Stereoscopic image projecting system using circularly polarized filter module

• US 8,177,366 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2007
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RealD Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Masterimage 3D Asia LLC (Symphony 3D Technologies LLC)
• Inventors: Lee, Young Hoon, Jung, Yong Bi
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chowdhury, Sultan
• Application Number:
  US12/513,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20100079728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,652 Days
• Field of Search: 353/6, 353/7, 353/8, 353/20, 353/30, 353/31, 353/33, 353/38, 353/79, 353/89, 353/119, 353/122, 349/5, 349/7, 349/8, 349/9, 349/96, 349/114, 349/115, 359/462, 359/464, 359/465, 359/472
• US Class Current: 353/7
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/25 using polarisation techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/26 using polarised or coloured light separating different viewpoint images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/337 using polarisation multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/363 using image projection screens volumetric display H04N13/388

Abstract

A stereoscopic image projection system using a circular polarization filter module is provided. Even though this system uses a single projector, it allows left and right images to have different polarization directions using the circular polarization filter module, thereby reducing crosstalk compared to an LCD-shutter-based system.

Claims

1. A stereoscopic image projector system comprising:

a projector configured to sequentially emit left and right images of stereoscopic image content;

a circular polarization filter module configured to include a left image polarization filter region and a right image polarization filter region, and a light shielding region located between the left image polarization filter region and the right image polarization filter region;

a filter driver configured to drive the circular polarization filter module according to timing synchronization of the left and right image emissions of the projector such that the left image polarization filter region is located at an emission hole of the projector when the projector emits the left images of stereoscopic image content and the right image polarization filter region is located at the emission hole of the projector when the projector emits the right images of stereoscopic image content, by rotating the circular polarization filter module; and

a sensor configured to detect a boundary between the left image polarization filter region and the right image polarization filter region, wherein a position of the sensor is adjusted according to a size of left and right images emitted by the projector.

2. The stereoscopic image projector system according to claim 1, further comprising a synchronizer for acquiring information on the timing synchronization of the left and right image emissions of the projector and providing the timing synchronization to the filter driver.

3. The stereoscopic image projector system according to claim 1, further comprising a frame for fixing and adjusting positions of the projector and the circular polarization filter module.

4. The stereoscopic image projector system according to claim 3, wherein the frame controls the positions of the projector and the circular polarization filter module to control whether the stereoscopic image projector system is to project a two-dimensional (2D) image or a three-dimensional (3D) image.

5. The stereoscopic image projector system according to claim 1, wherein the stereoscopic image content sequentially includes the left and right images to be emitted by the projector, and the projector receives the stereoscopic image content and sequentially emits the left and right images of the stereoscopic image content.

6. The stereoscopic image projector system according to claim 1, wherein the circular polarization filter module further includes:

a measurement means for measuring the size of left and right images emitted by the projector; and

a position determination means for determining the position of the sensor according to the measurement of the measurement means.

7. The stereoscopic image projector system according to claim 1, wherein the left image polarization filter region of the circular polarization filter module include a plurality of the left image polarization filters and the right image polarization filter region of the circular polarization filter module includes a plurality of the right image polarization filters.

8. The stereoscopic image projector system according to claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of left image polarization filters and the plurality of right image polarization filters has a center angle decreased as a number of the left image filters and a number of the right image filters increase.

9. An apparatus for a single projector type stereoscopic image projection system comprising a projector, the projector sequentially emitting left and right images of stereoscopic image content, the apparatus comprising:

a circular polarization filter module configured to include a left image polarization filter region and a right image polarization filter region, and a light shielding region located between the left image polarization filter region and the right image polarization filter region;

a filter driver configured to drive the circular polarization filter module according to timing synchronization of the left and right image emissions of the projector such that the left image polarization filter region is located at an emission hole of the projector when the projector emits the left images of stereoscopic image content and the right image polarization filter region is located at the emission hole of the projector when the projector emits the right images of stereoscopic image content, by rotating the circular polarization filter module; and

a sensor configured to detect a boundary between the left image polarization filter region and the right image polarization filter region, wherein a position of the sensor is adjusted according to a size of left and right images emitted by the projector.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a synchronizer for acquiring information on the timing synchronization of the left and right image emissions of the projector and providing the timing synchronization to the filter driver.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a frame for fixing and adjusting positions of the projector and the circular polarization filter module.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the frame controls the positions of the projector and the circular polarization filter module to control whether the stereoscopic image projection system is to project a two-dimensional (2D) image or a three-dimensional (3D) image.

18. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the circular polarization filter module further includes:

a measurement means for measuring the size of left and right images emitted by the projector; and

a position determination means for determining the position of the sensor according to the measurement of the measurement means.

19. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the left image polarization filter region of the circular polarization filter module includes a plurality of the left image polarization filters and the right image polarization filter region of the circular polarization filter module includes a plurality of the right image polarization filters.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein each of the plurality of left image polarization filters and the plurality of right image polarization filters has a center angle decreased as a number of the left image filters and a number of the right image filters increase.

13. A stereoscopic image projection system comprising:

a stereoscopic image projector system for emitting left and right images of stereoscopic image content;

a screen on which the left and right images of the stereoscopic image content are projected; and

polarization glasses through which the left and right images of the stereoscopic image content selectively pass,

wherein the stereoscopic image projector system comprises;

a projector configured to sequentially emitting the left and right images of the stereoscopic image content;

a circular polarization filter module including a left image polarization filter region and a right image polarization filter region, and a light shielding region located between the left image polarization filter region and the right image polarization filter region;

a filter driver configured to drive the circular polarization filter module according to timing synchronization of the left and right image emissions of the projector such that the left image polarization filter region is located at an emission hole of the projector when the projector emits the left images of the stereoscopic image content and the right image polarization filter region is located at the emission hole of the projector when the projector emits the right images of the stereoscopic image content, by rotating the circular polarization filter module; and

a sensor configured to detect a boundary between the left image polarization filter region and the right image polarization filter region, wherein a position of the sensor is adjusted according to a size of the left and right images emitted by the projector.

14. The stereoscopic image projection system according to claim 13, wherein the stereoscopic image projector system further comprises:

a frame for fixing and adjusting positions of the projector and the circular polarization filter module.

15. The stereoscopic image projection system according to claim 14, wherein the frame controls the positions of the projector and the circular polarization filter module to control whether the stereoscopic image projection system is to project a two-dimensional (2D) image or a three-dimensional (3D) image.

16. The stereoscopic image projection system according to claim 13, wherein the circular polarization filter module further includes:

a measurement means for measuring the size of left and right image emitted by the projector; and

a position determination means for determining the position of the sensor according to the measurement of the measurement means.

17. The stereoscopic image projection system according to claim 13, wherein the left image polarization filter region of the circular polarization filter module includes a plurality of the left image polarization filters and the right image polarization filter region of the circular polarization filter module includes a plurality of the right image polarization filters,

wherein each of the plurality of left image polarization filters and the plurality of right image polarization filters has a center angle decreased as a number of the left image filters and a number of the right image filters increase.