Holographic Video Display System

• US 20120194638A1
• Filed: 04/02/2012
• Published: 08/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: SMALLEY, Daniel E., SMITHWICK, Quinn Y. J., BOVE, V. Michael Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,983,547 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/41
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/02 Details of features involved during the holographic process; Replication of holograms without interference recording
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/2294 Addressing the hologram to an active spatial light modulator
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/0224 Active addressable light modulator, i.e. Spatial Light Modulator [SLM] corresponding details, see subgroups of G03H2225/00
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/2292 Using scanning means
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2223/17 Element having optical power
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2225/21 Acousto-optic SLM [AO-SLM]

Abstract

A holographic video display employs at least one light source adapted to produce at least one wavelength of monochromatic light, a video signal generator, at least one guided-wave acousto-optic modulator for diffracting light received from the light source according to signals received from the video signal generator, a vertical scanning subsystem, and an optical path between the acousto-optic modulator and the vertical scanning subsystem. The optical path may preferably include a Bravais lens system, at least one Fourier transform lens system, and at least one moving horizontal mirror.

Claims

1. A holographic video display system comprising:

at least one light source adapted to provide one or more wavelengths of monochromatic light;

a video signal generator;

at least one guided-wave acousto-optic modulator for diffracting light received from the light source according to at least one video signal received from the video signal generator;

a vertical scanning subsystem for rendering a holographic image; and

an optical path for passing the diffracted light from the acousto-optic modulator to the vertical scanning subsystem.

2. The holographic video display system of claim 1, said optical path comprising:

a Bravais lens system;

a first Fourier transform lens system;

at least one moving horizontal mirror; and

a second Fourier transform lens system.

3. The holographic video display system of claim 1, said optical path comprising one or more optical elements selected from the group comprised of:

at least one Bravais lens system, at least one Fourier transform lens system, at least one moving horizontal mirror, at least one stationary mirror of continuous helical shape, at least one holographic optical element, at least one diffractive optical element, at least one convex mirror, at least one concave mirror, at least one vertical diffuser, and at least one twisted prism.

4. The holographic video display system of claim 1, wherein the guided-wave acousto-optic modulator is a two-dimensional device.

5. The holographic video display system of claim 1, further comprising a polarizer that blocks undiffracted light from exiting the guided-wave modulator.

6. The holographic video display system of claim 1, wherein the guided-wave acousto-optic modulator further comprises video signal inputs for multiple frequency bands.

7. The holographic video display system of claim 1, wherein the color of the monochromatic light source changes with time in order to create a time-sequential full-color display.

8. The holographic video display system of claim 1, wherein there are three monochromatic light sources, one light source each being red, blue, and green, and three guided-wave modulators, each guided-wave modulator receiving light from one of the three monochromatic light sources.

9. The holographic video display system of claim 1, wherein there are three monochromatic light sources, one light source each being red, blue, and green, and the guided-wave modulator sequentially cycles through receiving light from each of the three monochromatic light sources.

10. The holographic video display system of claim 1, said optical path further comprising:

a Bravais lens system;

a first Fourier transform lens system;

at least one diffractive optical element; and

a second Fourier transform lens system.

11. The holographic video display system of claim 1, said optical path further comprising:

a Bravais lens system;

a first Fourier transform lens system;

at least one concave or convex mirror; and

a second Fourier transform lens system.

12. The holographic video display system of claim 1, wherein the vertical scanning subsystem further comprises a galvanometric scanner.

13. The holographic video display system of claim 1, wherein the vertical scanning subsystem further comprises a micro-electromechanical scanner.

14. The holographic video display system of claim 1, wherein the vertical scanning subsystem further comprises a motor.

15. The holographic video display system of claim 2, wherein the first Fourier transform lens system is a telephoto lens system.

16. The holographic video display system of claim 2, wherein the second Fourier transform lens system performs demagnification.

17. A holographic video image produced using the display of claim 1.

18. A holographic video image produced using the display of claim 2.

19. A holographic video image produced using the display of claim 3.

20. A holographic video image produced using the display of claim 4.