Projection display system for viewing displayed imagery over a wide field of view
First Claim
1. An image display system for simultaneously displaying a plurality of images of a three-dimensional object formed from a plurality of viewing directions, said image display system comprising:
- a three-dimensional display surface having a generally concave geometry, at least first and second display surface regions in spatially contiguous relation to each other, and a volumetric extent for defining a three-dimensional display volume extending in the direction of the concavity of said three-dimensional display surface and a three-dimensional viewing zone spatially encompassed within said three-dimensional display volume;
first image signal generation means for generating a first signal representative of a first image of said three-dimensional object viewed along a first viewing direction;
second image signal generation means for generating a second signal representative of a second image of said three-dimensional object viewed along a second viewing direction;
first image producing means, disposed within said three-dimensional display volume and responsive to said first signal, for generating said first image and projecting said first image onto said first display surface region such that light rays emanating from said first image producing means towards said first display surface region are generally restricted from said three-dimensional viewing zone;
second image producing means, disposed within said three-dimensional display volume and responsive to said second signal, for generating said second image and projecting said second image onto said second display surface region such that light rays emanating from said second image producing means towards said second display surface region are generally restricted from said three-dimensional viewing zone;
whereby a viewer whose eyes are disposed within said three-dimensional viewing zone is free to view said first and second projected images from anywhere within said three-dimensional viewing zone with a field of view of at least 180 degrees.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A desktop-based stereoscopic projection display system affording high-resolution stereoscopic and peripheral viewing of three-dimensional color imagery over a field of view of at least 180°. The projection volume required by each image projector of the display system is disposed substantially within the overall display volume of the display system, while maximizing the viewing volume within which the viewer is free to move during interactive stereoscopic viewing sessions. The display system utilizes high-resolution image projectors, keystoning correcting optics and projection-beam folding mirrors which are compactly mounted immediately above the upper volume-boundary surface of the overall display volume of the system, in order to permit the use of three-dimensional display structures having footprints and display volumes that are supportable upon desktops and in other viewing environments characterized by spatial restrictions.
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Citations
51 Claims
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1. An image display system for simultaneously displaying a plurality of images of a three-dimensional object formed from a plurality of viewing directions, said image display system comprising:
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a three-dimensional display surface having a generally concave geometry, at least first and second display surface regions in spatially contiguous relation to each other, and a volumetric extent for defining a three-dimensional display volume extending in the direction of the concavity of said three-dimensional display surface and a three-dimensional viewing zone spatially encompassed within said three-dimensional display volume; first image signal generation means for generating a first signal representative of a first image of said three-dimensional object viewed along a first viewing direction; second image signal generation means for generating a second signal representative of a second image of said three-dimensional object viewed along a second viewing direction; first image producing means, disposed within said three-dimensional display volume and responsive to said first signal, for generating said first image and projecting said first image onto said first display surface region such that light rays emanating from said first image producing means towards said first display surface region are generally restricted from said three-dimensional viewing zone; second image producing means, disposed within said three-dimensional display volume and responsive to said second signal, for generating said second image and projecting said second image onto said second display surface region such that light rays emanating from said second image producing means towards said second display surface region are generally restricted from said three-dimensional viewing zone; whereby a viewer whose eyes are disposed within said three-dimensional viewing zone is free to view said first and second projected images from anywhere within said three-dimensional viewing zone with a field of view of at least 180 degrees. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 48, 49, 50)
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16. A method of simultaneously displaying a plurality of images of a three-dimensional object formed from a plurality of viewing directions, said method comprising the steps:
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(a) providing a three-dimensional display surface having a generally concave geometry, at least first and second display surface regions in spatially contiguous relation to each other, and a volumetric extent for defining a three-dimensional display volume disposed in the direction of the concavity of said three-dimensional display surface and a three-dimensional viewing zone spatially encompassed within said three-dimensional display volume; (b) supporting a viewer so that the eyes thereof are disposed within said within said three-dimensional viewing zone; (c) projecting from an image projection means onto said first display surface, a first image of said three-dimensional object specified along a first viewing direction such that light rays emanating from said image projection means towards said first display surface region are generally restricted from said three-dimensional viewing zone; and (d) simultaneously therewith, projecting from said image projection means onto said second display surface, a second image of said three-dimensional object specified along a second viewing direction such that light rays emanating from said image projection means towards said second display surface region are also generally restricted from said three-dimensional viewing zone; whereby said viewer is free to view said first and second projected images from within said three-dimensional viewing zone with a field of view of at least 180 degrees. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 39, 40, 41)
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26. An image display system for simultaneously displaying a plurality of optical images of a three-dimensional object taken from a plurality of viewing directions defined relative to said three-dimensional object, said image display system comprising:
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a three-dimensional display surface of generally concave geometry and electrically-passive construction, said three-dimensional display surface having at least first and second display surface regions in spatially contiguous relation to each other, an upper edge surface bordering at least a portion of said first display surface region, a lower edge surface bordering at least a portion of said second display surface region, a first side edge surface bordering at least said first display surface region, and a second side edge display surface bordering at least said second display surface region, wherein said upper edge surface defines an upper volume-boundary surface, said lower edge surface defines a lower volume-boundary surface, said first and second edge surfaces define a front volume-boundary surface, and said upper and lower volume-boundary surfaces, said front volume-boundary surface and said three-dimensional display surface collectively circumscribe a three-dimensional display volume disposed in the direction of the concavity of said three-dimensional display surface; first image signal generation means for generating a first electrical signal representative of a first optical image of said three-dimensional object viewed along a first viewing direction; second image signal generation means for generating a second electrical signal representative of a second optical image of said three-dimensional object viewed along a second viewing direction; first optical image producing means, fixedly disposed adjacent said upper volume-boundary surface and responsive to said first electrical signal, for generating said first optical image and projecting said first optical image onto said first display surface region of said three-dimensional display surface such that the light rays emanating from said first optical image producing means towards said first display surface region are generally confined within a first image projection volume substantially spatially encompassed within and stationarily fixed relative to said three-dimensional display volume; and second optical image producing means, fixedly disposed adjacent said upper volume-boundary surface and being responsive to said second electrical signal, for generating said second optical image and projecting said second optical image onto said second display surface region of said three-dimensional display surface such that light rays emanating from said second optical image producing means towards said second display surface region are generally confined within a second image projection volume substantially spatially encompassed within and stationarily fixed relative to said three-dimensional display volume, whereby a viewer supported in the direction of the concavity of said three-dimensional display surface is free to view said first and second projected optical images from anywhere within a three-dimensional viewing zone being spatially encompassed within and stationarily fixed relative to said three-dimensional display volume, and substantially free of projected light rays emanating from said first and second image projection means towards said first and second display surface regions, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 42, 43)
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44. A system for simultaneously displaying a plurality of images of a three-dimensional object formed from a plurality of viewing directions, said system comprising:
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a three-dimensional display surface having a generally concave geometry, at least first and second display surface regions in spatially contiguous relation to each other, and a volumetric extent for defining a three-dimensional display volume disposed in the direction of the concavity of said three-dimensional display surface and a three-dimensional viewing zone spatially encompassed within said three-dimensional display volume; a first image projection means disposed within said three-dimensional display volume, for projecting onto said first display surface, a first image of said three-dimensional object specified along a first viewing direction such that light rays emanating from said first image projection means towards said first display surface region are generally restricted from said three-dimensional viewing zone; and a second image projection means disposed within said three-dimensional display volume, for projecting onto said second display surface, a second image of said three-dimensional object specified along a second viewing direction such that light rays emanating from said second image projection means towards said second display surface region are also generally restricted from said three-dimensional viewing zone; whereby a viewer whose eyes are disposed within said three-dimensional viewing zone is free to view said first and second projected images from within said three-dimensional viewing zone with a field of view of at least 180 degrees. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 51)
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Specification