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MicrosoftGranted patentAR, VR & displaysInterest 6/10

Microsoft patents AR glasses that use light sensors to keep images aligned

This filing describes a display system for augmented reality glasses that splits light into two paths: one for the user to see and another for a camera to capture. By analyzing the light captured by the camera, the system can detect if the display is misaligned and adjust the image to keep it steady for the user.

Why it mattersThis technology helps ensure that virtual objects stay fixed in place relative to the real world, which is a common challenge in making augmented reality glasses comfortable and usable.

In the filing’s own words

A display system includes a waveguide plate comprising an in-coupling grating, an expansion grating, and a sampling grating. The display system includes a projection system configured to direct input light toward the in-coupling grating. The in-coupling grating is configured to diffract the input light to propagate within the waveguide plate. The in-coupling grating is configured to (i) cause a display portion of the input light to propagate toward the expansion grating in a manner that avoids diffraction by the expansion grating and (ii) cause a sampling portion of the input light to propagate toward the sampling grating. The expansion grating is configured to (i) diffract the display portion of the input light to cause the display portion of the input light to continue to propagate within the waveguide plate. The sampling grating is configured to diffract the sampling portion of the input light outward from the waveguide plate.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A method for facilitating alignment control of image output, the method comprising: detecting an alignment image via an image sensor, the alignment image at least partially capturing an alignment marker depicted by a sampling portion of input light, the sampling portion of the input light being diffracted toward the image sensor by a sampling grating of a waveguide plate, the sampling portion of the input light being diffracted toward the sampling grating by an in-coupling grating of the waveguide plate, the in-coupling grating of the waveguide plate being configured to receive the input light from a projection system and (i) diffract a display portion of the input light toward an expansion grating of the waveguide plate for expansion and diffraction by the expansion grating toward an out-coupling grating of the waveguide plate for further expansion and diffraction by the out-coupling grating to generate an expanded-FOV representation of at least a portion of an image depicted by the input light for viewing by an eye of a user and (ii) diffract the sampling portion of the input light toward the sampling grating in a manner that causes the sampling portion of the input light to avoid diffraction by the expansion grating; detecting a second alignment image via a second image sensor, the second alignment image at least partially capturing a second alignment marker depicted by a second sampling portion of second input light, the second sampling portion of the second input light being diffracted toward the second image sensor by a second sampling grating of a second waveguide plate, the second sampling portion of the second input light being diffracted toward the second sampling grating by a second in-coupling grating of the second waveguide plate, the second in-coupling grating of the second waveguide plate being configured to receive the second input light from a second projection system and (i) diffract a second display portion of the second input light toward a second expansion grating of the second waveguide plate for expansion and diffraction by the second expansion grating toward a second out-coupling grating of the second waveguide plate for further expansion and diffraction by the second out-coupling grating to generate a second expanded-FOV representation of at least a portion of a second image depicted by the second input light for viewing by a second eye of the user and (ii) diffract the second sampling portion of the second input light toward the second sampling grating in a manner that causes the second sampling portion of the second input light to avoid diffraction by the second expansion grating; and modifying the image or the second image based upon the alignment image or the second alignment image or based upon a comparison of the alignment image and the second alignment image.

Facts

Company
Microsoft (Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC.)
Official title
Image sampling in diffraction grating-based display system for alignment control
Patent number
US12743798B2
Application number
17584969
Filed
Jan 26, 2022
Granted
Sep 22, 2026
Inventors
2
Claims
20

Classified under

G06T 7/30 Physics & computingG02B 27/0172 Physics & computingG02B 2027/0125 Physics & computingG02B 2027/0198 Physics & computing

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.