Google patents AR glasses that switch light paths to widen the view
Google has filed a patent for head-worn displays that use electrochromic facets to steer light through a lightguide. By changing the state of these facets, the device can direct light along different paths, which increases the total area where the image is visible.
In the filing’s own words
To increase the field of view (FOV) area in a head-worn display (HWD), the HWD includes an optical engine ( 202) configured to emit a display light representing one or more images toward a lightguide ( 205) of the HWD. Further, the HWD includes an electrochromic reflector having one or more electrochromic facets ( 322). These electrochromic facets are configured to direct the display light such that the display light propagates through the lightguide along a path of a plurality of paths based on one or more respective states of electrochromic facets. By increasing the number of paths at which the display light propagates through the lightguide, the FOV area is increased.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A head-worn display (HWD), comprising: an optical engine configured to emit a display light; a lightguide; and an electrochromic facet configured to direct the display light such that the display light propagates through the lightguide along a path of a plurality of paths based on a state of the electrochromic facet.
Facts
- Company
- Google (GOOGLE LLC)
- Official title
- FIELD OF VIEW AREA SELECTION USING ELECTROCHROMIC FACETS
- Publication number
- US20260309999A1
- Application number
- 18996626
- Filed
- Jul 17, 2023
- Published
- Oct 8, 2026
- Inventors
- 2
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G02B 27/0179 Physics & computingG02B 27/0093 Physics & computingG02B 27/0172 Physics & computingG02F 1/157 Physics & computingG02B 2027/0123 Physics & computingG02B 2027/0138 Physics & computingMore from Google in AR, VR & displays
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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.