RealD Inc. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20140373997 | Curved retarder-based optical filters - Curved polarization filters and methods of manufacturing such filters are described in the present disclosure. An exemplary method includes laminating a planar polarization layer to a planar retarder layer at a predetermined orientation and bending the laminate to create a curved filter. The strain on the retarder layer results in stress-induced birefringence, and the predetermined orientation of the retarder substantially compensates for the stress-induced birefringence. In some embodiments, the predetermination is based on mathematical models. In some other embodiment, the predetermination is based on experimental data. | 12-25-2014 |
20140253879 | Polarization conversion system and method for projecting polarization encoded imagery - A polarization conversion system separates light from an unpolarized image source into a first state of polarization (SOP) and an orthogonal second SOP, and directs the polarized light on first and second light paths. The SOP of light on only one of the light paths is transformed to an orthogonal state such that both light paths have the same SOP. A polarization modulator temporally modulates the light on the first and second light paths to first and second output states of polarization. First and second projection lenses direct light on the first and second light paths toward a projection screen to form substantially overlapping polarization encoded images. The polarization modulator may be located before or after the projection lenses. The polarization-encoded images may be viewed using eyewear with appropriate polarization filters. | 09-11-2014 |
20140247484 | Speckle reduction using screen vibration techniques and apparatus - Disclosed herein are systems and related methods for reducing speckle on display screen. More specifically, screen vibration is used to reduce speckle, and in accordance with the disclosed principles, the vibration may be achieved by using wave-based actuation (e.g., acoustic or electromagnetic waves) to vibrate the screen. In an exemplary embodiment, a speckle reducing system may comprise at least one actuating element located proximate to, but not in physical contact with, a display screen. In addition, the at least one actuating element may be configured to generate waves directed towards the display screen. When the waves impact the display screen, the waves impart vibration to the display screen. | 09-04-2014 |
20140240828 | Directional Backlight - A directional display may include a waveguide. The waveguide may include light extraction features arranged to direct light from an array of light sources by total internal reflection to an array of viewing windows and a reflector arranged to direct light from the waveguide by transmission through extraction features of the waveguide to the same array of viewing windows. The brightness of the directional display can be increased. An efficient and bright autostereoscopic display system can be achieved. | 08-28-2014 |
20140232948 | Field-of-view compensated polarization switch for short-throw 3D projection - Generally, this disclosure concerns the angle sensitivity of polarization switch elements and the resulting impact of the ray direction on performance. More specifically, apparatus and techniques for compensating the angular sensitivity of liquid crystal (LC) polarization switches are described that enhance the performance of polarization switches. For example, a polarization switch is disclosed that transforms linearly polarized light of an initial polarization orientation that includes a first and second liquid crystal cell with a compensator located between the LC cells. The compensator layer is operable to enhance the field of view through the polarization switch. Such compensation techniques are particularly useful for short-throw projection environments. | 08-21-2014 |
20140177032 | Superlens component for directional display - Disclosed is an imaging directional backlight apparatus comprising a waveguide, a light source array, and a further optical element for providing large area directed illumination from localized light sources. The imaging directional backlight may comprise a stepped waveguide that may include a stepped structure, in which the steps may further include extraction features optically hidden to guided light, propagating in a first forward direction. Returning light propagating in a second backward direction may be refracted, diffracted, or reflected by the features to provide discrete illumination beams exiting from the top surface of the waveguide. Viewing windows are formed through imaging individual light sources. The further optical element may comprise a superlens comprising first and second aligned lens arrays that may be arranged to modify the output viewing windows to achieve enhanced window imaging from the directional backlight. | 06-26-2014 |
20140133020 | Temporally multiplexed display with landscape and portrait operation modes - An autostereoscopic display comprising a temporally multiplexed display arranged to provide viewing windows in a range around | 05-15-2014 |
20140118505 | Stereoscopic image capture - The present application provides a single lens capture device having a single input port. The single lens capture device may include an objective lens, a fixed objective lens aperture, off-center apertures inside the objective lens, and a sensor. The sensor is operable to capture images at a rate of at least two times the rate of stereoscopic presentation. | 05-01-2014 |
20140063600 | High elastic modulus projection screen substrates - A stiffening strip at selected edges of a screen may enable the use and mounting of a high-elastic modulus substrate screen material. Such screen materials may be engineered to provide polarization-preserving characteristics, and be applied to or part of the high-elastic modulus substrate. Furthermore, the stiffening strip may enable the use of screen vibration techniques to reduce speckle in display applications that use projection screens, particularly those display applications using illumination sources prone to speckle such as laser-based projection. The screen vibration may be provided by a vibrating device attached to the stiffening strip. | 03-06-2014 |
20140041205 | Method of manufacturing directional backlight apparatus and directional structured optical film - Disclosed is a manufacturing method for a stepped imaging directional backlight apparatus which may include a structured optical film and a tapered body. The structured optical film may include multiple optical functions and may be assembled by folding onto the tapered body, reducing cost and complexity of manufacture. | 02-13-2014 |
20140036361 | Directionally illuminated waveguide arrangement - Disclosed is a light guiding valve apparatus comprising an optical valve, a two dimensional light source array and a focusing optic for providing large area collimated illumination from localized light sources. A stepped waveguide may be a stepped structure, in which the steps may be extraction features optically hidden to guided light, propagating in a first forward direction. Returning light propagating in a second backward direction may be refracted, diffracted, or reflected by the features to provide discrete illumination beams exiting from the top surface of the waveguide. A two dimensional array of viewing windows may be produced. Such controlled illumination may provide for efficient, multi-user autostereoscopic displays with wide viewing freedom and low cross talk and near-eye displays that are substantially transparent. | 02-06-2014 |
20130335821 | Source conditioning for imaging directional backlights - Disclosed is an imaging directional backlight apparatus for providing large area uniform directed illumination from localized light sources. Within an exemplary optical valve system, a waveguide comprises a stepped structure, where the steps comprise extraction features hidden to guided light, propagating in a first forward direction. Returning light propagating in a second backward direction may be refracted, diffracted, or reflected by the features to provide discrete illumination beams exiting from the top surface of the waveguide. Such controlled illumination may provide for efficient, multi-user autostereoscopic displays as well as improved 2D display functionality. Illumination uniformity is provided by the positioning, packaging, and optically modifying of individual input sources. The latter employs non-imaging and refractive optics. | 12-19-2013 |
20130328866 | Spatially multiplexed imaging directional backlight displays - Disclosed is an imaging directional backlight that cooperates with a spatial light modulator to direct light into a first viewing window for one set of image pixels and into a second viewing window for a second set of image pixels. The waveguide may comprise a stepped structure, where the steps further comprise extraction features hidden to guided light, propagating in a first forward direction. Returning light propagating in a second backward direction may be refracted, diffracted, or reflected by the features to provide discrete illumination beams exiting from the top surface of the waveguide. Viewing windows are formed through imaging individual light sources and hence defines the relative positions of system elements and ray paths. Such an apparatus may be used to achieve an autostereoscopic display with a flat structure, not requiring fast response speed spatial light modulators. | 12-12-2013 |
20130321913 | Directional Backlight - Disclosed is an optical inline light guiding apparatus which may include a substantially parallel planar light expansion section and a light extraction section comprising a stepped structure, in which the steps may be extraction features and guiding features. Such controlled illumination may provide for efficient, multi-user autostereoscopic displays with wide viewing freedom, high efficiency and low cross talk and other directional display uses. | 12-05-2013 |
20130321599 | Directional display apparatus - Disclosed is a light guiding valve apparatus including an imaging directional backlight, an illuminator array and an observer tracking system arranged to achieve control of an array of illuminators which may provide a directional display to an observer over a wide lateral and longitudinal viewing range, wherein the number of optical windows presented to the observer as viewing windows is controlled dependent on the lateral and longitudinal position or speed of an observer. | 12-05-2013 |
20130321406 | Control system for a directional light source - Disclosed is an autostereoscopic display apparatus comprising a light guiding valve apparatus including an imaging directional backlight, an illuminator array and an observer tracking system arranged to achieve control of an array of illuminators which may provide a directional display to an observer over a wide lateral and longitudinal viewing range with low flicker. | 12-05-2013 |
20130308185 | Polarization recovery in a directional display device - Disclosed is an imaging directional backlight polarization recovery apparatus including an imaging directional backlight with at least a polarization sensitive reflection component with optional polarization transformation and redirection elements. Viewing windows may be formed through imaging individual light sources and hence defines the relative positions of system elements and ray paths. The base imaging directional backlight systems provide substantially unpolarized light primarily for the illumination of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) resulting in at least 50% loss in light output when using a conventional sheet polarizer as input to the display. The invention herein introduces a polarization sensitive reflecting element to separate desired and undesired polarization states for the purposes of transformation and redirection of the reflected light for usable illumination. Polarization transformation and redirection can be provided by additional components such as retarder films and specular mirror surfaces. | 11-21-2013 |
20130286015 | Optimal depth mapping - A method for providing optimal correction to depth mapping between captured and displayed stereoscopic content. The solution is derived in a continuous form that can be implemented through CGI scaling techniques compatible with image rendering techniques. Similar correction can be implemented with variable depth-dependent camera separation and disparity re-mapping. The latter is applicable to correcting existing stereoscopic content. | 10-31-2013 |
20130266032 | Laser architectures - Disclosed herein are architectures for an external cavity laser. In some embodiments, the external cavity laser includes vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) elements, a Brewster plate, frequency doubling chips, and a microlens array. The Brewster plate is arranged at an angle relative to the light path, and is configured to polarize at least the light received from the VCSELs and propagating on the light path in a first direction, and extract, from the external cavity, frequency-doubled light propagating on the light path in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The doubling chips are operable to receive the light and double the frequency of a portion of the received light. The microlens array is aligned with the VCSEL elements. A mount may be employed to mount the side stack of doubling chips by either side mounting or end mounting. | 10-10-2013 |
20130235284 | Stereoscopic projection systems and methods for employing spatial multiplexing at an intermediate image plane - Proposed are various embodiments of projection systems that generally provide stereoscopic images. The projection systems act to split a spatially separated image in a stereoscopic image frame and superimpose the left- and right-eye images on a projection screen with orthogonal polarization states. The embodiments are generally well suited to liquid crystal polarization based projection systems and may use advanced polarization control. | 09-12-2013 |
20130222709 | Stereoscopic projection system employing spatial multiplexing at an intermediate image plane - Projection systems and methods for providing stereoscopic images viewed through passive polarizing eyewear. The systems relate to projectors that create left and right eye images simultaneously and often as side-by-side images on the image modulator. The systems act to superimpose the spatially separated images on a projection screen with alternate polarization states. The embodiments are best suited to liquid crystal polarization based projection systems and use advanced polarization control. | 08-29-2013 |
20130208741 | Laser architectures - Disclosed herein are architectures for VCSEL systems. By using high power IR VCSEL element(s), a bulk doubling material can be used to double the IR light and generate visible light (red, green, blue, or UV light) in a cavity, in either continuous wave (CW) or pulsed mode. The reflectivity of the output distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) of these VCSELs can be designed to increase the power in the cavity, rather than the power in the VCSEL laser. By enabling the use of a bulk doubling material in the cavity and directly doubling the VCSEL the device can be inexpensive, simpler, high efficiency, better reliability, and vastly improved manufacturing and alignment tolerances. There are a number of cavity architectures that can be used to double the IR light from the VCSEL(s). The VCSEL(s) can be single elements, or arrays with high intensity elements. | 08-15-2013 |
20130182227 | Optical systems with compact back focal lengths - Optical systems, such as 2-D and 3-D projection systems, may be configured to have a compact back focal length to allow for more compact projection lenses, lower throw ratios, improved contrast, or any combination thereof. In an embodiment, an optical system may include a relay element configured to form an intermediate image having a focal point proximate to a projection lens. | 07-18-2013 |
20130176407 | Beam scanned display apparatus and method thereof - Generally, display systems may be employed in cinema and exhibition applications. Laser scanned display systems may be enabled such that the display systems may display three dimensional (“3D”) content. One example of a display system may include a diffusive screen which may be a transmissive diffuser and at least a light engine or an array of light engines, in which the light engine or array of light engines may include at least a light source, beam combining optics which may combine colors into at least one of a single beam or closely spaced beams, and at least a scanning system which may steer the beam to a desired location on the diffusive screen. | 07-11-2013 |
20130169935 | Polarization conversion systems for stereoscopic projection - A polarization conversion system (PCS) is located in the output light path of a projector. The PCS may include a polarizing beam splitter, a polarization rotating element, a reflecting element, and a polarization switch. Typically, a projector outputs randomly-polarized light. This light is input to the PCS, in which the PCS separates p-polarized light and s-polarized light at the polarizing beam splitter. P-polarized light is directed toward the polarization switch on a first path. The s-polarized light is passed on a second path through the polarization rotating element (e.g., a half-wave plate), thereby transforming it to p-polarized light. A reflecting element directs the transformed polarized light (now p-polarized) along the second path toward the polarization switch. The first and second light paths are ultimately directed toward a projection screen to collectively form a brighter screen image in cinematic applications utilizing polarized light for three-dimensional viewing. | 07-04-2013 |
20130148042 | In-plane switched active retarder for stereoscopic display systems - Polarization modulation with in-plane switching of liquid crystals (LCs) may be used in active retarder stereoscopic display systems where viewers wear passive eyewear to see isolated left and right eye images. Embodiments of the present disclosure may include nematic LC or fast switching ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC), depending on the desired performance. | 06-13-2013 |
20130135589 | Laser beam scanned display apparatus and method thereof - Generally, near seamless electronics displays may be employed in cinema and exhibition applications. Laser scanned displays may be enabled such that the display may display three dimensional (“3D”) content. A first method to enable a laser scanned display for 3D content may employ polarization, with or without polarization conversion and another method may employ multiple colors. Additionally, the envelope function that may be employed across the display may be achieved by changing laser power as a beam is scanned on the screen or by changing the dwell time of the laser beam on the pixels. One method of minimizing the effects of seams in the screen may be to reduce the screen resolution near the seams by screen design and/or laser beam dwell time or illumination energy. | 05-30-2013 |
20130113788 | Imaging path speckle mitigation - Disclosed herein are optical projection systems and related methods for projecting imagery employing shifting image position in-time to mitigate speckle. Exemplary optical systems may include a projector having a light source, a relay lens and at least one projection lens for projecting images. The relay lens or the projection lens may have at least one lens element that may be translated in-time substantially orthogonal to the optical axis of the optical system. Alternatively, the projection lens in its entirety may be shifted in-time to reduce speckle. Further, in stereoscopic embodiments, two projection lenses may be employed, wherein at least one element in each projection lens is moveable to shift the image in-time to reduce speckle. Moreover, electronic compensation, such as electronic addressing or image warping, for the image shifting may be employed to shift the image in a direction opposite to the speckle-reducing shift in position. | 05-09-2013 |
20130107361 | Compound curved stereoscopic eyewear | 05-02-2013 |
20130100414 | Waveplate compensation in projection polarization conversion systems - Three dimensional projection systems may be single projector or multiple projector systems. These 3D projection systems may include a one or more polarization conversion systems (PCS). Each PCS may be designed for relatively small throw ratios and thus, may be designed to accommodate the small throw ratios. Each PCS may include a polarizing beam splitter, a first optical stack, a reflector and a second quarter wave retarder. The first optical stack may include a rotator, a polarizer, a polarization switch and a first quarter wave retarder. Each PCS may receive light from a respective projector, and the PBS in each PCS may direct the light toward the first optical stacks. The light may be converted to a different polarization state as it passes through the first optical stack. The converted light may then be re-directed by a reflecting element to a second quarter wave retarder. The second quarter wave retarder may convert linearly polarized light to circularly polarized light. | 04-25-2013 |
20130093647 | Electronic display tiling apparatus and method thereof - Disclosed is a method and apparatus for substantially eliminating the appearance of seams between tiled panels of a display. Non-imaging magnification may be used to substantially eliminate the appearance of seams. Additionally, the appearance of seams between the tiled panels of a display may be substantially eliminated by employing propagation based elimination. The methods disclosed can be used to generate substantially seamless 2D and 3D displays. Additionally, a method and apparatus for achieving substantially uniform panel brightness and color correction may be addressed. The substantially seamless tiled displays may employ specific data formats for use in displaying images on the individual displays which may be tiled together to form a larger, substantially seamless tiled display and may employ other techniques not utilized in known video wall applications. These functions may include an intensity envelope in addition to substantially complying with the Digital Cinema Initiative (“DCI”) security concerns. | 04-18-2013 |
20130093646 | Electronic display tiling apparatus and propagation based method thereof - Disclosed is a method and apparatus for substantially eliminating the appearance of seams between tiled panels of a display. Non-imaging magnification may be used to substantially eliminate the appearance of seams. Additionally, the appearance of seams between the tiled panels of a display may be substantially eliminated by employing propagation based elimination. The methods disclosed can be used to generate substantially seamless 2D and 3D displays. Additionally, a method and apparatus for achieving substantially uniform panel brightness and color correction may be addressed. The substantially seamless tiled displays may employ specific data formats for use in displaying images on the individual displays which may be tiled together to form a larger, substantially seamless tiled display and may employ other techniques not utilized in known video wall applications. These functions may include an intensity envelope in addition to substantially complying with the Digital Cinema Initiative (“DCI”) security concerns. | 04-18-2013 |
20130089744 | Chemically-welded optical devices - Chemically-welded optical devices and associated methods for chemically welding optical devices are disclosed herein. Such optical devices may be used in display systems, and may include subcomponents comprising one or more optical films employed for polarization manipulation, as well as a substrate for protecting the optical film(s). An optical film may be chemically welded directly to the substrate using a solvent, and any additional optical films may be chemically welded to a prior optical film previously welded to the substrate. The chemical welding process of the present disclosure may include applying the solvent on the optical film in order to partially dissolve the surface of the optical film prior to adhesion to the substrate. Macromolecules on the dissolved surface of the optical film may be in a loosened state and may be realigned when the solvent evaporates. | 04-11-2013 |
20130089335 | IR protocol for 3D active eyewear - A method is provided for receiving information in the form of a command sequence. The command sequence may include shutter timing information and at least one command from a set of four commands. The commands within the command sequence may indicate different functions and may depend on at least the relative timing location to one another, the quantity of each command in the command sequence and the order of the commands relative to one another. Additionally, at least one command of the set of four commands may be received after the function should occur. A receiver may receive a signal which may include at least the command sequence. Once the receiver has received the same command sequence a couple of times, an operating mode may be determined which may allow additional commands to be implied, even though the additional commands may not actually be received by the receiver. | 04-11-2013 |
20130088655 | Stereoscopic display system with active switchable retarder - Disclosed herein are displays and related methods for providing stereoscopic imagery, wherein an air gap may be provided between components of the display to allow a reduction in the amount of bonding material used to bond a stereoscopic display panel with a polarization control panel (PCP) element comprising an active switchable retarder. In some embodiments, the PCP element is at least the size of the display panel such that the entirety of the display panel is covered by the PCP element, and thus there would be neither tight tolerance horizontal nor vertical alignment requirements between the PCP element and the display panel. Structural support of the components of the display may be provided by bonding around the edges of the rigid or semi-rigid stereoscopic display panel and PCP element. For example, the air gap may be created with uniform spacers between the stereoscopic display panel and the PCP element. | 04-11-2013 |
20130088487 | AUTOSTEREOSCOPIC DISPLAY WITH PLANAR PASS-THROUGH - A method and system for presenting both autostereoscopic images and planar images in a single display is disclosed. The design comprises processing the planar images received in the form of planar image data. The processing comprises at least one from a group comprising selectively employing bleed-through processing to enhance the planar image data when viewed through a lens sheet comprising slanted lenticules, selectively introducing blurring into the planar image data, and selectively employing anti-alias processing to the planar image data. Certain super pixels may be computed that differ from standard pixels, and lenticules in the data sheet may be slanted at desired angles. The physical lenticules may cause bleed-through that may be processed. Resolution may be computed after processing, and the resolution implemented for display. Mode switching between planar and autostereoscopic imaging may be provided in the form of Metadata or visible flags. | 04-11-2013 |
20130057822 | Stereoscopic eyewear with stray light management - Disclosed embodiments relate to eyewear configured to reduce stray light. An exemplary embodiment of the eyewear accounts for various design factors, including the cross sectional profile of the rim, the micro topography of the rim surface, the reflectivity, the theatre or room geometry, proximity of the eye to the lens, lens size, and the screen gain. An exemplary eyewear includes lenses connected to the rim sections of a frame, and a path may be defined through a maximum height of the outer flange portion of a rim section and a maximum height of the inner flange portion of the rim section. The path may be inclined at an angle relative to an angle α relative to a longitudinal axis defined by the lenses. | 03-07-2013 |
20130050437 | Stereoscopic depth mapping - Provided is a method and apparatus for linear depth mapping. Linear depth mapping includes using algorithms to correct the distorted depth mapping of stereoscopic capture and display systems. | 02-28-2013 |
20130010820 | Laser Systems And Methods - An architecture comprising laser sub-modules may be used to reach the optical output powers desired for projection display for 2D and 3D viewing. Monitoring and control of the laser sub-modules within the architecture may be performed to achieve desired performance metrics. | 01-10-2013 |
20130010365 | Speckle reduction using lenslet integrator - Disclosed herein are techniques for the reduction speckle of a projection display system using novel lenslet integrators and related methods. In one embodiment, a lenslet integrator system for reducing speckle on a display screen may comprise a first lenslet array configured to receive incoming light for use in displaying an image on a display screen. Specifically, the first lenslet array has motion sufficient to reduce speckle by averaging multiple speckle patterns across its array. Such an exemplary system may also include a second lenslet array configured to receive light that is roughly focused from the moving first lenslet array, due to the motion of the first array. In addition, such systems may also include an output lens configured to receive light focused from the second lenslet array for output from the system for illumination of the display screen. | 01-10-2013 |
20130010356 | Speckle reduction using screen vibration techniques and apparatus - Disclosed herein are systems and related methods for reducing speckle on display screen. More specifically, screen vibration is used to reduce speckle, and in accordance with the disclosed principles, the vibration may be achieved by using wave-based actuation (e.g., acoustic or electromagnetic waves) to vibrate the screen. In an exemplary embodiment, a speckle reducing system may comprise at least one actuating element located proximate to, but not in physical contact with, a display screen. In addition, the at least one actuating element may be configured to generate waves directed towards the display screen. When the waves impact the display screen, the waves impart vibration to the display screen. | 01-10-2013 |
20130009953 | Stereoscopic format converter - A device and method for converting one stereoscopic format into another. A software-enabled matrix is used to set forth predefined relationships between one type of format as an input image and another type of format as an output image. The matrix can then be used as a look-up table that defines a correspondence between input pixels and output pixels for the desired format conversion. | 01-10-2013 |
20130002996 | Boundary artifact suppression in segmented liquid crystal modulators - Disclosed herein are apparatuses and related methods for avoiding liquid crystal molecule twisting through local boundary orientation relevant to the alignment direction of liquid crystal structures. In one embodiment, a segmented polarization control panel may comprise a plurality of segment electrodes corresponding to a plurality of display segments of the sequentially scanning display. The plurality of segment electrodes comprise liquid crystals therein, and are arranged contiguously in a direction of the sequential scan. Electrode boundaries are created between adjacent segment electrodes, where each may be cascaded substantially parallel and perpendicular to a liquid crystal alignment direction of liquid crystals located within the segments. Preventing twisting by the disclosed techniques is particularly attractive in active retarder display systems employing fast striped pi-cell modulators. | 01-03-2013 |
20120320165 | Anamorphic stereoscopic optical apparatus and related methods - Disclosed herein are apparatuses and methods for reclaiming the full field of view (FOV) of the original camera lens in a stereoscopic image capture system using an anamorphic attachment. Also disclosed are apparatuses and methods of projecting stereoscopic images on a fixed size screen from a single projector that was initially designed primarily for 2D operation. An exemplary apparatus may comprise an anamorphic afocal converter configured to halve a FOV of a camera or projector into two optical paths, and convert the halved FOVs into two full FOVs of the camera or projector. Such an apparatus may further comprise reflecting elements cooperatively arranged to direct two rectified images at a camera sensor or projection screen, where one or more reflecting elements receive the first of the two full FOVs and one or more reflecting elements receive the second of the two full FOVs. | 12-20-2012 |
20120314145 | Segmented directional backlight and related methods of backlight illumination - Backlit display systems, such as those employed with LED backlit displays, including those configured for autostereoscopic operation, may employ synchronization between the backlight and the presentation of sequential left and right eye images at a frame rate exceeding approximately 100 Hz. To successfully directionally illuminate isolated frames, the disclosed principles provide for segmenting the directional illumination and introducing a phase shifted, synchronized, pulsed drive scheme for the illumination segments. Accordingly, the principles disclosed herein are directed to segmented directional illumination systems and related techniques for segmented directional backlight illumination. | 12-13-2012 |
20120293753 | Drive scheme for stereoscopic display polarization modulator and apparatus for same - An improved drive scheme for a segmented polarizing modulator (or Polarization Control Panel) for use in an electronic stereoscopic display. The segmented polarization modulator segments are arranged contiguously in a direction of the sequential scan. The liquid crystal material used in each segment is driven in a manner to reduce the visibility of segment boundaries, by applying a positive or negative transition voltage (+T or −T volts) for a short period of time prior to applying +H and −H drive voltages. Optionally, the transition voltage may also be applied in transitioning from +H and −H drive voltages. | 11-22-2012 |
20120293747 | MULTI-FUNCTIONAL ACTIVE MATRIX LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAYS - A direct view display provides a light modulating panel and a backlight including first and second sets of spectral emitters. The first set of spectral emitters generate a first light bundle and the second set of spectral emitters generate a second light bundle. Several modes of operation may be provided including (1) an advanced 2D mode, (2) an enhanced color gamut mode employing simultaneous illumination of the first and second set of spectral emitters, (3) a privacy screen mode, (4) a channel multiplexed mode, and (5) a stereoscopic image mode. The latter three modes utilize the first and second set of spectral emitters to alternately illuminate a portion of the light modulating panel. Images and representations generated by the direct view display operating in the latter three modes are viewed using appropriate eyewear having filters with passband characteristics to transmit the respective light bundle. | 11-22-2012 |
20120287360 | Polarization Compensated Stereoscopic Systems - Disclosed embodiments include stereoscopic systems having at least one compensator operable to reduce the sensitivity of polarization control over incidence angle of image source optics and analyzer optics. In an exemplary embodiment, the disclosed compensator is operable to compensate polarization changes induced by optics at either or both the image source subsystem and the analyzer subsystem, in which the polarization changes would be operable to cause leakage at the analyzer subsystem if uncompensated. As such, the disclosed compensators and compensation techniques are operable to reduce leakage at the analyzer subsystem even if the disclosed compensator may be located at the analyzer subsystem. | 11-15-2012 |
20120256905 | Segmented polarization modulators for stereoscopic projection - A segmented polarizing device may be a polarizing modulator which may include strips of switching polarizer material. The switching polarizer material may be used to switch individual segments of the polarizing modulator at a time. In such devices, the polarizing modulator may be one or more liquid crystal cells (LC cell). As the LC modulation panel of a display refreshes an image from top to bottom, changing from left eye content to right eye content, the polarization of a corresponding part of a scrolling polarizing screen may change along with the display. | 10-11-2012 |
20120249756 | Enhanced ZScreen modulator techniques - A method and system for use in conjunction with a push-pull liquid crystal modulator system for creating circularly polarized light of alternating handedness is provided. The method and system comprise a pair of surface mode liquid crystal cells and a driver electrically coupled to the cells. The driver is configured to move an electrical charge using a quenching pulse comprising a relatively brief voltage spike at a beginning of a waveform period. Multiple additional improvements are provided, including reducing the thickness of the LC gap (the distance between cell electrode plates), creating a charge connection or wiring connection to the cell electrodes, employing anti-reflection coating technology, thinner ITO and ITO index matched to the LC material, bonding all possible air to material surfaces, using superior glass, employing more efficient polarizers, and reducing projector blanking time. | 10-04-2012 |
20120243204 | Efficient polarized directional backlight - By introducing a stack of alternating high and low index dichroic material layers on the exit surface of a waveguide for a wedge type directional backlight, natural reflectivity differences between polarized components can be increased, effectively reflecting the vast proportion of S-polarized light rays, while at the same time transmitting the P-polarized light rays, of light impacting the exit surface of the waveguide at an angle sufficient to exit the waveguide. This recovers polarization in wedge type backlight systems, increasing illumination exiting the waveguide. Also, on the back reflecting surface of the waveguide, a birefringent material can be added to efficiently transform S-polarized reflected light from the dichroic stack, into returning P-polarized light. Because returning rays that are now P-polarized by the birefringent material have already achieved the critical angle for exiting the waveguide, the rays transformed to P-polarization can now also exit the waveguide, increasing waveguide illumination. | 09-27-2012 |
20120236240 | Liquid crystal devices having reduced electrode-gap visibility - Liquid crystal devices may include electrode segments that are spaced apart and have a gap therebetween. A bridge layer may be disposed in the gap and configured to have a resistance that is operable provide a substantially equipotential region proximate to the gap portion while still allowing the electrode segments to be substantially isolated electrically. The disclosed liquid crystal devices may have reduced visual artifacts and may be configured to be a liquid crystal display, a polarization control panel, or a switch having liquid crystal cells. | 09-20-2012 |
20120229894 | Method and apparatus for managing optical non-uniformities in seaming processes - Methods to substantially reduce or eliminate optical non-uniformity across an interface may also substantially improve the strength and ease of seam manufacturing, including joining substrates. The methods may include managing optical non-uniformities at least by broadening a region over which a change in optical loss may occur and/or by maintaining a substantially constant average optical loss across an interface. The methods may also include forming a seam that substantially reduces the appearance of optical non-uniformities at the seam, which may include maintaining approximately constant average loss in the vicinity of the seam by substantially controlling reflectivity in the vicinity of the seam, in which substantially controlling reflectivity in the vicinity of the seam may include employing a backer treated to minimize optical reflectivity over a range of angles. | 09-13-2012 |
20120206800 | Polarization preserving projection screen with engineered pigment and method for making same - Polarization preserving projection screens provide optimum polarization preservation for 3D viewing. The projection screens additionally provide improved light control for enhanced brightness, uniformity, and contrast for both 2D and 3D systems. Generally, the disclosed method for providing a projection screen comprises stripping an optically functional material from a carrier substrate, thus creating engineered particles from the optically functional material. The engineered particles may then be deposited on a second substrate to create a substantially homogeneous optical appearance of the projection screen. | 08-16-2012 |
20120194755 | Ultrafast twisted nematic liquid crystal display - A method for recovering a latent response time period of a TN liquid crystal cell may include determining a time period which may be related to a back flow effect of the TN liquid crystal cell. Recovering the latent response time period may be correlated to the time at which a voltage may be applied across the TN liquid crystal cell. The method may include applying the voltage to the TN liquid crystal cell during a display region in which both the right and left signals may be displayed or a region in which the content may not be appropriately viewable. By applying the voltage early to the TN liquid crystal cell, a resulting transmission “bump” may not optically contaminate the viewable content. | 08-02-2012 |
20120127573 | Directional flat illuminators - Disclosed is an optical valve or light valve for providing large area collimated illumination from localized light sources, and system and method thereof for 2D, 3D, and/or autosteroscopic displays. An optical valve may include a stepped structure, in which the steps include separated extraction features which may be optically hidden to light propagating in a first direction. Light propagating in a second direction may be refracted, diffracted, or reflected by the features to provide illumination beams exiting from the top surface of the optical valve. Such controlled illumination may provide for efficient, multi-user autostereoscopic displays as well as improved 2D display functionality. | 05-24-2012 |
20120113508 | Polarization preserving front projection screen microstructures - Polarization preserving front projection screens and diffusers provide optimum polarization preservation for stereoscopic 3D viewing, as well as improved light control for enhanced brightness, uniformity, and contrast for both 2D and 3D systems. Generally, the disclosed screens direct light from a projector toward viewers within a diffusion locus, while maintaining optimum gain characteristics. More specifically, light incident on a region of the front projection screen from a predetermined projection direction is reflected by an engineered surface to a predetermined diffusion locus after undergoing substantially single reflections. The engineered surface, comprised of generating kernels, is used to optimally diffuse illumination light into a range of viewing angles, within the diffusion locus, with suitable gain profile, while optimally preserving polarization for 3D applications. Such a screen, when combined with matched polarization analyzing eyewear, provides extremely low cross-talk from any observation point. | 05-10-2012 |
20120113335 | Shutter-glass eyewear communications receiver - Shuttering eyewear used to view 3D imagery and/or dual-view images may utilize an IR receiver filter with moderate to wide bandwidth to pass data sidebands of an on-off keying signal while strongly rejecting nearby interference sources. Filtering of the signal may be achieved via a circuit for passing data sidebands of infrared signals. The circuit may include a band pass filter with a low value of Q operable to filter out a first type of interference signal from a signal, a plurality of mixers operable to receive the signal from the band pass filter, wherein the plurality of mixers down converts the signal to baseband signals, and a plurality of low pass filters operable to receive the baseband signals from the plurality of mixers, wherein the plurality of low pass filters rejects a second type of interference. | 05-10-2012 |
20120099413 | Compound quarter-wave retarder for optical disc pickup heads - Chemically-bonded laminated polymer achromatic polarization devices, such as circular polarizers, are disclosed for use in optical disc (e.g., CD/DVD) pickup heads. Chemically-bonded laminated polymer achromatic polarization devices have the benefit of providing stable retardation and optic axis over an extended wavelength range, thereby ensuring orthogonal polarization in double-pass for two or more laser wavelengths. Moreover, the chemically-bonded laminated polymer achromatic polarization devices can be symmetric in construction, such that there is no specific input and output side. This alleviates the need to produce geometries that prohibit inversion of the part when installed in the system. Manufacturing processes that produce chemically-bonded laminated polymer achromatic polarization devices, with high light efficiency, durability and robust performance in a variety of environmental conditions are disclosed. | 04-26-2012 |
20120099040 | Split segmented liquid crystal modulator - Disclosed is a segmented liquid crystal modulator panel apparatus and method for driving the same that overcomes electrical cross-talk associated with capacitive coupling to a common electrode. Each modulator segment may be divided into subsegments and driven substantially synchronously and out-of-phase. The field-polarity insensitive LC materials yield a substantially identical optical response for each subsegment, while allowing current on the common electrode to flow between the subsegments, thereby reducing power consumption and decreasing response times. | 04-26-2012 |
20120086907 | CURVED RETARDER BASED OPTICAL FILTERS AND EYEWEAR - Curved polarization filters and methods of manufacturing thereof. One method includes laminating a planar polarization layer to a planar retarder layer at a predetermined orientation and bending the laminate to create a curved filter. The strain on the retarder layer results in stress-induced birefringence, and the predetermined orientation of the retarder substantially compensates for the stress-induced birefringence. | 04-12-2012 |
20120081782 | Cleanable coating for projection screen - A method for providing a projection screen for receiving stereoscopic images may include providing a substrate with a contoured, reflective surface, wherein light reflected from the substrate substantially may undergo no more than a single reflection and may also include coating a first layer on the substrate with a contoured, reflective surface. The first layer may substantially maintain the same optical properties as the substrate without the first layer. The first layer may be substantially conformal to the surface of the substrate and also may be a self assembled monolayer coating which may include at least a functional group that is hydrophobic. | 04-05-2012 |
20120075566 | Stereoscopic eyewear - Described are stereoscopic eyewear, methods and systems for manufacturing the same. The stereoscopic eyewear includes right- and left-eye filters for analyzing stereoscopically-encoded polarized light. The filters are made using a roll-type polarizer having an absorption axis. A polymer alignment layer is deposited on a portion of the roll-type polarizer. A liquid crystal polymer (LCP) layer is deposited on the polymer alignment layer. The polymer alignment layer and LCP layer provides at least one retarder having an optic axis at a predetermined angle to the absorption axis of the roll-type polarizer. Described embodiments include a polymer alignment layer that may include at least one of a linearly photopolymerizable polymer (LPP), a brushed or rolled polyimide. | 03-29-2012 |
20120013813 | Field-of-view compensated polarization switch for short-throw 3D projection - Generally, this disclosure concerns the angle sensitivity of polarization switch elements and the resulting impact of the ray direction on performance. More specifically, apparatus and techniques for compensating the angular sensitivity of liquid crystal (LC) polarization switches are described that enhance the performance of polarization switches. For example, a polarization switch is disclosed that transforms linearly polarized light of an initial polarization orientation that includes a first and second liquid crystal cell with a compensator located between the LC cells. The compensator layer is operable to enhance the field of view through the polarization switch. Such compensation techniques are particularly useful for short-throw projection environments. | 01-19-2012 |
20110298999 | Stereoscopic liquid crystal display systems - Stereoscopic display system assemblies may be configured to have optimal performance with passive, circular analyzing, cinema eyewear. They may comprise non-twisted electrically controlled birefringent liquid crystal modulators oriented at ±45° to the polarizer orientation of the eyewear. Exemplary embodiments may include single half-wave modulators with a crossing (i.e. negating) quarter wave films. The natural polarization state of the LCD may be rotated and clean-up when necessary to cross with the horizontal eyewear polarizer orientation. In an embodiment, the LC modulator substrate is positioned outermost for anti-reflection coating tolerance, durability and touch sensitivity. | 12-08-2011 |
20110298998 | Stereoscopic liquid crystal display systems - Stereoscopic display system assemblies may be configured to have optimal performance with passive, circular analyzing, cinema eyewear. They may comprise non-twisted electrically controlled birefringent liquid crystal modulators oriented at ±45° to the polarizer orientation of the eyewear. Exemplary embodiments may include single half-wave modulators with a crossing (i.e. negating) quarter wave films. The natural polarization state of the LCD may be rotated and cleaned-up when necessary to cross with the horizontal eyewear polarizer orientation. In an embodiment, the LC modulator substrate is positioned outermost for anti-reflection coating tolerance, durability and touch sensitivity. | 12-08-2011 |
20110273634 | Charge recovery scheme - Shuttering eyewear (or shutter glasses) may be used to enable stereoscopic 3D and to provide different images to two viewers using a single display, known as Dual View. The shuttering eyewear may utilize charge recovery circuits. The charge recovery circuits may achieve high charge recovery efficiencies on the order of 80 to 90 percent resulting in a dramatic reduction in power supply battery operating current and a resulting increase in operating time. The charge recovery circuits may utilize switch mode boost conversion to recover most of the charge from a shutter that is being closed to one that is to be opened. Further, a charge recovery method for utilizing energy stored on a capacitive storage device may include closing a first active shutter, moving charge to a converter in buck mode to a capacitor, and pulling charge from the capacitor to open a second shutter. | 11-10-2011 |
20110211135 | Bendable liquid crystal polarization switch for direct view stereoscopic display - A system for stereoscopic display and a bendable polarization switch for use with a system for stereoscopic display provide alternately polarized left and right eye images. Viewers then wear polarization analyzing eyewear to correctly see the different images. More specifically, a bendable polarization switch may be laminated to the front of a system for stereoscopic display. The bendable polarization switch may be used with a modulator configuration that is compatible with various performance requirements in a manner that is a low-cost manufacturing friendly solution. Further, the bendable polarization switch is a robust polarization switch technology that is reliable in an environment where mechanical stresses are inevitably applied during product lifetime | 09-01-2011 |
20110210964 | Stereoscopic flat panel display with synchronized backlight, polarization control panel, and liquid crystal display - An enhanced liquid crystal display design is provided having relatively fast response time particularly useful in high speed or highly intense applications, such as stereoscopic or autostereoscopic image display. The liquid crystal display device is configured to display stereoscopic images, and comprises an LCD panel and control electronics configured to drive the LCD panel to a desired 10 stereoscopic display state. The control electronics are configured to employ transient phase switching and overdrive the LCD panel to a desired state to enable relatively rapid display of stereoscopic images. | 09-01-2011 |
20110205495 | Waveplate compensation in projection polarization conversion system - Three dimensional projection systems may be single projector or multiple projector systems. These 3D projection systems may include a polarization conversion system (PCS). The PCS may be designed for relatively small throw ratios and thus, may be designed to accommodate the small throw ratios. The PCS may include a polarizing beam splitter, a first optical stack, a reflector and a second quarter wave retarder. The first optical stack may include a rotator, a polarizer, a polarization switch and a first quarter wave retarder. The PCS may receive light from a projector and the PBS may direct the light toward the first optical stack. The light may be converted to a different polarization state as it passes through the first optical stack. The converted light may then be re-directed by a reflecting element to the second quarter wave retarder. The second quarter wave retarder may convert linearly polarized light to circularly polarized light. | 08-25-2011 |
20110188115 | Compound curved stereoscopic eyewear - Stereoscopic eyewear with compound curvature may be employed to view three dimensional content. The manufacture of such eyewear may be achieved by thermoforming a first material and by thermoforming a second material. The first and second materials may be in roll stock form prior to thermoforming, and the first layer may be polarizer material, while the second layer may be retarder material. Each of the first and second materials may be thermoformed by employing optimized thermoforming conditions for each of the two materials. Additionally, the two thermoforming lines may be timed so that the curved shapes of the first material in roll stock form may be substantially synchronized with the curved shapes of the second material in roll stock form, which may allow the curved shapes of each of the first and second materials in roll stock form may be joined together. | 08-04-2011 |
20110176114 | Wide field-of-view stereoscopic projection system - Disclosed embodiments relate to a stereoscopic projection system and methods. An exemplary disclosed projection system includes an optical component disposed between the lenses of a lens arrangement. An exemplary lens arrangement includes a first power group, a second power group, and an aperture stop. In an embodiment, the optical component is disposed between the first power group and the aperture stop. In an exemplary embodiment, the optical component is proximate to the aperture stop. By disposing the optical component closer to or proximate to the aperture stop in the lens arrangement, various benefits may be realized, including improved contrast uniformity. | 07-21-2011 |
20110164194 | Crosstalk suppression in time sequential liquid crystal stereoscopic display systems - This disclosure primarily concerns 3D stereoscopic displays that provide alternately polarized left and right eye images encoded with a modulating LC polarization control panel (PCP) attached to the front of the display. Viewers then wear polarization analyzing eyewear to correctly see the different images. More specifically, the disclosure introduces global LC electrical reset during the addressing of liquid crystal time-sequential stereoscopic displays in order to reduce left/right eye contamination. LC materials in general do not respond fast enough with conventional addressing schemes to provide independent left and right eye images at the desired flicker-free, rate of sixty frames per second per eye. This disclosure and its embodiments may overcome this limitation, and also may address motion blur limitations, by driving pixels to a common LC state as part of the addressing cycle. | 07-07-2011 |
20110149389 | Polarization preserving projection screen with engineered particle and method for making same - Polarization preserving projection screens provide optimum polarization preservation for | 06-23-2011 |
20110074770 | Point reposition depth mapping - A method and apparatus for providing optimal correction to depth mapping between captured and displayed stereoscopic content. The solution is derived in a continuous form that can be implemented through CGI scaling techniques compatible with image rendering techniques. Similar correction can be implemented with variable depth-dependent camera separation and disparity re-mapping. The latter is applicable to correcting existing stereoscopic content. | 03-31-2011 |
20110032441 | Segmented polarization control panel - This disclosure describes stereoscopic flat panel display systems based on the polarization encoding of sequentially displayed left and right eye images. The systems comprise line-by-line addressed liquid crystal display (LCD) panels, illuminating back light units and polarization control panels (PCPs). Right and left eye images are written sequentially onto the LCD whose polarization is controlled by a substantially synchronously driven PCP. The backlight may be continuously illuminated, or modulated temporally, spatially or both, as can the PCP. | 02-10-2011 |
20110025832 | Ghost-compensation for improved stereoscopic projection - A method and system for reducing ghost images in plano-stereoscopic image transmissions is provided. The method comprises establishing a plurality of expected ghosting profiles associated with a plurality of predetermined regions on a screen, and compensating for leakage in each predetermined region of a projected left and right eye images by removing an amount of ghost images leaking from the projected left eye image into the projected right eye image and vice versa. The system comprises a processor configured to receive the quantity of ghost artifacts and compute ghost compensation quantities for left eye images and right eye images. The processor is further configured to remove an amount of actual image ghost artifacts leaking from a projected left eye image into a projected right eye image and vice versa. The processor is also configured to compute ghost compensation quantities for each of a plurality of zones, each zone corresponding to a region on a screen having an expected ghosting profile associated therewith. | 02-03-2011 |
20110013828 | Stereoscopic format converter - A device and method for converting one stereoscopic format into another. A software-enabled matrix is used to set forth predefined relationships between one type of format as an input image and another type of format as an output image. The matrix can then be used as a look-up table that defines a correspondence between input pixels and output pixels for the desired format conversion. | 01-20-2011 |
20100328561 | Stereoscopic projection system employing spatial multiplexing at an intermediate image plane - Projection systems and methods for providing stereoscopic images viewed through passive polarizing eyewear. The systems relate to projectors that create left and right eye images simultaneously and often as side-by-side images on the image modulator. The systems act to superimpose the spatially separated images on a projection screen with alternate polarization states. The embodiments are best suited to liquid crystal polarization based projection systems and use advanced polarization control. | 12-30-2010 |
20100309535 | Shutter-glass eyewear control - A method for shutter glass eyewear control provides for a command sequence having precise shutter timing and control information for opening and closing the left and right shutters of shutter glass eyewear. The infrared signal commands are offset from the corresponding shutter action to minimize interference while still allowing the eyewear to track changes in the timing of the infrared signal received from a display system. Command sequence encodings are provided for enhanced interference rejection. | 12-09-2010 |
20100296059 | Polarization modulation wheel - A polarization switch provides substantially ideal binary polarization switching over a broad range of wavelengths using a polarization modulation wheel having at least one retarder stack that transforms polarization. Using the polarization modulation wheel in a polarization system provides a high throughput polarization switch and operates over a wide range of incidence angles while providing substantially continuous and smooth polarization output for each component for any selected polarization basis set. The polarization modulation wheel is well-suited for stereoscopic polarized projection applications. | 11-25-2010 |
20100277577 | Enhanced ZScreen modulator techniques - A method and system for use in conjunction with a push-pull liquid crystal modulator system for creating circularly polarized light of alternating handedness is provided. The method and system comprise a pair of surface mode liquid crystal cells and a driver electrically coupled to the cells. The driver is configured to move an electrical charge using a quenching pulse comprising a relatively brief voltage spike at a beginning of a waveform period. Multiple additional improvements are provided, including reducing the thickness of the LC gap (the distance between cell electrode plates), creating a charge connection or wiring connection to the cell electrodes, employing anti-reflection coating technology, thinner ITO and ITO index matched to the LC material, bonding all possible air to material surfaces, using superior glass, employing more efficient polarizers, and reducing projector blanking time. | 11-04-2010 |
20100260268 | Encoding, decoding, and distributing enhanced resolution stereoscopic video - This disclosure generally relates to stereoscopic images and stereoscopic video signals, and more specifically relates to encoding, distributing, and decoding stereoscopic images and stereoscopic video signals for use in television and high definition television systems, teleconferencing, picture phones, computer video transmission, digital cinema, as well as in other applications that include storage and/or transmission, over any suitable medium, of still or moving stereoscopic images, or combinations of moving and still stereoscopic images, in a form that is compatible with existing infrastructure, without requiring additional system functionality, while providing a means to allow higher resolution images to be distributed while maintaining compatibility with the existing infrastructure. The techniques hereof can be employed, for example, for distributing stereo 3D movies via optical disk, satellite, broadcast, cable, or internet, using current infrastructure, to consumers. | 10-14-2010 |