Patents Assigned to SeeReal Technologies S.A.
  • Patent number: 8169682
    Abstract: A light modulator is disclosed for representing complex-valued data, comprising an encoding area that has an arrangement of pixels, the phase of which can be controlled. This largely avoids an interfering optical path difference between adjacent pixels or pixel groups when a complex value is encoded in several adjacent phase pixels of the encoding area, the optical path difference varying according to the angle. One respective specific structured delaying layer, which causes the optical path of an incident linearly polarized beam to change according to the angle, is associated with at least one predefined pixel of a group of adjacent pixels of the encoding area. The thickness of the delaying layer is designed such that the modification of the optical path caused by the delaying layer runs in the opposite direction from the angle-related modification of the optical path difference between individual pixels of the pixel group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: SeeReal Technologies S.A.
    Inventors: Bo Kroll, Armin Schwerdtner, Norbert Leister
  • Publication number: 20120092735
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a three-dimensional light modulator, of which the pixels are combined to form modulation elements. Each modulation element can be coded with a preset discrete value such that three-dimensionally arranged object points can be holographically reconstructed. The light modulator according to the invention is characterized in that assigned to the pixels of the modulator are beam splitters or beam combiners which, for each modulation element, combine the light wave parts modulated by the pixels by means of refraction or diffraction on the output side to form a common light beam which exits the modulation element in a set propagation direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: SeeReal Technologies S.A.
    Inventors: Gerald Futterer, Norbert Leister, Ralf Haussler, Grigory Lazarev
  • Publication number: 20120092750
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a lighting device having a planer optical fiber and at least one light source device for illuminating a controllable spatial light modulator, wherein the optical fiber comprises a light-conducting core and a cover coating, and the light modulator comprises a pixel matrix, the light source device is disposed on the side of the optical fiber, and the light emitted by at least one light source of the light source device propagates laminarly in the optical fiber. The lighting unit according to the invention is characterized in that the planar optical fiber comprises a deflecting coating having a selective polarization function for laminarly decoupling and deflecting the evanescent wave field of the light propagating in the optical fiber, wherein the thickness of the cover coating reduces in the direction of light propagation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: SeeReal Technologies S.A.
    Inventors: Bo Kroll, Gerald Futterer, Ralf Haussler, Norbert Leister, Steffen Buschbeck
  • Patent number: 8154781
    Abstract: A holographic display device comprises a first OLED array writing onto a first OASLM, the first OLED array and the first OASLM forming adjacent layers, and a second OLED array writing onto a second OASLM, the second OLED array and the second OASLM forming adjacent layers. The first and the second OASLMs encode a hologram and a holographic reconstruction is generated by the device when an array of read beams illuminates the first and second OASLMs and the first and second OASLMs are suitably controlled by the first and second OLED arrays. Advantages include that this device permits independent control of phase and amplitude, and the device lends itself to compactness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: SeeReal Technologies S.A.
    Inventors: Bo Kroll, Ralf Haussler, Armin Schwerdtner
  • Patent number: 8149266
    Abstract: The invention relates to a holographic reconstruction system for the reconstruction of scenes having at least one video hologram modulated wave front, and an enlarged visibility region. The system utilizes two-dimensional coded light modulator cells of spatial light modulation means and optical focusing means, which realize a Fourier transformation of the modulated wave front in their focal plane. First optical deflection means deflect the parallel disposed partial light waves such that their Fourier transformations appear as cascading in the focal plane. A spatial frequency filter located on the focal plane, lets each of the same diffraction orders of all modulated partial light waves pass, and second optical deflection means arrange the wave front strips next to each other at the modulated wave front, which reconstructs the scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Seereal Technologies S.A.
    Inventors: Ralf Haussler, Joachim Gantz
  • Patent number: 8120828
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optical reflection system with a reflection element for reflecting reconstruction light waves, an entry-side focal point, from which the reconstruction light waves come when they hit the reflection element, and an exit-side focal point, to which the reconstruction light waves propagate after being reflected from the reflection element. The invention further relates to a tracking system and a holographic projection system with such optical reflection system, and a corresponding holographic projection method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: SeeReal Technologies S.A.
    Inventor: Armin Schwerdtner
  • Patent number: 8049941
    Abstract: To compensate for an inhomogeneous brightness perception in a holographic reconstruction of 3D-scenes (4), a computing means encodes modulator cells of a SLM with a hologram point data pattern. Multiple bundles of rays illuminate the surface of the SLM and an array of focusing elements (21, 23) directs the bundles of rays to an observer's eye positions. Geometrical and optical properties of the array cause dissimilarly affected illumination regions on the SLM surface. The computing means determine parameters which describe the extent of these effects in combination with an expected spatial filtering at the eye pupil of the observer's eyes. Using these parameters, the computing means estimates which local errors of the reconstruction caused by these dissimilarly affected illumination regions will be perceived by the observer when watching the reconstruction, and corrects the hologram point data pattern such that the reconstruction appears at a corrected brightness uniformity level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: SeeReal Technologies S.A.
    Inventor: Ralf Haussler
  • Publication number: 20110261095
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for actuating pixels of a display having a display which is divided into a plurality of clusters, at least one data driver circuit which is arranged at least one edge of the display, having at least one output for each cluster for outputting pixel actuation data, in each case one receiver circuit assigned to each cluster and having at least one input for receiving the pixel actuation data, wherein the receiver circuit is configured to actuate the respective pixel within the assigned cluster by reference to the received pixel actuation data, and in each case a wave conductor for connecting an output of the data driver circuit to the associated input of the receiver circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: SeeReal Technologies S.A.
    Inventor: Robert Missbach
  • Publication number: 20110235145
    Abstract: An optical component deflects light beams which pass though the optical component. The optical component comprises multiple fluid cells arranged next to each other in a regular structure, and an influencing means, where a fluid cell contains at least two immiscible fluids, where an interface will form between two fluids of a fluid cell, where the interface can be given a specifiable shape and/or orientation by the influencing means, where a fluid cell comprises at least one optical medium, where the optical medium is disposed adjacent to a fluid of the fluid cell, where the shape of the surface of the optical medium which faces the adjacently arranged fluid cannot be changed, and where the optical medium serves to deflect the light beams which pass through the fluid cell by a specifiable angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: SeeReal Technologies S.A.
    Inventors: Gerald Futterer, Stephan Reichelt
  • Publication number: 20110216383
    Abstract: Disclosed is a color filter with parallel, vertical color strips of the RGB base colors associated with the image separating means, the color strips repeating horizontally within the color filter in periodic fashion. The light modulator contains a sequence of two registered holograms for each base color interlaced into six pixel columns for a left observer eye and for a right observer eye, and the sequence is repeated horizontally in periodic fashion. The periods of the color filter and the hologram are arranged relative to one another with the same degree of expansion, with a color strip and at least two pixel columns with holograms of the base color of the color strip are associated with a separating element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: SEEREAL TECHNOLOGIES S.A.
    Inventor: Ralf Haussler
  • Publication number: 20110216407
    Abstract: The invention provides an LED light source matrix comprising light source units that have LED light sources, with the matrix, in the activated state, illuminating a subsequent microlens array with white light in collimated fashion, wherein a light source unit is associated with a plurality of microlenses that focus the light bundles and direct them through a scattering means located outside the rear focal plane of the microlens array, the scattering means having pre-defined radiating characteristics. The light bundles entering the scattering means implement extended, spatially modulated secondary light sources in order to illuminate the imaging matrix. The matrix depicts the light bundles as a range of visibility at a position determined for the eyes of observers in combination with a field lens. Areas of application include autostereoscopic displays for multiple users.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: SeeReal Technologies S.A.
    Inventor: Jean-Christophe Olaya
  • Publication number: 20110149359
    Abstract: An illumination device having a filtering device is configured such that the filtering device comprises an optically addressable spatial light modulator with a filtering aperture which is generated by addressing. The position of the filtering aperture within the Fourier plane and/or the size of the filtering aperture is controlled by the control unit. The light modulator is addressed such that the position of the filtering aperture in the Fourier plane corresponds with the position of the intermediate image of the activated light source. At the same time the position of the imaged intermediate image corresponds with the detected position in the observer plane, and the size of the filtering aperture is determined by maximal one diffraction order of the light which is diffracted by the electrically addressable spatial light modulator. The field of application of this invention includes holographic projection displays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: SeeReal Technologies S.A.
    Inventor: Norbert Leister
  • Publication number: 20110149018
    Abstract: A holographic display device comprising at least one magneto-optical spatial light modulator (MOSLM). The holographic display device may comprise a first MOSLM and a second MOSLM, the first and second MOSLMs encoding a hologram and a holographic reconstruction being generated by the device. An advantage of the device is fast encoding of holograms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: SeeReal Technologies S.A.
    Inventors: Bo Kroll, Norbert Leister, Armin Schwerdtner, Ralf Haussler
  • Publication number: 20110096381
    Abstract: The invention relates to apodization in a holographic direct view display. Known apodization functions are utilized/modified for an apodization mask such that the functions reduce the intensities of selected higher magnitudes of diffractions. The holographic direct view display comprises a controllable light modulator having modulator cells and modulating impinging coherent light into a phase and/or amplitude, and an array of apodization masks. The apodization masks have the same apodization function for a predetermined group of modulator cells, by means of which function a complex amplitude transparency can be set for the modulator cells. This transparency corresponds to an individually predefined course of intensity in a far field of the light modulator, wherein the predefined course of intensity includes a reducing of the light intensity of higher magnitudes of diffractions, and/or of the interfering light emitted by the light modulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: SeeReal Technologies S.A.
    Inventors: Norbert Leister, Stephan Reichelt
  • Publication number: 20110063289
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for displaying images, in particular three-dimensional images, in a reconstruction space using spatial points that are points of intersection of at least two intersecting light beam bundles. The device comprises an image display unit having image pixels for displaying image information and a beam alignment unit. The beam alignment unit emits the light beam bundle issuing from the image display unit in pre-defined directions so that at the points of intersection thereof at least one spatial point can be produced in the reconstruction space. The light beam bundles leaving the at least one spatial point are directed exclusively to at least one virtual viewing window provided in a viewing plane. The maximum extent of the virtual viewing window corresponds to the diameter of the pupils of the eyes of the observer and, said viewing window tracking the observer during lateral and/or axial movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: SeeReal Technologies S.A.
    Inventor: Joachim Gantz
  • Publication number: 20110057932
    Abstract: A holographic display is provided in which at least one spatial light modulator has a hierarchical structure of the column drivers, the function of the column drivers being distributed to n units which are connected in n cascading stages, where n is two or more, with each successive stage having slower speed circuitry than the previous stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicant: SeeReal Technologies S.A.
    Inventors: Robert Missbach, Alexander Schwerdtner
  • Patent number: 7898740
    Abstract: A tunable optical component includes comprises a plurality of individual tunable liquid cells regularly arranged and integrated to at least one cell structure forming an array on the supporting substrate. A single liquid cell comprises several integrated cell walls, the cell walls projecting away from the supporting substrate and having a closed base area and an open cell surface at the cell wall edges. The liquid cell is filled with at least two liquids or fluids to provide at least one tunable interface area for varying the optical characteristic of the liquid cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignees: SeeReal Technologies S.A., The University of Cincinnati
    Inventors: Jason Heikenfeld, Joachim Bradl
  • Publication number: 20110019249
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for encoding computer-generated holograms in pixelated light modulators, the encoding area of which comprises a pixel matrix whose pixels are provided with a pixel form and a pixel transparency, wherein the encoding area contains a hologram made up of sub-holograms, to each of which is assigned an object point of the object to be reconstructed by the hologram. The corruption of the reconstruction of the hologram caused by the real pixel form and the pixel transparency is largely eliminated and the computing time for correction of the hologram is reduced. Each individual computer-generated sub-hologram is multiplied by a correction function, and only thereafter the corrected sub-holograms are added up to form a total hologram, the correction function being based on the reciprocal of the transform of the pixel function (e.g. 1/sinc) associated with the virtual observer window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: SEEREAL TECHNOLOGIES S.A.
    Inventor: Norbert Leister
  • Publication number: 20110013244
    Abstract: A visibility region produced through superimposed light bundles is tracked within a large angular range in front of a light modulator through controllable electrowetting cells having a prism function. Negative effects of buckling of the light bundle cross section are minimized by deflecting the light bundle in the prism cell. Light bundles, modulated by a controllable light modulator, impinge the modulator cells with a defined intensity distribution and pass by a controllable deflection device including a prism cell and a controllable electrode arrangement that adjusts boundary surfaces between a plurality of non-mixable materials. The altered intensity distribution is compensated in the light path of the light bundle in the visibility region by reducing the intensities of secondary diffraction order maxima such that the effective surface of a modulator cell has a shape that is tailored to the altered intensity distribution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: SeeReal Technologies S.A.
    Inventor: Gerald Futterer
  • Publication number: 20100309179
    Abstract: In a pixel matrix subdivided into clusters, the clusters are connected to a control circuit outside the pixel matrix by way of a point-to-point connection. Each cluster is an active matrix structure made of row and column lines and pixel TFTs. Chains of analog and digital shift registers are provided for the local row and column lines. Further, clusters can be used that have a hierarchical set-up in which N local shift registers branch off of global shift registers. Data values are conveyed within the local shift register at a lower cycle time than the global shift register until the data values arrive at the outputs of the shift register for controlling the pixels. This control mechanism can be integrated into the pixel matrix of a display and avoids non-transparent areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: SeeReal Technologies S.A.
    Inventor: Robert Missbach