Stereoscopic image display device

• US 6,172,807 B1
• Filed: 09/15/1999
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Akamatsu, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANG, AUDREY Y
• Application Number:
  US09/396,480
• Time in Patent Office: 482 Days
• Field of Search: 359/462, 359/463, 359/464, 348/51, 348/54, 348/55, 348/59
• US Class Current: 359/462
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/27 involving lenticular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/33 involving directional light or back-light sources
• 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 13/32 using arrays of controllable light sources; using moving apertures or moving light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/324 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/376 for tracking left-right translational head movements, i.e. lateral movements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof

Abstract

A stereoscopic image display device for providing a stereoscopic image by displaying images with a parallax on a viewer'"'"'s left and right eyes is disclosed. The display device comprises the following. (1) A light source with selectively variable light-emitting regions for emitting light, wherein the light-emitting regions are disposed at various positions from a center of the light source. (2) An optical element having an optical axis extending through the center of the light source for condensing light emitted from the light source to each of the viewer'"'"'s left and right eyes. (3) Spatial modulation means, disposed on an optical path from the light source to the viewer, for spatially modulating the light emitted from the light source. (4) Control means for controlling the light-emission state of the light source so that brightness of the light-emitting regions increases as the positions of the light-emitting regions become distant from the optical axis, in order to obtain a uniform viewing illuminance of the light viewed by the viewer even when a viewing point of the viewer changes and the positions of the light-emitting regions move.

Claims

1. A stereoscopic image display device for providing a stereoscopic image by displaying images with a parallax on a viewer'"'"'s left and right eyes, comprising:

a light source having selectively variable light-emitting regions for emitting light, the light-emitting regions being disposed at various positions from a center of the light source;

an optical element having an optical axis extending through the center of the light source for condensing light emitted from the light source to each of the viewer'"'"'s left and right eyes;

spatial modulation means, disposed on an optical path from the light source to the viewer, for spatially modulating the light emitted from the light source; and

control means for controlling a light-emission state of the light source so that brightness of the light-emitting regions increases as the positions of the light-emitting regions become distant from the optical axis, in order to obtain a uniform viewing illuminance of the light viewed by the viewer even when a viewing point of the viewer changes and the positions of the light-emitting regions move.

2. The stereoscopic image display device according to claim 1, further comprising a diffusion sheet is disposed on an optical path in a vicinity of the light source such that the diffusion sheet transmits light from the light-emitting regions, wherein the diffusion sheet has diffusion characteristics such that the transmission of light increases as the positions of the light-emitting regions become more distant from the optical axis.

3. The stereoscopic image display device according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting regions of the light source comprise a plurality of light-emitting elements that are more densely arranged as a distance from the optical axis increases.

4. The stereoscopic image display device according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting regions of the light source have diffusion distributions that are increasingly biased directionally towards the optical axis as the distance of the light-emitting regions from the center of the optical axis increases.

5. The stereoscopic image display device according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting regions of the light source comprise a plurality of light-emitting elements that radiate maximally in a peak direction, and wherein the peak direction is increasingly inclined toward the optical axis as the distance of the light-emitting region from the optical axis increases.

6. The stereoscopic image display device according to claim 1, further comprising a diffusion sheet disposed on an optical path in a vicinity of the light source such that the diffusion sheet transmits light from the light-emitting regions, the diffusion sheet having diffusion characteristics such that the intensity distribution of the transmitted light has a concave cross section.

7. The stereoscopic image display device according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls a light-emission time of the light-emitting regions such that the light emission time is shorter at the center of the light source and becomes longer as a distance from the center of the light source increases.

8. The stereoscopic image display device according to claim 1, wherein the control means causes the supply of more light-emission energy as a distance from the center of the light source increases.

9. The stereoscopic image display device according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting regions are arranged on a concave curved surface.

10. The stereoscopic image display device according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls the light-emission state of the light source to obtain a uniform viewing illuminance of the light condensed to the viewer'"'"'s viewing position even for slight changes in a position of the viewer.

11. The stereoscopic image display device according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls a light-emission state of the light source to obtain such a luminous intensity that the light emitted from the light source to the spatial modulation means is uniform in intensity.

12. The stereoscopic image display device according to claim 1, further comprising a screen disposed on an optical path between the spatial modulation means and the viewer.