Volumetric display system enabling user interaction

• US 8,704,822 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2008
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zhigu Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Butler, David Alexander, Hodges, Stephen E., Izadi, Shahram, Taylor, Stuart, Villar, Nicolas
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Xiao M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): He, Yingchun
• Application Number:
  US12/336,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20100149182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,952 Days
• Field of Search: 345/419, 345/650, 345/661, 345/676, 359/858, 359/23
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/56 by projecting aerial or floating images
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00

Abstract

A volumetric display system which enables user interaction is described. In an embodiment, the system consists of a volumetric display and an optical system. The volumetric display creates a 3D light field of an object to be displayed and the optical system creates a copy of the 3D light field in a position away from the volumetric display and where a user can interact with the image of the object displayed. In an embodiment, the optical system involves a pair of parabolic mirror portions.

Claims

1. A volumetric display system comprising:

a volumetric display arranged to generate a light field;

transformation optics comprising at least a lower parabolic mirror disposed opposite to an upper parabolic mirror, the lower parabolic mirror and upper parabolic mirror forming an optical cavity and being arranged to generate an image of the first light field spatially separated from the light field; and

a sensing apparatus arranged at the lower parabolic mirror of the optical cavity and arranged to optically detect a user interaction with the image of the light field via the transformation optics, the sensing apparatus being further arranged to detect a height position of the user, the volumetric display being arranged to generate the light field based on the height position, the volumetric display being further arranged to adjust a refresh rate based on a viewing angle for the user and to include a reflection image of at least part of the user in the light field.

2. A volumetric display system according to claim 1, wherein the lower parabolic mirror and upper parabolic mirror are arranged such that a base of the lower parabolic mirror lies substantially at a focal plane of the upper parabolic mirror and a base of the upper parabolic mirror lies substantially at a focal plane of the lower parabolic mirror.

3. A volumetric display system according to claim 1, wherein the volumetric display comprises:

a directional optical element and a projector, wherein the projector is arranged to project a sequence of different images onto the directional optical element in synchronization with an angle of rotation of the directional optical element and wherein the directional optical element comprises one of a diffuser in combination with a directional filter and an anisotropic mirror.

4. A volumetric display system according to claim 3, further comprising an optical sensor arranged to detect a position of a user relative to the volumetric display system.

5. A volumetric display system according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the sequence of different images is selected based on the detected position of the user.

6. A volumetric display system according to claim 1, wherein the volumetric display comprises:

an array of emitters arranged to display a sequence of different images; and

at least one optical detector.

7. A volumetric display system according to claim 1, wherein:

the volumetric display is arranged to display a sequence of different images; and

at least one of the sequence of different images is modified based on said user interaction.

8. A volumetric display system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a haptic feedback apparatus responsive to said user interaction.

9. A volumetric display system according to claim 1, wherein:

the volumetric display is arranged to display a sequence of different images, and

the sensing apparatus is arranged to detect an environment around the system, at least one of the sequence of different images being modified based on said environment.

10. A volumetric display comprising:

a projector;

a diffuser with a directional filter rotatable in front of the projector, wherein the projector is arranged to project a sequence of different images onto the diffuser in synchronization with an angle of rotation of the diffuser;

an optical system comprising at least a lower portion of a parabolic mirror opposite an upper portion of the parabolic mirror, the lower portion of the parabolic mirror opposite the upper portion of the parabolic mirror forming an optical cavity and arranged to perform a spatial translation of a light field generated by the projector and the diffuser to generate an image of the light field;

an optical sensor arranged in the lower portion of the optical cavity and arranged to detect a position of a user relative to the volumetric display, wherein at least one image of the sequence of different images is selected based on the detected position of the user, the optical sensor being further arranged to detect a viewing height position of the user, the at least one image of the sequence of different images selected based on the viewing height position; and

a sensing apparatus arranged in the lower portion of the optical cavity, wherein the sensing apparatus is arranged to optically detect a user interaction with the image of the light field via the optical system, the projector being further arranged to adjust a refresh rate based on a viewing angle for the user and to include a reflection image of at least part of the user in the sequence of different images.

11. A volumetric display according to claim 10, wherein the sequence of different images are of a computer generated object and wherein the volumetric display further comprises a physically real object.

12. A volumetric display according to claim 10, wherein, in use, the at least lower and upper portions of the parabolic mirror are rotated around an optical axis of the parabolic mirror.

13. A volumetric display according to claim 12, wherein the parabolic mirror comprises a flexible reflective membrane.

14. A system comprising:

a volumetric display;

transformation optics comprising at least a lower parabolic mirror opposite an upper parabolic mirror forming an optical cavity and arranged to generate an image of a 3D light field generated by the volumetric display, wherein the image of the 3D light field is spatially separated from the 3D light field generated by the volumetric display; and

sensing apparatus located within the lower parabolic mirror of the optical cavity and arranged to optically detect a user interaction with the generated image, the sensing apparatus being further arranged to detect a viewing height of a user performing the user interaction, the volumetric display generating the 3D light field based on the viewing height, the volumetric display adjusting a refresh rate based on a viewing angle for the user and including a reflection image of at least part of the user in the 3D light field.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein the sensing apparatus and the volumetric display comprise an array of infra-red (IR) optical detectors, the array of IR optical detectors being arranged adjacent to an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) and/or organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs).

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein the volumetric display is rotatable in the lower parabolic mirror of the optical cavity.