Conical optical combiner

{
  "publication_number": "US10895750B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Conical optical combiner",
  "abstract": "Optical systems and methods are provided, which combine see-through view of the real world and display source images using a conical optical combiner cut to have flat surfaces normal to the viewer line of sight. The conical shape minimizes interferences in the view of the real world as the edges of the optical combiner are tangent to the viewer vision field of view and the inner part of the optical combiner is semitransparent. Additionally, the optical system comprises a beam splitter, a shutter(s) for attenuating or blocking the see-through path and may employ polarizing element to improve the contrast between the scene observation and the projected display and thus enabling selective viewing of either. The system may also be configured to enable diopter adjustment and virtual display distance adjustments.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A system for optically combining display images with real-world views, comprising: an image source configured to emit light; an optical combiner comprising a beam splitter and a curved semi reflective element, the beam splitter being orientated to reflect light reaching from the image source away from a pupil plane of a viewer and towards the curved semi reflective element, the beam splitter and curved semi reflective element being held together to form a truncated cone having a small planar base parallel to the pupil plane of the viewer, a curved large base, and a conic surface interrupted by a planar surface parallel to the image source; and a distortion corrector having a curved surface coupled to the curved large base of the optical combiner and further having a planar surface facing a real-world view.",
    "2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a shutter positioned between the distortion corrector and real-world view, said shutter being operable to attenuate or block the real-world view upon actuation.",
    "3. The system of claim 2, wherein the shutter is one of a LCD shutter, a polymer shutter and a mechanical shutter.",
    "4. The system of claim 2, wherein the shutter is operable to provide multiple levels of attenuation.",
    "5. The system of claim 2, further comprising a polarizing display filter located between the image source and the planar surface parallel to the image source, wherein the shutter is a polarizing shutter and wherein the curved large base has a corresponding polarized coating, wherein the beam splitter is a polarizing beam splitter.",
    "6. The system of claim 1, wherein the distance between the image source and the planar surface parallel to the image source is adjustable, and wherein the system further comprises a variable diopter lens positioned between the small planar base parallel to the pupil plane of the viewer and the pupil plane of the viewer.",
    "7. The system of claim 6, wherein the distance between the image source and the planar surface parallel to the image source is adjustable independently of, or in correspondence with, the variable diopter lens, the adjustment being affected mechanically.",
    "8. The system of claim 1, further comprising image source optics, wherein the image source optics is located between the image source and the planar surface parallel to the image source.",
    "9. The system of claim 8, wherein the image source optics is attached to the planar surface parallel to the image source."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to the field of optical devices, and more particularly, to optical devices combining see through and display visualization.\n\nOptical devices, in particular head-worn devices, often combine real world observation with added displayed images, e.g., in various augmented reality applications. This combination is challenging due to the difference in sources and variable environmental conditions in which such optical devices are expected to operate in.\n\nThe following is a simplified summary providing an initial understanding of the invention. The summary does not necessarily identify key elements nor limit the scope of the invention, but merely serves as an introduction to the following description.\n\nOne aspect of the present invention provides an optical system comprising: (i) a display device with associated optics, (ii) an optical combiner comprising a beam splitter and having a flat small base, a large base which is curved with respect to a plane parallel to the small base, wherein the small and large bases are connected by: a first surface configured to mediate between the associated optics of the display device and the beam splitter, and a curved side which is part of a truncated cone having the small base and the plane as bases; wherein the optical combiner together with the display device with associated optics is configured to deliver rays originated from the display device and to form an image to a viewer with pupil plane parallel to the ...",
  "cpc": [
    "G02B 27/0172",
    "G02B 2027/011",
    "G02B 2027/0118",
    "G02B 2027/012",
    "G02B 2027/013",
    "G02B 2027/0134",
    "G02B 2027/0181",
    "G02B 2027/0187",
    "G02B 27/017",
    "G02B 27/0179",
    "G02B 27/1066",
    "G02B 27/123",
    "G02B 27/144",
    "G02B 27/283",
    "G02F 1/0072"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G02B 27/01",
    "G02F 1/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Elbit Systems Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Ron Schneider",
    "Gil BENESH",
    "Aron Arlievsky"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2018-11-20",
  "publication_date": "2021-01-19",
  "grant_date": "2021-01-19",
  "priority_date": "2017-11-20",
  "application_number": "US-201816765505-A",
  "family_id": "66539413",
  "cited_by_count": 5,
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}