Multi-theater light source

• US 10,025,174 B1
• Filed: 06/09/2017
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Tait, Thomas Tracey, Smithwick, Quinn Y., Kosakura, Steven T., Reichow, Mark A., Watson, Scott Frazier
• Primary Examiner(s): HOWARD, RYAN D
• Application Number:
  US15/618,266
• Time in Patent Office: 403 Days
• Field of Search: 353 94
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/2013 Plural light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/2033 LED or laser light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/206 Control of light source other than position or intensity
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/20 using two or more projectors
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/2205 using downstream optical component
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/2286 Particular reconstruction light G03H1/24 takes precedence; Beam properties
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/2294 Addressing the hologram to an active spatial light modulator
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/2242 Multiple viewing windows
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2210/30 3D object
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2223/16 Optical waveguide, e.g. optical fibre, rod
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/332 Displays for viewing with the aid of special glasses or head-mounted displays [HMD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/334 using spectral multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/337 using polarisation multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/363 using image projection screens volumetric display H04N13/388
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3147 Multi-projection systems displays in general H04N9/12; video walls G06F3/1446, G09G2300/026
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3155 for controlling the light source light source control per se H05B35/00 – H05B47/00; control of an illumination source for displays in general G09G3/3406
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3161 using laser light sources using laser beams scanning the display screen H04N9/3129

Abstract

A multi-theater light source for two or more 3D projectors positioned in differing spaces. The apparatus includes a first light source outputting light to display left eye content, and the apparatus includes a second light source outputting light for use by the projectors to display right eye content. The apparatus includes a switching device that receives the light output from the first and second light sources and switches between first and second operating states to route the left and right eye light. In the first operating state, the switching device directs the light from the first light source toward a first projector and the light output from the second light source toward a second projector. In the second operating state, the switching device directs the light output from the first light source toward the second projector and the light output from the second light source toward the first projectors.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use as a light source for two or more projectors positioned in different spaces and operable to project three dimensional (3D) imagery, comprising:

a first light source outputting light configured for use by the projectors to display left eye content associated with the 3D imagery;

a second light source outputting light, concurrently with the outputting of the light from the first light source, configured for use by the projectors to display right eye content associated with the 3D imagery; and

a switching device receiving the light output from the first light source and the light output from the second light sources and, in a first operating state, directing the light output from the first light source toward a first one of the projectors and the light output from the second light source toward a second one of the projectors and, in a second operating state, directing the light output from the first light source toward the second one of the projectors and the light output from the second light source toward the first one of the projectors.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the switching device switches between the first and second operating states at a frequency of at least 120 Hertz during operations of the apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller generating control signals to the first one of the projectors and to the second one of the projectors to synchronize operations of the projectors to display left eye content when receiving the light output from the first light source and to display right eye content when receiving the light output from the second light source.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the controller generates a park control signal to the switching device to remain in the first or second operating state for a predefined time period, whereby the light output from the first light source or the second light source is directed to the projectors for the predefined time period.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the switching device comprises a spinning disk with a first segment mirrored on first and second sides and a second segment that is transparent or substantially transparent to light and wherein the spinning disk is oriented to, during the spinning, to alternate between having the first segment receiving the outputs of the first and second light sources in the first operating state and having the second segment receiving the outputs of the first and second light sources in the second operating state.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the switching device comprises a fiber-optical switch switchable between a bar state and a cross state, wherein the output light from the first light source is directed to a first output port with the fiber-optical switch in the bar state and is directed to a second output port with the fiber-optical switch in the cross state, and wherein the first output port is coupled to an input of the first one of the projectors and the second output port is coupled to an input of the second one of the projectors.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the switching device, in the first operating state, displays first and second holograms on first and second display elements, respectively, to route the output light from the first and second light sources and, in the second operating state, displays the second and first holograms on the first and second display elements, respectively to route the output light from the first and second light sources.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein, in the first and second operating states, the switching device routes the output light from the first and second light sources to at least three of the projectors.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first and second holograms are configured to provide unequal splitting of the output light from the first and second light sources, whereby at least one of the at least three projectors receives light of a differing intensity.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second light sources are 6-P lasers or laser banks configured to provide R₁G₁B₁ and R₂G₂B₂ light.

11. A 3D projection system, comprising:

in a first space, a first projector switching between projecting left eye content and right eye content for a first 3D projected image;

in a second space, a second projector switching between projecting left eye content and right content for a second 3D projected image; and

a multi-theater light source comprising;

a first laser light source outputting left eye 3D light;

a second laser light source outputting right eye 3D light, concurrently with the outputting of the light from the first light source; and

a switching device switching between first and second operating states, wherein the switching device receives the left eye 3D light and the right eye 3D light from the first and second laser light sources, wherein, in the first operating state, the switching device routes the left eye 3D light from the first light source toward the first projector and the right eye 3D light from the second light source toward the second projector, and wherein, in the second operating state, the switching device routes the left eye 3D light from the first light source toward the second projector and the right eye 3D light from the second light source toward the first projector.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the multi-theater light source further comprises a controller generating control signals to the first projector and to the second projector to synchronize operations to display the left eye content when receiving the left eye 3D light from the first light source and to display the right eye content when receiving the right eye 3D light from the second light source.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the switching device comprises a spinning disk with a first segment mirrored on first and second sides and a second segment that is transparent or substantially transparent to light and wherein the spinning disk is oriented to, during the spinning, to alternate between having the first segment receiving the left and right eye 3D light of the first and second light sources in the first operating state and having the second segment receiving the left and right eye 3D light from the first and second light sources in the second operating state.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the switching device comprises a fiber-optical switch switchable between a bar state and a cross state, wherein the left eye 3D light from the first light source is directed to a first output port with the fiber-optical switch in the bar state and is directed to a second output port with the fiber-optical switch in the cross state, and wherein the first output port is coupled to an input of the first projector and the second output port is coupled to an input of the second projector.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the switching device, in the first operating state, displays first and second holograms on first and second display elements, respectively, to route the left and right eye 3D light from the first and second light sources and, in the second operating state, displays the second and first holograms on the first and second display elements, respectively to route the left and right eye 3D light from the first and second light sources.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein, in the first and second operating states, the switching device routes the left and right eye 3D light from the first and second light sources to at least three of the projectors.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first and second holograms are configured to provide unequal splitting of the left and right eye 3D light from the first and second light sources, whereby at least one of the at least three projectors receives light of a differing intensity.

18. An apparatus for use as a light source for first and second projectors positioned in different spaces and projecting 3D images, comprising:

a first laser light source generating first light;

a second laser light source generating second light, concurrently with the outputting of the light from the first light source, wherein the first and second laser light sources are run at 100% duty cycle; and

a switching device switching between first and second operating states, wherein the switching device, in the first operating state, routes the first light to a first output for use by the first projector to display left eye content for a first 3D image and the second light to a second output for use by the second projector to display right eye content for a second 3D image and wherein the switching device, in a second operating state, routes the first light to the second output for use by the second projector to display left eye content for the second 3D image and the second light to the first output for use by the first projector to display right eye content for the first 3D image.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the switching device comprises a spinning disk with a first segment mirrored on first and second sides and a second segment that is transparent or substantially transparent to light and wherein the spinning disk is oriented to, during the spinning, to alternate between having the first segment receiving both the first and second lights in the first operating state and having the second segment receiving both the first and second lights in the second operating state.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the switching device comprises a fiber-optical switch switchable between a bar state and a cross state, wherein the first light is directed to the first output with the fiber-optical switch in the bar state and is directed to the second output with the fiber-optical switch in the cross state, and wherein the first output is coupled to an input of the first projector and the second output is coupled to an input of the second projector.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the switching device, in the first operating state, displays first and second holograms on first and second display elements, respectively, to route the first and second lights and, in the second operating state, displays the second and first holograms on the first and second display elements, respectively, to route the first and second lights.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the switching device switches between the first and second operating states using one of diffraction, polarization, or interferometry.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the switching device uses diffraction-based switching and includes a reflective spatial light modulator (SLM) presenting a diffraction grating to provide the diffraction-based switching.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the switching device uses diffraction-based switching and the switching device is configured for binary micro-mirror array deflection.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the switching device provides switching based on polarization and is adapted to provide the polarization via free-space optics.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the switching device provides switching based on polarization using all-fiber cross-bar switching.

27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the switching device provides switching based on interferometry with an in-fiber illumination switch or with a multiple wavelength system.

28. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the switching device provides switching using binary micro-mirror array deflection.

29. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the switching device comprises a scanner-based switch operable in cross, bar, and dump states.