Abstract: A monocentric image generation system (100) for forming a curved image (110) using a spherical mirror (92), a beamsplitter (102) and a ball lens assembly (30) and, optionally, a field lens (112). An image source (94) provides a source image through an aperture stop location (96) at the center of curvature Cs of the spherical mirror (92). The beamsplitter (102) provides the resulting intermediate image (90) so that it is concentric with the ball lens assembly (30) in order to form the curved image (110).

Abstract: An autostereoscopic image display apparatus (10) that adapts to sensed feedback data about an observer (12) in order to conform its operation to adapt to the position and intraocular dimensions of the observer. The apparatus (10) uses ball lens projection optics to provide wide field-of-view pupil imaging, providing separate left- and right-eye images to the left and right eye pupils (14l,14r) of the observer (12), respectively. The apparatus (10) compensates for positional variables such as variable interocular distance and variable observer distance from projection optics. At least one observer feedback sensor (52) is disposed to provide feedback data about the observer (12). The feedback data can be used by a control logic processor (50) that, based on the data, adjusts left- and right viewing pupil forming apparatus (36l,36r). The control logic processor (50), based on sensed feedback data, may also vary image content or provide other stimuli such as smell, movement, and sound.

Abstract: A printer for printing on a light sensitive media (100) includes a light source (10) and optics. Cross array components and array direction components reduce divergence of the beam from the light. The illumination optics flood illuminates a grating modulator with reduced light beams. Modulator sites on the grating modulator array, are individual addressed which imparts a phase change to the reduced light beams. An imaging lens (70) directs light from the grating modulator array onto the light sensitive media (100). The imaging lens (70) includes a first lens element which converts the light into diffracted and undiffracted light; a spatial filter (80) which discriminates between the diffracted and the undiffracted light; and a second lens element which reconstructs an image of the modulator sites.

Abstract: A method of sensing the pitch or relative location of a lenticular lens on a sheet of transparent lenticular material of the type having a repeating pattern of cylindrical lenses on one side and a flat opposite side, comprising the steps of: forming a beam of light; focusing the beam of light into a spot smaller than the pitch of the cylindrical lenses onto the lenticular material; moving the lenticular material relative to the beam in a direction perpendicular to the axes of the cylindrical lenses to modulate the angle of reflection or refraction of the beam of light; and sensing the position of the modulated beam of light to determine the pitch or relative location of lenticular material to the focused spot.

Abstract: A method of sensing the pitch or relative location of a lenticular lens on a sheet of transparent lenticular material of the type having a repeating pattern of cylindrical lenses on one side and a flat opposite side, comprising the steps of: forming a beam of light; focusing the beam of light into a spot smaller than the pitch of the cylindrical lenses onto the lenticular material; moving the lenticular material relative to the beam in a direction perpendicular to the axes of the cylindrical lenses to modulate the angle of reflection or refraction of the beam of light; and sensing the position of the modulated beam of light to determine the pitch or relative location of lenticular material to the focused spot.

Abstract: A printer for printing on a light sensitive media (100) comprises a light source (10) which produces a light beam. Illumination optics comprises cross array components and array direction components for reducing divergence of the beam from the light. The illumination optics flood illuminates a grating modulator with reduced light beams. An address means connects to the grating modulator array for individually addressing of modulator sites on the grating modulator array for imparting a phase change to the reduced light beams. An imaging lens (70) directs light from the grating modulator array onto the light sensitive media (100). The imaging lens (70) comprises a first lens element which converts the light into diffracted and undiffracted light; a spatial filter (80) which discriminates between the diffracted and the undiffracted light; and a second lens element which reconstructs an image of the modulator sites.

Abstract: A digital projection apparatus (10) for projection of a multicolor image uniformizes polychromatic light from a light source (12) and provides magnification to the uniformized illumination beam using a base condenser relay (80), providing a reduced numerical aperture for conditioning at a dichroic separator (27). For each monochromatic component color provided from the dichroic separator (27), a reducing relay (82) then demagnifies the illumination beam to provide source illumination to a spatial light modulator (30) at an increased numerical aperture. As a result, color shading across the field is minimized and brightness is optimized.

Abstract: A substantially monocentric arrangement of optical components provides stereoscopic display of a virtual image, electronically scanned by resonant actuation of a resonant fiber scanner (137) using a flexible optical waveguide and projected, as a real intermediate image, near the focal surface (22) of a curved mirror (24) by means of a ball lens assembly (30). To form each left and right intermediate image component, separate left and right image generation systems (70) each comprise a resonant fiber scanner (137) that itself comprises a resonant cantilever portion (139) of optical fiber (138) that directs a modulated beam onto a curved surface (40) for projection by a ball lens assembly (30). A monocentric arrangement of optical components images the left and right scanning ball lens pupil at the corresponding left and right viewing pupil (14) of the observer (12) and essentially provides a single center of curvature for projection components.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for reading a coded pattern, symbol or indict such as a barcode. The apparatus and method improves captured resolution with a marker or fiducial input closed loop system. In the present invention, a pre-scan of the pattern, such as a barcode, is performed and fiducials of the barcode are identified. Calculations from these fiducial locations are used to determine the minimum field of view that will substantially capture the fiducials. In an embodiment of the invention, a variable magnification system of the apparatus can be actuated to this minimum field of view and a full resolution final image of the pattern is then captured.

Abstract: A digital projection apparatus (10) for projection of a multicolor image includes a magnifying relay lens assembly (28) as part of the light modulation assembly (38) for each component color. The relay lens assembly (28) increases the effective f/# of incident light to the V-plate assembly (25) or V-prism assembly (27) that serves as dichroic combiner, used to combine modulated light of each color from each light modulation assembly (38) in order to form the multicolor image. The magnifying relay lens assembly (28) also provides a reduced working distance for the projection lens (32), allowing a lower-cost design and facilitating substitution of the projection lens (32) best suited for a display surface (40).

Abstract: A digital projection apparatus (10) for projection of a multicolor image includes a magnifying relay lens assembly (28) as part of the light modulation assembly (38) for each component color. The relay lens assembly (28) increases the effective f/# of incident light to the V-plate assembly (25) or V-prism assembly (27) that serves as dichroic combiner, used to combine modulated light of each color from each light modulation assembly (38) in order to form the multicolor image. The magnifying relay lens assembly (28) also provides a reduced working distance for the projection lens (32), allowing a lower-cost design and facilitating substitution of the projection lens (32) best suited for a display surface (40).

Abstract: A substantially monocentric arrangement of optical components provides stereoscopic display of a virtual image, electronically scanned by resonant actuation of a resonant fiber scanner (137) using a flexible optical waveguide and projected, as a real intermediate image, near the focal surface (22) of a curved mirror (24) by means of a ball lens assembly (30). To form each left and right intermediate image component, separate left and right image generation systems (70) each comprise a resonant fiber scanner (137) that itself comprises a resonant cantilever portion (139) of optical fiber (138) that directs a modulated beam onto a curved surface (40) for projection by a ball lens assembly (30). A monocentric arrangement of optical components images the left and right scanning ball lens pupil at the corresponding left and right viewing pupil (14) of the observer (12) and essentially provides a single center of curvature for projection components.

Abstract: A digital projection apparatus (10) for projection of a multicolor image includes a magnifying relay lens assembly (28) as part of the light modulation assembly (38) for each component color. The relay lens assembly (28) increases the effective f/# of incident light to the dichroic combiner (26) used to combine modulated light of each color from each light modulation assembly (38) in order to form the multicolor image. The magnifying relay lens assembly (28) also provides a reduced working distance for the projection lens (32), allowing a lower-cost design and facilitating substitution of the projection lens (32) best suited for a display surface (40).

Abstract: A digital cinema projector (100) for projection of color images onto a display surface comprises a light source (116), which produces a beam of light. Beam-shaping optics (130) homogenize and focus the beam of light and color splitting optics (132) separate focus beam of light into separate color beams. A first modulation optics system comprises a prepolarizer (212), which prepolarizes a first color beam; a wire grid polarization beamsplitter (224), which transmits a first predetermined polarization state of the prepolarized beam; a reflective spatial light modulator (204), which alters the transmitted prepolarized beam with information and reflects the image bearing first color beam through the wire grid polarization beamsplitter (224); and a wire grid polarization analyzer (228), which transmits the image bearing first color beam and attenuates unwanted polarization components.

Abstract: A substantially monocentric arrangement of optical components provides stereoscopic display of a real image, electronically scanned by resonant actuation of a resonant fiber scanner (137) using a flexible optical waveguide and projected toward a curved retro-reflective surface (124). To form each left and right intermediate image component, separate left and right image generation systems (70) each comprise a resonant fiber scanner (137) that itself comprises a resonant cantilever portion (139) of optical fiber (138) that directs a modulated beam in a curved pattern for projection, such as by a ball lens assembly (30). A monocentric arrangement of optical components images the left and right ball lens pupil at the corresponding left and right viewing pupil (14) of the observer (12) and essentially provides a single center of curvature for projection components. Use of such a monocentric arrangement provides an exceptionally wide field of view with large viewing pupils (14).

Abstract: A preselected lenticular image is created by capturing a first digital image on a plurality of first charged coupled device (CCD) sensor columns (21, 31). A second digital image is created on a plurality of second CCD sensor columns (22, 32). The first and second digital images are stored in an interleaved fashion and previewed on a lenticular screen (112) attached to a camera (10).

Abstract: A head-mounted optical apparatus (10) providing pupil imaging with a very wide field of view. The head-mounted optical apparatus (10) employs a monocentric arrangement of optical components providing stereoscopic display of a virtual image, electronically generated and projected as left and right images from curved surfaces (68). For each right and left image, a ball lens assembly (30) is used to project a displayed intermediate image from the curved display surface (68) toward a beamsplitter (16), which directs an intermediate image toward the front focal surface of a curved mirror (24) that collimates the image to form a virtual image. The beamsplitter (16) transmits the virtual image for each eye to the observer.

Abstract: A motion picture film projector illumination system (100) for minimizing film buckle comprises a light source (405) for producing a beam of light (416). Beam shaping optics (411) focus the light beam onto a film through an aperture (408) having an aperture opening (410) corresponding to a film frame (324). A secondary beam steering optics (465) directs stray light around edges of the aperture to illuminate film edge to frame edge areas (446).

Abstract: A head-mounted optical apparatus (10) providing pupil imaging with a very wide field of view. The head-mounted optical apparatus (10) employs a monocentric arrangement of optical components providing stereoscopic display of a virtual image, electronically generated and projected as left and right images from curved surfaces (68). For each right and left image, a ball lens assembly (30) is used to project a displayed intermediate image from the curved display surface (68) toward a beamsplitter (16), which directs an intermediate image toward the front focal surface of a curved mirror (24) that collimates the image to form a virtual image. The beamsplitter (16) transmits the virtual image for each eye to the observer.

Abstract: An autostereoscopic image display apparatus (10) that adapts to sensed feedback data about an observer (12) in order to conform its operation to adapt to the position and intraocular dimensions of the observer. The apparatus (10) uses ball lens projection optics to provide wide field-of-view pupil imaging, providing separate left- and right-eye images to the left and right eye pupils (14l,14r) of the observer (12), respectively. The apparatus (10) compensates for positional variables such as variable interocular distance and variable observer distance from projection optics. At least one observer feedback sensor (52) is disposed to provide feedback data about the observer (12). The feedback data can be used by a control logic processor (50) that, based on the data, adjusts left- and right viewing pupil forming apparatus (36l,36r). The control logic processor (50), based on sensed feedback data, may also vary image content or provide other stimuli such as smell, movement, and sound.