Enhanced ZScreen modulator techniques
First Claim
1. In a push-pull liquid crystal modulator system for creating circularly polarized light of alternating handedness comprising (a) a pair of surface mode liquid crystal cells having orthogonal rub axes;
- (b) a linear polarizer having an absorption axis bisecting the orthogonal rub axes; and
(c) a driver electrically coupled to the cells, and capable of driving the cells so that when one cell in the pair is in a higher voltage state, the other cell in the pair is in a lower voltage state, an improvement comprising;
drive circuitry within the driver causing the driver to move an electrical charge using a quenching pulse comprising a relatively brief voltage spike at a beginning of a waveform period.
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Abstract
A method and system for use in conjunction with a push-pull liquid crystal modulator system for creating circularly polarized light of alternating handedness is provided. The method and system comprise a pair of surface mode liquid crystal cells and a driver electrically coupled to the cells. The driver is configured to move an electrical charge using a quenching pulse comprising a relatively brief voltage spike at a beginning of a waveform period. Multiple additional improvements are provided, including reducing the thickness of the LC gap (the distance between cell electrode plates), creating a charge connection or wiring connection to the cell electrodes, employing anti-reflection coating technology, thinner ITO and ITO index matched to the LC material, bonding all possible air to material surfaces, using superior glass, employing more efficient polarizers, and reducing projector blanking time.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. In a push-pull liquid crystal modulator system for creating circularly polarized light of alternating handedness comprising (a) a pair of surface mode liquid crystal cells having orthogonal rub axes;
- (b) a linear polarizer having an absorption axis bisecting the orthogonal rub axes; and
(c) a driver electrically coupled to the cells, and capable of driving the cells so that when one cell in the pair is in a higher voltage state, the other cell in the pair is in a lower voltage state, an improvement comprising;
drive circuitry within the driver causing the driver to move an electrical charge using a quenching pulse comprising a relatively brief voltage spike at a beginning of a waveform period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
- (b) a linear polarizer having an absorption axis bisecting the orthogonal rub axes; and
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8. In a stereoscopic video display apparatus, comprising a push-pull liquid crystal modulator including a pair of surface mode liquid crystal cells having orthogonal rub axes and a linear polarizer having an absorption axis bisecting the orthogonal rub axes, and configured to sequentially transmit left-hand circularly polarized light comprising the image and right-hand circularly polarized light comprising a field sequential stereo image, the push-pull liquid crystal modulator comprising a layer of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide), an improvement comprising:
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an antireflective coating provided to at least one optical interface in the push-pull liquid crystal modulator;
an index matching layer applied to the layer of ITO; and
an electronic projector employed with the push-pull liquid crystal modulator. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of displaying a stereoscopic video image, comprising:
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positioning a push-pull liquid crystal modulator that includes a pair of surface mode liquid crystal cells with orthogonal rub axes and a linear polarizer having an absorption axis bisecting the orthogonal rub axes, so that light comprising the image propagates therethrough; and
driving the modulator in synchronization with fields of a field sequential image so that the transmitted image emerging from the modulator consists of right-handed circularly polarized fields alternating at the field rate with left-handed circularly polarized fields;
wherein said driving comprises moving an electrical charge using a waveform comprising at least one quenching pulse comprising a relatively brief voltage spike at a beginning of a waveform period. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification