Display for 3D images

• US 6,014,164 A
• Filed: 05/23/1997
• Issued: 01/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Woodgate, Graham John, Ezra, David, Omar, Basil Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, RICHARD J
• Application Number:
  US08/863,086
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 348/42, 348/43, 348/46-52, 348/54-59, 349/15, 349/61, 359/462, 359/561, 359/619, 359/463, 359/466, 359/475
• US Class Current: 348/51
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/24 involving temporal multiplexing, e.g. using sequentially activated left and right shutters
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/27 involving lenticular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/33 involving directional light or back-light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/35 using reflective optical elements in the optical path between the images and the observer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/117 the virtual viewpoint locations being selected by the viewers or determined by viewer tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/15 for colour aspects of image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/156 Mixing image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/161 Encoding, multiplexing or demultiplexing different image signal components for multi-view video sequence encoding H04N19/597
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/189 Recording image signals; Reproducing recorded image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/221 using the relative movement between cameras and objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/257 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/286 having separate monoscopic and stereoscopic modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/289 Switching between monoscopic and stereoscopic modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/305 using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/307 using fly-eye lenses, e.g. arrangements of circular lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/31 using parallax barriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/32 using arrays of controllable light sources; using moving apertures or moving light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/324 : Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/337 : using polarisation multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/341 : using temporal multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/346 : using prisms or semi-transparent mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/349 : Multi-view displays for displaying three or more geometrical viewpoints without viewer tracking for viewing without the aid of special glasses using fly-eye lenses H04N13/307
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/354 : for displaying sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/363 : using image projection screens volumetric display H04N13/388
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/368 : for two or more viewers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/371 : for tracking viewers with different interocular distances; for tracking rotational head movements around the vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/373 : for tracking forward-backward translational head movements, i.e. longitudinal movements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/376 : for tracking left-right translational head movements, i.e. lateral movements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/378 : for tracking rotational head movements around an axis perpendicular to the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/38 : for tracking vertical translational head movements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 : Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof

Abstract

Left eye and right eye images of an autostereoscopic display are displayed on LCD spatial light modulators which are illuminated by movable light sources via converging lenses or mirrors. A tracking system tracks the position of an observer and a control system controls the positions of the light sources so that the images of the light sources formed by the lenses or mirrors track the observer. The observer thus sees the 3D image while having an enlarged degree of freedom of movement.

Claims

1. An autostereoscopic display for displaying a three dimensional image, comprising an observer tracking system for tracking the position of an observer, first and second displays for displaying left and right two dimensional images, respectively, and a beam combiner for combining light from the first and second displays, wherein the first and second displays comprise first and second light sources and first and second spatial light modulators for modulating light from the first and second light sources with the left and right two dimensional images, respectively, the first and second light sources comprising first and second extended sources of illumination, first and second shutters and first and second imaging systems for imaging light from the first and second sources of illumination via the first and second shutters, respectively, at a first viewing region, the first and second shutters being movable with respect to the first and second imaging systems, respectively, so that the first viewing region tracks the position of the observer.

2. A display as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the first and second imaging systems comprises a lens array.

3. A display as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the lens arrays comprises a lenticular screen.

4. A display as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the first and second imaging systems comprises a parallax barrier.

5. A display as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the first and second shutters comprises an array of slits.

6. A display as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display comprises a mechanical actuator responsive to the observer tracking system for moving the first and second shutters with respect to the first and second imaging systems, respectively.

7. An autostereoscopic display for displaying a three dimensional image, comprising an observer tracking system for tracking the position of a first observer, first and second displays for displaying left and right two dimensional images, respectively, and a beam combiner for combining light from the first and second displays, wherein the first and second displays comprise a single source of illumination, first and second imaging systems for imaging the source of illumination at a first viewing region, first and second spatial light modulators for modulating light from the source of illumination with left and right two dimensional images, respectively, and a beam splitter for directing light from the source of illumination to the first and second spatial light modulators, and further comprising a control system for controlling the position of light emission of the source of illumination so that the first viewing region tracks the position of the first observer.

8. A display as claimed in claim 7, wherein the beam splitter transmits light to a first reflector and reflects light to a second reflector and in that the beam combiner reflects light from the first reflector and transmits light from the second reflector.

9. A display as claimed in claim 7, wherein the source of illumination is movable.

10. A display as claimed in claim 9, wherein the source of illumination is movable optically towards and away from the first and second imaging systems for tracking movement of the first observer away from and towards the display.

11. A display as claimed in claim 7, wherein the source of illumination comprises an array of contiguous individually controllable light sources.

12. A display as claimed in claim 11, wherein the array is a one dimensional array.

13. A display as claimed in claim 11, wherein each of the controllable light sources comprises a light guide coupled to a light emitter.

14. A display as claimed in claim 13, wherein each of the light emitters comprises a cold cathode fluorescent emitter.

15. A display as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a heater for maintaining the fluorescent emitters substantially at the working temperature thereof.

16. A display as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first and second imaging systems are arranged to image the source of illumination at a second viewing region, the observer tracking system is arranged to track the position of a second observer, and the control system is arranged to control the position of further light emission of the source of illumination so that the second viewing region tracks the position of the second observer.

17. A display as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first and second imaging systems comprise first and second converging lenses.

18. A display as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first and second imaging systems comprise first and second converging mirrors.

19. A display as claimed in claim 18, wherein each of the first and second converging mirrors has a diffractive focusing pattern formed on a reflective surface thereof.