3-Dimensional image projection display system and method

• US 6,400,394 B1
• Filed: 11/06/1998
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Chung, Seong-Eun, Kim, Sung-Sik
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Vu
• Application Number:
  US09/187,921
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 348/42-44, 348/49-51, 348/53-55, 348/57-60, 359/483, 359/490, 359/462-466, 382/154
• US Class Current: 348/51
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/25 using polarisation techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/161 Encoding, multiplexing or demultiplexing different image signal components for multi-view video sequence encoding H04N19/597
• 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 13/204 using stereoscopic image cameras stereoscopic photography G03B35/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/257 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/286 having separate monoscopic and stereoscopic modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/324 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/334 using spectral multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/337 using polarisation multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/346 using prisms or semi-transparent mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/363 using image projection screens volumetric display H04N13/388
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/393 the volume being generated by a moving, e.g. vibrating or rotating, surface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/395 with depth sampling, i.e. the volume being constructed from a stack or sequence of 2D image planes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/597 specially adapted for multi-view video sequence encoding

Abstract

A 3D image projection display system for displaying a 3D image on a screen includes a projector for projecting the left eye image of the 3D image polarized in a first polarizing direction and the right eye image polarized in a second polarizing directionperpendicular to the first direction, the pixels of the left eye image being arranged alternately with those pixels of the right eye image in a matrix form, and a plurality of reflectors for magnifying and reflecting the image projected for the left eye image and for the right eye image from the projector, wherein the image light reflected from the last one of the plurality of reflectors is projected on the screen.

Claims

1. A three dimensional image projection display system for displaying a three dimensional image on a screen, comprising:

a projector for projecting a left eye image of a three dimensional image polarized in a first polarizing direction and a right eye image of said three dimensional image polarized in a second polarizing direction perpendicular to the first polarizing direction, with pixels of said left eye image being arranged alternately in a same line with pixels of said right eye image in a matrix form; and

at least one reflector for magnifying and reflecting an image projected including said right eye image and said left eye image from said projector, with image light reflected from said at least one reflector for projection on a screen.

2. The three dimensional image projection display system of claim 1, further comprised of said projector comprising:

a three dimensional video signal processor for multiplexing video data of the pixels of said left eye image and video data of the pixels of said right eye image of a three dimensional image signal so as to alternately arrange in a same line said video data of the pixels of said left eye image and said video data of the pixels of said right eye image in a matrix form;

a liquid crystal display panel for displaying a multiplexed three dimensional video image from said three dimensional video signal processor; and

a projection system for projecting said left eye image and said right eye image of said three dimensional video image displayed on said liquid crystal display panel respectively in the first polarizing direction and in the second polarizing direction.

3. The three dimensional image projection display system of claim 2, further comprised of said three dimensional video signal processor including an analog to digital converter for converting an analog video signal into a digital video signal and including a digital to analog converter for converting a digital video signal into an analog video signal.

4. A three dimensional image projection display system for displaying a three dimensional image on a screen, comprising:

a three dimensional video signal processor for multiplexing video data of pixels of a left eye image and video data of pixels of a right eye image of a three dimensional image signal so as to alternately arrange said video data of the pixels of said left eye image and said video data of the pixels of said right eye image in a matrix form;

a liquid crystal display panel for displaying a multiplexed three dimensional video image from said three dimensional video signal processor; and

a projection system for projecting said left eye image and said right eye image of said, multiplexed three dimensional video image displayed on said liquid crystal display panel respectively in a first polarizing direction and in a second polarizing direction perpendicular to said first polarizing direction, said projection system comprising;

a light source for generating a visible light;

a reflector for reflecting said visible light in a given direction;

a first lens for focusing the reflected light from said reflector;

a first dichroic mirror for separating said visible light into red rays, green rays and blue rays;

a filter for making the separated red rays, green rays and blue rays uniform;

a first polarizing plate and a second polarizing plate each respectively arranged in an opposing relation at a respective opposing side of said liquid crystal display panel to make use of anisotropic light characteristics of said liquid crystal display panel;

a second dichroic mirror for mixing the red rays, green rays and blue rays received from said filter through said first polarizing plate, said liquid crystal display panel and said second polarizing plate;

a micro polarizer, said micro polarizer including a plurality of unit polarizing regions each corresponding to pixels of said liquid crystal display panel to polarize mixed light produced from said second dichroic mirror into said left eye image and said right eye image, adjacent ones of said unit polarizing regions being respectively polarized in two different polarizing directions, one of said adjacent ones of said unit polarizing regions being polarized in said first polarizing direction and another of said adjacent ones of said unit polarizing regions being polarized in said second polarizing direction; and

a second lens for magnifying images from said micro polarizer; and

at least one reflector for magnifying and reflecting an image projected including said right eye image and said left eye image from said projection system, with image light reflected from said at least one of reflector for projection.

5. A three dimensional image projection display system for displaying a three dimensional image on a screen, comprising:

a three dimensional video signal processor for multiplexing video data of pixels of a left eye image and video data of pixels of a right eye image of a three dimensional image signal so as to alternately arrange said video data of the pixels of said left eye image and said video data of the pixels of said right eye image in a matrix form, said three dimensional video signal processor comprising;

a signal separator for separating said three dimensional image signal into a synchronizing signal and a video signal;

an analog to digital converter for converting said video signal, into a digital video signal;

a first field memory and a second field memory for respectively storing left eye video data and right eye video data of an odd numbered frame of digital video data from said analog to digital converter;

a third field memory and a fourth field memory for respectively storing left eye video data and right eye video data of an even numbered frame of digital video data from said analog to digital converter;

a first multiplexer for multiplexing said left eye video data and said right eye video data of said first field memory and said second field memory so as to alternately arrange said left eye video data and said right eye video data of said first field memory and said second field memory in a matrix form;

a second multiplexer for multiplexing said left eye video data and said right eye video data of said third field memory and said fourth field memory so as to alternately arrange said left eye video data and said right eye video data of said third field memory and said fourth field memory in a matrix form;

a digital switch for alternately transferring an output of each of said first multiplexer and said second multiplexer; and

a controller for performing an overall control function for said three dimensional image projection display system according to said synchronizing signal;

a liquid crystal display panel for displaying a multiplexed three dimensional video image from said three dimensional video signal processor; and

a projection system for projecting said left eye image and said right eye image of said multiplexed three dimensional video image displayed on said liquid crystal display panel respectively in a first polarizing direction and in a second polarizing direction perpendicular to said first polarizing direction.

6. The three dimensional image projection display system of claim 5, further comprised of said three dimensional video signal processor further including a digital to analog converter for converting a digital video signal transferred by said digital switch into an analog video signal.

7. The three dimensional image projection display system of claim 5, further comprised of said first multiplexer alternately arranging said left eye video data and said right eye video data of said first field memory and said second field memory in a matrix to form at least one single frame, and said second multiplexer alternately arranging said left eye video data and said right eye video data of said third field memory and said fourth field memory in a matrix to form, at least one single frame.

8. The three dimensional image projection display system of claim 5, further comprised of said projection system comprising:

a light source for generating a visible light;

a reflector for reflecting said visible light in a given direction;

a first lens for focusing the reflected light from said reflector;

a first dichroic mirror for separating said visible light into red rays, green rays and blue rays;

a filter for making the separated red rays, green rays and blue rays uniform;

a first polarizing plate and a second polarizing plate each respectively arranged in an opposing relation at a respective opposing side of said liquid crystal display panel to make use of anisotropic light characteristics of said liquid crystal display panel;

a second dichroic mirror for mixing the red rays, green rays and blue rays received from said filter through said first polarizing plate, said liquid crystal display panel and said second polarizing plate;

a micro polarizer, said micro polarizer including a plurality of unit polarizing regions each corresponding to pixels of said liquid crystal display panel to polarize mixed light produced from said second dichroic mirror into said left eye image and said right eye image, adjacent ones of said unit polarizing regions being respectively polarized in two different polarizing directions, one of said adjacent ones of said unit polarizing regions being polarized in said first polarizing direction and another of said adjacent ones of said unit polarizing regions being polarized in said second polarizing direction; and

a second lens for magnifying images from said micro polarizer.

9. The three dimensional image projection display system of claim 8, further comprised of said first multiplexer alternately arranging said left eye video data and said right eye video data of said first field memory and said second field memory in a matrix to form at least one single frame, and said second multiplexer alternately arranging said left eye video data and said right eye video data of said third field memory and said fourth field memory in a matrix to form at least one single frame.

10. The three dimensional image projection display system of claim 8, further comprised of said three dimensional video signal processor further including a digital to analog converter for converting a digital video signal transferred by said digital switch into an analog video signal.

11. The three dimensional image projection display system of claim 10, further comprised of said first multiplexer alternately arranging said left eye video data and said right eye video data of said first field memory and said second field memory in a matrix to form at least one single frame, and said second multiplexer alternately arranging said left eye video data and said right eye video data of said third field memory and said fourth field memory in a matrix to form at least one single frame.

12. A method for projecting a three dimensional image, comprising:

projecting a left eye image of a three dimensional image polarized in a first polarizing direction;

projecting a right eye image of said three dimensional image polarized in a second polarizing direction perpendicular to said first polarizing direction;

alternately arranging in a same line pixels of said left eye image with pixels of said right eye image in a matrix form; and

magnifying and reflecting an image projected for said right eye image and for said left eye image using at least one reflector, with image light reflected from said at least one reflector for projection on a screen for displaying said three dimensional image.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

multiplexing video data of the pixels of said left eye image and video data of the pixels of said right eye image of a three dimensional image signal to alternately arrange in a same line said video data of the pixels of said left eye image and said video data of the pixels of said right eye image in said matrix form;

providing a multiplexed three dimensional video image from said video data of the pixels of said left eye image and said video data of the pixels of said right eye image arranged in said matrix form; and

projecting said left eye image and said right eye image of said multiplexed three dimensional video image respectively in the first polarizing direction and in the second polarizing direction.

14. A method for projecting a three dimensional image, comprising:

multiplexing video data of pixels of a left eye image and video data of pixels of a right eye image of a three dimensional image signal to alternately arrange said video data of the pixels of said left eye image and said video data of the pixels of said right eye image in a matrix form, said multiplexing video data comprising the steps of;

separating said three dimensional image signal into a synchronizing signal and a video signal;

converting said video signal into a digital video signal;

storing left eye video data and right eye video data of an odd numbered frame of digital video data from said digital video signal respectively in a first field memory and a second field memory;

storing left eye video data and right eye video data of an even numbered frame of digital video data from said digital video signal respectively in a third field memory and a fourth field memory;

multiplexing in a first multiplexer said left eye video data and said right eye video data of said first field memory and said second field memory so as to alternately arrange said left eye video data and said right eye video data of said first field memory and said second field memory in a matrix form;

multiplexing in a second multiplexer said left eye video data and said right eye video data of said third field memory and said fourth field memory so as to alternately arrange said left eye video data and said right eye video data of said third field memory and said fourth field memory in a matrix form; and

alternately transferring an output of each of said first multiplexer and said second multiplexer to provide a multiplexed three dimensional video image; and

projecting said left eye image and said right eye image of said multiplexed three dimensional video image respectively in a first polarizing direction and in a second polarizing direction perpendicular to said first polarizing direction for projection on a screen.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprised of said step of projecting said left eye image and said right eye image of said multiplexed three dimensional video image comprising the steps of:

generating from a light source a visible light;

reflecting said visible light in a given direction;

focusing the reflected light onto a first dichroic mirror to separate said visible light into red rays, green rays, and blue rays;

filtering to make the separated red rays, green rays and blue rays uniform;

mixing the red rays, green rays and blue rays after said filtering by use of a second dichroic mirror; and

polarizing mixed light produced from said second dichroic mirror into said left eye image and said right eye image.

16. A method for projecting a three dimensional image, comprising:

multiplexing video data of pixels of a left eye image and video data of pixels of a right eye image of a three dimensional image signal to alternately arrange said video data of the pixels of said left eye image and said video data of the pixels of said right eye image in a matrix form;

providing a multiplexed three dimensional video image from said video data of the pixels of said left eye image and said video data of the pixels of said right eye image arranged in said matrix form; and

projecting said left eye image and said right eye image of said multiplexed three dimensional video image respectively in a first polarizing direction and in a second polarizing direction perpendicular to said first polarizing direction, projecting said left eye image and said right eye image of said multiplexed three dimensional video image comprising the steps of;

generating from a light source a visible light;

reflecting said visible light in a given direction;

focusing the reflected light onto a first dichroic mirror to separate said visible light into red rays, green rays, and blue rays;

filtering to make the separated red rays, green rays and blue rays uniform;

mixing the red rays, green rays and blue rays after said filtering by use of a second dichroic mirror; and

polarizing mixed light produced from said -second dichroic mirror into said left eye image and said right eye image.