Patent ID: 6522474
Filing Date: 2003-02-18
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
A head-mounted display apparatus for viewing a composite virtual image, said composite virtual image comprising a left virtual image, formed from a left image, to be viewed by an observer at a left viewing pupil and a right virtual image, formed from a right image, to be viewed by the observer at a right viewing pupil, the head-mounted display apparatus comprising:(a) an image generator for providing, as scene content data, said left image and said right image; (b) a left image display for accepting from said image generator said scene content data for said left image and for displaying a first left intermediate image on a left curved surface; (c) a left ball lens spaced apart from said left curved surface, a center of curvature of said left ball lens substantially coincident with a center of curvature of said left curved surface, said left ball lens having a left ball lens pupil, said left ball lens forming a second left intermediate image of said first left intermediate image; (d) a right image display for accepting from said image generator said scene content data for said right image and for displaying a right intermediate image on a right curved surface; (e) a right ball lens spaced apart from said right curved surface, the center of curvature of said right ball lens substantially coincident with a center of curvature of said right curved surface, said right ball lens having a right ball lens pupil, said right ball lens forming a second right intermediate image of said first right intermediate image; (f) a beamsplitter disposed to do the following: (1) direct said second left intermediate image formed by said left ball lens towards a left curved mirror, said left curved mirror having a center of curvature optically coincident with said center of curvature and said left ball lens, said left curved mirror disposed to form, through said beamsplitting means, a real image of said left ball lens pupil at said left viewing pupil and a left virtual image of said second left intermediate image; (2) direct said second right intermediate image directed from said right curved surface through said right ball lens towards a right curved mirror, said right curved mirror having its center of curvature optically coincident with said right ball lens, said right curved mirror disposed to form, through said beamsplitting means, a real image of said right ball lens pupil at said right viewing pupil and a right virtual image of said second right intermediate image.