Patent attributes
A near eye image display system includes an image projector, a beam combiner assembly, and an optical assembly, optically coupled between the image projector and the beam combiner assembly. The image projector projects a display image toward an optical pathway, the optical pathway intersecting a viewing axis, the viewing axis extending from the eye of a user to an ambient scene. The beam combiner assembly includes a plurality of beam combiners optically cascaded along the optical pathway, each of the beam combiners being disposed diagonally to the optical pathway and diagonally to the viewing axis. Each of the beam combiners is arranged such that for each two adjacent beam combiners, the first of the adjacent beam combiners is optically located between the second of the adjacent beam combiners and the image projector. The geometrical projection of the second beam combiner onto a first plane perpendicular to the optical pathway, is subsumed within the geometrical projection of the first beam combiner onto the first plane. Each of the beam combiners is further arranged such that the partial geometric projection of each of the beam combiners onto a second plane perpendicular to the viewing axis forms a continuous geometric projection, the optical assembly directing display light of the display image from the image projector toward the beam combiner assembly along the optical pathway. Each of the beam combiners reflects the display light toward the eye, and further directs ambient light emerging from the ambient scene toward the eye, thereby superimposing the display image onto the ambient scene.
