Systems for three-dimensional viewing and projection

• US 20060203339A1
• Filed: 05/15/2006
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tamiras Per Pte Ltd LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: 3ality Incorporated
• Inventors: Kleinberger, Ilan D., Kleinberger, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,611,006 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/465
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/23 using wavelength separation, e.g. using anaglyph techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/25 using polarisation techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/27 involving lenticular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/30 involving parallax barriers
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/26 using polarised or coloured light separating different viewpoint images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/257 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/286 having separate monoscopic and stereoscopic modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/302 for viewing without the aid of special glasses, i.e. using autostereoscopic displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/305 using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/31 using parallax barriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/315 the parallax barriers being time-variant
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/32 using arrays of controllable light sources; using moving apertures or moving light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/324 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/327 Calibration thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/334 using spectral multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/337 using polarisation multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/339 using spatial multiplexing H04N13/337 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/341 using temporal multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/344 : with head-mounted left-right displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/363 : using image projection screens volumetric display H04N13/388
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/368 : for two or more viewers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/371 : for tracking viewers with different interocular distances; for tracking rotational head movements around the vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/373 : for tracking forward-backward translational head movements, i.e. longitudinal movements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/376 : for tracking left-right translational head movements, i.e. lateral movements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/38 : for tracking vertical translational head movements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/383 : for tracking with gaze detection, i.e. detecting the lines of sight of the viewer's eyes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/393 : the volume being generated by a moving, e.g. vibrating or rotating, surface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/395 : with depth sampling, i.e. the volume being constructed from a stack or sequence of 2D image planes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 : Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0081 : Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals

Abstract

Systems for three-dimensional viewing and projection aimed at full-color flat-screen binocular stereoscopic viewing without the use of eyeglasses for the viewer. According to the invention, light emanating from a display or projected thereat presenting a left image and a right image is directed only to the appropriate left or right eyes of at least one viewer using various combinations of light polarizing layers and layers of light rotating means.

Claims

1. A system for enabling a first eye of a viewer to view a first stereoscopic image selected from a pair of stereoscopic images while preventing a second eye of said viewer from viewing said first image, which system is adaptable to varying positions of said viewer, comprising

a) an image generator operable to present said first image in alternatingly polarized format, said format comprises first image subareas of said first image polarized in a first orientation and second image subareas of said first image polarized in a second orientation orthogonal to said first orientation, said first image subareas alternating with said second image subareas across said presented first image, and

b) a selective image blocker positioned between said viewer and said image generator and closer to said image generator than to said viewer, said image blocker operable to present first selective blocking subareas alternating with second selective blocking subareas across said image blocker, said first selective blocking subareas blocking light polarized in said first orientation and passing light polarized in said second orientation, said second selective blocking subareas blocking light polarized in said second orientation and passing light polarized in said first orientation, said first and second blocking subareas alternating across said image blocker,

c) an eyetracking controller operable to detect distances and positions of said eyes of said viewer with respect to said generator and said blocker, further operable to calculate appropriate sizes and positions of said first and second image subareas to be presented by said generator and to command said generator to present said first and second image subareas at said calculated positions, and further operable to calculate appropriate sizes and positions of said first and second blocking subareas to be presented by said image blocker and to command said blocker to present said first and second blocking subareas at said calculated positions, said calculations being based on said eye positions detected by said eyetracking module, such that when said generator presents said first and second subareas in said appropriate sizes and positions and said image blocker presents said first and second blocking subareas in said appropriate sizes and positions, said viewer'"'"'s first eye is enabled to view said first image and said viewer'"'"'s second eye is blocked from viewing said first image, for a variety of positions of said eyes of said viewer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said first and second image subareas and said first and second blocking subareas are formed as stripes.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said stripes are formed as vertical stripes.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said image generator comprises a display operable to display said first image in unpolarized format, and further comprises a light polarizing module operable to polarize light of said first image in said alternatingly polarized format, said first and second regions of said generated image being of variable sizes and positions commandable by said controller.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said light polarizing module comprises a uniform polarizer and a first light turning module, which light turning module comprises switchable light rotating means divided into a plurality of independently switchable elements, said uniform polarizer being positioned between said first light turning module and said display, said first light turning module being operable to present first and second light-turning subareas, said first and second light-turning subareas being of variable size and position commandable by said controller, such that uniformly polarized light emmanating from said uniform polarizer, having traversed said first light turning module, is of said alternatingly polarized format.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said first display is a CRT.

7. The sytem of claim 5, operable to present said first image simultaneously on all pixels of said display.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said image generator comprises a display operable to display said first image in uniformly polarized format, and further comprises a first light turning module, which light turning module comprises switchable light rotating means divided into a plurality of independently switchable elements, said light turning module being operable to selectively turn light traversing a first set of turning subareas and to pass unturned light of a second set of turning subareas, said first and second light-turning subareas being of variable size and position commandable by said controller, such that uniformly polarized light emmanating from said first display, having traversed said first light turning module, is of said alternatingly polarized format.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said first light turning module is operable to generate first light-turning subareas turning light N degrees and second light-turning subareas turning light M degrees, N being substantially 90°

from M, said first subareas alternating with said second subareas across said light turning module, said light turning module being operable to size and position said subareas under command of said controller.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said display is a liquid crystal display.

11. The system of claim 8, operable to present said first image simultaneously an all pixels of said display.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said selective light-blocking layer comprises a second uniform polarizing filter and a second light turning module, said second light turning module being positioned between said second uniform polarizing filter and said image generator, said second light turning module being operable to generate third light-turning subareas turning light P degrees and fourth light-turning subareas turning light Q degrees, P being substantially 90°

from Q, said third subareas alternating with said fourth subareas across said second light turning module, said second light turning module being operable to size and position said subareas under command of said controller.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said image subareas are of fixed size and position and said blocker subareas are of variable size and position.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said image subareas are of variable size and position and said blocker subareas are of fixed size and position.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said regions are of variable size and position and said blocker subareas are of variable size and position.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said image generator is operable to alternate generation of said first image of said stereoscopic image pair with generation of a second image of said stereoscopic image pair.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising a uniform light turning module positioned between said image generator and said blocker, operable to switch between a first mode wherein a viewer'"'"'s left eye is said first eye, and a second mode wherein a viewer'"'"'s right eye is said first eye, for a given set of positions of said first and second image subareas and of said first and second blocker subareas.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a coordinator operable to coordinate switching between said modes of said uniform light turning module with alternation of generation of said first image and of said second image of said stereoscopic image pair.

19. The system of claim 16, further operable to switch between a first mode wherein a viewer'"'"'s left eye is said first eye and a second mode wherein a viewer'"'"'s right eye is said first eye, said switching being effected by exchanging polarization orientations between said first image subareas and said second image subareas.

20. The system of claim 16, further operable to switch between a first mode wherein a viewer'"'"'s left eye is said first eye and a second mode wherein a viewer'"'"'s right eye is said first eye, said switching being effected by exchanging polarization orientations between said first blocking subareas and said second blocking subareas.