Abstract: A screen includes a first set of louver members at least partially disposed in the screen and located proximate to a first side of the screen, and a second set of louver members at least partially disposed in the screen and located proximate to a second side of the screen. An observer on either side of the screen sees an image produced by light directed to that observer by that set of louvers on the same side of the screen as the observer. Objects on the other side of the screen from the observer are visible to the observer between the louvers.

Abstract: In a particular embodiment, a see-through display includes a screen having transparent layer of material with a front side and a back side. At least one plurality of shaped louver members is disposed between the front side and the back side. The plurality of the louver members allow transmission of a fraction of light through the screen with minimum scattering within a range of incident angles. The plurality of the louvers also redirect image signal light from an image source into a range of angles centered about a normal to the screen. The louver members combine the image signal light with the light emitted from background objects located on the backside of the screen. The background image light is transmitted through the display screen with minimal scattering. For embodiments providing two sets of louver members, the image signal light may be redirected to observers on either side of the screen, such that the observers may see each other as well as the intended image.

Abstract: A technique includes imaging an aberration in print formed on a paper by a printer that has an associated minimum addressable mark size. The aberration has a size less than the minimum addressable mark size, and the imaging includes routing an image of the aberration through a symmetrical optical relay path to form an image on an imager.

Abstract: A screen includes a first set of louver members at least partially disposed in the screen and located proximate to a first side of the screen, and a second set of louver members at least partially disposed in the screen and located proximate to a second side of the screen. An observer on either side of the screen sees an image produced by light directed to that observer by that set of louvers on the same side of the screen as the observer. Objects on the other side of the screen from the observer are visible to the observer between the louvers.

Abstract: A method is provided for recording visible marks on a recording medium using an input beam generated by an electromagnetic radiation source. The method comprises (a) substantially collimating the input beam to provide a substantially collimated beam, and (b) applying the substantially collimated beam to the recording medium to provide the visible mark on the recording medium.

Abstract: A method includes generating a first plurality of meshes configured to map a first domain associated with a display surface to a second domain associated with an image capture device configured to capture a first image of the display surface, and generating a second plurality of meshes configured to map the second domain to a third domain associated with a first projector configured to display a second image onto the display surface. A third plurality of meshes is generated using the first plurality of meshes and the second plurality of meshes. The third plurality of meshes is configured to separately map a plurality of color bands between the first domain and the third domain.

Abstract: A woven projection screen includes a viewing portion having a front side facing toward a viewing zone. The viewing portion includes a plurality of first filaments having asymmetric geometries in cross-section and having reflective surfaces for primarily reflecting an image signal light and a plurality of second filaments. The plurality of first filaments are interwoven with the plurality of second filaments, such that, the plurality of second filaments are configured to support the plurality of first filaments in a manner that causes the reflective surfaces to be positioned to redirect the image signal light into a range of angles toward the viewing zone.

Abstract: A display apparatus comprising a plurality of light guides and method for producing such an apparatus is disclosed. The display apparatus comprises a plurality of substantially totally internally reflecting (TIR) light guides fashioned to expand a small original optical representation from an input of each light guide to a larger optical representation output at an output of each light guide. Each of the plurality of substantially totally internally reflecting light guides is separated from other substantially totally internally reflecting light guides by a material having a lower refraction index than the core material.

Abstract: A full color video projector system using a light source and a single light valve. The output of the light source passes through a condenser lens. The lens is directed toward a splayed array of red, green, and blue dichroic reflector color filters. The reflected three primary color beams first pass through a lenticular lens array, comprised of a plurality of elongated cylinder lenses, arranged in parallel, co-planar relation. The lenticular array produces color stripe illumination pattern, which is redirected and focused by a relay optic upon a reflective micro-mirror light valve. The light valve includes three sub-pixels for every full-color screen pixel. The pixels are arranged in parallel stripes which correspond to the size and configuration of the color strip illumination pattern outputted by the lenticular array. Light valve address circuitry actuates appropriate sub-pixels to reflect incident light energy, in accordance with corresponding video image information.

Abstract: The present invention replaces liquid crystal light control elements in fiber-optic faceplate liquid crystal displays (LCD) with suspended particle devices (SPDs), and provides for passive light control without the need for either polarized light or special alignment layers. A fluid or film containing suspended particles may be asymmetric in shape so that their optical density depends strongly upon their orientation. The orientation of the particles within the fluid can be manipulated by an application of an electric field, so that the fluid or film may appear to be transparent to both polarizations of light when the electric field is applied, and opaque when the electric field is removed and the orientation of the particles is allowed to randomize naturally.

Abstract: A particle display device having a monolayer of a bistable polarizable molecule on either side of a gap filled with a liquid containing suspended particles. The monolayers and the liquid filled gap are disposed between patterned electrodes that are used to apply an electric field across the layers of the gap, thus influencing the orientation or the distribution of the suspended particles. The optical transmission or reflectance of the gap is dependent upon the applied electric field. The polarizable monolayers respond to the applied electric field by assuming one of two stable polarized states. The field provided by the dipoles of the molecules in the monolayer remains after the external field is removed, thereby sustaining the electric field influence on the suspended particles of the display device.

Abstract: An optical display system having a lenticular array for focusing color light beams onto a plane forming a spatial mix of the colors of the beams and an optical translator for shifting the spatial mix of the colors of the plane is disclosed. The system divides white light into primary color beams. The primary color beams are directed to a lenticular array resulting in the color plane. The color plane is then reflected off a light valve and projected as a sub-frame. Multiple sub-frames, each having a permutated spatial color mix (compared to other sub-frames) are projected rapidly to generate a frame of color image.

Abstract: An optical display system includes a source of white uncollimated light, a color separator for separating the white light into spectral components, a reflective ferroelectric light valve for spatially modulating the spectral components, and a polarizing beam splitter for directing vertically polarized light towards a display lens. The system further includes a corrective film disposed in an optical path between the white light source and the light valve. The film, which may be made of a ferroelectric material or other birefringent material, ensures that retardance of the light valve is approximately 180 degrees or some other desired angle over a spectrum of interest. In this manner, the light valve is achromatized by the film.

Abstract: An optical display system includes a light source, a color wheel, an optical train and a light valve. The optical train includes a diffuser element, a compound parabolic concentrator and an integrator. The diffuser element diffuses incoming light to fill in holes in cone half-angle distribution of light generated by the light source. The compound parabolic concentrator reduces the cone half-angle of the diffused light to a cone half-angle expected by the light valve. The integrator reduces hot spots in the diffused light. The color wheel may modulate optical path length of light traveling through the color wheel. Modulating the optical path length reduces coherence in the light generated by the light source. A color wheel that reduces coherence would allow the light source to be laser or LED-based. If the light valve is a ferroelectric light valve, the color wheel may include pairs of polarizers. Light is polarized in orthogonal directions by the polarizers in a pair.

Abstract: Significantly improving in the contrast ratio of a visual image display using a liquid crystal layer and a fiber optic faceplate with tilted fibers. One preferred embodiment of the visual image display includes a liquid crystal layer, a first polarizer and an optical fiber faceplate with many substantially parallel fibers. Each fiber has an axis which forms an oblique angle with the normal to the front surface of the liquid crystal layer. All the oblique angles are substantially equal to a typical oblique angle. The typical oblique angle is selected along the direction that substantially maximizes the contrast ratio of the display.

Abstract: In accordance with the teachings of this invention, a novel liquid crystal display is taught which includes a layer of liquid crystal material, a thin transparent layer, one or more polarizers, and a fiber optic faceplate. The fiber optic faceplate serves to allow ambient light from a much wider range of incident angles to illuminate the LCD than would be the case with prior art LCDs, and allows the viewer to position himself so as to avoid front surface glare and still see the display brightly illuminated, even in difficult lighting situations.

Abstract: In accordance with the teachings of this invention, a novel liquid crystal display is taught which includes a layer of liquid crystal material, one or more polarizers, and a fiber optica faceplate. The fiber optic faceplate serves to allow ambient light from a much wider range of incident angles to illuminate the LCD than would be the case with prior art LCDs, and allows the viewer to position himself so as to avoid front surface glare and still see the display brightly illuminated, even in difficult lighting situations.

Abstract: A novel flat panel display is provided which allows for very precise and reliable detection of the location of the cursor with respect to the displayed image. Parallax problems are eliminated by focusing the displayed image on a panel by projecting the image through the panel. The location of the stylus is accurately determined, in one embodiment, utilizing prior art digitizing techniques together with the use of an erect, unity magnification imaging lens array for displaying the projected image. In another embodiment of this invention, accurate determination of the location of the stylus with respect to the displayed image is provided by causing the stylus to feed signals, for example optical signals, through a significant portion of the optical path used for displaying the image.