Full color three-dimensional projection display

• US 4,995,718 A
• Filed: 11/15/1989
• Issued: 02/26/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Gold, Ronald S., Jachimowicz, Karen E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dowling, William C.
• Application Number:
  US07/437,488
• Time in Patent Office: 468 Days
• Field of Search: 353/31, 353/33, 353/7, 353/8, 353/34, 353/20, 350/130, 350/131, 350/132
• US Class Current: 353/31
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/283 used for beam splitting or combining
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/25 using polarisation techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/15 for colour aspects of image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/161 Encoding, multiplexing or demultiplexing different image signal components for multi-view video sequence encoding H04N19/597
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/167 Synchronising or controlling image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/189 Recording image signals; Reproducing recorded image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/194 Transmission of image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/257 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/324 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/337 using polarisation multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/363 using image projection screens volumetric display H04N13/388
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3105 for displaying all colours simultaneously, e.g. by using two or more electronic spatial light modulators simultaneous projection in colour photography G03B33/10; beam splitting or combining systems per se G02B27/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3167 for polarizing the light beam polarizing optical systems per se G02B27/28

Abstract

A compact, high resolution, full color three-dimensional projection system having a single display system and utilizing image polarization for color multiplexing.

Claims

1. A full-color, three-dimensional single display comprising:

first source means for providing a first light of first imagery having a first color and a first polarization;

second source means for providing a second light of second imagery having a second color and a second polarization;

combining means for combining the first and second lights into a third light;

projection means for projecting the third light on display means;

polarization switching means, situated between said source means and said display means, for switching the first polarization to the second polarization and for switching the second polarization to the first polarization;

first source switching means, connected to said first source means and to said polarization switching means, for switching the first imagery to the second imagery and vice versa coinciding with the switching of said polarization switching means; and

second source switching means, connected to said second source means and to said polarization switching means, for switching the second imagery to the first imagery and vice versa coinciding with the switching of said first source switching means;

wherein;

a viewer looking at said display means with one eye through a first lens having the first polarization and looking at said display means with another eye through a second lens having the second polarization, is enabled to see full-color, three-dimensional third imagery composed of the first and second imageries.

2. Apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a polarization converting means, situated between said source means and said display means, for converting the first and second polarizations from a first kind of polarization to a second kind.

3. Apparatus of claim 2 wherein said combining means is a prism.

4. Apparatus of claim 3 wherein said prism comprises:

a transmissive portion that transmits light having the first color and having the first polarization;

a reflective portion that reflects light having the second color and having the second polarization; and

wherein said transmissive and reflective portions are positioned so as to emit in one direction light having the first color and the first polarization and light having the second color and the second polarization.

5. Apparatus of claim 4 wherein:

the first color is green;

the second color is magenta;

the first kind of polarization is linear; and

the second kind of polarization is circular.

6. Apparatus of claim 5 wherein:

said polarization switching means is an electrically controllable half wave retarder; and

said polarization converting means is a quarter wave retarder.

7. A full-color, three-dimensional single display comprising:

first source means for providing first imagery having a first color and a first polarization along a first optical path;

second source means for providing second imagery having a second color and a second polarization along a second optical path;

third source means for providing the second imagery having a third color and the second polarization along a third optical path;

combining means for combining the imageries along a fourth optical path;

projection means for projecting the imageries along the fourth optical path onto display means;

polarization switching means, situated between said source means and said display means, for switching the first polarization to the second polarization and for switching the second polarization to the first polarization;

first source switching means, connected to said first source means and to said polarization switching means, for switching the first imagery to the second imagery and vice versa coinciding with the switching of said polarization switching means;

second source switching means, connected to said second source means and to said polarization switching means, for switching the second imagery to the first imagery and vice versa coinciding with the switching of said first source switching means; and

third source switching means, connected to said third source means and to said polarization switching means, for switching the second imagery to the first imagery and vice versa coinciding with the switching of the first source switching means;

wherein;

a viewer looking at said display means with one eye through a first lens having the first polarization and looking at said display means with another eye through a second lens having the second polarization is enabled to see full-color, three-dimensional third imagery composed of the first and second imageries.

8. Apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a polarization converting means, situated between said source means and said display means, for converting the first and second polarizations from a first kind of polarization to a second kind.

9. Apparatus of claim 8 wherein said combining means is a prism.

10. Apparatus of claim 9 wherein said prism comprises:

a transmissive portion that transmits imagery having the first color and having the first polarization;

a first reflective portion that reflects imagery having the second color and having the second polarization;

a second reflective portion that reflects imagery having the third color and having the second polarization; and

wherein said transmissive, first reflective and second reflective portions are positioned so as to emit in one direction imagery having the first color and the first polarization, imagery having the second color and the second polarization, and imagery having the third color and the second polarization.

11. Apparatus of claim 10 wherein:

the first color is green;

the second color is red;

the third color is blue

the first kind of polarization is linear; and

the second kind of polarization is circular.

12. A full-color, three-dimensional single display comprising:

first source means for providing a first image having a first color and a first polarization along a first optical path;

second source means for providing a second image having a second color and a second polarization along a second path;

display means;

first projection means, associated with said first source means, for projecting the first image along the first optical path onto said display means;

second projection means, associated with said second source means, for projecting the second image along the second optical path onto said display means wherein the second image is combined with the first image;

first polarization switching means, situated in the first optical path between said first source means and display means, for switching the first polarization to the second polarization and vice versa;

second polarization switching means, situated in the second optical path between said second source means and said display means, for switching the second polarization to the first polarization and vice versa coinciding with the switching of said first polarization switching means;

first source switching means, connected to said first source means and to said first polarization means, for switching from the first image to the second image and vice versa coinciding with the switching of said first polarization switching means; and

second source switching means, connected to said second source means and to said second polarization switching means, for switching the second image to the first image and vice versa coinciding with the switching of said first source switching means; and

wherein;

a viewer looking at said display means with one eye through a first lens having the first polarization and looking at said display means with another eye through a second lens having the second polarization is enabled to see a full-color, three-dimensional third image composed of the first and second images.

13. Apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

first polarization converting means, situated in the first optical path between said first source means and said display means, for converting the first and second polarization from a first kind to a second kind; and

second polarization converting means, situated in the second optical path between said second source and said display means, for converting the first and second polarizations from the first kind of polarization to a second kind.

14. Apparatus of claim 13 wherein:

the first color is green;

the second color is magenta;

the first kind of polarization is linear; and

the second kind of polarization is circular.

15. Apparatus of claim 14 wherein:

said first and second polarization switching means are electrically controllable retarders; and

first and second polarization converting means are quarter wave retarders.

16. A full-color, three-dimensional single display comprising:

first source means for providing a first light of a first image having a first color and a first polarization;

second source means for providing a second light of a second image having a second color and a second polarization;

third source means for providing a third light of the second image having a third color and the second polarization;

display means;

first projection means, associated with said first source means, for projecting the first light onto said display means;

second projection means, associated with said second source means, for projecting the second light onto said display means wherein the second light is combined with the first light; and

third projection means, associated with said third source means, for projecting the third light onto said display means wherein the light is combined with the first and second light.

17. Apparatus of claim 16 wherein a viewer looking at said display means with one eye through a first lens having the first polarization and looking at said display means with another eye through a second lens having the second polarization is enabled to see a full-color, three-dimensional third image component of the first and second images.

18. A full-color, three-dimensional single display comprising:

a first source for emitting first imagery in a first color and having a first polarization;

a second source for emitting second imagery in a second color and having a second polarization;

a display screen;

a combiner, associated with said first and second sources, for combining first and second imagery into third imagery;

a projection lens, situated between said combiner and said display screen, for focusing the third imagery onto said display screen;

a polarization switch, situated between said combiner and said projection lens, for switching the first polarization to the second polarization and for switching the second polarization to the first polarization;

a first source switch, connected to said first source and to said polarization switch, for switching the first imagery to the second imagery and vice versa coinciding with the switching of polarizations by said polarization switch; and

a second source switch, connected to said second source and to said polarization switch, for switching the second imagery to the first imagery and vice versa coinciding with the switching of said first source switch; and

wherein;

a viewer looking at said display screen through a set of polarized lens is enabled to see the third imagery in full-color and three-dimensions.

19. Apparatus of claim 18 further comprising a polarization converter, situated between said combiner and said projection lens, for converting the first and second polarizations from one kind polarization to another kind.

20. Apparatus of claim 19 wherein:

said combiner is a prism;

the first color is green;

the second color is magenta;

said polarization switch is an electrically controllable half-wave retarder; and

said polarization converter is a quarter-wave retarder.

21. Apparatus of claim 19 further comprising:

a first video player/recorder connected to said first and second source switches; and

a second video player/recorder connected to said first and second source switches.

22. Apparatus of claim 19 further compromising:

a first video camera connected to said first and second source switches; and

a second video camera connected to said first and second source switches.

23. A full-color, three-dimensional single display comprising:

a first plurality of sources for providing a first set of images wherein each source provides images in a particular color;

a second plurality of sources for providing a second set of images wherein each source provides images in a particular color;

combining means for combining the first and second sets of images into a third set of images;

display means; and

projection means for conveying the first and second sets of images to said display means; and

wherein;

when said first set of images represents a first perspective of a three-dimensional scene, then said second set of images portrays a second perspective of the three-dimensional scene;

when said first set of images represents the second perspective of the three-dimensional scene, then said second set of images portrays the first perspective of the three-dimensional scene;

the images representing the first perspective have a first polarization;

the images representing the second perspective have a second polarization; and

a view looking at said display means with one eye through a first lens having the first polarization and looking at said display means with another eye through a second lens having the second polarization, is enabled to see the third set of images as the three-dimensional scene in full color.

24. Apparatus of claim 23 further comprising:

polarization switching means, situated between said plurality of sources and said display means, for switching the first polarization to the second polarization and for switching the second polarization to the first polarization, and vice versa; and

sources switching means, connected to said plurality of sources and to said polarization switching means, for switching the first set of images to the second set of images and vice versa, coinciding with the switching of said polarization switching means.

25. Apparatus of claim 24 further comprising a polarization converting means, situated between said plurality of sources and said display means, for converting the first and second polarizations from a first kind of polarization to a second kind.

26. A method of providing full-color, three-dimensional images to a viewer, comprising:

providing a first set of images of a first perspective of a three-dimensional scene;

providing a second set of images of a second perspective of the three-dimensional scene;

polarizing the first set of images with a first polarization;

polarizing the second set of images with a second polarization;

combining the first set of images and the second set of images into a combination of images;

displaying the combination of images to the viewer who can view the images with one eye through a first lens having the first polarization and with the other eye through a second lens having a second polarization, wherein the viewer is enabled to see the combination of images in full color and three dimensions;

switching the first polarization of the first set of images to the second polarization, and vice versa;

switching the second polarization of the second set of images to the first polarization, and vice versa; and

changing the first set of images from the first perspective to the second perspective and the second set of images from the second perspective to the first perspective and vice versa, wherein the changing is synchronized with the switching of the polarizations.

27. Method of claim 26 further comprising converting the first and second polarizations from a first kind of polarization to a second kind of polarization.