Rear-projection autostereoscopic 3D display system

• US 9,182,606 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2014
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zecotek Display Systems Pte. Ltd. (Zecotek Photonics Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Zecotek Display Systems Pte. Ltd. (Zecotek Photonics Inc.)
• Inventors: Goulanian, Emine
• Primary Examiner(s): Dowling, William C
• Application Number:
  US14/167,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20150212334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 353/7, 352/61, 349/15, 359/466, 359/471, 359/462, 359/458, 359/463, 348/59
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/08 with discontinuous faces, e.g. Fresnel lens diffractive Fresnel lenses G02B5/1876
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/27 involving lenticular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/29 characterised by the geometry of the lenticular array, e.g. slanted arrays, irregular arrays or arrays of varying shape or size
• 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 13/317 using slanted parallax optics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/32 using arrays of controllable light sources; using moving apertures or moving light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/351 for displaying simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/354 for displaying sequentially

Abstract

A rear-projection 3D auto-stereoscopic displays 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. 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, a complex of two (second and third) lens arrays, an optical beam shifting device and an optical projection block. The complex of two lens arrays is used as a screen for the 3D display system. The present invention can be employed especially for a wide range of screen sizes and allows significant reduction or elimination of optical cross-talk, at the same time reducing mechanical complexity of 3D display system.

Claims

1. A rear-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 and a complex of two (a second and a third) converging lens arrays, an optical beam shifting device and an optical projection block, wherein all lens arrays and the optical projection block being disposed stationary with respect to each other and 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;

whereas in the complex of lens arrays 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, and each lens of the third lens array being optically coupled to one respective lens of the second lens array and disposed in the focal region of said lens 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 optical beams onto the respective lenses of the second lens array and sending further through the respective lenses of the third lens array as the said transformed optical beams of the corresponding 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 rear-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 the ratio of the pitches of lenses of these arrays corresponds to magnification of the optical projection block.

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

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

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

6. The rear-projection 3D display system of claim 5 wherein the optical scanning assembly includes additionally a vertical diffuser disposed close to the complex of lens arrays.

7. The rear-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.

8. The rear-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 the horizontal plane with the possibility of tilting relative to the vertical axis.

9. The rear-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 to the optical axis of the optical projection block with possibility of the rotation around this axis;

10. The rear-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 the rotation around this axis.

11. The rear-projection 3D display system of claim 1 wherein the optical component of the optical beam shifting device is made as a cell of the 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.

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

13. The rear-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.

14. The rear-projection 3D display system of claim 1 wherein the optical projection block includes a projection lens and a collimating lens disposed coaxially, wherein the collimating lens is faced toward and disposed close to the second lens array.

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