Patent ID: 6097543
Filing Date: 2000-08-01
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
Head-mounted visual display apparatus for a user, comprising:an image generator which outputs image light, said image generator having a substantially planar output surface to output said image light in an image plane, said planar output surface being non-orthogonal to the plane of the user's eyes, wherein wavelengths of said image light are from approximately 480 nanometers to approximately 630 nanometers;a fold mirror configured to reflect light evenly across the visible spectrum, positioned to receive the image light from the image generator and to reflect at least a first portion of said image light in a first direction;a reflective combiner situated to receive said first portion of said image light from said fold mirror, reflect at least a second portion of said image light, combined with environmental light transmitted through the reflective combiner to produce combined light, wherein at least some of said combined light is transmitted through said fold mirror in a second direction to the eye position of the user, providing an optical path from said image generator to said fold mirror to said combiner, back through said fold mirror and to said eye position of the user;said image generator and said reflective combiner being mounted on the head of said user at a level below the top of the head of said user;wherein said visual display apparatus is provided in the absence of any optically active components between said image generator and said fold mirror.