US 12,442,966 B2
Optical systems for providing polarized light to a waveguide
Vikrant Bhakta, Santa Clara, CA (US); Guolin Peng, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Hyungryul Choi, San Jose, CA (US); and Scott M. DeLapp, San Diego, CA (US)
Filed by Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 22, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/188,322.
Application 18/188,322 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2021/054499, filed on Oct. 12, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/092,112, filed on Oct. 15, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0333302 A1, Oct. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. F21V 8/00 (2006.01); G02B 5/30 (2006.01); G02B 5/32 (2006.01); G02B 27/28 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/0016 (2013.01) [G02B 5/3083 (2013.01); G02B 5/32 (2013.01); G02B 6/0031 (2013.01); G02B 6/0035 (2013.01); G02B 27/283 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A display system comprising:
a waveguide;
an input coupling prism mounted to the waveguide;
a polarizing beam splitter, wherein the polarizing beam splitter is configured to transmit a first portion of unpolarized image light as first image light having a first polarization and is configured to reflect a second portion of the unpolarized image light as second image light having a second polarization;
a prism having a reflective surface;
a first quarter waveplate optically interposed between the prism and the polarizing beam splitter; and
a second quarter waveplate optically interposed between the prism and the waveguide, wherein the first quarter waveplate is configured to transmit the second image light, the reflective surface is configured to reflect the second image light after transmission by the first quarter waveplate, the second quarter waveplate is configured to transmit the second image light after reflection by the reflective surface, and the input coupling prism is configured to couple the first and second image light into the waveguide.