Display system including an image generator and movable scanner for same

• US 5,764,280 A
• Filed: 03/20/1997
• Issued: 06/09/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Silicon Light Machines Corporation (SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Silicon Light Machines Inc (SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Bloom, David M., Godil, Asif A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard W.
• Application Number:
  US08/821,391
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 348/51, 348/53, 345/7, 345/8
• US Class Current: 348/53
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 50/22 electronic, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0875 by means of one or more refracting elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0883 the refracting element being a prism
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/003 to produce spatial visual effects
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/02 by tracing or scanning a light beam on a screen
• 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 13/286 having separate monoscopic and stereoscopic modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/324 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/341 using temporal multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof

Abstract

A display device includes a plurality of modulatable light sources providing a one-dimensional array of display-elements, and a scanning unit, carried or worn by the user, which causes the user to perceive the array as a two-dimensional image. The scanning unit is movable with respect to the array while still allowing the user to view the array as a two-dimensional image.

Claims

1. A display system for displaying a two-dimensional image comprising:

display means including a plurality of light sources arranged to form a one-dimensional array of display elements, said display means including means for modulating each of said light sources for representing elements of the two-dimensional image;

at least one scanning means carried by a user for viewing said one-dimensional array, said scanning means in electronic communication with said display means, and including a scanning device and driving means for driving said scanning device;

said modulating means and said scanning means cooperative via said electronic communication for synchronizing said modulating means and said scanner driving means such that the user views said one-dimensional array of display elements, via said scanning means, as the two-dimensional image; and

distance between said scanning means and said display means being variable while still permitting the user to view the two-dimensional image through said scanning means.

2. The display system of claim 1 wherein said electronic communication is via a radio link.

3. The display system of claim 1 wherein said electronic communication is via an optical link.

4. The display system of claim 1 wherein said scanning means is located in eyewear worn by the user.

5. The display system of claim 1, further including means for maintaining a constant aspect ratio in the two-dimensional image as the distance between said scanning means and said display means is spatially varied.

6. The display system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of light sources includes red, green, and blue light sources arranged such that each display element includes one red, one green, and one blue light source.

7. A display system for displaying a two-dimensional image comprising:

display means including a plurality of light sources arranged to form a one-dimensional array of display elements said display means including means for modulating each of said light sources for representing elements of the two-dimensional image;

at least one scanning means, said scanning means located in eyewear wearable by a user for viewing said one-dimensional array, said scanning means in electronic communication with said display means, and including a scanning device and driving means for driving said scanning device;

said modulating means and said scanning means cooperative via said electronic communication for synchronizing said modulating means and said scanner driving means such that the viewer views said one-dimensional array of display elements through said scanning means as the two-dimensional image; and

distance between said scanning means and said display means being variable while still permitting the viewer to view the two-dimensional image.

8. The display system of claim 7 wherein said display means and said modulating means arranged to provide sequentially all image-elements of right and left frames of a stereoscopic video image;

and including first and second scanning means for respectively the right and left eyes of the user, said first scanning means arranged such that the user sees only elements of right video frames therethrough and said second scanning means arranged such that the viewer sees only elements of left video frames therethrough, whereby the viewer views a stereoscopic two-dimensional image through both scanning means.

9. The display system of claim 7 wherein said plurality of light sources is located in a fixed location in a room.

10. The display system of claim 7 wherein said plurality of light sources is in a fixed location on or in a vehicle.

11. The display system of claim 7 wherein said plurality of light sources is worn by the user.

12. The display system of claim 7 wherein said plurality of light sources is carried by the user.

13. The display system of claim 7, further including means for maintaining a constant aspect ratio in the two-dimensional image as the distance between said scanning means and said display means is spatially varied.

14. A display system for displaying a two-dimensional image comprising:

display means including a plurality of light sources arranged to form a one-dimensional array of display elements said display means including means for modulating each of said light sources for representing elements of the two-dimensional image;

at least one scanning means carried by a user for viewing said one-dimensional array, said scanning means in electronic communication with said display means, and including a scanning device and driving means for driving said scanning device;

said display means and said scanning means cooperative via said electronic communication for synchronizing said modulating means and said scanning device driving means such that the viewer views said one-dimensional array of display elements through said scanning means as the two-dimensional image, distance between said scanning means and said display means being variable while still permitting the user to view the two-dimensional image through said scanning means; and

aspect ratio control means for maintaining a constant aspect ratio in the two-dimensional image as the distance between said scanning means and said display means is spatially varied.

15. The display system of claim 14, wherein said aspect ratio control means includes means associated with said display means for generating an acoustic pulse in response to a pulse signal, and means for transmitting said pulse signal to said scanning means via said electronic communication;

means associated with said scanning device driving means for receiving said pulse signal and said acoustic pulse and determining therefrom a distance signal representative of the distance between said scanning means and said display means; and

operation of said scanning device driving means being controlled by said distance signal for maintaining said constant aspect ratio.

16. The display system of claim 14, wherein said aspect ratio control means includes a four-quadrant detector associated with said scanning means;

lens means for focussing a replica of the two-dimensional image on said quadrant detector;

means for deriving an error signal from output of said four-quadrant detector, said scanning device driving means being controlled by said error signal for maintaining said constant aspect ratio.

18. The display system of claim 16 wherein said plurality of light sources includes red green and blue light sources arranged such that each display element includes one red, one green, and one blue light source.

17. A display system for displaying a stereoscopic two-dimensional video image comprising:

display means including a plurality of light sources arranged to form a one-dimensional array of display elements said display means including means for modulating each of said light sources for representing elements of the stereoscopic two-dimensional image, said display means and said modulating means arranged such that said light sources represent sequentially all image-elements of right and left frames of the stereoscopic two-dimensional video image;

first and second scanning means, said first and second scanning means located in eyewear carried by a user for viewing said one-dimensional array, said first and second scanning means for respectively the right and left eyes of the user;

said first and second scanning means in electronic communication with said display means, and including a scanning device and driving means for driving said scanning device, and said first scanning means arranged such that the viewer sees only elements of right video frames therethrough and said second scanning means arranged such that the viewer sees only elements of left video frames therethrough;

said modulating means and said first and second scanning means cooperative via said electronic communication for synchronizing said modulating means and said scanner driving means such that the user views said one-dimensional array of display elements as the stereoscopic two-dimensional image; and

distance between said first and second scanning means and said display means being variable while still permitting the viewer to view the stereoscopic two-dimensional image through said first and second scanning means.

19. A display system for displaying a two-dimensional image comprising:

display means including a plurality of light sources arranged to form a one-dimensional array of display elements of a predetermined length, said display means including means for modulating each of said light sources for representing elements of the two-dimensional image;

at least one scanning means carried by a user for viewing said one-dimensional array, said scanning means in electronic communication with said display means, and including a scanning device and driving means for driving said scanning device;

said modulating means and said scanning means cooperative via said electronic communication for synchronizing said modulating means and said scanner driving means such that the user views said one-dimensional array of display elements, via said scanning means, as the two-dimensional image; and

wherein the width of the viewed two-dimensional image is determined entirely by the length of said one-dimensional array of display elements, the system not including any optical elements for providing a magnified image of said array.