Augmented/Virtual Reality Near Eye Display with Edge Imaging Spectacle Lens

Abstract

A near eye display system having an image display panel, a prism assembly comprising a first and second element and a structure such as a eye wear glasses frame. The front and rear surfaces of the first and second elements are aligned and bonded to form the prism assembly. A partially-reflective coating is applied to the interface of the first and second elements to define a beam-splitter interface. The image display panel is disposed near an upper optical region such as a refracting surface of the first element. The lower edge of the second element opposite the beam-splitter interface is a coated reflective surface mirror. The display panel, the optical region and the optically reflective surface are configured to provide compactness and to avoid the break of symmetry. The system accommodates large inter pupil distance (IPD) variation and left/right eye scanning motion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A near eye display system, comprising:
 at least one optical lens element comprising a plurality of switchable semi-reflecting layers, wherein each semi-reflecting layer is associated with a respective sub-field of view (FOV); and   an emissive display device disposed at an edge or a lateral surface of the optical lens element;   wherein the emissive display device transmits light through the optical lens element at the edge or the lateral surface;   wherein the transmitted light is selectively reflected by the semi-reflecting layers toward an eye box of a viewer.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each semi-reflecting layer is active only during a period when its respective sub-FOV is displayed. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each semi-reflecting layer is optically hidden from information light when it is inactive. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein information light transmits at its corresponding semi-reflecting layer and travels toward an optically reflective surface of the optical lens element. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the optically reflective surface reflects the information light back toward the corresponding semi-reflecting layer that reflects the information light to exit the optical lens element through a surface of the optical lens element and into the eye box. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each semi-reflecting layer is defined by a diffractive optical element between a pair of transparent conductor layers. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the diffractive optical element is a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) structure, and the transparent conductor layers are indium tin oxide (ITO) layers.