Stereoscopic Patents (Class 353/7)
  • Patent number: 8425041
    Abstract: Proposed are various embodiments of projection systems that generally provide stereoscopic images. The projection systems act to split a spatially separated image in a stereoscopic image frame and superimpose the left- and right-eye images on a projection screen with orthogonal polarization states. The embodiments are generally well suited to liquid crystal polarization based projection systems and may use advanced polarization control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: RealD Inc.
    Inventors: Miller H. Schuck, Michael G. Robinson, Douglas J. McKnight, Gary D. Sharp
  • Patent number: 8425042
    Abstract: A multi-segment optical retarder that can be used with or within a single projector for creating 3D images. The multi-segment optical retarder is coupled to an actuator used to effect some predetermined linear, rotary, or oscillating movement of the multi-segment optical retarder such that a fast axis orientation of each segment is substantially constant relative to itself over time and for a given area of incidence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: JDS Uniphase Corporation
    Inventors: Curtis R. Hruska, David M. Shemo, Kim Leong Tan
  • Patent number: 8425043
    Abstract: A projector includes: a first optical device, and a first color combining optical device; a second optical device, and a second color combining optical device; a combining optical device adapted to combine emission light emitted respectively from the first optical device and the second optical device; a first polarization conversion device disposed between the first optical device and the combining optical device, and adapted to align a polarization direction of the emission light from the first optical device into a first polarization direction; and a second polarization conversion device disposed between the second optical device and the combining optical device, and adapted to align a polarization direction of the emission light from the second optical device into a second polarization direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yasunaga Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 8421847
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for converting two-dimensional video frames to stereoscopic video frames, comprising a comparing unit, a temporal transform operator and a spatial transform operator. The comparing unit receives a sequence of two-dimensional video frames and provides a comparison result indicative of temporal difference data for the sequence of two-dimensional video frames. The temporal transform operator is coupled to the comparing unit for modifying the sequence of two-dimensional video frames according to the comparison result. The spatial transform operator is coupled to the comparing unit and the temporal transform operator for generating a stereoscopic frame pair according to each frame of the modified video frames. The stereoscopic frame pair comprises a left-eye video frame and a right-eye video frame for providing visual differences perceived by human eyes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Mediatek Inc.
    Inventor: Te-Chi Hsiao
  • Publication number: 20130088687
    Abstract: A control section relatively decreases an absolute value of a current supplied to a discharge lamp in a first period and relatively increases the absolute value in a second period, and in the second period, performs any one of a first control for supplying an alternating current to the discharge lamp, a second control for supplying, to the discharge lamp, a current in which a maximum duration of a first polarity is longer than that in the first control, and a third control for supplying, to the discharge lamp, a current in which a maximum duration of a second polarity is longer than that in the first control, and as the state of deterioration proceeds, decreases at least one of the maximum duration of the first polarity in the second control and the maximum duration of the second polarity in the third control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuo TERASHIMA, Shun SATO
  • Patent number: 8414130
    Abstract: A method of displaying an image on a screen having upper and lower extremities to a viewer located in front of the screen and at a horizontal distance from the screen, the method comprising the steps of: (a) inclining the screen at an angle of 60° or less to a horizontal plane behind the screen; (b) arranging the viewer and screen such that the upper extremity of the screen is further away than its lower extremity from the point of view of the viewer with said upper extremity above the head height of the viewer; and, (c) displaying the image on the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: University of York
    Inventor: Adar Pelah
  • Publication number: 20130083291
    Abstract: An autostereoscopic apparatus for providing a 3D image to a viewer at a range of vertical eye locations. The apparatus includes a projection screen with a light receiving surface that is horizontally retroreflective and vertically diffusive. The apparatus includes a projector assembly including at least two projectors arranged side-by-side such that projection lenses of the projectors are horizontally aligned in a row. The apparatus includes a controller selectively operating the projectors to project at least two differing point-of-view images. The projection screen may take a number of useful embodiments to implement the autostereoscopic apparatus. For example, the projection screen may include a bottom layer including a retroreflective film that is retroreflective at least in the horizontal direction such as a brightness enhancement film and a top layer formed of a transparent sheet of lenticular material arranged for vertical diffusing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Quinn Smithwick, Lanny S. Smoot, Daniel Reetz
  • Publication number: 20130083292
    Abstract: A color stereoscopic digital projection system having a plurality of color channels for projecting a color stereoscopic image, comprising: left-eye and right-eye image forming systems, each including a light sources for each color channel; a spatial light modulator, illumination optics arranged to receive the light beams and provide corresponding substantially uniform bands of light, beam scanning optics arranged to cyclically scroll the bands of light across the spatial light modulator, and a controller system that synchronously modulates the pixels of the spatial light modulator according to image data. The right-eye and left-eye light sources have corresponding spectrally-adjacent, substantially non-overlapping spectral bands falling within the same component color spectrum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Inventor: Barry David Silverstein
  • Patent number: 8408708
    Abstract: A polarization switch provides substantially ideal binary polarization switching over a broad range of wavelengths using a polarization modulation wheel having at least one retarder stack that transforms polarization. Using the polarization modulation wheel in a polarization system provides a high throughput polarization switch and operates over a wide range of incidence angles while providing substantially continuous and smooth polarization output for each component for any selected polarization basis set. The polarization modulation wheel is well-suited for stereoscopic polarized projection applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: RealD Inc.
    Inventor: Gary D. Sharp
  • Publication number: 20130077052
    Abstract: A projector includes a lamp that emits projection light to project 3D picture, in which a right eye image and a left eye image are represented in a time division manner, to an object, a synchronization signal transmission section which transmits shutter synchronization signal to glasses having a right eye shutter and a left eye shutter to control the opened state or the closed state of the right eye shutter and the left eye shutter, based on the signal indicating a displaying period of the right eye image and the left eye image of 3D picture, and a lamp drive section that supplies AC current having peak overlapping with a period when the right eye shutter of the glasses is in the opened state and peak overlapping with a period when the left eye shutter of the glasses is in the opened state to the lamp, based on the signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirosada HORIGUCHI, Hiroshi YOSHIMOTO, Tadashi YAMADA, Keiji FUKUHARA
  • Patent number: 8403489
    Abstract: Spectral separation filters for channels of a 3D image projection incorporate passbands of primary colors. In at least one of the filters, passbands are present in more than 3 primary colors. A set of two filters include a first filter having passbands of low blue, high blue, low green, high green, and red, and a second filter having passbands of blue, green, and red. The additional primary passbands of the first filter allow for an increased color space in projections through the filters compared to filters only having red, green, and blue primaries. The added flexibility of the increased color space is utilized to more closely match a color space and white point of a projector in which the filters are used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Martin Richards, Gary D. Gomes
  • Patent number: 8403488
    Abstract: Projection systems and methods for providing stereoscopic images viewed through passive polarizing eyewear. The systems relate to projectors that create left and right eye images simultaneously and often as side-by-side images on the image modulator. The systems act to superimpose the spatially separated images on a projection screen with alternate polarization states. The embodiments are best suited to liquid crystal polarization based projection systems and use advanced polarization control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: RealD Inc.
    Inventors: Miller H. Schuck, Michael G. Robinson, Douglas J. McKnight, Gary D. Sharp
  • Patent number: 8403487
    Abstract: A stereo-image displaying apparatus including an adjustable light source module, a spatial modulator, and an image display panel is provided. The adjustable light source module is adapted for emitting a plurality of first illumination beams and a plurality of second illumination beams that are staggered along a first axis. The spatial modulator and the image display panel are sequentially disposed on the light path of the first and second illumination beams. The first illumination beam passes through the spatial modulator so that the image display panel displays a first view field image in a first frame period. The second illumination beam passes through the spatial modulator so that the image display panel displays a second view field image in a second frame period. Moreover, a method for reducing stereo-image cross-talk is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Kuen Lee, Kuo-Chung Huang, Chao-Hsu Tsai
  • Publication number: 20130057663
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to image viewing systems. In one aspect, an image viewing system includes a projection system (104, 504, 604), and a dynamically reconfigurable screen (102, 502, 602). The projection system projects two or more images of perspective views of objects or a scene onto the screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Inventors: Alexandre M. Bratkovski, Huei Pei Kuo, Peter George Hartwell
  • Publication number: 20130057830
    Abstract: A stereoscopic display system including a plurality of image projection apparatuses and a screen module is provided. The image projection apparatuses are configured to respectively project a plurality of image beams, and the screen module is disposed on transmission paths of the image beams. The screen module includes an optical diffusion layer, a first image guiding plate, and a second image guiding plate. The first image guiding plate is disposed between the image projection apparatuses and the optical diffusion layer, and includes a plurality of first optical structures arranged in period. The optical diffusion layer is disposed between the first image guiding plate and the second image guiding plate. The second image guiding plate includes a plurality of second optical structures arranged in period. A screen module is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Chao-Hsu Tsai, Chang-Shuo Wu, Chang-Ying Chen
  • Patent number: 8388138
    Abstract: A projection apparatus has a first light beam having a first state of polarization and containing a first set of primary colors, a first light modulator arrangement for spatially modulating the polarization state of the first light beam to encode a first image thereon in the first set of primary colors, a second light beam having a second state of polarization and containing a second set of primary colors, and a second light modulator arrangement for spatially modulating the polarization state of the second light beam to encode a second image thereon. A polarizing beam splitter having first and second input ports to admit the first and second encoded light beams. Light of one polarization state incident on the first port is transmitted to the output port and light of another polarization state incident on the second port is reflected to said output port so that said transmitted and reflected light is combined into a common output beam at said output port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Inventor: Simon Andrew Boothroyd
  • Patent number: 8360581
    Abstract: This invention provides a stereoscopic image display system that allows a plurality of experiencing persons to visually recognize stereoscopic images by their naked eyes at one time. In correspondence with a distance between eyes of an experiencing person, a plurality of projectors and a plurality of half mirrors are arranged around a periphery of a retroreflective sheet placed horizontally. The respective projectors receive parallax images of an object as a display target which are taken along a circumferential direction of the object. Image light beams (left and right parallax images) emitted from the adjacent two projectors are reflected from the half mirrors and then enter the retroreflective sheet. The two incident image light beams are reflected from the retroreflective sheet in directions of incidence thereof, respectively. The two reflected light beams pass through the half mirrors and then separately enter the right and left eyes of the experiencing person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Eizo Nanao Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiko Yabui, Hiroshi Ito
  • Publication number: 20130009862
    Abstract: A display apparatus including an image generator, a projection lens set, a depth detecting module detecting the position of user, and a control unit is provided, wherein the control unit is electrically connected to the image generator, the projection lens set and the depth detecting module. An image displayed by the image generator is projected through the projection lens set and generates a floating real image between the projection lens set and the user. Each beam forming the floating real image has a light-cone angle ?. The image generator and the projection lens adjust the position of the floating real image according to the position of user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Yi-Jen Chan, Golden Tiao, Chang-Ying Chen, Chy-Lin Wang, Kun-Lung Tseng, Shang-Yi Lin
  • Publication number: 20130010263
    Abstract: A display apparatus including a plurality of image generating units is provided. Each of the image generating units includes an image source and a dioptric module. The image source provides an image beam. The dioptric module is disposed on a light path of the image beam and has dioptric power. The dioptric module forms an image floating in the air and corresponding to the image source, and the dioptric module is located between the image source and the image. The image generating units are arranged in an array, and the images formed by the image generating units are arranged in an array and combined to form an image frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Chy-Lin Wang, Golden Tiao, Chir-Weei Chang
  • Publication number: 20130003020
    Abstract: A 3D display system using a planar sheet of mist or water droplets as a rear projection screen. The system includes a screen generation assembly with a nozzle configured to convert supply water into a screen of water droplets. The screen is substantially planar and has a front surface facing a viewing area and an opposite rear surface. The display system includes a projection assembly projecting 3D content onto the rear surface. The projection assembly includes a first projector projecting left eye images and a second projector projecting right eye images. The 3D content may be provided using polarization or other 3D technology. For example, the first projector includes a first interference filter and the second projector includes a second interference filter differing from the first interference filter, whereby the left and right eye images are presented concurrently on the rear surface with differing bands of the visible color spectrum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Erik M. Koehler, Justin A. Sykes
  • Publication number: 20120327199
    Abstract: An autostereoscopic displaying unit is for displaying an image, which includes a plurality of viewing-zone images corresponding to a plurality of viewing zones. The autostereoscopic displaying unit includes a viewing zone adjusting module for adjusting a content of each pixel of the image corresponding to a determined one of the viewing zones according to a viewing-zone shifting information. The viewing-zone shifting information includes a viewing-zone correction for distortion of a projection lens, and the image is then modified as an adjusted image. A projection module with the projection lens projects the adjusted image. A viewing zone modulating screen receives and displays the adjusted image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Cheng-Huan Chen, Chao-Hsu Tsai, Chang-Shuo Wu, Chang-Ying Chen
  • Patent number: 8328360
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention involve novel display screens comprising light diffusion and retro-reflectivity. In embodiments, a retro-reflective light diffusion screen can be used to generate a three-dimensional autostereoscopic display by generating a plurality of viewing windows wherein each viewing window depicts a unique perspective image view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Chunyu Gao, Jing Xiao
  • Patent number: 8328362
    Abstract: Three dimensional projection systems may be single projector or multiple projector systems. These 3D projection systems may include a polarization conversion system (PCS). The PCS may be designed for relatively small throw ratios and thus, may be designed to accommodate the small throw ratios. The PCS may include a polarizing beam splitter, a first optical stack, a reflector and a second quarter wave retarder. The first optical stack may include a rotator, a polarizer, a polarization switch and a first quarter wave retarder. The PCS may receive light from a projector and the PBS may direct the light toward the first optical stack. The light may be converted to a different polarization state as it passes through the first optical stack. The converted light may then be re-directed by a reflecting element to the second quarter wave retarder. The second quarter wave retarder may convert linearly polarized light to circularly polarized light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: RealD Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Coleman, Miller H. Schuck, Gary D. Sharp, Scott E. Gilman
  • Publication number: 20120307210
    Abstract: The present invention comprises an apparatus and method for presenting a three-dimensional image in a stereoscopic environment. The apparatus includes glasses, and a projector having two or more light sources, one or more mirrors, and an adjustment device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventor: Riney Bennett
  • Publication number: 20120300175
    Abstract: A filter wheel having spirally shaped left and right channel 3D filters. The 3D filters are, for example, spectral separation filters. The filter is mounted, for example, close to an integrating rod output of a projector. The left and right channel filtered light scrolls across a modulation device which is energized with correspondingly scrolling left and right image data. In one embodiment, the integrating rod comprises mirrored surfaces to facilitate recycling of light reflected off the filter wheel. The filter wheel may be placed in a single or dual projector configuration. In one embodiment, the filters are fixed at the end of an integrating rod using “re-cycled” light to illuminate different channels of a projection system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventor: Martin Richards
  • Patent number: 8310409
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a display apparatus and a display method that enable multiple users to view high resolution moving images from various viewing points of the users. A light-control screen 25 is rotated, and projectors 211 to 21N irradiate the screen 25 from various directions with light rays corresponding to image data captured from those directions. In this case, when the forward direction of the light-control screen 25 is aligned with the projecting direction of one of the projectors 21n, an image corresponding to light rays emitted from the projector 21n is displayed on the light-control screen 25. The present invention may be applied to a display apparatus for displaying images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsujiro Kondo, Yuji Okumura, Tsugihiko Haga, Tetsuya Murakami, Kenji Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8303120
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes a projector receiving an image signal and projecting image light and a screen including a projection plane of arbitrary shape. The projector and screen are connected with link mechanisms and link mechanisms. The relative position and posture between the projector and the screen are automatically or manually changeable. The relative position and posture between the projector and the screen are measured, and correction parameters for correcting distortion of image light projected from the projector onto the screen are calculated from the previously set viewing position of the viewer and the shape of the projection plane of the projector. Based on the calculated correction parameters, the image signal inputted into the projector is subjected to distortion correction processing. It is therefore possible to allow the viewer to see a clear image even if the position of the screen is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hoshino, Ryo Kawamura, Atsuyuki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8287127
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention involve novel three-dimensional display systems. Multi-view-window-based display systems are used to generate floating three-dimensional displays. In embodiments, an optical focusing element is positioned at a distance that is greater than or equal to the focal length of the optical focusing element from the viewing windows to form projected viewing windows through which a user can see a floating 3D image. In alternative embodiments, an optical focusing element is positioned at a distance that is less than the focal length of the optical focusing element from the viewing windows to form a rear-projection-like three-dimensional display system. In embodiments, a retro-reflective light diffusion screen is used in the multi-view-window-based display systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Chunyu Gao, Jing Xiao
  • Publication number: 20120257124
    Abstract: A display apparatus for displaying multiple images of viewing angles is disclosed. The display apparatus comprises a display screen and a projector. The projector has at least one light source module, an optical component module, a first light modulator, a second light modulator and a projection lens. The light source module generates a light beam, which is divided into a first portion light and a second portion light after passing through the optical component module. The first portion light and the second portion light are respectively received by the first light modulator and the second light modulator, and transformed into the image of the first viewing angle image and the second viewing angle respectively. Then, the image of the first viewing angle and the second viewing angle are projected to the display screen by the projection lens simultaneously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventor: Junejei Huang
  • Publication number: 20120249967
    Abstract: A method for adjusting color, suitable for a three dimension (3D) projector, is provided. In the present invention, a plurality of segment ranges of a color wheel is covered one by one, and it is measured a color temperature corresponding to the color wheel after each of the segment ranges is covered. Then, each of the color temperatures is compared with a standard color temperature for choosing one of the color temperatures closest to the standard color temperature. And the segment range corresponding to the color temperatures closest to the standard color temperature is regarded as a correctional covering segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: ACER INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Chen-Kang Su, Hsin-Yu Chen
  • Publication number: 20120249968
    Abstract: A light beam projected from a projector passes through a microlens and then is focused on an extremely small region (hereinafter, will be called a deflection point). After that, the light beam is diverged as a directional light beam from the region serving as the deflection point. Thus, a viewer of a stereoscopic display perceives light beams as extremely small pixels. In reality, the deflection points are largely spaced, so that a rough image is perceived by a viewer who observes a screen. An autostereoscopic display including a two-dimensional image display device and an optical element, the optical element having a structure that simultaneously diffuses and deflects light emitted from the two-dimensional image display device, so that a stereoscopic image is displayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: HITACHI CONSUMER ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takafumi Koike, Michio Oikawa, Masami Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 8267522
    Abstract: An optical element includes a mirror surface configured to transmit certain part of incident light and to reflect the other part of the incident light. The mirror surface has a first region and a second region. The first region includes a first polarization conversion layer configured to convert a polarization direction of incident light incident on the first region from one linear polarization into a different linear polarization. A region of the optical element from which light transmitted through the first region is emitted includes a second polarization conversion layer configured to convert a polarization direction of the light transmitted through the first region from the different linear polarization into the one linear polarization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Makoto Maeda
  • Patent number: 8267520
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to optical imaging and specifically to methods and systems for generating observable real images. The method consists of steps in configuring an image source and optical components, and defining the position of an observer in such a way that a binocular observation leads to a perception of a three-dimensional object being located in front of a background, and/or “hanging in mid-air” in front of an apparatus designed in accordance with the present invention. Particular embodiments of the invention may include various apparatus for implementing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Avatekh, Inc.
    Inventor: Alexei V. Nikitin
  • Publication number: 20120229771
    Abstract: A projector modulates a light beam emitted from a light source in accordance with image information, and then projects a right-eye image and a left-eye image on a screen in a time-sharing manner. The projector includes a projection lens adapted to project the light modulated, a lens shift mechanism adapted to move the projection lens in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis, a transmitting device adapted to output an optical signal synchronous with switching between the right-eye image and the left-eye image toward the screen, and an interlocking mechanism adapted to move the transmitting device in conjunction with the lens shift mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshinori HASHIMOTO, Toshimitsu WATANABE
  • Patent number: 8264525
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for stereoscopic 3D image projection and viewing using a single projection source, alternating polarization, and passive eyewear. This approach is applicable to frame sequential video created using existing 3D graphics APIs, as well as other video signal formats, and is compatible with existing digital light processor (DLP) technology for both front and rear projection systems. An alternating polarizer filter actuator in the form of a closed feedback loop is used to modulate the projected image. A preferred embodiment enables an existing DLP projection system to be enhanced with 3D capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Casimer M. DeCusatis, Timothy M. Trifilo
  • Patent number: 8264772
    Abstract: A method disclosed herein relates to displaying three-dimensional images. The method comprising, projecting integral images to a display device, and displaying three-dimensional images with the display device. Further disclosed herein is an apparatus for displaying orthoscopic 3-D images. The apparatus comprising, a projector for projecting integral images, and a micro-convex-mirror array for displaying the projected images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: The University of Connecticut
    Inventors: Bahram Javidi, Ju-Seog Jang, Hyunju Ha, legal representative
  • Patent number: 8242973
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus receives first and second input image signals and generates first and second projection image signals for projecting images from first and second projectors so as to be superimposed on a screen. A storage unit stores, for each projection position on the screen, intensity ratios between projected light from the first and second projectors when viewing from first and second viewing position. An intensity correcting unit adds the first and second input image signals in proportions set for generating the first projection image signal and in proportions set for generating the second projection image signal, according to the stored intensity ratios. The first projection image signal is supplied to the first projector and the second projection image signal is supplied to the second projector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Tanaka, Tetsujiro Kondo, Tetsushi Kokubo, Hitoshi Mukai, Hirofumi Hibi, Kazumasa Tanaka, Hiroyuki Morisaki
  • Publication number: 20120200829
    Abstract: An imaging device is disclosed which may include at least one single pixel imaging sensor configured to sense image data for a single pixel along a line of sight. The imaging device may also include at least one reorientable mirror, of which each reorientable mirror is exclusively optically coupled to one or more of said at least one single pixel imaging sensor for deflecting the line of sight of that single pixel imaging sensor. The imaging device may further include a controller for synchronously reorienting each of said at least one reorientable mirror to scan the line of sight across at least a sector of a scene. The imaging device may also include a readout circuit for reading out acquired image data from each of said at least one single pixel imaging sensor. The imaging device may be configured to sample at least two independent dimensions of a four dimensional light field. A plenoptic imaging device and a plenoptic projector device are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Inventors: Alexander BRONSTEIN, Michael Bronstein, Ron Kimmel
  • Patent number: 8233036
    Abstract: A three-dimensional image display apparatus having improved resolution and an expanded elementary three-dimensional space is disclosed. The three-dimensional image display apparatus includes a display device sampling, multiplexing, and displaying a plurality of parallax images so as to implement a three-dimensional image; and a lenticular lens plate provided on the front surface of the display device and having a vertical axis tilted from a vertical axis of the display device by a predetermined angle ?. The number of parallax images included in an elementary three-dimensional image of the three-dimensional image is a multiple of 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Tae Soo Park
  • Patent number: 8220929
    Abstract: A three-dimensional image display apparatus includes a light source and an optical system including a light modulation unit having pixels for generating a two-dimensional image by modulating light from the light source by the respective pixels and emitting a spatial frequency in the generated two-dimensional image along a diffraction angle corresponding to diffraction orders generated from the respective pixels, a Fourier transform image formation unit for performing Fourier transform on the spatial frequency in the two-dimensional image to generate Fourier transform images corresponding to the diffraction orders, a Fourier transform image selection unit for selecting a Fourier transform image corresponding to a desired diffraction order among the Fourier transform images, and a conjugate image formation unit for forming a conjugate image of the selected Fourier transform image, and further includes a semi-transmissive mirror for changing a light ray travelling direction emitted from the optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuyuki Miyawaki, Kyohei Iwamoto, Yoshio Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8220931
    Abstract: A stereoscopic digital image projecting system has a light source system energizable to provide polarized illumination having a first polarization state and a beam splitting system alternately generating first and second light beams having different polarization states from the polarized illumination. A combining system has a polarization beam combiner that combines the first and second light beams into a combined light beam. A spatial light modulator is used to modulate the combined light beam in a manner consistent with stereoscopic image data to form a first modulated image from illumination in the combined light beam having the first polarization state and to form a second modulated image from illumination in the combined light beam having the second polarization state. Projection optics are configured to project the first and second modulated images onto a display surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Barry D. Silverstein, James R. Kircher, Joseph R. Bietry
  • Patent number: 8220938
    Abstract: In a light projection system, potentially hierarchical levels of light intensity control ensure proper laser-light output intensity, color channel intensity, white point, left/right image intensity balancing, or combinations thereof. The light projection system can include a light intensity sensor in an image path, in a light-source subsystem light-dump path, in a light-modulation subsystem light-dump path, in a position to measure light leaked from optical components, or combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Barry D. Silverstein, Richard P. Corey
  • Publication number: 20120176585
    Abstract: A discharge lamp driving device includes: a direct-current power supply section (a power supply section) that controls a current of power to be supplied to a discharge lamp from input power, and outputs the current; a voltage detecting section that detects a lamp voltage (a drive voltage) of the discharge lamp; and a control section that controls a modulation factor of a lamp current (a drive current) on which amplitude modulation has been performed, the lamp current (the drive current) which is supplied to the discharge lamp from the direct-current power supply section (the power supply section), in accordance with the detected lamp voltage (drive voltage) of the discharge lamp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keishi KIMURA
  • Publication number: 20120162608
    Abstract: A projector includes an image projection unit that projects an image for left eye and an image for right eye, and a transmitting unit that transmits a synchronizing signal for synchronization with switching between the image for left eye and the image for right eye. The transmitting unit is arranged to adjust a transmission direction of the synchronizing signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Makoto Eguchi
  • Patent number: 8207961
    Abstract: A stereoscopic image display device for displaying a three dimensional (3D) stereoscopic image in real-time by using a 3D graphic contained within a 2D image. The stereoscopic image display device includes a controller, a 3D graphic processor, a driver, and a display unit. The controller receives 3D graphic data and a synchronization signal, and outputs a control signal and the 3D graphic data. The 3D graphic processor generates a plurality of stereoscopic matrices used to generate 3D stereoscopic image data for a plurality of viewing points according to the control signal, and transforms the 3D graphic data into 3D stereoscopic image data using the plurality of stereoscopic matrices. The driver generates a driving signal based on the image data output from the 3D graphic processor and the output control signal. The display unit displays an image corresponding to the image data according to the driving signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignees: Samsung Mobile Display Co., Ltd., Nexuschips Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Myoung-Seop Song, Jang-Doo Lee, Hyoung-Wook Jang, Hag-Keun Kim, Duck-Myung Lee, Han-Jun Choi, Hyun-Sook Kim, Woo-Jong Lee
  • Publication number: 20120154752
    Abstract: A projector that outputs a first image and a second image alternately while performing switching between the first image and the second image, includes: a discharge lamp driving section that supplies, to a discharge lamp, a drive current that drives the discharge lamp; a state detecting section that detects a deteriorating state of the discharge lamp; and a control section that controls the discharge lamp driving section, wherein the control section controls the discharge lamp driving section so that the absolute value of the drive current becomes relatively small in a first period and relatively large in a second period and controls the discharge lamp driving section so that the ratio of the absolute value of the drive current in the second period to the absolute value of the drive current in the first period is increased with the progress of the deteriorating state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuo TERASHIMA, Shun SATO
  • Patent number: 8203598
    Abstract: A method for capturing a three-dimensional image. The method comprises capturing a combined beam of light having first polarized beam of light and a second polarized beam of light, sampling the combined beam of light using an imager, and providing the first polarized image to a first output and the second polarized image to a second output. The first polarized beam of light and the second polarized beam of light are orthogonally polarized. The imager includes a set of first polarized pixels for sampling the first polarized beam of light to produce a first polarized image, and a set of second polarized pixels for sampling the second polarized beam of light to produce a second polarized image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Juan Martinez, Andrew Berger
  • Patent number: 8201945
    Abstract: A 2D/3D switchable display system is disclosed having a selector for selecting a two-dimensional (2D) or a three-dimensional (3D) image processing path. A first processor processes image data through the two-dimensional image processing path; a second processor, independent of the first processor, processes image data through the three dimensional image processing path. An important feature is the provision of a first set of at least three emitters having corresponding first wavelengths, and a second set of at least three emitters having corresponding second wavelengths. A controller that during a 2D operation activates both first and second sets of emitters to present a single image, while during a 3D operation activates the first set of emitters to present a first image having one half of stereo image information and activates the second set of emitters to present a second image having a second half of stereo image information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Carolyn R. Ellinger, Paul J. Kane
  • Publication number: 20120140182
    Abstract: An autostereoscopic projection arrangement, comprising at least one projector and at least one filter array, in which arrangement bits of partial information from views of a scene or object are projected by the projector/projectors onto a projection screen, where these bits of partial information are rendered on image rendering elements and, having passed one or several of the filter arrays are made visible to at least one observer, and in which, as regards the propagation direction of the bits of partial information, the image rendering elements correspond with correlated filter elements in such a way that an observer will see predominantly bits of partial information from a first selection of views with one eye and predominantly bits of partial information from a second selection of views with the other eye, and thus will have a spatial impression.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Inventors: Ingo Relke, Stephan Otte, Markus Klippstein, Thomas Bruggert, Bernd Riemann
  • Publication number: 20120127434
    Abstract: A projection-type display system includes: a projection-type display apparatus that alternately switches images for the left eye and images for the right eye and projects the images onto an object; and an opening and closing control device that receives a control signal based on the display states of the images projected onto the object by the projection-type display apparatus and controls switching apertures of stereoscopic image viewing glasses corresponding to left and right eyes, wherein the projection-type display apparatus is connected to one end of a LAN cable and the opening and closing control device is connected to the other end of the LAN cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Inventors: Yukihiro SASAZAKI, Masaaki Mizoe