DE102019126906A1 - Dual waveguide display - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a dual waveguide display, in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising:
- a flat, in particular planar, optical waveguide which is designed to guide display light and for this purpose has a flat display light decoupling element to be arranged in front of the user's eyes and a display light coupling element formed to the side thereof,
- An image generation unit which is designed and arranged to generate and couple display light into the waveguide via the display light coupling element that a display light beam bundle coupled out at the display light output element creates a display image in the user's field of vision,
- wherein the waveguide is further designed for guiding eye tracking light, in particular infrared light, in a direction opposite to display light and for this purpose has an eye tracking coupling element on the display coupling-out side which, for coupling in eye-tracking light reflected by the user's eyes into the Waveguide is formed and arranged, and has an eye-tracking decoupling element on the display coupling-in side.

Description

Technical area

The invention relates to a waveguide display which is designed to be arranged in the field of view of a user, for example for an AR or VR display in a motor vehicle. In particular, the invention is directed to measures for precise display positioning and / or display control of such a waveguide display.

Technical background

AR display devices (augmented reality displays) are known that use either a so-called combiner mirror or a waveguide display, which are positioned in front of the user's eyes and are at least partially transparent in order to superimpose a virtual display image of a real environment in the user's field of vision . There are also VR display devices (virtual reality displays) of a similar design known which typically display stereoscopic virtual display images and in which the combiner mirror or the waveguide display can also be opaque from the outside.

To ensure a fixed positioning in front of the user's eyes that is suitable for visual representation, such AR and VR display devices are usually designed as head-mounted display devices (head-mounted displays), for example as AR or VR glasses.

However, the users can find such display devices to be heavy, annoying and / or annoying, especially if they are worn over a long period of time. On the other hand, head-up displays (HUDs) are known for motor vehicles, for example, which use a combiner mirror installed in a fixed location in the motor vehicle for an AR display, but this results in a correspondingly vehicle-specific eye box, i.e. H. a generally very limited spatial and viewing angle range from which the virtual display image is visible to the user.

To solve these problems, for example, suggests DE 10 2017 214 627 A1 proposed a head-up system for vehicles, which is designed like a robot for the contactless positioning of a combiner mirror in front of the user's eyes. For this purpose, the system has a holding device that can be moved by activation, which holds a display and the combiner mirror, and is set up to continuously record a head pose of the user and the combiner mirror and the display in such a determined head-up pose by controlling the holding device to spend that the user is shown an image overlaying the environment.

The object of the present invention is to provide a waveguide display which is improved in the light of the problems described and which is designed to be arranged in the field of view of a user, in particular for an AR or VR display in a motor vehicle or in any other application.

Disclosure of the invention

This object is achieved by a dual waveguide display according to claim 1 and a method for its operation according to the independent claims. Further refinements are given in the dependent claims. All of the additional features and effects mentioned in the claims and the description for the dual waveguide display also apply in relation to its operating method, and vice versa.

According to a first aspect, a dual waveguide display is provided which is designed to be arranged in the field of view of a user, in particular for an AR or VR display (augmented reality or virtual reality). It can be, for example, a stationary system in motor vehicles or other higher-level mobile or immobile systems, such as aircraft or watercraft, trains, buildings, etc. H. act without touching the user mountable dual waveguide display. Alternatively, the dual waveguide display can also be designed as a head-mounted display device (head-mounted display, HMD), for example as AR or VR glasses.

The dual waveguide display comprises a flat, in particular planar, optical waveguide, which is designed to guide a display light beam and for this purpose has a flat display light decoupling element to be arranged in front of the user's eyes and a display light coupling element formed on the side thereof. With a predetermined positioning of the display light coupling-out element in the field of vision lying in front of the user's eyes, the display light coupling-in element formed to the side can lie in particular in an area of the waveguide that is barely or not at all visually perceptible to the user, on which the term "display coupling-in side" as used hereinafter applies. relates. Correspondingly, the term “display coupling-out side” used hereinafter refers to a region of the waveguide which is to be positioned in front of the user's eyes during operation and which also includes the display light coupling-out element.

Furthermore, the dual waveguide display comprises an image generation unit which is designed and arranged to generate a display light beam with a desired display image content and to couple it into the waveguide via the display light coupling element, that by a display light beam bundle decoupled from the display light output element an in particular virtual display image is generated in the user's field of vision. Even if the invention primarily relates to the generation of a virtual display image visible to the user at a predetermined distance behind the waveguide, the dual waveguide display set out herein can alternatively also be designed with suitable optical means for generating a real display image in the user's field of vision .

One idea of the dual waveguide display of the type set out here is that its optical waveguide, in addition to bringing the display light beam to the user, is also designed to guide an eye-tracking light beam in a different, in particular approximately opposite or anti-parallel, direction. For this purpose, the waveguide comprises an eye-tracking coupling-in element on the display coupling-out side, which is designed and arranged to couple an eye-tracking light beam reflected from the user's eyes into the waveguide, and on the display coupling-out side an eye-tracking coupling-out element for coupling out the eye-tracking light beam in Direction of a suitable eye tracking sensor, ideally arranged outside the user's field of vision.

The user eye information transported by the eye tracking light beam can be used in a manner known per se to determine a current user eye position or user eye movement. This can in turn be used, for example, for precise tracking of the predetermined optimal display alignment in the event of user head movements and / or as a gaze-controlled user interface. Some examples follow below.

By bringing the eye-tracking light beam out of the user's field of vision through the dual waveguide display, all optical and electronic components required for generating and / or capturing the eye-tracking light, such as B. cameras or energy sources can be accommodated away from the user's field of vision. As a result, the dual waveguide display in the area in front of the user's eyes can continue to be as light as possible in terms of weight and / or transparent for an undisturbed view of the surroundings in front of the user.

In order to avoid disturbance or perception by the user, the eye tracking light used can in particular lie in a predetermined invisible spectral range. In particular, infrared light can be used. In modern motor vehicles, various infrared light sources for illuminating the passenger compartment and infrared light sensors for detecting the infrared light reflected by objects located therein are often already provided.

One, several or all of the components of the dual waveguide display described herein can be designed with the described functionality for only one user eye or at the same time for both user eyes. In the case of functionality for only one user eye, the respective component can in particular be provided twice, for example in an arrangement which is symmetrical with respect to a predetermined face center plane. For the sake of simplicity, the term “the user's eyes” is usually used here.

The “coupling-in and coupling-out elements” of the optical waveguide for the light used in each case can be designed in any suitable manner, in particular known per se, for example as optical grids or as holographic optical elements.

In particular, the dual waveguide display can also include a suitable eye tracking sensor, for example a CCD or CMOS sensor (charge-coupled device; complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor), which is used to detect the coupled-out eye-tracking light beam designed and for this purpose in front of or on the waveguide, in particular opposite the eye tracking decoupling element at a predetermined distance therefrom, or can be fastened. The eye tracking sensor can, but does not have to be, attached to the waveguide. In particular, it can be designed in a manner known per se to generate, record and / or forward an electrical eye tracking signal based on the detected eye tracking light beam to a suitable control unit for determining and further using a current user eye position and / or user eye movement.

In particular, the dual waveguide display can also have a first optical element for focusing the eye-tracking light beam and / or arranged in the beam path of the uncoupled eye-tracking light beam, ie between the eye-tracking decoupling element and the eye-tracking sensor for mapping a user eye image transported therewith onto the eye tracking sensor. The first optical one Element can in particular be designed as a suitable lens system with one or more lenses, for example made of plastic or glass.

The first optical element can in particular be fastened directly to the waveguide, for example glued to or molded onto the eye-tracking decoupling element, or integrated therein. Alternatively, it can also be attached to the eye tracking sensor, for example. In order to focus a collimated, uncoupled eye-tracking light beam onto the eye-tracking sensor, the first optical element can, for example, be arranged approximately at its focal length from the eye-tracking sensor.

In particular, the dual waveguide display can also have a beam path of the eye-tracking light beam to be coupled in, ie. H. between the eye-tracking coupling element and the user eyes, arranged second optical element for collimating the eye-tracking light beam and / or for mapping a user eye image transported therewith on the eye-tracking sensor. The second optical element can in particular be designed as a suitable, in particular plano-convex, lens system with one or more lenses, for example made of plastic or glass.

The second optical element can in particular be fastened directly to the waveguide, for example glued or molded onto the eye tracking coupling element, or integrated therein. In order to collimate the eye tracking light beam reflected by the user's eyes in order to properly pass the waveguide, the second optical element can, for example, be arranged approximately at its focal length in front of the user's eyes.

In particular, the dual waveguide display can furthermore comprise an illumination element which, on the display coupling-out side, is designed and arranged in or on the waveguide for illuminating the user's eyes with the illumination light used for eye tracking. In other words, the terms “illuminating light” and “eye tracking light” are used to denote the same light in its different propagation stages and with correspondingly different directions of propagation in relation to the dual waveguide display to avoid confusion: the illumination light is this light the reflection on the user's eyes, and the eye tracking light - after its reflection on the user's eyes.

In this case, the waveguide can furthermore also be designed for guiding illumination light in order to also bring energy sources and / or electronics connected therewith out of the user's field of vision. For this purpose, the illumination element can be designed as an illumination decoupling element from which an illumination light source, for example a light-emitting diode (LED), generated by a display coupling-in side in or on the waveguide and transmitted through the waveguide, is decoupled in the direction of the user's eyes becomes. The illumination light source can in particular be provided outside the waveguide and designed and arranged for coupling the illumination light it generates into the waveguide via an illumination coupling element of the waveguide which is also formed on the display coupling side.

Alternatively, the illumination element facing the user's eyes can itself be an illumination light source, for example a light-emitting diode (LED). In this variant, the waveguide can be designed in particular to transport electrical energy from an energy source arranged in or on the waveguide on the display coupling side to the illumination light source, for example through electrical lines running in the waveguide.

• - eine Auswerteeinheit, die zum Ermitteln einer aktuellen Benutzeraugenposition und/oder einer aktuellen Benutzeraugenbewegung anhand des vom Eye-Tracking-Sensor erfassten Eye-Tracking-Lichtstrahlenbündels ausgebildet ist; und
• - einen elektrisch ansteuerbaren Aktuator, der zum linearen und/oder rotatorischen Bewegen des Wellenleiters zu einer vorbestimmten Positionierung des Displaylicht-Auskoppelelements vor den Benutzeraugen abhängig von der ermittelten aktuellen Benutzeraugenposition und/oder - Bewegung ausgebildet ist.

According to a first embodiment, the dual waveguide display also comprises the above-mentioned eye tracking sensor

• an evaluation unit which is designed to determine a current user eye position and / or a current user eye movement on the basis of the eye tracking light beam captured by the eye tracking sensor; and
• - An electrically controllable actuator which is designed for linear and / or rotary movement of the waveguide for a predetermined positioning of the display light decoupling element in front of the user eyes depending on the determined current user eye position and / or movement.

As a result, a position and / or alignment of the waveguide and / or alignment of the waveguide and thus also of the display light decoupling element in the space of the current user eye position can be tracked in the space of the current user eye position when it is changed. The predetermined positioning can include, for example, a centering and / or orthogonal alignment of the display light decoupling element around or to the current viewing direction of the user, so that the display image is always at an intended position, e.g. B. in the middle, is generated in his field of view. The evaluation unit and a suitable one Actuator control electronics can be implemented, for example, in the control unit mentioned above, which is designed to receive electrical signals from the eye tracking sensor.

A dual waveguide display that can be spatially positioned and / or tracked in this way using eye tracking does not require any mechanical connections to the user or his head in order to always achieve an essentially arbitrarily precise, predetermined positioning with regard to the visual display and comfortable and safe distances of the Waveguide to ensure the user. The dual waveguide display of the type set out here is therefore ideal for a fixed integration in a higher-level system, such as e.g. B. a motor vehicle or a building, and does not have any of the restrictions known from the prior art for stationary display devices for the field of view, etc. which can be covered.

Alternatively, the dual waveguide display of the type set out here can also be a head-mounted display device or a display device attached in some other way to the user or his seat, and the aforementioned predetermined positioning using eye tracking to (for example, to a few centimeters, millimeters or even fractions of a millimeter precisely defined) readjustment / correction of the waveguide previously pre-positioned in front of the user's eyes with simpler means, for example manually.

• - eine Auswerteeinheit, die zum Ermitteln einer aktuellen Benutzeraugenposition und/oder einer aktuellen Benutzeraugenbewegung anhand des vom Eye-Tracking-Sensor erfassten Eye-Tracking-Lichtstrahlenbündels ausgebildet ist; und
• - eine Benutzerschnittstelle, die zum Erzeugen von Steuerungsbefehlen, insbesondere zum Ansteuern der Bilderzeugungseinheit oder anderer Geräte beispielsweise an Bord eines Kraftfahrzeugs, abhängig von der ermittelten aktuellen Benutzeraugenposition und/oder Benutzeraugenbewegung ausgebildet ist.

According to a second embodiment, which can in particular be combined with the above first embodiment, the dual waveguide display also comprises, in addition to the above-mentioned eye tracking sensor

• an evaluation unit which is designed to determine a current user eye position and / or a current user eye movement on the basis of the eye tracking light beam captured by the eye tracking sensor; and
• - A user interface that is designed to generate control commands, in particular to control the image generation unit or other devices, for example on board a motor vehicle, depending on the determined current user eye position and / or user eye movement.

In this way, for example, a gaze-controlled cursor movement and / or a different type of gaze-controlled display control can be implemented for changing the display image to be generated. The evaluation unit and the user interface can be implemented, for example, in the control unit mentioned above, which is designed to receive electrical signals from the eye tracking sensor.

• - Ermitteln einer aktuellen Benutzeraugenposition und/oder einer aktuellen Benutzeraugenbewegung anhand des vom Eye-Tracking-Sensor erfassten Eye-Tracking-Lichtstrahlenbündels; und
• - lineares und/oder rotatorisches Bewegen des Wellenleiters zur vorbestimmten Positionierung des Displaylicht-Auskoppelelements vor den Benutzeraugen abhängig von der ermittelten aktuellen Benutzeraugenposition und/oder Benutzeraugenbewegung.

According to a further aspect, a method for operating a dual waveguide display of the type set out herein, comprising an above-mentioned eye tracking sensor, is provided. The operating method comprises the following steps, whereby what was said above for the first embodiment of the dual waveguide display can apply accordingly:

• - Determination of a current user eye position and / or a current user eye movement on the basis of the eye tracking light beam detected by the eye tracking sensor; and
• linear and / or rotary movement of the waveguide for the predetermined positioning of the display light decoupling element in front of the user eyes depending on the determined current user eye position and / or user eye movement.

• - Ermitteln einer aktuellen Benutzeraugenposition und/oder einer aktuellen Benutzeraugenbewegung anhand des vom Eye-Tracking-Sensor erfassten Eye-Tracking-Lichtstrahlenbündels; und
• - Erzeugen von Steuerungsbefehlen, insbesondere zum Ansteuern der Bilderzeugungseinheit, abhängig von der ermittelten aktuellen Benutzeraugenposition und/oder Benutzeraugenbewegung. Dadurch kann beispielsweise eine blickgesteuerte Kursorbewegung und/oder eine andersartige blickgesteuerte Displaysteuerung zum Ändern des zu erzeugenden Anzeigebilds implementiert sein.

As an alternative or in addition, the operating method can include the following steps, whereby what was said above for the second embodiment of the dual waveguide display can apply accordingly:

• - Determination of a current user eye position and / or a current user eye movement on the basis of the eye tracking light beam detected by the eye tracking sensor; and
• - Generation of control commands, in particular for controlling the image generation unit, depending on the determined current user eye position and / or user eye movement. In this way, for example, a gaze-controlled cursor movement and / or a different type of gaze-controlled display control can be implemented for changing the display image to be generated.

Figure list

• Figur eine perspektivische Ansicht eines dualen Waveguide-Displays gemäß dem ersten Aspekt der Erfindung mit einem vor Benutzeraugen angeordneten flächigen Displaylicht-Auskoppelelement eines planaren Wellenleiters und einem in einiger Entfernung dahinter erzeugten virtuellen Anzeigebild.

The above aspects of the invention and its embodiments and specific configurations are explained in more detail below with reference to the example shown in the accompanying drawing. The drawing is purely schematic; in particular, it should not be read as being true to scale. It shows the

• FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a dual waveguide display according to the first aspect of the invention with a flat display light decoupling element of a planar waveguide arranged in front of the user's eyes and a virtual display image generated some distance behind it.

Description of embodiments

All of the various embodiments, variants and specific design features of the dual waveguide display according to the first aspect of the invention mentioned above in the description and in the following claims and of its operating method according to the further aspects can be implemented in the example shown in the figure. The same applies accordingly to the definitions of terms and effects already given above in relation to individual features that are shown in the figure.

The single figure shows a dual waveguide display in a greatly simplified schematic perspective view 1 of the type set out herein, which is designed to be arranged in the field of vision of a user, in particular for an AR or VR display (augmented reality or virtual reality). In addition to the display function, there is also the optical waveguide 2 of the dual waveguide display 1 also designed in the manner described herein for eye tracking to determine a current user eye position or movement.

It can be, for example, a stationary dual waveguide display that can be mounted in motor vehicles or other higher-level mobile or immobile systems, such as aircraft or watercraft, railways, buildings, etc., ie without touching the user 1 act. Alternatively, the dual waveguide display 1 but also be designed as a head-mounted display device (head-mounted display, HMD), such as AR or VR glasses. For reasons of illustration, any mounting elements that are used to attach the dual waveguide display are omitted in the figure 1 serve on the higher-level system or on the user's head and can be designed in any way suitable for the functionality set out herein.

The dual waveguide display 1 comprises, in this example, a planar optical waveguide 2 used to guide a display light beam L1 is formed and for this purpose a flat, in front of a user eye 3 arranged display light decoupling element 4th and a display light coupling element formed on the side thereof 5 having. With the predetermined positioning of the display light decoupling element indicated schematically in the figure 4th im in front of the user's eye 3 The display light coupling element formed to the side lies in the field of vision 5 in an area that cannot be visually perceived by the user 6th of the waveguide 2 , to which the term “display coupling-in side” as used herein refers. Correspondingly, the term “display extraction side” used herein refers to one in front of the user's eye 3 , ie area lying in his field of vision 7th of the waveguide 2 , which is also the display light decoupling element 4th includes. In this example is the waveguide 2 At least the display coupling-out side is designed to be transparent in the visible spectral range in order to give the user a view of the waveguide in front of him 2 to enable the lying environment.

It also includes the dual waveguide display 1 an image forming unit 8th that are used to generate the display light beam L1 with a desired display image content and for its coupling into the waveguide 2 via the display light coupling element 5 is designed and arranged so that by the display light decoupling element 4th Decoupled display light beam L1 one, for example, a few meters or even further from the user's eye 3 remote virtual display image 9 (which shows a cactus in the figure) is generated in the field of view of the user. Even if this example is primarily the generation of a user-visible virtual display image at a predetermined distance behind the waveguide 2 is concerned, the dual waveguide display 1 alternatively, it can also be designed with suitable optical means (not shown) for generating a real display image.

In addition to bringing the display light beam as described L1 to the user is the optical waveguide 2 of the dual waveguide display 1 also for guiding an eye-tracking light beam L2 formed in an opposite or anti-parallel direction in this example (the respective directions of propagation of the various bundles of rays L1-L3 are indicated in the figure by arrows). To this end, the waveguide includes 2 An eye tracking coupling element on the display coupling-out side 10 that is used to couple one of the user's eye 3 reflected eye-tracking light beam L2 into the waveguide 2 is formed and arranged, and an eye tracking decoupling element on the display coupling-in side 11 for decoupling the eye tracking light beam L2 in the direction of a suitable eye tracking sensor, which in this example is arranged outside the user's field of vision 12th .

By tracking the eye beam of light L2 by means of the optical waveguide 2 of the dual waveguide display 1 from the field of view of the User is brought, all of the optical and electronic components required to generate and / or record the eye tracking light, such as B. cameras or energy sources can be accommodated away from the user's field of vision. This allows the dual waveguide display 1 display decoupling side, ie in front of the user's eye 3 lying area 7th , both light in weight and largely transparent to the user.

In this example, infrared light (IR) in a spectral range that is invisible to the user is used as eye tracking light.

One, more, or all of the dual waveguide display components described herein 1 can with the functionality sketched in the figure only for one user eye at a time 3 or at the same time for both user eyes (not shown). In the case of functionality, only for one user's eye 3 For example, the respective component can in particular be provided twice, for example in an arrangement which is symmetrical with respect to a predetermined face center plane. A single user eye is shown schematically in the figure only to simplify the illustration 3 indicated.

The eye tracking sensor 12th , for example a camera with a CCD or CMOS sensor (charge-coupled device; complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) is used to detect the coupled-out eye-tracking light beam L2 formed and this in this example in front of the waveguide 2 compared to its eye-tracking decoupling element 11 arranged at a predetermined distance therefrom. The eye tracking sensor 12th can, but does not have to be on the waveguide 2 be attached. In particular, it can be used in a manner known per se to generate, record and / or pass on an eye-tracking light beam on the detected eye-tracking light beam L2 based electrical eye tracking signals to a suitable control unit (not shown) for determining and further using a current user eye position and / or user eye movement.

It also includes the dual waveguide display 1 one in the beam path of the uncoupled eye-tracking light beam L2 between the eye tracking decoupling element 11 and the eye tracking sensor 12th arranged first optical element 13th for focusing the eye tracking light beam L2 and / or for mapping an image of the user's eye transported therewith 3 on the eye tracking sensor 12th . The first optical element 13th can in particular be designed as a suitable lens system with one or more, for example convex or plano-convex, lenses.

The first optical element 13th can in particular directly on the waveguide 2 attached, for example on the eye-tracking decoupling element 11 be glued or molded on, or integrated therein. Alternatively, it can also be done on the eye tracking sensor, for example 12th be attached. Around an eye-tracking light beam collimated in this example (see below) L2 on the eye tracking sensor 12th to focus is the first optical element 13th here roughly in its focal length from the eye tracking sensor 12th arranged.

Used to collimate the user's eye 3 reflected eye-tracking light beam L2 has the dual waveguide display 1 in this example also one in the beam path of the eye tracking light beam to be coupled L2 between the eye tracking coupling element 10 and the user's eye 3 arranged second optical element 14th , in this example a plano-convex lens. This can in particular directly on the waveguide 2 attached, for example over or on the eye tracking coupling element 10 be glued or molded on, or integrated therein. To that from the user's eye 3 reflected eye-tracking light beams L2 to properly pass the waveguide 2 to collimate, the second optical element can 14th for example, approximately in the focal length distance from the user's eye 3 be arranged.

Furthermore, the dual waveguide display 1 in this example a lighting element 15th on the display coupling-out side on the waveguide 2 to illuminate the user's eyes 3 is formed and arranged with the illumination light used for eye tracking, here infrared light. As an alternative to this, for example, IR sources which are usually already present in a motor vehicle could be used to illuminate the user's eyes 3 can also be used. As already explained above, the terms “illumination light” and “eye tracking light” are used to avoid confusing the different bundles of rays L2 and L3 the same light, but designated in its different stages of propagation: illuminating light (bundle of rays L3 ) is this light before reflection on the user's eye 3 , and the eye-tracking light (bundle of rays L2 ) - after its reflection on the user's eye 3 .

Here is the waveguide 2 in this example also for guiding the illuminating light beam L3 designed to move associated energy sources and / or electronics also out of the user's field of vision into the display coupling-side area. The illumination element is for this purpose 15th formed here as an illumination decoupling element from which an illumination light beam bundle L3 , that of a display coupling side in front of the waveguide 2 arranged illumination light source 16 generated and via an illumination coupling element formed on the display coupling side 17th into the waveguide 2 is coupled, in the direction of the user eye 3 is decoupled. The illumination light source 16 is designed as an IR LED in this example.

Alternatively, this can be done to the user's eye 3 facing illumination element 15th also be an illumination light source itself, for example an IR LED. In this variant, the waveguide 2 in particular for transporting electrical energy from an energy source (not shown) arranged in or on the waveguide on the display coupling side, for example through the waveguide 2 running electrical conductor tracks, to the illumination element 15th be trained.

The "coupling and decoupling elements" mentioned herein 4th , 5 , 10 , 11 , 15th or 17th of the optical waveguide 2 for the light used in each case (display light, eye tracking light and illumination light) can be designed in any suitable, in particular known manner, for example as optical grids or as holographic optical elements.

• Im Betrieb des dualen Waveguide-Displays 1 sendet die Bilderzeugungseinheit 8 (picture generating unit, PGU) ein Displaylicht-Strahlenbündel L1 mit dem gewünschten Anzeigebildinhalt in das Displaylicht-Einkoppelelement 4. Von diesem wandert das Displaylicht-Strahlenbündel L1 durch den Wellenleiter 2 zum Displaylicht-Auskoppelelement 5 und erzeugt dadurch das virtuelle Anzeigebild 9 im Blickfeld des Benutzers.

The following is one possible operating method for the dual waveguide display 1 described according to the figure. The individual method steps described below and above or in the claims can be carried out in any meaningful order, in particular all or several at the same time and / or continuously:

• In operation of the dual waveguide display 1 sends the imaging unit 8th (picture generating unit, PGU) a display light beam L1 with the desired display image content in the display light coupling element 4th . The display light beam travels from this L1 through the waveguide 2 to the display light decoupling element 5 and thereby generates the virtual display image 9 in the user's field of vision.

The illumination light source 16 , here an IR-LED, sends a beam of illumination light L3 into the illumination coupling element 17th . The illuminating light beam travels from this L3 through the waveguide 2 to the illumination element designed as an illumination decoupling element 15th and so lights up the user's eye 3 with infrared light.

That of the eyeball and the retina of the user's eye 3 reflected infrared light (eye-tracking light beam L2 ) is provided by one directly on the eye-tracking coupling element 10 mounted plano-convex lens (second optical element 14th ) bundled or collimated and through the eye tracking coupling element 10 into the waveguide 2 coupled. From the eye tracking coupling element 10 the eye-tracking light beam wanders L2 through the waveguide 2 to the eye tracking decoupling element 11 and is supported by a lens system (first optical element 13th ) focused, creating a user eye image on the eye tracking sensor 12th is produced.

• - zum Ansteuern eines elektrisch ansteuerbaren Aktuators 18, beispielsweise eines wie in der Figur angedeutet in allen drei Raumrichtungen bewegbaren Mikro-Roboterarms, der zum linearen und/oder rotatorischen Bewegen des Wellenleiters 2 zu einer vorbestimmten Positionierung des Displaylicht-Auskoppelelements 4 vor dem Benutzerauge 3 abhängig von der ermittelten aktuellen Benutzeraugenposition und/oder -Bewegung ausgebildet ist; und/oder
• - als eine Benutzerschnittstelle, die zum Erzeugen von Steuerungsbefehlen, insbesondere zum Ansteuern der Bilderzeugungseinheit oder anderer Geräte beispielsweise an Bord eines Kraftfahrzeugs, abhängig von der ermittelten aktuellen Benutzeraugenposition und/oder Benutzeraugenbewegung ausgebildet ist. Dadurch kann beispielsweise eine blickgesteuerte Kursorbewegung (ein blickgesteuerter Kursor 19 ist im Blickfeld des Benutzers angedeutet) und/oder eine andersartige blickgesteuerte Displaysteuerung zum Ändern des zu erzeugenden Anzeigebilds 9 implementiert sein.

From the one on the eye tracking sensor 12th Eye-tracking light beam captured thereby L2 or generated user eye image is a current position and / or movement of the user eye 3 determined. This can be used

• - to control an electrically controllable actuator 18th , for example a micro-robot arm which can be moved in all three spatial directions as indicated in the figure and is used for linear and / or rotary movement of the waveguide 2 for a predetermined positioning of the display light decoupling element 4th in front of the user's eye 3 is designed as a function of the determined current user eye position and / or movement; and or
• - As a user interface that is designed to generate control commands, in particular to control the image generation unit or other devices, for example on board a motor vehicle, depending on the determined current user eye position and / or user eye movement. This enables, for example, a gaze-controlled cursor movement (a gaze-controlled cursor 19th is indicated in the user's field of vision) and / or another type of gaze-controlled display control for changing the display image to be generated 9 be implemented.

The predetermined positioning can be centering and / or orthogonal alignment of the display light decoupling element, for example 4th to include the or to the current direction of view of the user, so that the display image 9 always in an intended position, e.g. B. in the middle, is generated in his field of view. A dual waveguide display that can be spatially positioned and / or tracked in this way using eye tracking 1 does not require any mechanical connections to the user or his head, in order to always be optimal with regard to the optical representation and comfortable and risk-free spacing of the waveguide 2 to the user in front of his eyes 3 to be arranged. The dual waveguide display 1 is therefore ideal for a fixed integration in a higher-level system, such as B. a motor vehicle or a building, suitable without prior art for Fixed display devices to have known restrictions for the field of view that can be covered, etc.

Alternatively, the dual waveguide display 1 but also a head-worn display device or a display device attached in some other way to the user or his seat, and the aforementioned predetermined positioning using eye tracking can be used for precise readjustment or correction of the previously with simpler means, for example by manually putting on AR glasses the user's eye 3 prepositioned waveguide 2 be used.

List of reference symbols

1

dual waveguide display

2

optical waveguide

3

User eye

4th

Display light decoupling element

5

Display light coupling element

6th

Area of the waveguide on the display coupling-in side that is barely or imperceptible to the user

7th

Area of the waveguide located in front of the user on the display coupling-out side

8th

Imaging unit

9

Display image

10

Eye tracking coupling element

11

Eye tracking decoupling element

12th

Eye tracking sensor

13th

first optical element

14th

second optical element

15th

Illumination element, in particular illumination decoupling element

16

Illumination light source

17th

Illumination coupling element

18th

electrically controllable actuator

19th

gaze controlled cursor

L1

Display light beam

L2

Eye tracking light beam

L3

Illumination light beam

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent literature cited

• DE 102017214627 A1 [0005]

Claims (10)

Dual waveguide display (1), in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising: - a flat, in particular planar, optical waveguide (2) which is designed to guide display light and for this purpose has a flat display light decoupling element (4) to be arranged in front of the user's eyes (3) and a display light coupling element (5) designed to the side thereof, - An image generation unit (8) which is designed and arranged for generating and coupling display light into the waveguide (2) via the display light coupling element (5) that a display light beam (L1) coupled out at the display light output element (4) a particularly virtual display image (9) is generated in the user's field of vision, - wherein the waveguide (2) is further designed for guiding eye tracking light, in particular infrared light, in a direction opposite to the display light and for this purpose has an eye tracking coupling element (10) on the display coupling-out side, which is used for coupling in the user's eyes (3 ) reflected eye tracking light is formed and arranged in the waveguide (2), and has an eye tracking decoupling element (11) for decoupling an eye tracking light beam (L2) on the display coupling side. Dual waveguide display (1) according to Claim 1 , further comprising an eye-tracking sensor (12) which is designed to detect the coupled-out eye-tracking light beam (L2) and for this purpose in front of or on the waveguide (2), in particular opposite the eye-tracking decoupling element (11) predetermined distance from this, attached or attachable. Dual waveguide display (1) according to Claim 2 , further comprising a first optical element (13) arranged in the beam path of the uncoupled eye-tracking light beam (L2), in particular a lens system, for focusing the eye-tracking light beam (L2) and / or for imaging a user eye image transported therewith onto the Eye tracking sensor (12). Dual waveguide display (1) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a second optical element (14), in particular a lens system, arranged in the beam path of an eye-tracking light beam (L2) to be coupled in, for collimating the eye-tracking light beam (L2) ) and / or for mapping a user eye image transported therewith onto the eye tracking sensor (12). Dual waveguide display (1) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising an illumination element (15) which is designed and arranged on the display coupling-out side in or on the waveguide (2) for illuminating the user's eyes (3) with illumination light serving for eye tracking. Dual waveguide display (1) according to Claim 5 - The waveguide (2) is also designed to conduct illumination light from an illumination light source (16) arranged in or on the waveguide on the display coupling-in side to the illumination element (15) designed as an illumination-decoupling element, the illumination light source (16) is designed and arranged in particular for coupling the illumination light it generates into the waveguide (2) via an illumination coupling-in element (17) also formed on the display coupling-in side, or - the illumination element (15) itself represents an illumination light source, the waveguide (2) is designed in particular to transport electrical energy from an energy source arranged in or on the waveguide on the display coupling side to this illumination light source. Dual waveguide display (1) according to one of the preceding claims in connection with Claim 2 , further comprising: an evaluation unit which is designed to determine a current user eye position and / or movement on the basis of the eye-tracking light beam (L2) detected by the eye-tracking sensor (12); and - an electrically controllable actuator (18) for linear and / or rotary movement of the waveguide (2) for the predetermined positioning of the display light decoupling element (4) in front of the user's eyes (3) depending on the determined current user's eye position and / or movement is trained. Dual waveguide display (1) according to one of the preceding claims in connection with Claim 2 , further comprising: - an evaluation unit which is used for Determination of a current user eye position and / or movement based on the eye tracking light beam (L2) detected by the eye tracking sensor (12) is formed; and a user interface which is designed to generate control commands, in particular to control the image generation unit (8), depending on the determined current user eye position and / or movement. Method for operating a dual waveguide display (1) according to one of the preceding claims in connection with Claim 2 comprising the steps of: determining a current user eye position and / or movement based on the eye tracking light beam (L2) detected by the eye tracking sensor (12); and - linear and / or rotary movement of the waveguide (2) for the predetermined positioning of the display light decoupling element (4) in front of the user eyes (3) depending on the determined current user eye position and / or movement. Method for operating a dual waveguide display (1) according to one of the Claims 1 to 8th combined with Claim 2 comprising the steps of: determining a current user eye position and / or movement based on the eye tracking light beam (L2) detected by the eye tracking sensor (12); and - generating control commands, in particular for controlling the image generating unit (8), depending on the current user's eye position and / or movement determined.

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