Depth fused display

• US 7,619,585 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2004
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: PureDepth Limited (Aptiv PLC)
• Inventors: Bell, Gareth Paul, Searle, Mark John, Engel, Gabriel Damon
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Henry N
• Application Number:
  US10/841,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20050206582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,020 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1.3, 345/2.2, 345/3.1, 345 6- 9, 345/87, 345/82, 345/102, 345419-422, 345/426, 348 51- 53, 340/716, 349/15, 349/64, 349/70, 359/53, 359/98, 359/738, 362/561, 362611-615
• US Class Current: 345/9
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/023 Display panel composed of stacked panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/003 to produce spatial visual effects
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/20 for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/395 with depth sampling, i.e. the volume being constructed from a stack or sequence of 2D image planes

Abstract

A method of displaying an image with variable perceived depth using a display (1) including one or more at least partially transparent, substantially parallel imaging screens (3) located in front of, and overlapping with, a rear imaging screen (4),

characterized in that a physical image is formed on two or more imaging screens (3,4), each image being of substantially identical configuration and being sized and aligned such that like portions of each image are coterminous to a viewer observing the display,

wherein at least two of said coterminous images are displayed with different luminance.

Claims

1. A method of presenting an image using a multi-component display, said method comprising:

displaying, at a first display screen of said multi-component display, a first graphical object in accordance with a first luminance;

increasing said first luminance using an emissive component disposed between said first display screen and a second display screen of said multi-component display;

displaying, at said second display screen, a second graphical object in accordance with a second luminance, wherein said first display screen overlaps said second display screen; and

wherein said displaying said first and second graphical objects further comprises displaying said first and second graphical objects in an overlapping manner to thereby present an image, wherein a perceived depth of said image is related to said first and second luminance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said perceived depth is located outside of a depth range spanning from said first display screen to said second display screen.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a portion of said first display screen separate from said portion occupied by said first graphical object comprises a third luminance, wherein a portion of said second display screen separate from said portion occupied by said second graphical object comprises a fourth luminance, and wherein said perceived depth is further related to said third luminance and said fourth luminance.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said first luminance, said second luminance, said third luminance, and said fourth luminance comprise at least two different luminance values.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said first luminance, said second luminance, said third luminance, and said fourth luminance share at least one common luminance value.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a luminance value of said first graphical object is different from a luminance value of said second graphical object.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said emissive component comprises a light guide for transmitting light from at least one light source.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said at least one light source is selected from a group consisting of a cold cathode fluorescent tube and a light emitting diode.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said emissive component comprises at least one feature selected from a group consisting of diffusion dots, scratches, indentations, protrusions and undulations.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

refracting light emitted from said second display screen using a refractor disposed between said first and second display screens.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

refracting light emitted from said emissive component of said multi-component display using a refractor of said multi-component display.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said emissive component comprises said refractor.

13. A method of varying a perceived depth of an image presented using a multi-component display, said method comprising:

displaying, at a first display screen of said multi-component display, a first graphical object with a first luminance;

increasing said first luminance using an emissive component disposed between said first display screen and a second display screen of said multi-component display;

displaying, at said second display screen, a second graphical object with a second luminance, wherein said first display screen overlaps said second display screen;

wherein said displaying said first and second graphical objects further comprises displaying said first and second graphical objects in an overlapping manner to thereby present an image, wherein a perceived depth of said image is related to said first and second luminance; and

varying said perceived depth by altering at least one luminance selected from a group consisting of said first luminance and said second luminance.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said perceived depth is located outside of a depth range spanning from said first display screen to said second display screen.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein a portion of said first display screen separate from said portion occupied by said first graphical object comprises a third luminance, and wherein a portion of said second display screen separate from said portion occupied by said second graphical object comprises a fourth luminance.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said first luminance, said second luminance, said third luminance, and said fourth luminance comprise at least two different luminance values.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said first luminance, said second luminance, said third luminance, and said fourth luminance share at least one common luminance value.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

further varying said perceived depth by altering at least one luminance selected from a group consisting of said third luminance and said fourth luminance.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said emissive component comprises a light guide for transmitting light from at least one light source.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said at least one light source is selected from a group consisting of a cold cathode fluorescent tube and a light emitting diode.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein said emissive component comprises at least one feature selected from a group consisting of diffusion dots, scratches, indentations, protrusions and undulations.

22. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

refracting light emitted from said second display screen using a refractor disposed between said first and second display screens.

23. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

refracting light emitted from said emissive component of said multi-component display using a refractor of said multi-component display.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said emissive component comprises said refractor.

25. A multi-component display comprising:

a first display screen operable to display a first graphical object in accordance with a first luminance;

a second display screen operable to display a second graphical object in accordance with a second luminance, wherein said first display screen overlaps said second display screen;

an emissive component disposed between said first and second display screens, wherein said emissive component is operable to increase said first luminance; and

wherein said first and second display screens are further operable to display said first and second graphical objects in an overlapping manner to thereby present an image, wherein a perceived depth of said image is related to said first and second luminance.

26. The multi-component display of claim 25, wherein said perceived depth is located outside of a depth range spanning from said first display screen to said second display screen.

27. The multi-component display of claim 25, wherein a portion of said first display screen separate from said portion occupied by said first graphical object comprises a third luminance, wherein a portion of said second display screen separate from said portion occupied by said second graphical object comprises a fourth luminance, and wherein said perceived depth is related to said third luminance and said fourth luminance.

28. The multi-component display of claim 27, wherein said first luminance, said second luminance, said third luminance, and said fourth luminance comprise at least two different luminance values.

29. The multi-component display of claim 27, wherein said first luminance, said second luminance, said third luminance, and said fourth luminance share at least one common luminance value.

30. The multi-component display of claim 25, wherein said first and second display screens are operable to dynamically adjust said perceived depth of said image by altering at least one luminance selected from a group consisting of said first luminance and said second luminance.

31. The multi-component display of claim 25, wherein said emissive component comprises a light guide for transmitting light from at least one light source.

32. The multi-component display of claim 31, wherein said at least one light source is selected from a group consisting of a cold cathode fluorescent tube and a light emitting diode.

33. The multi-component display of claim 25, wherein said emissive component comprises at least one feature selected from a group consisting of diffusion dots, scratches, indentations, protrusions and undulations.

34. The multi-component display of claim 25 further comprising:

a refractor disposed between said first and second display screens, wherein said refractor is operable to refract light emitted from said second display screen.

35. The multi-component display of claim 25 further comprising:

a refractor disposed in front of said emissive component, and wherein said refractor is operable to refract light emitted from a component selected from a group consisting of said second display screen and said emissive component.

36. The multi-component display of claim 35, wherein said emissive component comprises said refractor.

37. A method of presenting a graphical object using a multi-component display, the multi-component display including a first display screen including a first plurality of pixels, the multi-component display including a second display screen including a second plurality of pixels, said method comprising:

generating, using at least a portion of the first plurality of pixels, a first portion of the graphical object;

displaying, at the first display screen, said first portion of the graphical object in accordance with a first luminance;

generating, using at least a portion of the second plurality of pixels, a second portion of the graphical object;

displaying, at the second display screen, said second portion of the graphical object in accordance with a second luminance;

wherein said first display screen overlaps said second display screen;

overlapping display of the first portion of the graphical object with the display of the second portion of the graphical object to thereby generate display of the graphical object; and

providing a luminance associated with said first display screen that is greater than a luminance associated with said second display screen, wherein said providing a luminance further comprises providing said luminance using an emissive component disposed between said first display screen and said second display screen, and wherein a perceived depth of said graphical object is related to said first and second luminance.

38. The method of claim 37 further comprising:

displaying said first portion of the graphical object using at least a portion of the first plurality of pixels of said first display screen.

39. The method of claim 38 further comprising:

displaying said second portion of the graphical object using at least a portion of the second plurality of pixels of said second display screen.

40. The method of claim 37 further comprising:

dynamically adjusting the perceived depth of said graphical object by modifying at least one luminance selected from a group consisting of;

the first luminance, the second luminance, and combinations thereof.

41. The method of claim 37 further comprising:

refracting light emitted from said second display screen using a refractor disposed between said first and second display screens.

42. A multi-component display comprising:

means for displaying a first graphical object in accordance with a first luminance, wherein said means for displaying said first graphical object is further operable to display said first graphical object using at least one pixel;

means for displaying a second graphical object in accordance with a second luminance, wherein said means for displaying said second graphical object is further operable to display said second graphical object using at least one pixel, wherein said means for displaying said first graphical object overlaps said means for displaying said second graphical object;

wherein said means for displaying said first and second graphical objects are further operable to display said first and second graphical objects in an overlapping manner to thereby present an image, wherein a perceived depth of said image is related to said first and second luminance; and

means for increasing said first luminance, wherein said means for increasing said first luminance is disposed between said means for displaying said first and second graphical objects.

43. The multi-component display of claim 42, wherein a portion of said means for displaying said first graphical object separate from said portion occupied by said first graphical object comprises a third luminance, wherein a portion of said means for displaying said second graphical object separate from said portion occupied by said second graphical object comprises a fourth luminance, and wherein said perceived depth is related to said third luminance and said fourth luminance.

44. The multi-component display of claim 42, wherein said means for displaying said first and second graphical objects are operable to dynamically adjust said perceived depth of said image by altering at least one luminance selected from a group consisting of said first luminance and said second luminance.

45. The multi-component display of claim 42 further comprising:

means for refracting light emitted from said means for displaying said second graphical object, wherein said means for refracting light is disposed between said means for displaying said first graphical object and said means for displaying said second graphical object.