Patents by Inventor Bo Kroll

Bo Kroll has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9291828
    Abstract: For comfortable viewing of a 3-D scene at various viewing angles, a display having a large tracking range for a variable viewer distance is required. A controllable light-influencing element deflects light in coarse steps in a viewer range. Within said steps, the light is deflected by a further controllable light-influencing element continuously or with fine gradation. The light modulation device is suitable in holographic or autostereoscopic displays for guiding the visibility ranges of the image information to be displayed so as to follow the eyes of the viewers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: SEEREAL TECHNOLOGIES S.A.
    Inventors: Bo Kroll, Gerald Futterer, Norbert Leister, Stephan Reichelt, Ralf Haussler
  • Publication number: 20160004219
    Abstract: A projection device is provided for displaying at least one of a two-dimensional and three-dimensional scene or of content. The projection device comprises an illumination device, at least two spatial light modulator devices and an optical system. The illumination device comprises at least one light source for generating a holographic illumination. One of said spatial light modulator devices is designed as spatial light modulator device modulating at least the phase of the light for the holographical generation of illumination patterns. This spatial light modulator device as first spatial light modulator device is followed by a second spatial light modulator device. The optical system is disposed to illuminate the second spatial light modulator device with a predefinable light distribution generated by the first spatial light modulator device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: Norbert LEISTER, Gerald FUETTERER, Bo KROLL, Hagen STOLLE
  • Publication number: 20150022745
    Abstract: A phase modulator for the modulation of the phase of circular polarised light which interacts with the phase modulator. The phase modulator has a first and a second substrate, an electrode arrangement and a liquid crystal layer with liquid crystal molecules. The first substrate is disposed adjacent to the second substrate. The liquid crystal layer is disposed between the two substrates. The first substrate has a first surface, and the second substrate has a second surface. The liquid crystal molecules situated next to the first surface are oriented substantially parallel to the first surface. The liquid crystal molecules situated next to the second surface are oriented substantially perpendicular to the second surface. An in-plane component of the liquid crystal molecule orientation can be set within an angular range of about 180°, e.g. between ?90° and +90° related to a specifiable central orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Bo KROLL, Norbert LEISTER
  • Patent number: 8860896
    Abstract: A phase modulator for the modulation of the phase of circular polarised light which interacts with the phase modulator. The phase modulator has a first and a second substrate, an electrode arrangement and a liquid crystal layer with liquid crystal molecules. The first substrate is disposed adjacent to the second substrate. The liquid crystal layer is disposed between the two substrates. The first substrate has a first surface, and the second substrate has a second surface. The liquid crystal molecules situated next to the first surface are oriented substantially parallel to the first surface. The liquid crystal molecules situated next to the second surface are oriented substantially perpendicular to the second surface. An in-plane component of the liquid crystal molecule orientation can be set within an angular range of about 180°, e.g. between 90° and +90° related to a specifiable central orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Seereal Technologies S.A.
    Inventors: Bo Kroll, Norbert Leister
  • Publication number: 20140184999
    Abstract: A liquid-crystal device having at least one first electrode arranged in a first plane, and a plurality of second electrodes arranged in a second plane essentially parallel to the first plane, a liquid-crystal layer arranged between the first plane and the second plane, which liquid-crystal layer is formed to modify a property of light passing through the liquid-crystal layer, as a function of the level of an electrical voltage applied between one first electrode and one second electrode. The liquid-crystal device has electrodes formed and arranged in such that a transverse electric field can be generated in an intermediate region between neighboring second electrodes, which orientates the liquid crystals contained in the intermediate region to cause, directly an amplitude reduction of light passing through the intermediate region of the liquid-crystal device, which is greater than an amplitude reduction of the light passing through the liquid-crystal layer outside the intermediate region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: SEEREAL TECHNOLOGIES S.A.
    Inventors: Bo Kroll, Norbert Leister
  • Patent number: 8711466
    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: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Seereal Technologies S.A.
    Inventors: Bo Kroll, Gerald Futterer, Ralf Haussler, Norbert Leister, Steffen Buschbeck
  • Publication number: 20140055692
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light modulation device for a display for representing two- and/or three-dimensional image content or image sequences. The light modulation device comprises a light modulator and a controller. The phase and/or the amplitude of a light wave field, which is substantially collimated, can be varied by means of the light modulator depending on the location of the light modulator. The light modulator can be actuated by means of the control device. According to the invention, in the direction of propagation of the light wave field, at least one diffracting unit is arranged downstream of the light modulator. The diffracting unit has a variable diffracting structure. By means of the diffracting structure, the light wave field varied by the light modulator can be diffracted in a variable and predeterminable manner. Further, the present invention relates to a display and a method for producing a light modulation device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: SeeReal Technologies S.A.
    Inventors: Bo Kroll, Norbert Leister, Gerald Futterer, Robert Missbach, Stephan Reichelt
  • Publication number: 20140016051
    Abstract: For comfortable viewing of a 3-D scene at various viewing angles, a display having a large tracking range for a variable viewer distance is required. A controllable light-influencing element deflects light in coarse steps in a viewer range. Within said steps, the light is deflected by a further controllable light-influencing element continuously or with fine gradation. The light modulation device is suitable in holographic or autostereoscopic displays for guiding the visibility ranges of the image information to be displayed so as to follow the eyes of the viewers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: SEEREAL TECHNOLOGIES S.A.
    Inventors: Bo Kroll, Gerald Futterer, Norbert Leister, Stephan Reichelt
  • Publication number: 20130293940
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a light modulator device with a spatial light modulator, a structured polariser means, a controllable polarisation means and a light wave multiplexing means. The spatial light modulator comprises discretely addressable modulator cells. Two modulator cells each are combined to form a modulation element. The modulator cells modulate light waves which are capable of generating interference of a propagating light wave field with holographic information in a spatially structured way such that a specifiable spatial distribution of object light points of a three-dimensional scene is holographically reconstructed. The modulator cells of each modulation element are adjacently arranged regarding the direction of propagation of the light wave field. The light which is modulated by adjacently arranged modulator cells is given different polarisation states by the structured polarizer means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: SEEREAL TECHNOLOGIES S.A.
    Inventors: Bo Kroll, Norbert Leister
  • Patent number: 8487980
    Abstract: Holographic display with which voice and holographic image over internet protocol (VHIOIP) services or communications are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Seereal Technologies S.A.
    Inventors: Bo Kroll, Robert Missbach, Alexander Schwerdtner
  • Patent number: 8462408
    Abstract: A holographic reconstruction system is disclosed with spatial light modulation means, modulating interferable light waves from light sources with at least one video hologram, comprising optical focusing means, focusing the modulated light waves with the reconstructed object light points for at least one eye position for the eyes of observers and controllable electro-optical deflector means, which direct the focused modulated light waves with the reconstructed light points to at least one eye position in order to reduce the aberrations. The reconstruction system has the optical focusing means in a field of focusing elements, wherein each focusing element is provided with at least one interferable light source. The electro-optical deflector means lie in the light path of the interferable light waves after the optical focusing mean and have at least one field of deflector elements, which has at least one separately controllable electro-optical deflector element for each focusing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Seereal Technologies S.A.
    Inventors: Bo Kroll, Armin Schwerdtner, Gerald Futterer, Stephan Reichelt, Norbert Leister
  • Patent number: 8427725
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a light modulating device, comprising a SLM and a pixelated optical element, in which a group of at least two adjacent pixels of the SLM in combination with a corresponding group of pixels in the pixelated optical element form a macropixel, the pixelated optical element being of a type such that its pixels comprise a fixed content, each macropixel being used to represent a numerical value which is manifested physically by the states of the pixels of the SLM and the content of the pixels of the pixelated optical element which form the macropixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Seereal Technologies S.A.
    Inventors: Gerald Futterer, Bo Kroll, Steffen Buschbeck
  • Patent number: 8416479
    Abstract: Holographic display device comprising a first EASLM and a second EASLM, the pair permitting independent modification of phase and amplitude, in which holographic reconstruction is visible through one or more virtual observer windows. An advantage is that an observer may view a holographic reconstruction through one or more virtual observer windows from a device housing a pair of EASLMs which permit independent modification of phase and amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Seereal Technologies S.A.
    Inventors: Bo Kroll, Ralf Haussler, Armin Schwerdtner
  • Patent number: 8416276
    Abstract: A mobile telephony system comprising a calling party mobile telephone with an imaging system and a display. The imaging system is operable to capture an image of the calling party. The calling party mobile telephone sends an image of the calling party to a called party mobile telephone over a wireless link, and the called party mobile telephone locally generates a holographic reconstruction of the calling party using a holographic display that is encoded with a hologram. An advantage is that a mobile telephone call may be held in which one party views a holographic reconstruction of the other party.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Seereal Technologies S.A.
    Inventors: Bo Kroll, Ralf Haussler, Armin Schwerdtner
  • Patent number: 8405891
    Abstract: A holographic reconstruction system is disclosed for the three-dimensional reconstruction of object light spots of a scene, comprising spatial light modulation elements which modulate interference-capable light waves of illumination means with at least one video hologram, and optical focussing elements which focus the modulated light waves with the reconstructed object light spots for at least one eye position of the observer's eyes. An electro-optical deflection element controlled by a system controller focuses the modulated light wave with the reconstructed object light spots on at least one eye position and tracks them when the eye position changes. The electro-optical deflection element is a controllable optical diffraction grating with a variable surface relief structure consisting of separately controllable microcells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Seereal Technologies S.A.
    Inventors: Bo Kroll, Armin Schwerdtner, Gerald Futterer
  • Patent number: 8400695
    Abstract: A holographic display device comprises an OLED array writing onto an OASLM, the OLED array and OASLM forming adjacent layers. The OASLM encodes a hologram and a holographic reconstruction is then generated by the device when an array of read beams illuminates the OASLM. The OASLM is suitably controlled by the OLED array. An advantage of the device is that it lends itself to compactness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Seereal Technologies S.A.
    Inventors: Bo Kroll, Ralf Haussler, Armin Schwerdtner
  • Patent number: 8379079
    Abstract: A holographic reconstruction system having spatial light modulators, an eye finder and a position control orients a propagating spatially modulated light wave field toward at least one eye position of an observer's eye, thereby reconstructing a scene in a three-dimensional manner and tracking the same during a position change of the eye position. Unobstructed lateral and axial movement of the observer head to arbitrary eye positions in a tracking region is enabled. The use of additional, planar optical components, which bring about optical aberrations during a position change of observer eyes, are prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: SeeReal Technologies S.A.
    Inventors: Bo Kroll, Armin Schwerdtner, Jean-Christophe Olaya
  • Patent number: 8294966
    Abstract: A holographic projection system has an optical wave tracking system which adjusts the propagation direction of a modulated wavefront. It provides an adjustable wave tracking system which aligns the modulated wave with a desired eye position of one or more observers and follows the movements of the observer. The system comprises spatial light modulation means which modulate a wave with holographic information for the purpose of holographic reconstruction. The optical wave tracking provides the light path of the modulated wave with a desired propagation direction which guides the modulated wave out of the reconstruction system via a light exit position of a display screen. Position control means set adjustable tracking mirror means in terms of their inclination to a reflection direction for reflecting the modulated wave and deflection means, which are located in the set reflection direction, reflect the wave via the display screen into the desired propagation direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: SeeReal Technologies S.A.
    Inventors: Bo Kroll, Armin Schwerdtner, Jean-Christophe Olaya, Steffen Buschbeck
  • Publication number: 20120236219
    Abstract: A phase modulator for the modulation of the phase of circular polarised light which interacts with the phase modulator. The phase modulator has a first and a second substrate, an electrode arrangement and a liquid crystal layer with liquid crystal molecules. The first substrate is disposed adjacent to the second substrate. The liquid crystal layer is disposed between the two substrates. The first substrate has a first surface, and the second substrate has a second surface. The liquid crystal molecules situated next to the first surface are oriented substantially parallel to the first surface. The liquid crystal molecules situated next to the second surface are oriented substantially perpendicular to the second surface. An in-plane component of the liquid crystal molecule orientation can be set within an angular range of about 180°, e.g. between 99° and +90° related to a specifiable central orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: See Real Technologies S.A.
    Inventors: Bo Kroll, Norbert Leister
  • Publication number: 20120206667
    Abstract: A light modulator, for a display for the presentation of two- and/or three-dimensional image contents or image sequences, includes two opposing substrates and electrodes. At least one liquid crystal layer is provided between the two substrates. An alignment means is provided on the substrate which faces the liquid crystal layer to set a predeterminable pre-tilt of the liquid crystals. The orientation of the liquid crystals can be controlled in a given range through an electric field generated by the electrodes. The alignment means is controllable and can be controlled to modify the pre-tilt of the liquid crystals. The alignment can be controlled such the orientation of the liquid crystals can be oriented outside the given range or so that the pre-tilt of the liquid crystals can be set specifically for certain positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Inventors: Bo Kroll, Norbert Leister, Stephen Reichelt, Gerald Futterer