Various Configurations Of The Viewing Window Based 3D Display System

• US 20110228042A1
• Filed: 03/17/2010
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Xiao, Jing, Gao, Chunyu
• Granted Patent: US 8,189,037 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/36
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/52 the 3D volume being constructed from a stack or sequence of 2D planes, e.g. depth sampling systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/56 by projecting aerial or floating images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/302 for viewing without the aid of special glasses, i.e. using autostereoscopic displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/351 for displaying simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/363 using image projection screens volumetric display H04N13/388

Abstract

A panoramic 3D image is created by using multiple projectors whose field-of-view is narrower than the screen'"'"'s width. Each projector provides a different image of a common subject from a different view angle, and the different images are mosaiced onto the screen. An observer may have a limited view of the composite image depending on which projectors are within the observer'"'"'s field-of-view. A viewing volume is also extended by using space beyond a far limit line dependent upon the observer'"'"'s inter-pupillary distance, the width of each projector'"'"'s viewing window, and the distance from the projection baseline to the screen

Claims

1. A system for creating a 3D panoramic projected image, comprising:

a plurality of projectors along a line, said plurality of projectors defining a projection baseline, each projector in said plurality of projectors provides a shifted view of a common subject from a different view angle;

a screen having a width wider than the field-of-view any individual projector in said plurality of projectors;

wherein the projectors are arranged so that the images provided by adjacent projectors are partially overlapped on said screen and are geometrically aligned, the projected image from each adjacent projector along said projection baseline are shifted along a common direction on said screen, said plurality of projectors having an absence any photometric alignment from one projector to another.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein an image projected by any one of said plurality of projectors spans a fraction of the width of said screen, and the partially overlapping images from said plurality of projectors create one composite image substantially spanning the width of said screen.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said fraction is does not span the width of said composite image.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein each projector in said plurality of projectors provides a distinct image of a common subject, each distinct image providing a different view angle of said subject.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein no two projectors in said plurality of projectors provide the same image.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the partially overlapped images are of equal size.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the projected image from each adjacent projector along said projection baseline are shifted by a common fixed amount along said common direction on said screen.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein optical axis of each said plurality of projectors is normal to said screen.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said plurality of projectors are equadistant to said screen along a direction normal to said screen.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein each projector in said projection baseline creates respective viewing window, and a viewing volume from where an observer may view said screen is expanded to beyond a far limit line, D, defined as