System and method for implementation of interferometric modulator displays

• US 7,808,703 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2005
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gally, Brian J., Cummings, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): FINEMAN, LEE A
• Application Number:
  US11/140,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20060077393A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,957 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 359/462
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/001 based on interference in an adjustable optical cavity interference filters G02B5/28; devices or arrangements using multiple reflections in spectrometry or monochromators G01J3/26

Abstract

This invention generally relates to methods and systems for providing three-dimensional displays. In one embodiment, a system for displaying to a user a stereoscopic image has pixels formed on a single substrate, wherein each pixel has at least one interferometric modulator, and wherein the system is configured to display a first image to a first eye of the user and to display a second image to a second eye of the user. Directional display of the two portions of the stereoscopic image is implemented by fashioning two sets of interferometric modulators, one set inclined at a first angle with respect to the substrate, and the second set inclined at a second angle with respect to the substrate.

Claims

1. A system for displaying to a user a stereoscopic image comprising first and second images, the system comprising an array of at least first and second pixels formed on a single substrate, wherein each pixel comprises at least one interferometric modulator, and wherein the system is configured to display the first image from the first pixel to particularly a first eye of the user and to display the second image from the second pixel to particularly a second eye of the user, wherein the first and second images are displayed simultaneously to produce an image appearing three-dimensional to the user, wherein the first pixel is supported on the single substrate at a first angle and the second pixel is supported on the single substrate at a second angle that is not parallel to the first angle.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a substantially optically diffusive layer between the array and the first and second eyes.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the array is configured to be substantially specular.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one interferometric modulator of each pixel comprises at least a first and second interferometric modulators, and wherein the first and second interferometric modulators within each pixel are adjacent to one another.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first pixel comprises a first interferometric modulator appearing a color and displaying a portion of the first image, and the second pixel comprises a second interferometric modulator appearing substantially the same color and displaying a portion of the second image, and wherein the first interferometric modulator and the second interferometric modulator are adjacent to one another.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the array is partitioned into subsections, and wherein interferometric modulators on a first side of each subsection display a portion of the first image, and interferometric modulators on a second side of each subsection display a portion of the second image.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a structure configured to substantially obscure the first image from the second eye of the user and to substantially obscure the second image from the first eye of the user.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a display;

a processor that is in electrical communication with said display, said processor being configured to process image data; and

a memory device in electrical communication with said processor.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a first controller configured to send at least one signal to said display; and

a second controller configured to send at least a portion of said image data to said first controller.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising an image source module configured to send said image data to said processor.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said image source module comprises at least one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate said input data to said processor.

13. A display device, comprising an array of pixels formed on a single substrate, each pixel comprising one or more interferometric modulators, the array being configured to simultaneously display first and second images, wherein the first image is directed to principally a first destination and the second image is directed to principally a second destination, wherein a first pixel is supported on the single substrate at a first angle and a second pixel is supported on the single substrate at a second angle that is not parallel to the first angle.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the first and second images form a stereoscopic image.

15. The device of claim 13, further comprising a substantially optically diffusive layer between the array and the destinations.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the array is configured to appear substantially specular to a user.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein interferometric modulators within a single pixel are adjacent.

18. The device of claim 13, wherein the pixels comprise a first pixel and a second pixel, the first pixel comprising a first interferometric modulator appearing a color and displaying a portion of the first image, the second pixel comprising a second interferometric modulator appearing substantially the same color and displaying a portion of the second image, the first interferometric modulator and the second interferometric modulator being adjacent to one another.

19. The device of claim 13, wherein the array is partitioned into subsections, wherein interferometric modulators on a first side of each subsection display a portion of the first image, and interferometric modulators on a second side of each subsection display a portion of the second image.

20. A method of displaying to a user a stereoscopic image comprising first and second images, the method comprising:

providing a system comprising an array of interferometric modulators configured to display stereoscopic images, wherein a first interferometric modulator is supported on a substrate at a first angle and the second interferometric modulator is supported on a substrate at a second angle that is not parallel to the first angle;

sending electrical signals corresponding to the first and second images to the array;

displaying the first image to particularly a first eye of the user in response to the electrical signals; and

simultaneously displaying the second image to particularly a second eye of the user in response to the electrical signals.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

substantially obscuring the first image from the second eye of the user; and

substantially obscuring the second image from the first eye of the user.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising diffusing the displayed image.

23. A system for displaying to a user a stereoscopic image comprising first and second images, the system comprising an array of at least first and second means for displaying a portion of an image formed on a single substrate, wherein the system is configured to display the first image from the first means to particularly a first eye of the user and to display the second image from the second means to particularly a second eye of the user, wherein the first and second images are displayed simultaneously to produce an image appearing three-dimensional to the user, wherein the first means is supported on the single substrate at a first angle and the second means is supported on the single substrate at a second angle that is not parallel to the first angle.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising a substantially optically diffusive layer between the array and the first and second eyes.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein at least a portion of the array is configured to be substantially specular.

26. A system for displaying to a user a stereoscopic image comprising first and second images, the system being made by a process comprising:

forming an array of at least first and second pixels on a single substrate, wherein each pixel comprises at least one interferometric modulator, and wherein the first pixel is configured to display the first image to particularly a first eye of the user and the second pixel is configured to display the second image to particularly a second eye of the user, wherein the first and second images are displayed simultaneously to produce an image appearing three-dimensional to the user, wherein the first pixel is supported on the single substrate at a first angle and the second pixel is supported on the single substrate at a second angle that is not parallel to the first angle.

27. The system of claim 26, the process further comprising forming a substantially optically diffusive layer between the array and the first and second eyes.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein at least a portion of the array is configured to be substantially specular.