Three-dimensional hologram display system

• US 20060171008A1
• Filed: 08/30/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Bryant, Nevin, Chao, Tien-Hsin, Mintz, Frederick, Tsou, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,490,941 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/15
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/54 the 3D volume being generated by moving a 2D surface, e.g. by vibrating or rotating the 2D surface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/363 using image projection screens volumetric display H04N13/388
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/393 the volume being generated by a moving, e.g. vibrating or rotating, surface

Abstract

The present invention relates to a three-dimensional (3D) hologram display system. The 3D hologram display system includes a projector device for projecting an image upon a display medium to form a 3D hologram. The 3D hologram is formed such that a viewer can view the holographic image from multiple angles up to 360 degrees. Multiple display media are described, namely a spinning diffusive screen, a circular diffuser screen, and an aerogel. The spinning diffusive screen utilizes spatial light modulators to control the image such that the 3D image is displayed on the rotating screen in a time-multiplexing manner. The circular diffuser screen includes multiple, simultaneously-operated projectors to project the image onto the circular diffuser screen from a plurality of locations, thereby forming the 3D image. The aerogel can use the projection device described as applicable to either the spinning diffusive screen or the circular diffuser screen.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional hologram display system, comprising:

a projector device configured to project an image;

a display medium for displaying an image from the projector device as a holographic image, such that a viewer can view the holographic image from multiple view points, whereby when the holographic image is projected upon the display medium, a viewer can view different aspects of the holographic image from different angles.

2. A three-dimensional hologram display system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the projector device further comprises multiple, simultaneously-operable projectors for projecting image components, where each image component is one half of a stereo image, such that when two corresponding halves of a stereo image converge upon the display medium, they form a full stereogram.

3. A three-dimensional hologram display system as set forth in claim 2, further comprising an image formation mechanism for redirecting the image components onto the display medium to form the holographic image.

4. A three-dimensional hologram display system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the image formation mechanism is selected from a group consisting of multiple refracting prisms and multiple reflecting mirrors.

5. A three-dimensional hologram display system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the display medium is selected from a group consisting of a circular diffuser screen, and aerogel.

6. A three-dimensional hologram display system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the image formation mechanism is formed in a ring-shape such that the image components can be reflected to the interior of the display medium.

7. A three-dimensional hologram display system as set forth in claim 6, wherein each multiple, simultaneously-operable projector is positioned such that each half of the stereo image is refracted/reflected by every other prism or mirror in the image formation mechanism to converge upon the display medium and form the holographic image.

8. A three-dimensional hologram display system as set forth in claim 7, further comprising a processor configured for processing the image and presenting the image to the projector device to be projected as a 3D hologram onto the display medium.

9. A three-dimensional hologram display system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the projector device is positioned such that it is within the ring-shape of the image formation mechanism.

10. A three-dimensional hologram display system as set forth in claim 8, where the projector device is formed in a circular mounting frame such that it surrounds the ring-shape of the image formation mechanism.

11. A three-dimensional hologram display system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the projector device further includes:

three grayscale spatial light modulators (SLM) that are used to display red, green, and blue (RGB) data separately, where the RGB data is received from a graphic 3D data processor;

three red, green, and blue light sources to illuminate each SLM with three beams;

an achromatic, optics light ray combiner to combine the three beams to become a collinear beam; and

an input lens for passing the collinear beam through the input lens to illuminate the display medium.

12. A three-dimensional hologram display system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the display medium is selected from a group consisting of a spinning diffusive screen and aerogel.

13. A three-dimensional hologram display system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an image formation mechanism for redirecting the image onto the display medium to form the holographic image.

14. A three-dimensional hologram display system as set forth in claim 13, wherein the image formation mechanism is selected from a group consisting of multiple refracting prisms and multiple reflecting mirrors.

15. A three-dimensional hologram display system as set forth in claim 13, wherein the image formation mechanism is formed in a ring-shape such that the image can be reflected to the interior of the display medium.

16. A three-dimensional hologram display system as set forth in claim 13, wherein the projector device is positioned such that it is within the ring-shape of the image formation mechanism.

17. A three-dimensional hologram display system as set forth in claim 15, where the projector device is formed in a circular mounting frame such that it surrounds the ring-shape of the image formation mechanism.

18. A three-dimensional hologram display system as set forth in claim 2, wherein each multiple, simultaneously-operable projector is positioned such that each half of the stereo image is refracted/reflected by every other prism or mirror in the image formation mechanism to converge upon the display medium and form the holographic image.

19. A three-dimensional hologram display system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the display medium is selected from a group consisting of a spinning diffusive screen, a circular diffuser screen, and aerogel.

20. A three-dimensional hologram display system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a processor configured for processing the image and presenting the image to the projector device to be projected as a 3D hologram onto the display medium.

21. A method for forming a three-dimensional hologram display system, the method comprising acts:

forming a projector device to project an image upon a display medium; and

forming a display medium for displaying an image from the projector device as a holographic image, such that a viewer can view the holographic image from multiple view points, whereby when the holographic image is projected upon the display medium, a viewer can view different aspects of the holographic image from different angles.

22. A method as set forth in claim 21, further comprising acts of:

forming the projector device to include;

three grayscale spatial light modulators (SLM) that are used to display red, green, and blue (RGB) data separately, where the RGB data is received from a graphic 3D data processor;

three red, green, and blue light sources to illuminate each SLM with three beams;

an achromatic, optics light ray combiner to combine the three beams to become a collinear beam;

an input lens for passing the collinear beam through the input lens to illuminate the display medium; and

forming the display medium to be in a form selected from a group consisting of a spinning diffusive screen and an aerogel.

23. A method as set forth in claim 21, further comprising acts of:

forming the projector device to comprise multiple, simultaneously-operable projectors for projecting image components, where each image component is one half of a stereo image, such that when two corresponding halves of a stereo image converge upon the display medium, they form a full stereogram;

forming an image formation mechanism for redirecting the image components onto the display medium to form the holographic image; and

forming the display medium to be in a form selected from a group consisting of a circular diffuser screen and aerogel.

24. A computer program product for operating a three-dimensional hologram display system, the computer program product comprising computer-readable instruction means stored on a computer readable medium for causing a computer to process an image and project the image from a projector device to a display medium as a holographic image such that a viewer can view the holographic image from multiple view points, whereby when the holographic image is projected upon the display medium, a viewer can view different aspects of the holographic image from different angles.

25. A computer program product as set forth in claim 24, further comprising instruction means for causing a computer to:

process red, green, and blue (RGB) data;

provide the RGB data to three grayscale spatial light modulators (SLM) that are used to display the red, green, and blue (RGB) data separately;

controlling the SLM to illuminate a display medium; and

controlling the spinning diffusive screen, such that when illuminated, the spinning diffusive screen displays a holographic image.

26. A computer program product as set forth in claim 25, further comprising instruction means for causing a computer to:

simultaneously operating multiple projectors for projecting image components to an image formation mechanism that redirects the image components onto the display medium, where each image component is one half of a stereo image, such that when two corresponding halves of a stereo image converge upon the display medium, they form a full stereogram.