Multiplane holographic augmented reality head-up display with a real–virtual dual mode and large eyebox

Abstract

We propose a multiplane augmented reality (AR) head-up display (HUD) with a real–virtual dual mode based on holographic optical elements (HOEs). The picture generation unit (PGU) is only a single free-focus projector, and the optical combiner includes a HOE lens (HOEL) for long-distance virtual image display and a HOE diffuser (HOED) for in-plane real image display. A HOED with directional scattering characteristics in the real image mode can significantly increase the size of the eyebox (EB) without increasing the size of the HOE, and a HOEL with a flexible design for the optical focal length in the virtual image mode can be used to achieve a different depth of the AR display. The proposed AR HUD system, which has a compact structure and offers high light transmittance, high energy usage, a multiplane display, and a large EB, is expected to be widely used in the future.