Abstract: A liquid crystal on silicon spatial light modulator comprising an array of light-modulating pixels and a controller are disclosed. Each light-modulating pixel of the array comprises liquid crystal and is associated with a respective flip-flop. The controller receives a hologram of an image comprising a plurality of hologram pixels. Each hologram pixel comprises a respective n-bit hologram pixel value. The controller drives each light-modulating pixel in accordance with a respective hologram pixel value of the hologram. There is a one-to-n pixel correlation between the hologram and the light-modulating pixels. The flip-flops of each contiguous group of n light-modulating pixels are connected in series to form a shift register. During operation of the shift register, the n-bit hologram pixel value associated with each contiguous group of n light-modulating pixels is provided to each light-modulating pixel one bit at a time over the course of at least n clock cycles.

Abstract: A projection system that facilitates the use of in-situ detection of a change in wavelength, thereby enabling appropriate compensation or corrections to be applied on the fly to improve the quality of the image in the primary image region. In-situ detection in this manner can allow wavelength changes due to both temperature fluctuations and hardware variations to be compensated for simultaneously, thereby reducing the time and expense for end of line hardware testing, and removing the need to perform in-situ mapping of the wavelength as a function of temperature. In this way, the quality of the image provided to a user can be improved in a simpler, more efficient manner.

Abstract: A method of driving a display device. The display device comprises a liquid crystal panel, a display engine and a hologram engine. The liquid crystal display panel comprising a plurality of pixels. The display device comprises a display engine arrange to drive each pixel of the plurality of pixels during each display interval of a plurality of display intervals defined by the display device. Each pixel is driven in accordance with a drive signal. The drive signal may comprise a pixel voltage for each pixel. The display engine is arranged to invert the polarity of the drive signal every display interval. The hologram engine is arranged to send multi-level phase holograms for display to the display engine. The method comprises displaying the multi-level phase holograms in immediately consecutive display intervals without field inversion.

Abstract: There is provided a holographic projector comprising a hologram engine and a controller. The hologram engine is arranged to provide a hologram comprising a plurality of hologram pixels. Each hologram pixel has a respective hologram pixel value. The controller is arranged to selectively-drive a plurality of light-modulating pixels so as to display the hologram. Displaying the hologram comprises displaying each hologram pixel value on a contiguous group of light-modulating pixels of the plurality of light-modulating pixels such that there is a one-to-many pixel correlation between the hologram and the plurality of light-modulating pixels.

Abstract: There is provided a near-eye device for augmenting a real world view. The near-eye device comprises a spatial light modulator comprising an array of phase modulating elements arranged to apply a phase delay distribution to incident light. The device further comprises a beam combiner comprising a first optical input arranged to receive spatially modulated light from the spatial light modulator and a second optical input having a field of view of the real world.

Abstract: A holographic projector comprises an image processing engine, a hologram engine, a display engine and a light source. The image processing engine is arranged to receive a source image for projection and generate a plurality of secondary images from a primary image based on the source image. The source image comprises pixels. Each secondary image may comprise fewer pixels than the source image. The plurality of secondary images are generated by sampling the primary image. The hologram engine is arranged to determine, such as calculate, a hologram corresponding to each secondary image to form a plurality of holograms. The display engine is arranged to display each hologram on the display device. The light source is arranged to Illuminate each hologram during display to form a holographic reconstruction corresponding to each secondary image on a replay plane.

Abstract: A display system arranged to receive a video stream of frames for display. The frame rate of the video stream is defined by a first clock signal comprising a plurality of first clock reset signals (between frames). A subframe rate of the display system is defined by a second clock signal comprising a plurality of second clock reset signals (between subframes). The second clock reset signals define n subframes for each frame of the video stream. That is, the subframe rate of the display system is n times faster than the frame rate of the video stream. The display system is arranged so that duration of every nth second clock reset signal is different to the duration of the other second clock reset signals such that synchronization between frames of the video stream and subframes of the display device is maintained.

Abstract: There is provided a holographic projector comprising a spatial light modulator, a light source and an assembly. The spatial light modulator is arranged to display a hologram. The light source is arranged to illuminate at least one region of the spatial light modulator with an input beam such that the input beam is spatially modulated by the spatial light modulator in accordance with the hologram to form a holographic reconstruction. The assembly is arranged to move at least one of the input beam and the spatial light modulator relative to the other.

Abstract: A projector arranged to form a plurality of image reconstructions on different planes disposed on a common projection axis and a corresponding method is disclosed. A hologram engine is arranged to determine a hologram corresponding to each image for image reconstruction, and to form a diffractive pattern including the corresponding hologram for each image. A display engine is arranged to display each diffractive pattern and receive light such that an image reconstruction corresponding to each hologram is formed on a plane of the plurality of different planes. Each image reconstruction comprises image spots arranged in a pattern. Image spots of a first image reconstruction formed on a first plane are interposed between image spots of a second image reconstruction formed on a second plane.

Abstract: There is provided a holographic projector comprising a processing engine, spatial light modulator (403B), light source (401B) and light-receiving surface (405B). The processing engine outputs a computer-generated diffractive pattern defining a propagation distance to an image plane. The spatial light modulator displays the computer-generated diffractive pattern. The light source illuminates the spatial light modulator at an angle of incidence (theta) greater than zero. The light-receiving surface receives spatially-modulated light from the spatial light modulator. The light-receiving surface is substantially parallel to the spatial light modulator (alpha-theta). The light-receiving surface is separated from the spatial light modulator by the propagation distance defined by the computer-generated diffractive pattern.

Abstract: There is described herein a diffuser assembly comprising a leaf spring, diffuser and at least one actuator. The leaf spring is arranged as a rectangular frame having a width, x, and height, y. The diffuser is suspended by the frame such as within the frame. The at least one actuator arranged to move, such as translate, the diffuser. The assembly is arranged such that the leaf spring provides in-plane (x-y plane) stiffness, kx and ky, less than the out-of-plane (z-direction) stiffness, kz.

Abstract: A holographic image generation system including a spatial light modulator; a light source; a temporal modulator; a light sensor and a demodulator. The spatial light modulator has pixels. The light source illuminates the spatial light modulator. The temporal light modulator modulates an output intensity of the light source over time to encode holographic data representing a hologram. The light sensor is associated with a spatial light modulator and receives light from the light source and generates a signal representative of the output intensity of the light source. The demodulator is connected to the light sensor to receive the signal. The demodulator decodes the signal to obtain the holographic data. The demodulator is connected to the spatial light modulator to set the pixels of the spatial light modulator in accordance with the holographic data to display the hologram ready for illumination by the light source to form a holographic reconstruction.

Abstract: A display system (300) comprising an optical system and a processing system. The optical system comprising a spatial light modulator (380), a light source, a Fourier transform lens, a viewing system (320, 330) and a processing system. The spatial light modulator is arranged to display holographic data in the Fourier domain, illuminated by the light source. The Fourier transform lens is arranged to produce a 2D holographic reconstruction in the spatial domain (310) corresponding to the holographic data. The viewing system is arranged to produce a virtual image (350) of the 2D holographic reconstruction. The processing system is arranged to combine the Fourier domain data representative of a 2D image with Fourier domain data representative of a phase only lens to produce first holographic data, and provide the first holographic data to the optical system to produce a virtual image.

Abstract: A printing device (106) includes a laser source and a LCOS-SLM (Liquid Crystal on Silicon Spatial Light Modulator). The printing device generates a laser control signal and a LCOS-SLM control signal. The laser source (110) generates a plurality of incident laser beams based on the laser control signal. The LCOS-SLM (112) receives the plurality of incident laser beams, modulates the plurality of incident laser beams based on the LCOS-SLM control signal to generate a plurality of holographic wavefronts (214,216) from the modulated plurality of incident laser beams. Each holographic wavefront forms at least one corresponding focal point. The printing device cures a surface layer or sub-surface layer (406) of a target material (206) at interference points of focal points of the plurality of holographic wavefronts. The cured surface layer of the target material forms a three-dimensional printed content.

Abstract: A logic circuit that can output a stream of sequential values, representing pixel position values, for a pixelated display device such as a spatial light modulator. The logic circuit may comprise an advanced integrated circuit such as a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The stream of sequential values that is output by the logic circuit can be used by another logic circuit to calculate corresponding values of a software function, for populating those pixels of the pixelated display device. The software function can be, for example, a lens function or a grating function, which might be combined with a hologram, such as a computer-generated hologram (CGH), for display on the pixelated display device.

Abstract: A holographic projector comprises an image processing engine arranged to, a hologram engine and a display engine. The image processing engine is arranged to receive a source image for projection. The source image comprises a first colour component and a second colour component. The image processing engine is further arranged to form a first colour secondary image from the first colour component by nulling alternate pixel values of the first colour component in accordance with a first checkerboard pattern. The image processing engine is further arranged to form a second colour secondary image from the second colour component by nulling alternate pixel values of the second colour component in accordance with a second checkerboard pattern. The first checkerboard pattern is opposite to the second checkerboard pattern.

Abstract: A display system comprising a first plurality of pixels, a second plurality of pixels, a first Fourier transform lens and a second Fourier transform lens. The first plurality of pixels is arranged ranged to display first holographic data corresponding to a first holographic reconstruction and receive light of a first wavelength. The a second plurality of pixels is arranged to display second holographic data corresponding to a second holographic reconstruction and receive light of a second wavelength. The first Fourier transform lens is arranged to receive spatially modulated light having a first wavelength from the first plurality of pixels and perform an optical Fourier transform of the received light to form the first holographic reconstruction at a replay plane, wherein the first holographic reconstruction is formed of light at the first wavelength.

Abstract: A holographic projector having an optical path is described. The holographic projector comprises a first spatial light modulator arranged to display a first hologram, and a first light source. The first light source is arranged to illuminate the first spatial light modulator with light of a first wavelength such that a first holographic reconstruction corresponding to the first hologram is formed on a replay plane. The holographic projector further comprises a continuous block of transparent material. At least part of the optical path is formed through the continuous block of transparent material. The transparent material has a refractive index greater than air.

Abstract: A holographic projector comprises an image processing engine, a hologram engine, a display engine and a light source. The image processing engine is arranged to receive a source image for projection and generate a plurality of secondary images from the source image. The source image comprises pixels. Each secondary image comprises fewer pixels than the source image. A first secondary image has more pixels that a second secondary image. The hologram engine is arranged to determine, such as calculate, a hologram corresponding to each secondary image to form a plurality of holograms. Thus, a first hologram corresponding to the first secondary image has more pixels than a second hologram corresponding to the second secondary image. The display engine is arranged to display each hologram in turn on the display device. The light source is arranged to Illuminate each hologram during display to form a holographic reconstruction corresponding to each secondary image on a replay plane.

Abstract: An image display device includes a display unit which displays a first image and a second image, and a projection optical system which directs light of the first image and light of the second image toward a windshield. The display unit displays the first image and the second image in different display areas on the same plane. The projection optical system sets an image point of the light of the first image and an image point of the light of the second image, so that a first virtual image and a second virtual image are formed at positions having different distances from a viewing point within a visible area.