Dynamic time multiplexed holographic screen with 3-D projection

• US 6,595,644 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2001
• Issued: 07/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellisense Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Physical Optics Corporation
• Inventors: Savant, Gajendra D., Jannson, Tomasz P., Kostrzewski, Andrew A., Aye, Tin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Adams, Russell
• Assistant Examiner(s): SEVER, ANDREW T
• Application Number:
  US09/924,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20020034006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 353/7, 353/10, 345/4, 345/5, 345/6, 345/9, 359/1, 359/9, 359/10, 359/11, 359/14, 359/18, 359/20, 359/23, 359/28, 359/32, 359/35, 352/43, 352/86
• US Class Current: 353/7
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/56 Projection screens

Abstract

A dynamic time multiplexed holographic system including a holographic screen and a projector that projects successive perspective images onto the holographic screen. The projector includes a rotating polygon that provides successive image slices to the holographic screen and a spatial light modulator that provides successive image slices to the rotating polygon. The holographic screen refracts the successive perspective images perpendicular to the holographic screen.

Claims

1. A dynamic time multiplexed holographic system comprising:

a holographic screen; and

a unitary projector that projects successive perspective images onto the holographic screen;

the holographic screen configured for refracting the successive perspective images perpendicular to the holographic screen.

2. The dynamic time multiplexed holographic system according to claim 1, wherein the projector further comprises a rotating polygon that provides successive image slices to the holographic screen.

3. The dynamic time multiplexed holographic system according to claim 2, wherein the projector further comprises a spatial light modulator that provides successive image slices to the rotating polygon.

4. A dynamic time multiplexed holographic system for producing an image having a volume of visual information comprising:

a holographic screen configured to produce the image having a volume of visual information; and

a unitary projector configured to project different channels including slightly different views of the image via the holographic screen to generate the volume of visual information;

the holographic screen also being configured for diffracting said image views perpendicular to the screen regardless of the angle of incidence onto said screen.

5. The dynamic time multiplexed holographic system according to claim 4, wherein the views are updated approximately every 30 ms.

6. The dynamic time multiplexed holographic system according to claim 4, wherein the projector comprises:

a light source;

a rotating polygon coupled to the light source, the rotating polygon configured to spatially multiplex viewing slices onto the holographic screen.

7. The dynamic time multiplexed holographic system according to claim 6, wherein the projector comprises:

a spatial light modulator coupled between the light source and the rotating polygon; and

a rendering engine coupled to the spatial light modulator, the rendering engine configured to drive the spatial light modulator.

8. The dynamic time multiplexed holographic system according to claim 6, wherein the holographic screen is configured to converge light from the rotating polygon into narrow beam slices each representing a single view of the image.

9. The dynamic time multiplexed holographic system according to claim 4, further comprising:

at least one additional holographic screen configured to produce additional views of the image having a volume of visual information; and

at least one additional projector configured to project additional different channels including slightly different views of the image via the at least one additional holographic screen to generate the volume of visual information.

10. The dynamic time multiplexed holographic system according to claim 9, wherein the at least one additional holographic screen and the at least one additional projector are configured to increase the field of view of a image having a volume of visual information.

11. The dynamic time multiplexed holographic system according to claim 9, wherein the at least one additional holographic screen and the at least one additional projector are configured to increase the field of view to a 360°

view of the image having a volume of visual information for virtual reality immersion capability.

12. The dynamic time multiplexed holographic system according to claim 4, wherein the holographic screen is substantially horizontal and the projector is located below the holographic screen to generate an image above the holographic screen.

13. The dynamic time multiplexed holographic system according to claim 4, wherein the holographic screen is substantially vertical and the projector is located behind the holographic screen to generate an image in front of the holographic screen.

14. The dynamic time multiplexed holographic system according to claim 4, wherein the image is a three-dimensional full color image having a volume of visual information.

15. A method of providing an image having visual image information comprising:

transmitting spatially multiplexed viewing slices of the visual image information from a unitary projector onto a holographic screen; and

refracting the visual image information via narrow visualization slits at the holographic screen said refracting causing each said visualization slit to be directed parallel to every other visualization slit.

16. The method of providing an image having visual image information according to claim 15, wherein the transmitting step further comprises:

transmitting the viewing slices of the visual image information to a rotating polygon; and

reflecting the visual image information at the rotating polygon towards the holographic screen to generate spatially multiplexed viewing slices at the holographic screen.

17. The method of providing an image having visual image information according to claim 15, further comprising updating a view of the image having visual image information approximately every 30 ms.

18. The method of providing an image having visual image information according to claim 15, further comprising:

rendering the visual image information; and

performing spatial light modulation to generate the visual image information.