Light surface display for rendering a three-dimensional image

• US 20070247595A1
• Filed: 04/25/2007
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Board of Regents of the University of Colorado (University of Colorado System)
• Original Assignee: The Board of Regents of the University of Colorado (University of Colorado System)
• Inventors: Verma, Pramode, Dreyer, Martina, Petrich, Erik, Sluss, James, Tull, Monte, Newman, Gerald, Refai, Hakki
• Granted Patent: US 7,858,913 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 353/94
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/50 the image being built up from image elements distributed over a 3D volume, e.g. voxels
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/26 Projecting separately subsidiary matter simultaneously with main image
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/20 using two or more projectors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/39 the picture elements emitting light at places where a pair of light beams intersect in a transparent material

Abstract

A light surface display for providing a three-dimensional image including a plurality of particles suspended within a volumetric display. A first projection system projects sequential slices of electromagnetic energy of one or more wavelengths along the length and width of the volumetric display energizing particles to form a two-dimensional image. A second projection system projects translational slices of electromagnetic energy of one or more wavelengths that intersect with the energized particles across the depth of the volumetric display. A control system synchronizes the projection of the image source and the activation source such that the two-dimensional image and the translational slices energize the particles for a pre-determined length of time so that the particles illuminate to form an illuminated three-dimensional image.

Claims

1. A light surface display for providing a three-dimensional image, comprising:

a plurality of particles suspended within a volumetric display;

a first projection system projecting sequential slices of electromagnetic energy of one or more wavelengths along the length and width of the volumetric display energizing particles to form a two-dimensional image;

a second projection system projecting translational slices of electromagnetic energy of one or more wavelengths intersecting with the energized particles across the depth of the volumetric display; and

,

a control system synchronizing the projection of the image source and the activation source such that the two-dimensional image and the translational slices energize the particles for a pre-determined length of time so that the particles illuminate to form an illuminated three dimensional image.

2. The display of claim 1, further comprising a medium substantially transparent and dispersed within the volumetric display wherein the particles are suspended within the medium.

3. The display of claim 2, wherein the medium is an aerogel matrix.

4. The display of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the aerogel medium is composed of an inorganic substance.

5. The display of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the aerogel medium is composed of an organic substance.

6. The display of claim 2, wherein the medium is an xerogel matrix.

7. The display of claim 6, wherein at least a portion of the xerogel matrix is composed of an inorganic substance.

8. The display of claim 6, wherein at least a portion of the xerogel matrix is composed of an organic substance.

9. The display of claim 2, wherein the medium is a transparent glass ceramic matrix, a portion of transparent glass ceramic matrix composed of an organic substance.

10. The display of claim 1, wherein the particles are quantum dots.

11. The display of claim 1, wherein the particles are upconversion materials.

12. The display of claim 11, wherein the upconversion materials includes a host material doped with a sensitizer and rare-earth ions.

13. The display of claim 12, wherein the sensitizer is Ytterbium.

14. The display of claim 12, wherein the rare-earth ions are lanthanides.

15. The display of claim 1, wherein the particles are upconversion materials suspended within an aerogel matrix.

16. The display of claim 15, wherein the display produces a polychromatic three-dimensional image.

17. The display of claim 1, wherein the first projection system includes at t one digital light processing projector.

18. The display of claim 1, wherein the second projection system includes at least one digital light processing projector having a digital micro-mirror device containing an array of micromechanical mirrors.

19. The display of claim 18, wherein the micro-mirror device is used in dithering the translational slices of electromagnetic energy.

20. The display of claim 1, wherein the first projection system projects wavelengths for a pre-determined amount of time prior to the second projection system projecting wavelengths intersecting the energized particles.

21. The display of claim 1, wherein power of the first projection system is modulated to vary the intensity of electromagnetic energy of the wavelengths along the length and width of the volumetric display.

22. The display of claim 1, wherein the first projection system includes a beam steering system for directing the wavelengths of the first projection system.

23. The display of claim 1, wherein the control system is in communication with an external source to download images.

24. The display of claim 1, further comprising a housing supporting the volumetric display.

25. The display of claim 24, wherein the housing includes an electromagnetic radiation filter.

26. A method of producing a three-dimensional image, comprising:

energizing particles suspended within a volumetric display sequentially along the length and width of the volumetric display through projection of electromagnetic energy of one or more wavelengths, the energized particles forming a two-dimensional image;

intersecting the energized particles through projection of electromagnetic energy of one or more wavelengths along the depth of the volumetric display; and

,

synchronizing the projection of electromagnetic energy along the length and width of the volumetric display with the projection of electromagnetic energy along the depth of the volumetric display for a pre-determined length of time forming an illuminated three-dimensional image.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein projection of electromagnetic energy of one or more wavelengths is performed by a first projection system including a single digital light processor.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein power of the first projection system is modulated to provide variable brightness of the image.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the projection of electromagnetic energy of one or more wavelengths along the depth of the volumetric display is performed by a second projection system including a single digital light processor having a digital micromirror device with an array of micromechanical mirrors.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of dithering the micromechanical mirrors to provide variable brightness of the image

31. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of providing a pre-determined time-delay before intersecting the energized particles through projection of electromagnetic energy of one or more wavelengths along the depth of the volumetric display.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein the particles are supported by an aerogel matrix.

33. The method of claim 26, wherein the particles are substantially uniformly suspended.