Patents by Inventor Gerald Futterer
Gerald Futterer 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).
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Patent number: 9291828Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 21, 2011Date of Patent: March 22, 2016Assignee: SEEREAL TECHNOLOGIES S.A.Inventors: Bo Kroll, Gerald Futterer, Norbert Leister, Stephan Reichelt, Ralf Haussler
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Publication number: 20150268399Abstract: An illumination device for illuminating at least one spatial light modulator device. At least one light source device with at least one light source illuminates the at least one spatial light modulator device; a light guiding element through which light emanating from the light source propagates; and at least one light decoupling element arranged on top or inside of the light guiding element. The at least one light decoupling element decouples of a wave field of the light which propagating in the light guiding element into the direction of the spatial light modulator device. The light guiding element has a refractive index which is lower than or at least equal to the refractive index of the at least one light decoupling element. The entrance angle of the wave field entering the light decoupling element is determined by the difference between the refractive indices according to a particular equation.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 24, 2013Publication date: September 24, 2015Inventor: Gerald Futterer
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Publication number: 20140376207Abstract: The invention relates to optical device for illuminating a pixel matrix and/or a controllable spatial light modulator for a display, in particular a stereoscopic or holographic 3D display, wherein the optical device comprises a layer formed as a light waveguide, in which illumination light is guided in a light guiding layer, in particular according to the principle of total internal reflection, between two reflection layers lying opposite one another, wherein an extraction means for extracting illumination light from the light guiding layer is provided. The optical device is characterized in that the extraction means has different properties, in particular different optical properties, at a first extraction position than at another extraction position different to the first extraction position.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2013Publication date: December 25, 2014Inventor: Gerald Futterer
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Publication number: 20140327612Abstract: The present invention relates to a measurement method in which, by predetermined illumination by means of a display device, in particular a holographic or autostereoscopic display device, with an intensity distribution of the illumination light in a plane of a light source image, a first location of an object, in particular an observer of the display device, is marked, and wherein the relative position of the first location in relation to a second location of the object is determined in a coordinate system of a camera.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2012Publication date: November 6, 2014Inventor: Gerald Futterer
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Publication number: 20140300709Abstract: The invention relates to a display device for representing a three-dimensional scene, comprising a light source array, a lenticular system and a data display in this order, but not necessarily immediately following one another, and a corresponding method for representing a three-dimensional scene. The object thereof is to enlarge the observer region of a 3D display in such a way that this simultaneously provides a plurality of observers with the option of perceiving the 3D scene on the 3D display. This is achieved by an aforementioned display device with a multiplexing element, which follows the data display and can be used to distribute light incident from the data display into a plurality of angle segments, and by an aforementioned method, in which, in an additional step, a multiplexing element distributes the light coming from the data display in a plurality of angle segments.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2012Publication date: October 9, 2014Inventors: Gerald Futterer, Ralf Haussler, Norbert Leister
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Patent number: 8711466Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 18, 2010Date of Patent: April 29, 2014Assignee: Seereal Technologies S.A.Inventors: Bo Kroll, Gerald Futterer, Ralf Haussler, Norbert Leister, Steffen Buschbeck
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Publication number: 20140055692Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2010Publication date: February 27, 2014Applicant: SeeReal Technologies S.A.Inventors: Bo Kroll, Norbert Leister, Gerald Futterer, Robert Missbach, Stephan Reichelt
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Publication number: 20140016051Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2011Publication date: January 16, 2014Applicant: SEEREAL TECHNOLOGIES S.A.Inventors: Bo Kroll, Gerald Futterer, Norbert Leister, Stephan Reichelt
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Publication number: 20130222384Abstract: The invention relates to a display device, in particular a head-mounted display or hocular, having a spatial light modulator and a controllable light-deflecting device for generating a multiple image of the spatial light modulator, which consists of segments, the multiple image being produced at least with a predefinable number of segments which determines the size of a visible area within which a 3D-scene holographically encoded in the spatial light modulator can be reconstructed for observation by an eye of an observer.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2011Publication date: August 29, 2013Applicant: SEEREAL TECHNOLOGIES S.A.Inventor: Gerald Futterer
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Patent number: 8498053Abstract: A spatial light modulator for modulating light field amplitude comprises a surface relief grating adapted to act as a diffractive lens, where a material is used to fill at least one groove of a surface grating structure, such that a controllable refractive index birefringence of the material inside the surface relief grating is controlled by an electric field, which leads to a controllable intensity at a fixed focal point.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2008Date of Patent: July 30, 2013Assignee: Seereal Technologies S.A.Inventors: Gerald Futterer, Stephan Reichelt
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Publication number: 20130170004Abstract: A holographic display with an illumination device, an enlarging unit and a light modulator. The illumination device includes at least one light source and a light collimation unit, the light collimation unit collimates the light of the at least one light source and generates a light wave field of the light that is emitted by the light source with a specifiable angular spectrum of plane waves, the enlarging unit is disposed downstream of the light collimation unit, seen in the direction of light propagation, where the enlarging unit comprises includes a transmissive volume hologram realising an anamorphic broadening of the light wave field due to a transmissive interaction of the light wave field with the volume hologram, and the light modulator is disposed upstream or downstream of the anamorphic enlarging unit, seen in the direction of light propagation.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2011Publication date: July 4, 2013Applicant: SeeReal Technologies S.A.Inventor: Gerald Futterer
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Patent number: 8462408Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 21, 2008Date of Patent: June 11, 2013Assignee: Seereal Technologies S.A.Inventors: Bo Kroll, Armin Schwerdtner, Gerald Futterer, Stephan Reichelt, Norbert Leister
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Patent number: 8427725Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 20, 2008Date of Patent: April 23, 2013Assignee: Seereal Technologies S.A.Inventors: Gerald Futterer, Bo Kroll, Steffen Buschbeck
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Patent number: 8405891Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 21, 2008Date of Patent: March 26, 2013Assignee: Seereal Technologies S.A.Inventors: Bo Kroll, Armin Schwerdtner, Gerald Futterer
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Patent number: 8358454Abstract: Disclosed is a display for the holographic reconstruction of a three-dimensional scene using means which allow a reduction of speckle patterns. Speckle patterns result in the graining of a holographic reconstruction and worsen the quality thereof. The 3D scene is incoherently superimposed with itself chronologically or spatially in the eye of the observer. The modulated wave fronts of each reconstructed object point of the scene are shifted relative to themselves in the reconstruction beam path and superimposed in the eye of the observer. The shifting may occur one-dimensionally and two-dimensionally. Each object point is multiplied with itself in the eye of the observer in accordance with the number of the shifted wave fronts. The various speckle patterns over which the eye of the observer averages are also multiplied. Speckle patterns are reduced and the reconstruction quality is thus increased in holographic displays.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2008Date of Patent: January 22, 2013Assignee: SeeReal Technologies S.A.Inventors: Norbert Leister, Grigory Lazarev, Gerald Futterer
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Publication number: 20130016410Abstract: An optical device for directing illuminating light at a pixel matrix and/or at a controllable spatial light modulator of a display, in particular of a stereoscopic or holographic 3D display comprises a multitude of reflection elements which work according to the principle of a concave mirror and which direct the illuminating light at the pixel matrix and/or at the controllable spatial light modulator of the display, and/or comprises at least one transmission element which is designed in the form of a holographic optical element, in particular in the form of a holographic volume grating, which directs the illuminating light at the pixel matrix and/or at the controllable spatial light modulator of the display.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2012Publication date: January 17, 2013Applicant: SeeReal Technologies S.A.Inventor: Gerald Futterer
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LIGHT MODULATOR FOR A DISPLAY FOR DISPLAYING TWO-DIMENSIONAL AND/OR THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE CONTENTS
Publication number: 20120206667Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2010Publication date: August 16, 2012Inventors: Bo Kroll, Norbert Leister, Stephen Reichelt, Gerald Futterer -
Patent number: 8243355Abstract: An optical unit for dynamically shaping a wavefront is disclosed, having light modulation cells disposed regularly in cell fields, and locally influencing partial light waves in a propagating light wavefront. Each cell field is connected to a cell controller separately adjusting the optical behavior of the light modulator cells. Serially-disposed fields, each having modulator cells, are located in the light path of the light wavefront. Cell control means adjust the modulator cells in a first cell field such that the modulator cells discretely implement a phase shift having a continuous phase value, and in a second cell field such that the modulator cells implement a prism function having a continuous directional value for the partial light waves. A focusing means for the emitted wavefront is also located in the light path of the optical unit, guiding the partial light waves at an output pupil of the optical unit.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2008Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: SeeReal Technologies S.A.Inventors: Bo Kroll, Armin Schwerdtner, Gerald Futterer
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Publication number: 20120092735Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2010Publication date: April 19, 2012Applicant: SeeReal Technologies S.A.Inventors: Gerald Futterer, Norbert Leister, Ralf Haussler, Grigory Lazarev
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Publication number: 20120092750Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2010Publication date: April 19, 2012Applicant: SeeReal Technologies S.A.Inventors: Bo Kroll, Gerald Futterer, Ralf Haussler, Norbert Leister, Steffen Buschbeck