Method and apparatus for high resolution three dimensional display
First Claim
1. An improved high resolution volumetric 3D display system utilizing a separately developed 3D image data set, wherein said 3D image data set represents a 360 degree view of the object or objects to be displayed, the display system comprising:
- processor means for receiving said 3D image data set and for generating 2D helical-shaped slices of said 3D image data set about a central vertical axis of said 3D image data set;
light modulator means having a flat 2D imaging surface driven by said processor means for successively imaging said 2D helical-shaped slices of said 3D image data set at a rate faster than a refresh rate of a human eye;
light source means for illuminating said imaging surface of said modulator means as successive 2D images are displayed;
a rotating helical display screen the shape of which corresponds to that of said 2D helical-shaped slices of said 3D image data set, wherein rotation of said screen is synchronized with said successive imaging of said 2D helical-shaped slices on said modulator means; and
optical projection means for projecting light from said light source means, which has been modulated by said light modulator means according to said sequence of 2D images, to said rotating helical display screen such that a 3D image is generated in a space through which said screen rotates.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A process and system for displaying large (more than 1 million voxels) volumetric 3D images gives substantially higher resolution than is achievable with prior art techniques. The process and system utilize a sequence of helical slices of a 3D data set to generate a series of 2D images on a reflective surface of a light modulator. The series of 2D images generated on the light modulator are projected into a volumetric 3D-space display using an illumination light source and projection optics. Voxels in 3D space are illuminated for each 2D projected image, each voxel being located at its corresponding spatial location such that the 3D image thus generated can be viewed from any angle in a walkaround fish-tank manner without utilizing any viewing aids.
-
Citations
22 Claims
-
1. An improved high resolution volumetric 3D display system utilizing a separately developed 3D image data set, wherein said 3D image data set represents a 360 degree view of the object or objects to be displayed, the display system comprising:
-
processor means for receiving said 3D image data set and for generating 2D helical-shaped slices of said 3D image data set about a central vertical axis of said 3D image data set; light modulator means having a flat 2D imaging surface driven by said processor means for successively imaging said 2D helical-shaped slices of said 3D image data set at a rate faster than a refresh rate of a human eye; light source means for illuminating said imaging surface of said modulator means as successive 2D images are displayed; a rotating helical display screen the shape of which corresponds to that of said 2D helical-shaped slices of said 3D image data set, wherein rotation of said screen is synchronized with said successive imaging of said 2D helical-shaped slices on said modulator means; and optical projection means for projecting light from said light source means, which has been modulated by said light modulator means according to said sequence of 2D images, to said rotating helical display screen such that a 3D image is generated in a space through which said screen rotates. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 22)
-
-
8. An improved method of providing a high resolution volumetric 3D display utilizing a separately developed 3D image data set, wherein said 3D image data set represents a 360 degree view of the object or objects to be displayed, the method comprising:
-
generating 2D helical-shaped slices of said 3D image data set about a central vertical axis of said 3D image data set; successively imaging said 2D helical-shaped slices of said 3D image data set on a spatial light modulator having a flat 2D imaging surface at a rate faster than a refresh rate of the human eye; illuminating said imaging surface of said modulator as successive 2D images are displayed; projecting light, which has been modulated by said light modulator according to said sequence of 2D images, to a rotating helical display screen the shape of which corresponds to that of said 2D helical-shaped slices of said 3D image data set, wherein rotation of said screen is synchronized with said successive imaging of said 2D helical-shaped slices on said modulator such that a 3D image is generated in a space through which said screen rotates, said 3D image being either symmetrical or asymmetrical and being viewable from any angle along a 360 degree perimeter around said rotating screen without the use of any view aid. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An improved high resolution volumetric 3D display system utilizing a separately developed 3D image data set, wherein said 3D image data set represents a 360 degree view of the object or objects to be displayed, the display system comprising:
-
a processor for sequencing 2D slices of said 3D image data set, said 2D slices having a curved surface within said 3D image data set and each 2D slice including a central vertical axis of said 3D image data set; a light modulator having a flat 2D imaging surface driven by said processor for successively imaging said 2D slices of said 3D image data set at a rate faster than a refresh rate of a human eye; a light source for illuminating said imaging surface of said modulator as successive 2D images are displayed; a rotating, curved display screen the shape of which corresponds to that of said curved-surface 2D slices of said 3D image data set, wherein rotation of said screen is synchronized with said successive imaging of said 2D slices on said modulator; and an optical projection system for projecting light from said light source, which has been modulated by said light modulator according to said sequence of 2D images, to said rotating display screen such that a 3D image is generated in a space through which said screen rotates, said 3D image being viewable from any angle along a 360 degree perimeter around said rotating screen without the use of any view aid. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
Specification