Stereoscopic video projection system

• US 5,239,372 A
• Filed: 12/31/1991
• Issued: 08/24/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RealD Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Stereographics Corporation (RealD Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lipton, Lenny
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Application Number:
  US07/815,483
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 358/3, 358/88, 358/91, 358/92, 359/464, 359/462, 359/465
• US Class Current: 348/58
• 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

Abstract

A method and apparatus for reducing color shift resulting from the stereoscopic display of two polarized images by a pair of polarizing projectors each having a polarizing filter, or increasing the transmission of light which comprises the stereoscopic display, by placing a specially aligned retarder in the optical path between each polarizing projector and the corresponding polarizing filter.

Claims

1. A device for forming stereoscopic video images on a display surface comprising:

a first synchronized video projection system and a second synchronized video projection system, each video projection system projecting a polarized beam of light, said polarized beam of light of each video projection system being polarized by an image forming element of each video projection system;

a first specially aligned retarder positioned between said first synchronized video projection system and said display surface so that a polarized beam of light of said first synchronized video projection system passes through said first specially aligned retarder;

a second specially aligned retarder positioned between said second synchronized video projection system and said display surface so that a polarized beam of light of said second synchronized video projection system passes through said second specially aligned retarder;

a first polarizing filter positioned between said first specially aligned retarder and said display surface so that said polarized beam of light of said first synchronized video projection system passes through said first polarizing filter; and

a second polarizing filter positioned between said second specially aligned retarder and said display surface so that said polarized beam of light of said second synchronized video projection system passes through said second polarizing filter.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein each of said first polarizing filter and said second polarizing filter comprises a sheet polarizing filter.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said sheet polarizing filter comprises a linear or circular sheet polarizing filter.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein each of said first specially aligned retarder and said second specially aligned retarder are substantially one-quarter wavelength thick at green-light frequencies.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the first specially aligned retarder is attached to the first polarizing filter and said second specially aligned retarder is attached to said second polarizing filter.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said first specially aligned retarder is laminated to the first polarizing filter and said second specially aligned retarder is laminated to said second polarizing filter.

7. A device for forming stereoscopic video images on a display surface comprising:

a first synchronized liquid-crystal video projection system and a second synchronized liquid-crystal video projection system, each liquid-crystal video projection system projecting a polarized beam of light, said polarized beam of light of each liquid-crystal projection system being polarized by an image forming element of each liquid-crystal video projection system;

a first specially aligned retarder positioned between said first liquid-crystal video projection system and said display surface so that a polarized beam of light of said first liquid-crystal video projection system passes through said first specially aligned retarder;

a second specially aligned retarder positioned between said second liquid-crystal video projection system and said display surface so that a polarized beam of light of said second liquid-crystal video projection system passes through said second specially aligned retarder;

a first polarizing filter positioned between said first specially aligned retarder and said display surface so that said polarized beam of light of said first liquid-crystal video projection system passes through said first polarizing filter; and

a second polarizing filter positioned between said second specially aligned retarder and said display surface so that said polarized beam of light of said second liquid-crystal video projection system passes through said second polarizing filter.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein each of said first polarizing filter and said second polarizing filter comprises a sheet polarizing filter.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein said sheet polarizing filter comprises a linear or circular sheet polarizing filter.

10. The device of claim 7 wherein each of said first specially aligned retarder and said second specially aligned retarder are substantially one-quarter wavelength thick at green-light frequencies.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein each of said first specially aligned retarder and said second specially aligned retarder and each of said first polarizing filter and said second polarizing filter are attached together.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein each of said first specially aligned retarder and said second specially aligned retarder and each of said first polarizing filter and said second polarizing filter are laminated together.

13. A device for forming stereoscopic video images, including at least two synchronized video projection systems, each said projection system comprising:

a. a light source, said light source projecting a beam of light along an optical path;

b. a polarizing image forming element, said polarizing image forming element located along said optical path;

c. a lens system, said lens system located along said optical path;

d. a polarizing filter, said polarizing filter located along said optical path; and

e. a specially aligned retarder, said specially aligned retarder located between said polarizing image forming element and said polarizing filter along said optical path.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein said polarizing filter comprises a sheet polarizing filter.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein said sheet polarizing filter comprises a linear or circular sheet polarizing filter.

16. The device of claim 14 wherein said specially aligned retarder is substantially one-quarter wavelength thick at green-light frequencies.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein said specially aligned retarder and said polarizing filter are attached together.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein said specially aligned retarder and said polarizing filter are laminated together.

19. A method for improving projection of a stereoscopic image using two liquid-crystal video projection systems, including the steps of:

a. securing a first polarized filter between a lens system of a first video projection system and a display surface so that a light beam of said first video projection system will pass along a first path through said first polarizing filter;

b. securing a second polarized filter between a lens system of a second video projection system and said display surface so that a light beam of said second video projection system will pass along a second path through said second polarizing filter, with a longitudinal axis of said second polarizing filter substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of said first polarizing filter;

c. placing a first retarder along the first path with a first side of said first retarder facing said lens system of said first video projection system and a second side of said first retarder facing said first polarizing filter wherein said first retarder has a normal axis;

d. rotating said first retarder about said normal axis into a special alignment;

e. placing a second retarder along the second path so that a first side of said second retarder faces said lens system of said second video projection system and a second side of said first retarder faces said second polarizing filter wherein said second retarder has a normal axis; and

f. rotating said second retarder about said normal axis into a special alignment.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein rotation of the first retarder into its special alignment and rotation of the second retarder into its special alignment minimizes color shift in the stereoscopic image and maximizes transmission of light comprising the stereoscopic image.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein step (d) includes a final step of laminating said first retarder to said first polarizing filter.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein said first retarder has a substantially one-quarter wavelength thickness at a green-light frequency.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein said first polarizing filter comprises a sheet polarizing filter.

24. A method for reducing a color shift formed when two liquid-crystal video projection systems are used to form a stereoscopic image, the method comprising:

a. securing a first polarized filter between a polarizing image forming element of a first video projection system and a lens system of a first video projection system so that a light beam of said first video projection system will pass along a first path through said first polarizing filter;

b. placing a second polarized filter between a polarizing image forming element of a second video projection system and a lens system of a second video projection system so that a light beam of said second video projection system will pass along a second path through said second polarizing filter with a longitudinal axis of said second polarizing filter substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of said first polarizing filter;

c. placing a first retarder along the first path with a first side of said first retarder facing said last polarizing image forming element of said first video projection system and a second side of said first retarder facing said first polarizing filter wherein said first retarder has a normal axis;

d. rotating said first retarder about said normal axis until said color shift has been minimized;

e. placing a second retarder along the second path so that a first side of said second retarder faces a last polarizing image forming element of said second video projection system and a second side of said first retarder faces said second polarizing filter wherein said second retarder has a normal axis; and

f. rotating said second retarder about said normal axis until said color shift has been minimized.