Front-projection autostereoscopic 3D display system

• US 9,182,605 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2014
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zecotek Despay Systems Pte., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Zecotek Despay Systems Pte., Ltd.
• Inventors: Goulanian, Emine
• Primary Examiner(s): Dowling, William C
• Application Number:
  US14/167,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20150212333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 353/7, 352/61, 349/15, 359/466, 359/471, 359/462, 359/463, 359/458, 348/59
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/27 involving lenticular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/16 by sequential viewing
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/18 by simultaneous viewing
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/24 using apertured or refractive resolving means on screens or between screen and eye
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/302 for viewing without the aid of special glasses, i.e. using autostereoscopic displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/305 using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/351 for displaying simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/354 for displaying sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/363 using image projection screens volumetric display H04N13/388

Abstract

A front-projection 3D autostereoscopic display system using time-sequencing approach is configured for forming a plurality of perspective views of 3D images of an object or scene in a field of view. The 3D displays system comprises a display component, an optical scanning assembly, a sensor and a controller. The optical scanning assembly includes a first lens array, an optical beam shifting device, an optical projection block and a reflection screen. The reflection screen comprises a second converging lens array and a mirror. In the first and second embodiments of the present invention the reflection screen is made respectively flat or curved. The present invention can be used with a wide range of screen sizes especially for large screens and allows significant reduction or elimination of optical cross-talk and also reduces mechanical complexity of 3D display system.

Claims

1. A front-projection autostereoscopic three-dimensional (3D) display system for forming a plurality of perspective views of 3D images of an object or scene in a field of view, comprising:

a display component for generating a sequence of 2-dimensional (2D) images, the display component having a display surface for displaying 2D images, a data input for updating 2D images, and a synchronization input;

an optical scanning assembly for transforming optical beams emanating from each 2D image on the displaying surface and sending transformed optical beams in the direction of the corresponding perspective view in the field of view,

the optical scanning assembly including;

a first lens array, an optical beam shifting device, an optical projection block, and a reflection screen including a second converging lens array and a mirror (reflector), wherein the first lens array, the optical projection block and the reflection screen being stationary with respect to each other and to the display component, and wherein

each lens of the first lens array being optically coupled to one respective area of the display surface along a respective optical axis, and

each lens of the second lens array being optically coupled to one respective lens of the first lens array through the optical projection block and the optical beam shifting device, whereas the mirror and the second lens array being disposed from each other at or close to a distance of half of the focal length of lenses of the second lens array;

the optical beam shifting device including;

an optical component for shifting optical beams passing therethrough and a driver having a control input;

the optical projection block being configured for focusing each optical beam on one respective lens of the second lens array and sending the optical beam reflected from the mirror further through the same lens of the second lens array in the direction of the respective perspective view;

a sensor configured for sensing the position of shifted optical beams, the sensor having a synchrosignal output; and

a controller configured for controlling scanning parameters and synchronisation of 2D images displayed on the display surface with the position of shifted optical beams, the controller having a synchrosignal input being connected to the synchrosignal output of the sensor, a synchronization output being connected to the synchronization input of the display component, and a control output being connected to the control input of the driver of the optical beam shifting device.

2. The front-projection 3D display system of claim 1 wherein the size of the first lens array is different from the size of the second array and a ratio of the pitches of lenses of these arrays corresponds to magnification of the optical projection block.

3. The front-projection 3D display system of claim 2 wherein the first lens array is made smaller than the reflection screen.

4. The front-projection 3D display system of claim 1 wherein lenses of the first lens array are converging or concave.

5. The front-projection 3D display system of claim 1 wherein the first and second lens arrays are respectively the first and the second lenticular arrays oriented vertically.

6. The front-projection 3D display system of claim 1 wherein the optical scanning assembly includes additionally a field lens disposed between the optical beam shifting device and the first lens array close to the latter.

7. The front-projection 3D display system of claim 1 wherein the optical component of the optical beam shifting device is made as a transparent flat plate disposed perpendicular to horizontal plane with possibility of tilting relative to the vertical axis.

8. The front-projection 3D display system of claim 1 wherein the optical component of the optical beam shifting device is made as a transparent flat plate inclined relative to the optical axis of the optical projection block with the possibility of rotation around this axis.

9. The front-projection 3D display system of claim 1 wherein the optical component of the optical beam shifting device consists of two identical optical wedges disposed in opposite directions perpendicular to and with a gap along the optical axis of the optical projection block with the possibility of rotation around this axis.

10. The front-projection 3D display system of claim 1 wherein the optical component of the optical beam shifting device is made as a cell of electro-optical material, the cell being disposed in the vertical plane, inclined to the optical axis of the optical projection block and provided with transparent electrodes.

11. The front-projection 3D display system of claim 1 wherein the optical component is disposed between the first lens array and the optical projection block.

12. The front-projection 3D display system of claim 1 wherein the optical component of the optical beam shifting device is made as a field lens disposed with possibility of horizontal shift.

13. The front-projection 3D display system of claim 1 wherein the reflection screen is made flat and the second lens array has a flat substrate.

14. The front-projection 3D display system of claim 13 wherein the optical projection block includes a projection lens and a collimating lens, wherein the collimating lens is faced toward and disposed close to the second lens array.

15. The front-projection 3D display system of claim 14 wherein the collimating lens is a Fresnel lens.

16. The front-projection 3D display system of claim 13 wherein the mirror has a flat substrate.

17. The front-projection 3D display system of claim 1 wherein the reflection screen has additionally a vertical diffuser disposed between the second lens array and the mirror close to the latter.

18. The front-projection 3D display system of claim 17 wherein the vertical diffuser is made as a holographic diffuser.

19. The front-projection 3D display system of claim 17 wherein the vertical diffuser is made as a lenticular lens array oriented horizontally and the mirror is deposited on the curved surface of this lenticular lens array.

20. The front-projection 3D display system of claim 17 wherein the vertical diffuser is made as an array of cylindrical off-axis lenses oriented horizontally and the mirror is deposited on the curved surface of this array.

21. The front-projection 3D display system of claim 20 wherein said lenses are made converging or concave.

22. The front-projection 3D display system of claim 1 wherein the reflection screen is made curved and the optical projection block is made as a projection lens.

23. The front-projection 3D display system of claim 22 wherein the second lens array of the curved reflection screen has a cylindrical substrate with a vertical axis.

24. The front-projection 3D display system of claim 22 wherein the second lens array of the curved reflection screen has a spherical substrate.

25. The front-projection 3D display system of claim 22 wherein the second lens array of the curved reflection screen has an off-axis spherical substrate.