Real image projection system
First Claim
1. An image projection system for providing a display of visual information to an observer, comprising:
- a projection screen formed of a selected material;
a plurality of source means, each projecting different display information;
a like plurality of spatially-separated beamsplitter means, each situated along an optical axis of the screen and between the screen and an observer position, for redirecting at least a portion of the illumination for an associated one of the source means substantially onto the optical axis and for passing at least a portion of the redirected illumination reflected from said screen to said observer position; and
a plurality of lens mean, each interposed between an associated pair of said source means and said beamsplitter means, to project a like plurality of juxtaposed images into a common viewing volume occupiable by said observer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An image projection system uses a projection screen formed over at least a portion of a spherical surface, with either a retroreflective or a directional-specific reflecting material, along with a beamsplitter and at least one lens-projector combination for each real image input to the screen. More than one different input image may be simultaneously used, either with each of the different images provided to a different area of the screen for providing juxtaposed real images to a single observer, or with each of the different real images being provided to a different observer. A non-spherical screen may be used if a retroreflective screen material is used in a system for providing simultaneous real images to spatially-separated plural observers.
55 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An image projection system for providing a display of visual information to an observer, comprising:
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a projection screen formed of a selected material; a plurality of source means, each projecting different display information; a like plurality of spatially-separated beamsplitter means, each situated along an optical axis of the screen and between the screen and an observer position, for redirecting at least a portion of the illumination for an associated one of the source means substantially onto the optical axis and for passing at least a portion of the redirected illumination reflected from said screen to said observer position; and a plurality of lens mean, each interposed between an associated pair of said source means and said beamsplitter means, to project a like plurality of juxtaposed images into a common viewing volume occupiable by said observer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 13, 14, 16)
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7. An image projection system for providing a different display of visual information to each of a plurality of observers, comprising:
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a projection screen formed of a selected material; a plurality of source means, each projecting different display information; a like plurality of spatially-separated beamsplitter means, each situated along an optical axis of the screen and between the screen and a position of a different one of said observers, for redirecting at least a portion of the illumination for an associated one of the source means substantially onto the optical axis and for passing at least a portion of the redirected illumination reflected from said screen to the position of the associated observer; and a plurality of lens mean, each interposed between an associated pair of said source means and said beamsplitter means, to project from a common portion of the screen each of a like plurality of different images into each different viewing volume occupiable by a different and spatially-separated one of a plurality of observers, without significant interference with the visible information directed to any of the remaining observers. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 15)
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Specification