CRT having microlenses with a predetermined relationship with the curvature of the faceplate

• US 6,133,687 A
• Filed: 05/03/1999
• Issued: 10/17/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Clarke, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Day, Michael H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Santiago, Mariceli
• Application Number:
  US09/304,400
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 313/478, 359/621, 359/622, 359/623, 359/624, 359/625, 359/626, 359/619
• US Class Current: 313/478
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0037 characterized by the distribution or form of lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0062 Stacked lens arrays, i.e. refractive surfaces arranged in at least two planes, without structurally separate optical elements in-between
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/305 using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/31 using parallax barriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/324 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/334 using spectral multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/361 Reproducing mixed stereoscopic images; Reproducing mixed monoscopic and stereoscopic images, e.g. a stereoscopic image overlay window on a monoscopic image background

Abstract

An image relay arrangement (20) for use with a curved CRT faceplate (11) to relay a picture to a position in front of the faceplate comprises a first, imaging, microlens array (22), a second, field, microlens array (23) and a third, re-imaging, microlens array (24) which are spaced from one another and have corresponding microlens elements (25, 26, 27). At least one of the first and third arrays is curved with its spacing from the adjacent array varying over its area related to the faceplate curvature. Through this arrangement, the picture at the curved faceplate can be imaged onto a plane where, for example, a lenticular screen is located enabling autostereoscopic displays to be produced.

Claims

1. A CRT display system having

a CRT with a curved faceplate and

an optical image relay arrangement positioned over the faceplate for re-imaging a picture away from the faceplate which comprises in order from the faceplate:

a first, imaging, microlens array,

a second field, microlens array spaced from the first microlens array, and

a third, re-imaging, microlens array spaced from the second microlens array,

the first, second and third microlens arrays having corresponding microlens elements, and

at least one of the first and the third microlens arrays being curved so that its spacing from the adjacent microlens array varies over its area in a predetermined relationship with the curvature of the faceplate.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein

the first and the third microlens arrays are curved

with the curvature of the first array being in the opposite sense to that of the faceplate and

with the curvature of the third array being in the same sense to that of the faceplate.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein

powers of the lens elements in at least one of said first, second and third microlens arrays are substantially identical.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein

powers of the microlens elements in the second microlens array vary over the area of the array.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein

one or more of the first, second and third microlens arrays is formed by two or more sub-arrays arranged in series.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein

corresponding microlens elements in the first second and third microlens arrays lie on a straight line.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein

the optical image relay arrangement is configured to provide an imaging surface, and

the system comprises an autostereoscopic display system having

a lenticular screen positioned at the imaging surface of the optical image relay arrangement.

8. An optical image relay arrangement for use with a CRT having a curved faceplate to re-image a picture away from the faceplate which comprises

first, second and third mutually spaced microlens arrays,

the first and third microlens arrays comprising respectively imaging and re-imaging lens arrays,

the second microlens array comprising a field lens array disposed between the first and third microlens arrays,

the first, second and third microlens arrays having corresponding microlens elements, and

at least one of the first and third microlens arrays being curved so that its spacing from the adjacent microlens array varies over its area in a predetermined relationship with the curvature of the faceplate.

9. An arrangement according to claim 8, wherein

the first and third microlens arrays are curved in opposite senses.

10. An arrangement according to claim 8, wherein

corresponding microlens elements in the first, second and third microlens arrays are arranged such that they lie on a straight line.