TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure generally relates to artificial reality systems, such as mixed reality and/or virtual reality systems.

BACKGROUND

Artificial reality systems have applications in many fields such as computer gaming, health and safety, industry, and education. As a few examples, artificial reality systems are being incorporated into mobile devices, gaming consoles, personal computers, movie theaters, and theme parks. In general, artificial reality is a form of reality that has been adjusted in some manner before presentation to a user, which may include, e.g., a virtual reality, an augmented reality, a mixed reality, a hybrid reality, or some combination and/or derivatives thereof.

Typical artificial reality systems include one or more devices for rendering and displaying content to users. As one example, an artificial reality system may incorporate a head-mounted display (HMD) worn by a user and configured to output artificial reality content to the user. The artificial reality content may entirely consist of content that is generated by the system or may include generated content combined with real-world content (e.g., pass through views or captured real-world video and/or images of a user's physical environment). During operation, the user typically interacts with the artificial reality system to select content, launch applications, configure the system and, in general, experience artificial reality environments.

SUMMARY

In general, the disclosure describes artificial reality systems and, more specifically, an artificial reality system that includes a volumetric display. As used herein, a volumetric display is a display that forms a visual representation of an object or a scene in apparent three-dimensions, rather than a two-dimensional planar image. The volumetric display described herein may include a two-dimensional planar display and a varifocal optical system. One or more processors may be configured to process an image frame to generate a plurality of sub-frames. Each sub-frame includes only a portion of the image data from the image frame. The portion of the image data for each sub-frame corresponds to a depth or depth range within the image frame. Taken together, the plurality of sub-frames collectively represent all image date in the frame, but each sub-frame only includes some of the image data.

To produce the volumetric image for display, the one or more processors is configured to coordinate the output of the sub-frames by the display and the focal distance of the varifocal optical system such that the focal distance of the varifocal optical system correlates with the depth associated with the displayed sub-frame. To display an entire image frame, the one or more processors controls the display to output the sub-frames in a sequence and controls the focal distance of the varifocal optical system as each of the sub-frames are displayed. This technique takes advantage of persistence of vision, which allows the user's visual system to effectively combine the portions of the image data included in the sub-frames to recreate the image frame.

In one or more example aspects, the disclosure describes a volumetric display comprising: a two-dimensional display; a varifocal optical system configured to receive image light from the two-dimensional display and focus the image light; and at least one processor configured to: control the two-dimensional display to cause a plurality of sub-frames associated with an image frame to be displayed by the display, wherein each sub-frame of the plurality of sub-frames includes a corresponding portion of image data associated with the image frame; and control the varifocal optical system to a corresponding focal state for each respective sub-frame.

In some examples, the disclosure describes a system comprising: a head mounted display comprising: a housing; a two-dimensional display mechanically coupled to the housing; a varifocal optical system mechanically coupled to the housing and configured to receive image light from the two-dimensional display and focus the image light; and at least one processor configured to: cause a plurality of sub-frames associated with an image frame to be displayed by the display, wherein each sub-frame of the plurality of sub-frames includes a corresponding portion of image data associated with the image frame, and wherein the plurality of sub-frames together include all of the image data associated with the image frame; and control the varifocal optical system to a corresponding focal state for each respective sub-frame.

In some examples, the disclosure describes a method that includes causing, by one or more processors, a plurality of sub-frames associated with an image frame to be displayed by a two-dimensional display, wherein each sub-frame of the plurality of sub-frames includes a corresponding portion of image data associated with the image frame, and wherein the plurality of sub-frames together include all of the image data associated with the image frame; and controlling, by the one or more processors, a varifocal optical system to a corresponding focal state for each respective sub-frame, wherein the varifocal optical system is configured to receive image light from the two-dimensional display and focus the image light.

The details of one or more examples are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

