US 11,719,876 B2
Display illumination using a wedge waveguide
Ying Geng, Bothell, WA (US); Adrian Travis, Paris (FR); and Gang Li, Bothell, WA (US)
Assigned to META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, Menlo Park, CA (US)
Filed by META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, Menlo Park, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 14, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/721,282.
Application 17/721,282 is a continuation of application No. 15/930,318, filed on May 12, 2020, granted, now 11,307,347.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/850,527, filed on May 20, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0244450 A1, Aug. 4, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F21V 8/00 (2006.01); G02B 5/32 (2006.01); G02B 27/01 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/0061 (2013.01) [G02B 5/32 (2013.01); G02B 6/0046 (2013.01); G02B 6/0051 (2013.01); G02B 6/0068 (2013.01); G02B 27/0172 (2013.01); G02B 2027/0174 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An optical device, comprising:
a light source configured to provide illumination light;
an optical element having a first surface, a second surface distinct from and non-parallel to the first surface, and a third surface distinct from and non-parallel to the first surface and the second surface, wherein the optical element is configured to:
receive, at the first surface, the illumination light provided by the light source;
propagate the illumination light via total internal reflection; and
output the illumination light from the third surface;
an optical assembly disposed adjacent to the third surface of the optical element, wherein the optical assembly is configured to receive the illumination light output from the third surface and redirect the illumination light, wherein the optical assembly includes an optical diffuser configured to diffuse the illumination light output from the third surface of the optical element, thereby providing diffused illumination light; and
a reflective spatial light modulator positioned to receive the illumination light and reflect at least a portion of the received illumination light back as image light so that the image light is transmitted through the optical element from the third surface of the optical element to the second surface of the optical element and is output from the second surface of the optical element.