CURVED LENSES CONFIGURED TO DECODE THREE-DIMENSIONAL CONTENT ON TELEVISION AND COMPUTER SCREENS

• US 20110085237A1
• Filed: 12/20/2010
• Published: 04/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David Johnson, James Pritts
• Original Assignee: David Johnson, James Pritts
• Inventors: Johnson, David A., Pritts, James
• Granted Patent: US 8,100,525 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/465
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/14 using multilayered preforms or sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2001/12 Cellulose acetate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2101/12 Thermoplastic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0034 Polarising
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2009/00 Layered products
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2011/0016 Lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/08 made of polarising materials
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/25 using polarisation techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/34 Stereoscopes providing a stereoscopic pair of separated images corresponding to parallactically displaced views of the same object, e.g. 3D slide viewers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/305 including organic materials, e.g. polymeric layers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3083 Birefringent or phase retarding elements G02B5/3008, G02B5/3016 take precedence; systems for polarisation control G02B27/286; manufacturing phase modulating patterns by lithographic processes G03F7/001
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/16 Laminated or compound lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/104 having spectral characteristics for purposes other than sun-protection
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/12 Polarisers

Abstract

Curved lenses configured to decode three dimensional content and method of fabricating the same. The lenses decode three-dimensional content displayed on televisions or computer monitors. Sheets from which the lenses are cut have either (i) a polarizing axis of 0 degrees relative to horizontal and one sheet has a retarder axis at −45 degrees relative to horizontal and the other sheet has a retarder axis of +45 degrees relative to horizontal; (ii) a polarizing axis of −45 degrees relative to horizontal and one sheet has a retarder axis at 0 degrees relative to horizontal and the other sheet has a retarder axis of 90 degrees relative to horizontal; or (iii) a polarizing axis of +45 degrees relative to horizontal and one sheet has a retarder axis at 0 degrees relative to horizontal and the other sheet has a retarder axis of 90 degrees relative to horizontal.

Claims

1. Glasses configured to decode three dimensional content comprising:

two lenses having;

a polarizing layer laminated with a polymeric material layer on one or both sides;

a retarder layer laminated to a front of the polarizer layer directly or to the polymeric material to form a sheet, said retarder layer configured to decode a desired circular polarization;

wherein a first blank cut from said sheet is curved into a first lens and a second blank cut from said sheet is curved into a second lens wherein together the first and second lenses are able to decode three dimensional circular polarized content; and

wherein the first blank and second blank are cut from said sheet such that;

the first and second blank have a polarizing axis of 0 degrees relative to horizontal and one of said first blank or second blank has a retarder axis at −

45 degrees relative to horizontal and the other of said first blank or second blank has a retarder axis of +45 degrees relative to horizontal.

2. The glasses of claim 1 wherein said first and second lens in combination are configured to decode three dimensional circular polarized content displayed on a computer or television monitor.

3. Glasses configured to decode three dimensional content comprising:

two lenses having;

a polarizing layer laminated with a polymeric material layer on one or both sides;

a retarder layer laminated to a front of the polarizer layer directly or to the polymeric material to form a sheet, said retarder layer configured to decode a desired circular polarization;

wherein a first blank cut from said sheet is curved into a first lens and a second blank cut from said sheet is curved into a second lens wherein together the first and second lenses are able to decode three dimensional circular polarized content; and

wherein the first blank and second blank are cut such that;

the first blank and second blank have a polarizing axis of −

45 degrees relative to horizontal and one of said first blank or second blank has a retarder axis at 0 degrees relative to horizontal and the other of said first blank or second blank has a retarder axis of 90 degrees relative to horizontal.

4. The glasses of claim 3 wherein said first and second lens in combination are configured to decode three dimensional circular polarized content displayed on a computer or television monitor.

5. Glasses configured to decode three dimensional content comprising:

two lenses having;

a polarizing layer laminated with a polymeric material layer on one or both sides;

a retarder layer laminated to a front of the polarizer layer directly or to the polymeric material to form a sheet, said retarder layer configured to decode a desired circular polarization;

wherein a first blank cut from said sheet is curved into a first lens and a second blank cut from said sheet is curved into a second lens wherein together the first and second lenses are able to decode three dimensional circular polarized content; and

wherein the first blank and second blank are cut such that;

the first blank and second blank have a polarizing axis of +45 degrees relative to horizontal and one of said first blank and second blank has a retarder axis at 0 degrees relative to horizontal and the other one of said first blank or second blank has a retarder axis of 90 degrees relative to horizontal.

6. The glasses of claim 5 wherein said first and second lens in combination are configured to decode three dimensional circular polarized content displayed on a computer or television monitor.

7. A method of fabricating curved lenses configured to decode three dimensional content comprising:

from sheets of material comprising a polarizing layer laminated with a polymeric material layer on one or both sides;

a retarder layer laminated to a front of the polarizer layer directly or the polymeric material, said retarder layer aligned to decode a desired circular polarization;

cutting a first blank and second blank such that the first blank and second blank have a polarizing axis of 0 degrees relative to horizontal and one of said first blank or second blank has a retarder axis at −

45 degrees relative to horizontal and the other of said first blank or second blank has a retarder axis of +45 degrees relative to horizontal; and

curving said first blank and said second blank into lenses.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising curving said first blank and second blank utilizing a thermoforming process.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising utilizing an injection molding process to add thickness to said lenses.

10. A method of fabricating curved lenses configured to decode three dimensional content comprising:

from sheets of material comprising a polarizing layer laminated with a polymeric material layer on one or both sides;

a retarder layer laminated to a front of the polarizer layer directly or the polymeric material, said retarder layer aligned to decode a desired circular polarization;

cutting a first blank and second blank such that the first blank and second blank have a polarizing axis of −

45 degrees relative to horizontal and one of said first blank or second blank has a retarder axis at 0 degrees relative to horizontal and the other one of said first blank or second blank has a retarder axis of 90 degrees relative to horizontal; and

curving said first blank and said second blank into lenses.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising curving said first blank and second blank utilizing a thermoforming process.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising utilizing an injection molding process to add thickness to said lenses.

13. A method of fabricating curved lenses configured to decode three dimensional content comprising:

from sheets of material comprising a polarizing layer laminated with a polymeric material layer on one or both sides;

a retarder layer laminated to a front of the polarizer layer directly or the polymeric material, said retarder layer aligned to decode a desired circular polarization;

cutting a first blank and second blank such that the first blank and second blank have a polarizing axis of +45 degrees relative to horizontal and one of said first blank and second blank has a retarder axis at 0 degrees relative to horizontal and the other one of said first blank and second blank has a retarder axis of 90 degrees relative to horizontal; and

curving said first blank and said second blank into lenses.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising curving said first blank and second blank utilizing a thermoforming process.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising utilizing an injection molding process to add thickness to said lenses.