Volume display system and method for inside-out viewing

• US 5,606,454 A
• Filed: 02/17/1993
• Issued: 02/25/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Williams, Rodney D., Garcia, Felix Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Henry, Jon W.
• Application Number:
  US08/019,998
• Time in Patent Office: 1,469 Days
• Field of Search: 359/462, 359/478, 359/479, 359/220, 359/208, 359/204, 358/3, 358/63, 358/88, 340/724, 340/727, 272/313, 352/69, 352/132
• US Class Current: 359/462
• 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: G03B 21/562 Screens moving during projection G03B21/58 - G03B21/62 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/18 involving the use of optical projection means, e.g. projection of images on clouds projection apparatus per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/393 the volume being generated by a moving, e.g. vibrating or rotating, surface

Abstract

A system wherein the observer can be positioned at the interior of a three dimensional display and observe the display looking outwardly therefrom. In accordance with a first embodiment of the invention, the rotating disk of the prior art is made sufficiently large and at sufficient angle, preferably 45 degrees with respect to the shaft rotating the disk, so that the observer or a camera can be located in a conical portion of the cylinder swept out by the disk wherein the disk does not travel. In accordance with a second embodiment of the invention, the rotating shaft onto which the disk is anchored is a hollow, transparent cylinder and is sufficiently large to retain a viewer or a camera within the cylinder. In this way, the observer can rotate 360 degrees within the cylinder to view the entire display looking outwardly from the interior thereof.

Claims

1. A method of viewing a three dimensional display comprising the steps of:

(a) creating a display having a cylindrical exterior surface, said display occupying all but a selected region disposed within said cylindrical exterior surface along the axis of said cylindrical exterior surface; and

(b) viewing said display from said selected region disposed within said cylindrical exterior surface;

(c) said selected region disposed within said cylindrical exterior surface along the axis of said cylindrical exterior surface being of conical shape.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of viewing said display comprises the step of placing a viewing device within said selected region disposed within said cylindrical exterior surface along the axis of said cylindrical exterior surface.

3. A method of viewing a three dimensional display comprising the steps of:

(a) creating a display having a cylindrical exterior surface, said display occupying all but a selected region disposed within said cylindrical exterior surface along the axis of said cylindrical exterior surface; and

(b) viewing said display from said selected region disposed within said cylindrical exterior surface;

(c) said selected region disposed within said cylindrical exterior surface along the axis of said cylindrical exterior surface being a pair of regions of conical shape at opposing ends of said axis of said cylindrical exterior surface and extending in opposite directions.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said step of viewing said display comprises the step of placing a viewing device within said selected region disposed within said cylindrical exterior surface along the axis of said cylindrical exterior surface.