Dynamic parallax barrier autosteroscopic display system and method

• US 20080143895A1
• Filed: 04/16/2007
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois
• Inventors: Peterka, Thomas, Sandin, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,248,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/15
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/27 involving lenticular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/31 involving active parallax barriers involving directional light or back-light sources G02B30/33
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/275 from 3D object models, e.g. computer-generated stereoscopic image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/286 having separate monoscopic and stereoscopic modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/31 using parallax barriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/324 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/349 Multi-view displays for displaying three or more geometrical viewpoints without viewer tracking for viewing without the aid of special glasses using fly-eye lenses H04N13/307
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/368 for two or more viewers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/373 for tracking forward-backward translational head movements, i.e. longitudinal movements

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide a dynamic parallax barrier autostereoscopic system and method for one and multiple users with user tracking. One example embodiment of the invention is a dynamic parallax barrier autostereoscopic virtual reality display system includes a display including a front display plane and a rear display plane. The front display plane dynamically generates barrier strips with transparent regions therebetween. The rear display plane generates images viewable through the transparent regions to create a virtual reality effect for a user or users.

Claims

1. A dynamic parallax barrier autostereoscopic display system comprising:

a display that generates front and rear displays in different image planes, said front display providing dynamic barrier strips with transparent regions therebetween, said rear display providing images viewable through said transparent regions;

a tracking system for tracking the position of at least a first user and a second user; and

,

a controller providing data to the display for displaying said dynamic barrier strips and said images wherein each of said first and second users views different imagery, said controller further communicating with said tracking system and to dynamically control said display in response to movement of one or more of said first and second users.

2. An autostereoscopic parallax system of claim 1 wherein said controller further provides data to said display to display both of a two dimensional image and a three dimensional image to said first and second users.

3. An autostereoscopic parallax system of claim 2 wherein said controller is causes said display to display said two dimensional image to said first and second users simultaneously with said three dimensional images, said three dimensional image being displayed on in different portions of the rear one of said image planes.

4. An autostereoscopic parallax system of claim 1 wherein said barrier strips define a barrier period, and wherein said barrier period is optimized for each of the different images according to the distance that each of the at least a first and second user is from said display according to the relation:

p/t=(2e−

p)/(d+1)

where;

p=barrier period

t=optical thickness between front and rear screens

e=interocular distance

d=normal distance from eyes to front screen plane.

5. An autostereoscopic parallax system of claim 1, wherein said controller in causing said display to display said different images is configured to generate at least two pairs of left and right rear screen channel images and to dynamically render said barrier strips in a spatial arrangement with said rear screen channel images to result in at least two simultaneous autostereoscopic images being perceived by said first and second users, said controller further causing said display to display one each of said autosteroscopic images to one each of said first and second users as said users move relative to said display element.

6. An autostereoscopic parallax system of claim 1 wherein said barrier strips define a barrier period, and wherein said controller dynamically sets said barrier period to minimize conflicts between eyes of said at least a first and a second user and virtual lobes.

7. An autostereoscopic parallax system of claim 1 and further comprising at least one tool linked to said controller that can be manipulated by the at least one of said first and second users for interaction with said images displayed to each of said first and second users.

8. An autostereoscopic parallax system of claim 7 wherein:

said at least one tool comprises at least a first and a second tool, said first tool for manipulating by said first user and said second tool for manipulation by said second user;

said controller is causes images of each of said first and second tools on said display and to dynamically change said images of said first and second tools in response to manipulation of said first and second tools by said first and second users; and

,

said controller is further causes said display to display said first tool image only to said first user and to display said second tool image only to said second user.

9. An autostereoscopic parallax system of claim 1 wherein:

a front image plane of said display comprises a first liquid crystal display and rear image plane of said display comprises a second liquid crystal display in a stacked configuration with said first liquid crystal display, each of said first and second liquid crystal displays illuminated by a single back light; and

said front and rear image planes of said display can be controlled asynchronously whereby the frame rate on said front image plane can be at least twice the frame rate of said image plane.

10. An autostereoscopic parallax system of claim 9 wherein said front and rear image planes can be controlled synchronously whereby the frame rate of said front display is substantially the same as the frame rate of said rear display, and wherein said controller dynamically switches between said synchronous and asynchronous control in response to rapid user movement relative to said display.

11. An autostereoscopic parallax system of claim 1 wherein said different images are each two dimensional.

12. An autostereoscopic parallax system of claim 1 wherein said at least a first and second users comprise at least a third user.

13. The virtual reality display system of claim 1 wherein said system is configured to provide said first and second users with one or more of a gaming and a wagering application.

14. A haptic virtual reality system including the autostereoscopic parallax system of claim 1, the haptic virtual reality system comprising:

a physical desktop workspace including a housing;

a haptic touch interface,

said autostereoscopic parallax system of claim 1 positioned by said housing with respect to a partially transparent mirror, the display screen and partially transparent mirror being positioned by the housing to create an augmented reality environment that integrates the user'"'"'s hands with virtual 3d models in the physical desktop workspace; and

a software library operating on said controller that provides, in real time, a high level layer that encapsulates the rendering of a scene graph on said autostereoscopic parralx system, said stereoscopic vision interface, and an interface with said haptic touch interface.

15. An autostereoscopic parallax virtual reality system comprising:

a liquid crystal display providing dynamic barrier on a front plane with transparent regions between said dynamic barrier strips, and configured for providing imagery in a rear plane underlying said front plane and arranged to be viewed through said transparent regions, said display able to operate said front plane and rear plane both synchronously and asynchronously, said barrier strips defining a barrier period;

a tracking system for tracking at least the distance of at least a first user from the display; and

,

a controller communicating with said tracking system and said display and causing said display to display three dimensional images, said controller further configured to continuously optimize said barrier period in relation to said distance said at least a first user is from said display.

16. A virtual reality system as defined by claim 15 wherein said display when operated asynchronously comprises updating said front plane at a rate of at least twice the update rate of said rear plane.

17. A virtual reality system as defined by claim 15 wherein said controller is causes said display to display said barrier strips on a continuous and floating point basis wherein a barrier period is continuously adjustable and variable.

18. A virtual reality system as defined by claim 15 wherein said controller is configured to continuously optimize said barrier period according to the relationship:

p/t=(2e−

p)/(d+1)

where;

p=barrier period

t=optical thickness between front and rear screens

e=interocular distance

d=normal distance from eyes to front screen plane.

19. The virtual reality display system as defined by claim 15 wherein said controller further displays two dimensional images on a portion of said display simultaneous with said three dimensional image.

20. The virtual reality display system as defined by claim 15 wherein when operated asynchronously said barriers are shifted according to the relationship:

s=e_x*t/(1+d)

where;

s=barrier shift amount

e_x=horizontal head movement distance

t=optical thickness between front and rear screens

d=normal distance from eyes to front screen plane.

21. The virtual reality display system as defined by claim 15 wherein the system provides gaming and wagering applications, and wherein said controller controls the payout ratio of said applications.

22. An autostereoscopic parallax gaming system configured for wagering comprising:

a display including a front liquid crystal display plane and a underlying rear liquid crystal display plane, said front display plane providing dynamic barrier strips with transparent regions therebetween, said rear display plane providing imagery viewable through said transparent regions whereby three dimensional imagery is provided;

a tracking system for tracking the position of at least a first user and a second user;

an interface for said at least a first and second users to place wagers;

a controller communicating with said display and causes said display to display different three dimensional imagery to each of said first and second users simultaneously, said controller communicating with said tracking system and dynamically controlling said different three dimensional imagery in response to movement of one or more of said first and second users, said controller further controlling the outcome of said game.

23. An autostereoscopic parallax gaming system as defined by claim 22 wherein said controller provides gaming imagery wherein each of said at least a first and second users compete with one another in said wagering application, and to maintain an accounting of winnings from said wagers.

24. An autostereoscopic parallax gaming system as defined by claim 22 wherein:

said front plane of said display comprises a first liquid crystal display and said rear plane comprises a second liquid crystal display in a stacked configuration with said first liquid crystal display, each of said first and second liquid crystal displays illuminated by a single back light;

said front and rear portions of said display can be controlled asynchronously whereby the frame rate on said front plane may be at least twice the frame rate of said rear plane display; and

,

wherein said three dimensional imagery that comprises one or more of a virtual slot machine, a card game, a vehicle race, and a sporting event.

25. An autostereoscopic parallax gaming system as defined by claim 22 wherein said at least a first and second users comprise at least a third user, and wherein when operated asynchronously said barriers are shifted according to the relationship:

s=e_x*t/(1+d)

where;

s=barrier shift amount

e_x=horizontal head movement distance

t=optical thickness between front and rear screens

d=normal distance from eyes to front screen plane.

26. An autostereoscopic parallax gaming system comprising:

a liquid crystal display for providing dynamic barrier on a front plane with transparent regions between said dynamic barrier strips, and for providing a plurality of discrete images in a rear plane underlying said front plane and arranged to be viewed through said transparent regions, said display operating said front plane and rear plane both synchronously and asynchronously, said barrier strips defining a barrier period;

a tracking system for tracking at least the distance of at least a first user from said display; and

,

a controller communicating with said tracking system and said display and that causes said display to display three dimensional gaming imagery, said controller further controlling the outcome of a gaming application, said controller further causing said display to display said barrier strips on a continuous and floating point basis wherein said barrier period is continuously adjustable and variable.

27. An autostereoscopic parallax gaming system as defined by claim 26 wherein said display when operated asynchronously comprises updating said front screen plane at a rate of at least twice the update rate of said rear screen plane, and wherein said controller is further configured to maintain an accounting of wagers and winnings of said at least a first user.

28. An autostereoscopic parallax gaming system as defined by claim 26 wherein said controller continuously optimizes said barrier period in relation to said distance said at least a first user is from said display

29. An autostereoscopic parallax gaming system as defined by claim 26 wherein said controller is further configured to display two dimensional images on a plane of said display simultaneous with said three dimensional image, and wherein said controller is configured to provide imagery comprising one or more of a virtual slot machine, a card game, a vehicle race, and a sporting event.

30. An autostereoscopic parallax gaming system as defined by claim 26 wherein said controller controls the probability of payout to said at least a first user.

31. An autostereoscopic parallax gaming system as defined by claim 26 wherein said controller communicates with a network and said controller is configured to allow said at least a first and second users to log into an account maintained on said network, to charge wagers to said account and to credit winnings to said account.

32. An autostereoscopic parallax gaming system as defined by claim 26 wherein said at least a first user comprises at least a second user, and wherein said controller permits said at least a first and second users to compete in a virtual game against one another, and to maintain an accounting of said wagers.

33. An autostereoscopic parallax gaming system as defined by claim 26 wherein the system further comprises means for accepting payment from said at least a first user, and for dispensing payment to said at least a first user.