US5949583A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Head-mounted display with image generator, fold mirror and mirror for transmission to the eye position of the user
Assignee: i O Display Systems LLC
•
Filing: 1995-06-07
•
Granted: 1999-09-07
•
Expires: 2015-06-07
Abstract
Abstract A visual display device is provided for delivering a generated image, preferably combinable with environment light, to the eye of a user. Light from an image generator such as a CRT, LED or LCD is reflected from a fold mirror away from a user's eye towards a combiner. The image is reflected from the combiner and magnified, optionally combined with light from the environment and passes back through the fold mirror towards the eye of the user. In one embodiment, an optical element such as a meniscus lens or PCX lens is used to present the user with a substantially flat focal field and/or a Fresnel lens or diffractive optical element is used to aim rays from the image to the field curvature corrective lens in order to maintain maximum contrast.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard Dennis Rallison
- 👤 C. Gregory Amadon
- 👤 Wolfgang Adam Mack, Jr.
- 👤 Arlie R. Conner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 21:53
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B27/00; G02B27/01; G02B27/017; G02B27/0172; G02B6/00; G02B6/04; G02B6/06; G02B6/08; G02B27/0101; G02B2027/011; G02B2027/0112; G02B2027/0116; G02B2027/0132; G02B2027/0174; G02B2027/0178; G02B5/00; G02B5/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
206 words
Transmissive head-mounted on-axis display apparatus for a user, comprising: an image generator which outputs image light, said image generator defining an output plane; a first partially reflective mirror positioned to receive image light from the image generator and to reflect at least a first portion of said image light in a first direction, wherein said image light impinges said first mirror at an angle of between about 40° and about 50°; a second partially transmissive mirror defining a mirror centroid situated to receive at least some of said first portion of said image light from said first mirror and reflect at least a second portion of said image light combined with environmental light, to provide combined light, a tangent plane of said second partially transmissive mirror, at said centroid, positioned at an angle of between about 85° and about 95° with respect to said output plane of said image generator, wherein at least some of said combined light is transmitted through said first mirror in a second direction for ultimate transmission to the eye position of the user, providing an optical path from said image generator to said first mirror, to said second mirror, through said first mirror and to said eye position of the user.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
206 words
Transmissive head-mounted on-axis display apparatus for a user, comprising: an image generator which outputs image light, said image generator defining an output plane; a first partially reflective mirror positioned to receive image light from the image generator and to reflect at least a first portion of said image light in a first direction, wherein said image light impinges said first mirror at an angle of between about 40° and about 50°; a second partially transmissive mirror defining a mirror centroid situated to receive at least some of said first portion of said image light from said first mirror and reflect at least a second portion of said image light combined with environmental light, to provide combined light, a tangent plane of said second partially transmissive mirror, at said centroid, positioned at an angle of between about 85° and about 95° with respect to said output plane of said image generator, wherein at least some of said combined light is transmitted through said first mirror in a second direction for ultimate transmission to the eye position of the user, providing an optical path from said image generator to said first mirror, to said second mirror, through said first mirror and to said eye position of the user.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
223 words
Immersive head-mounted on-axis display apparatus for a user in an environment which provides environmental light, comprising: an image generator which outputs image light, said image generator defining an output plane;; a first partially reflective mirror positioned to receive image light from the image generator and to reflect at least a first portion of said image light in a first direction, wherein said image light impinges said first mirror at an angle of between about 40° and about 50°; a second mirror defining a mirror centroid situated to receive at least some of said first portion of said image light from said first mirror and reflect at least a second portion of said image light to provide second reflected light, wherein said second reflected light is provided substantially without combination with said environmental image light, a tangent plane of said second mirror, at said centroid, positioned at an angle of between about 85° and about 95° with respect to said output plane of said image generator, and wherein at least some of said second reflected light is transmitted through said first mirror in a second direction for ultimate transmission to the eye position of the user, providing an optical path from said image generator to said first mirror, to said second mirror, through said first mirror and to said eye position of the user.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
223 words
Immersive head-mounted on-axis display apparatus for a user in an environment which provides environmental light, comprising: an image generator which outputs image light, said image generator defining an output plane;; a first partially reflective mirror positioned to receive image light from the image generator and to reflect at least a first portion of said image light in a first direction, wherein said image light impinges said first mirror at an angle of between about 40° and about 50°; a second mirror defining a mirror centroid situated to receive at least some of said first portion of said image light from said first mirror and reflect at least a second portion of said image light to provide second reflected light, wherein said second reflected light is provided substantially without combination with said environmental image light, a tangent plane of said second mirror, at said centroid, positioned at an angle of between about 85° and about 95° with respect to said output plane of said image generator, and wherein at least some of said second reflected light is transmitted through said first mirror in a second direction for ultimate transmission to the eye position of the user, providing an optical path from said image generator to said first mirror, to said second mirror, through said first mirror and to said eye position of the user.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2411933A
Cited
US2955156A
Cited
US3043910A
Cited
US3212102A
Cited
US3614314A
Cited
US3549803A
Cited
US3589795A
Cited
US3629870A
Cited
US3874783A
Cited
US3915548A
Cited
US3923370A
Cited
US4048653A
Cited
US4042957A
Cited
US3940204A
Cited
US4021862A
Cited
US4026641A
Cited
US4028725A
Cited
US4269476A
Cited
US4322135A
Cited
US4257062A
Cited
US4310849A
Cited
US4348185A
Cited
US4398799A
Cited
US4385803A
Cited
US4361384A
Cited
US4468101A
Cited
US4775217A
Cited
US4395731A
Cited
FR2517916B1
Cited
US4446480A
Cited
US4437113A
Cited
US5019828A
Cited
US4737972A
Cited
US4559555A
Cited
US4550984A
Cited
US4561723A
Cited
US4439157A
Cited
US4465347A
Cited
US4636866A
Cited
US5184231A
Cited
US4695129A
Cited
GB2143948B
Cited
US4722601A
Cited
US4763990A
Cited
US4652870A
Cited
US4571628A
Cited
US4641931A
Cited
US4651201A
Cited
US4706117A
Cited
US4743200A
Cited
US5281957A
Cited
US4796987A
Cited
US4633324A
Cited
US4711512A
Cited
DE3532730C2
Cited
USD300476S
Cited
USD301644S
Cited
US4703522A
Cited
US4799765A
Cited
US4807202A
Cited
US4630321A
Cited
US4869575A
Cited
US4753514A
Cited
US4864190A
Cited
US4884137A
Cited
US5005213A
Cited
US4786966A
Cited
US4970589A
Cited
DE3628458A1
Cited
US4952024A
Cited
US4757714A
Cited
US5162828A
Cited
US4865420A
Cited
US4932731A
Cited
US4726075A
Cited
US4751746A
Cited
US4826287A
Cited
US4984179A
Cited
US4884219A
Cited
US4761056A
Cited
US5124821A
Cited
US4995165A
Cited
US4874214A
Cited
US4902116A
Cited
US4806011A
Cited
US4805988A
Cited
US4934773A
Cited
US5003300A
Cited
US4859030A
Cited
US4859031A
Cited
US4785481A
Cited
US5335299A
Cited
US4797736A
Cited
US5231379A
Cited
US4961625A
Cited
US5129716A
Cited
US4930888A
Cited
US4874235A
Cited
US5274405A
Cited
US4784468A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-09-06 | 2003-03-08 | 2003-09-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-09-06 | 2007-03-08 | 2007-09-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-09-06 | 2011-03-08 | 2011-09-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |