate are integrated into the mechanical body.