Three-dimensional display

• US 4,160,973 A
• Filed: 10/11/1977
• Issued: 07/10/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Berlin, Edwin P. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard W.
• Application Number:
  US05/840,881
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 358/241, 358/88, 358/89, 340/24, 340/27 N, 340/324 R, 340/718, 340/755, 340/794, 250/199
• US Class Current: 345/31
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/54 the 3D volume being generated by moving a 2D surface, e.g. by vibrating or rotating the 2D surface
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/005 forming an image using a quickly moving array of imaging elements, causing the human eye to perceive an image which has a larger resolution than the array, e.g. an image on a cylinder formed by a rotating line of LEDs parallel to the axis of rotation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/388 Volumetric displays, i.e. systems where the image is built up from picture elements distributed through a volume
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/393 the volume being generated by a moving, e.g. vibrating or rotating, surface

Abstract

A three-dimensional array that, in preferred form, is a two-dimensional visual display in which a three-dimensional image is achieved by providing movement to scan space in all three dimensions.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional display device that comprises, in combination:

a two-dimensional array comprising a plurality of light sources;

energizing means, comprising fixed electronics and movable display electronics, to activate the light sources in a determined fashion to produce a two-dimensional image; and

means to provide motion of said two-dimensional array to provide a three-dimensional image, as well as of the movable display electronics, so that the movable display electronics and the two-dimensional array move together as a unit;

said energizing means being controlled to modulate the lights as the two-dimensional array moves to produce said three-dimensional image.

2. A display device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the two-dimensional array is planar and has provision to be rotated about an axis of rotation to provide said motion.

3. A display device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the axis of rotation is at one edge of the planar array, the light sources being visible from both sides.

4. A display device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the axis of rotation is at an intermediate region of the planar array.

5. A display device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means to provide motion is operable to provide oscillating motion.

6. A display device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the energizing means acts to modulate the lights in at least one of color and intensity.

7. A display device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said array a large number of comprises LEDs arranged in rows and columns in a matrix configuration and connected to be selectively energized to produce said two-dimensional image.

8. A display device as claimed in claim 7 wherein the energizing means is operable to control the level of intensity of light emitted by each LED to produce a grey scale.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8 wherein said means to provide motion effects rotary movement of the array about an axis.

10. A device as claimed in claim 9 wherein the output of the fixed electronics is connected to energize a fixed LED whose output radiation is transmitted to an optical transducer associated with the two-dimensional array and adapted to move with the two-dimensional array and receive the message from the fixed LED and to convert the message to an electric signal which is connected as input to the movable electronics.

11. A device as claimed in claim 10 wherein the optical transducer is a phototransistor.

12. A display device as claimed in claim 10 that includes computer means connected as input to the fixed electronics to supply data from which said messages are derived, the image in the two-dimensional array being updated or scanned many times each revolution, each updating or scanning period being a sector or angle through which any particular image is present on the array.

13. A display device as claimed in claim 12 having means to reset the energizing means once each revolution of the array.

14. A display device as claimed in claim 12 wherein the movable display electronics comprises cursor electronics, memory and synchronizing circuitry, interconnected.

15. A display device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said array comprises a plasma (gas discharge) display arranged as a matrix of cells and connected to be selectively energized to produce said two-dimensional image.

16. A display device as claimed in claim 15 wherein the energizing means is operable to control the level of intensity of light emitted by each cell to produce a grey scale.

17. A device as claimed in claim 16 wherein said means to provide motion effects rotary motion about an axis.

18. A device as claimed in claim 17 wherein the output of the fixed electronics is connected to energize one or more fixed LEDs whose output radiation is transmitted to one or more optical transducers associated with the two-dimensional array and adapted to move with the two-dimensional array and receive the messages from the fixed LEDs and to convert the messages to electrical signals which are connected as input to the movable electronics.

19. A device as claimed in claim 18 wherein the optical transducers are phototransistors.

20. A device as claimed in claim 18 that includes computer means connected as input to the fixed electronics to supply data from which said messages are derived, the image in the two-dimensional array being updated or scanned many times each revolution, each updating or scanning period being a sector or angle through which any particular image is present on the array.

21. A display device as claimed in claim 20 having means to reset the energizing means once each revolution of the array.

22. A display device as claimed in claim 20 wherein the movable display electronics comprises memory and synchronizing circuitry, interconnected.

23. A display device as claimed in claim 22 wherein the display electronics also includes circuitry for displaying a movable cursor.

24. A display device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the image information is presented to said array in parallel, that is, information to modulate several light sources is presented at one instant of time to said array.

25. A display device as claimed in claim 24 wherein said image information is stored in a memory.

26. A display device as claimed in claim 25 wherein said memory is arranged so as to move with the array.

27. A display device as claimed in claim 24 wherein said image information originates at some fixed and/or distant source and is transmitted to the moving array in parallel.

28. A display device as claimed in claim 27 wherein said method of transmission is by direct electrical connection.

29. A display device as claimed in claim 27 wherein said method of transmission is by modulated sources of electromagnetic radiation, including radiation in the visible and infrared spectrum.

30. A display device to exhibit a three-dimensional image, that comprises, in combination:

an array of light sources;

energizing means to power the light sources in a determined fashion; and

means to move the array and the energizing means together in a determined fashion;

the energizing means and the means to move the array acting in combination with the array to effect scanning to provide a three-dimensional image.

31. A display device that comprises, in combination:

three-dimensional array means comprising a plurality of sources of electromagnetic radiation that radiate in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum;

energizing means, comprising electronics fixed in space and display electronics movable in space, operable to activate the sources of visible electromagnetic radiation to produce a three-dimensional image; and

means providing motion to said three-dimensional array means to effect scanning, as well as to the movable electronics, to provide simultaneous movement to the array means and the movable electronics;

said energizing means being controlled to modulate the sources of visible electromagnetic radiation in a controllable fashion.