Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080225236 | Polarization conversion systems for stereoscopic projection - A polarization conversion system (PCS) is located in the output light path of a projector. The PCS may include a polarizing beam splitter, a polarization rotating element, a reflecting element, and a polarization switch. Typically, a projector outputs randomly-polarized light. This light is input to the PCS, in which the PCS separates p-polarized light and s-polarized light at the polarizing beam splitter. P-polarized light is directed toward the polarization switch on a first path. The s-polarized light is passed on a second path through the polarization rotating element (e.g., a half-wave plate), thereby transforming it to p-polarized light. A reflecting element directs the transformed polarized light (now p-polarized) along the second path toward the polarization switch. The first and second light paths are ultimately directed toward a projection screen to collectively form a brighter screen image in cinematic applications utilizing polarized light for three-dimensional viewing. | 09-18-2008 |
20090128780 | Polarization conversion system and method for stereoscopic projection - A polarization conversion system separates light from an unpolarized image source into a first state of polarization (SOP) and an orthogonal second SOP, and directs the polarized light on first and second light paths. The SOP of light on only one of the light paths is transformed to an orthogonal state such that both light paths have the same SOP. A polarization modulator temporally modulates the light on the first and second light paths to first and second output states of polarization. First and second projection lenses direct light on the first and second light paths toward a projection screen to form substantially overlapping polarization encoded images. The polarization modulator may be located before or after the projection lenses. The polarization-encoded images may be viewed using eyewear with appropriate polarization filters. | 05-21-2009 |
20110205495 | Waveplate compensation in projection polarization conversion system - 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. | 08-25-2011 |
20110205496 | Polarization conversion systems for stereoscopic projection - A polarization conversion system (PCS) is located in the output light path of a projector. The PCS may include a polarizing beam splitter, a polarization rotating element, a reflecting element, and a polarization switch. Typically, a projector outputs randomly-polarized light. This light is input to the PCS, in which the PCS separates p-polarized light and s-polarized light at the polarizing beam splitter. P-polarized light is directed toward the polarization switch on a first path. The s-polarized light is passed on a second path through the polarization rotating element (e.g., a half-wave plate), thereby transforming it to p-polarized light. A reflecting element directs the transformed polarized light (now p-polarized) along the second path toward the polarization switch. The first and second light paths are ultimately directed toward a projection screen to collectively form a brighter screen image in cinematic applications utilizing polarized light for three-dimensional viewing. | 08-25-2011 |
20120320165 | Anamorphic stereoscopic optical apparatus and related methods - Disclosed herein are apparatuses and methods for reclaiming the full field of view (FOV) of the original camera lens in a stereoscopic image capture system using an anamorphic attachment. Also disclosed are apparatuses and methods of projecting stereoscopic images on a fixed size screen from a single projector that was initially designed primarily for 2D operation. An exemplary apparatus may comprise an anamorphic afocal converter configured to halve a FOV of a camera or projector into two optical paths, and convert the halved FOVs into two full FOVs of the camera or projector. Such an apparatus may further comprise reflecting elements cooperatively arranged to direct two rectified images at a camera sensor or projection screen, where one or more reflecting elements receive the first of the two full FOVs and one or more reflecting elements receive the second of the two full FOVs. | 12-20-2012 |
20130100414 | Waveplate compensation in projection polarization conversion systems - Three dimensional projection systems may be single projector or multiple projector systems. These 3D projection systems may include a one or more polarization conversion systems (PCS). Each PCS may be designed for relatively small throw ratios and thus, may be designed to accommodate the small throw ratios. Each 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. Each PCS may receive light from a respective projector, and the PBS in each PCS may direct the light toward the first optical stacks. 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 a second quarter wave retarder. The second quarter wave retarder may convert linearly polarized light to circularly polarized light. | 04-25-2013 |
20130113788 | Imaging path speckle mitigation - Disclosed herein are optical projection systems and related methods for projecting imagery employing shifting image position in-time to mitigate speckle. Exemplary optical systems may include a projector having a light source, a relay lens and at least one projection lens for projecting images. The relay lens or the projection lens may have at least one lens element that may be translated in-time substantially orthogonal to the optical axis of the optical system. Alternatively, the projection lens in its entirety may be shifted in-time to reduce speckle. Further, in stereoscopic embodiments, two projection lenses may be employed, wherein at least one element in each projection lens is moveable to shift the image in-time to reduce speckle. Moreover, electronic compensation, such as electronic addressing or image warping, for the image shifting may be employed to shift the image in a direction opposite to the speckle-reducing shift in position. | 05-09-2013 |
20130135589 | Laser beam scanned display apparatus and method thereof - Generally, near seamless electronics displays may be employed in cinema and exhibition applications. Laser scanned displays may be enabled such that the display may display three dimensional (ā3Dā) content. A first method to enable a laser scanned display for 3D content may employ polarization, with or without polarization conversion and another method may employ multiple colors. Additionally, the envelope function that may be employed across the display may be achieved by changing laser power as a beam is scanned on the screen or by changing the dwell time of the laser beam on the pixels. One method of minimizing the effects of seams in the screen may be to reduce the screen resolution near the seams by screen design and/or laser beam dwell time or illumination energy. | 05-30-2013 |
20130169935 | Polarization conversion systems for stereoscopic projection - A polarization conversion system (PCS) is located in the output light path of a projector. The PCS may include a polarizing beam splitter, a polarization rotating element, a reflecting element, and a polarization switch. Typically, a projector outputs randomly-polarized light. This light is input to the PCS, in which the PCS separates p-polarized light and s-polarized light at the polarizing beam splitter. P-polarized light is directed toward the polarization switch on a first path. The s-polarized light is passed on a second path through the polarization rotating element (e.g., a half-wave plate), thereby transforming it to p-polarized light. A reflecting element directs the transformed polarized light (now p-polarized) along the second path toward the polarization switch. The first and second light paths are ultimately directed toward a projection screen to collectively form a brighter screen image in cinematic applications utilizing polarized light for three-dimensional viewing. | 07-04-2013 |
20130176407 | Beam scanned display apparatus and method thereof - Generally, display systems may be employed in cinema and exhibition applications. Laser scanned display systems may be enabled such that the display systems may display three dimensional (ā3Dā) content. One example of a display system may include a diffusive screen which may be a transmissive diffuser and at least a light engine or an array of light engines, in which the light engine or array of light engines may include at least a light source, beam combining optics which may combine colors into at least one of a single beam or closely spaced beams, and at least a scanning system which may steer the beam to a desired location on the diffusive screen. | 07-11-2013 |
20130182227 | Optical systems with compact back focal lengths - Optical systems, such as 2-D and 3-D projection systems, may be configured to have a compact back focal length to allow for more compact projection lenses, lower throw ratios, improved contrast, or any combination thereof. In an embodiment, an optical system may include a relay element configured to form an intermediate image having a focal point proximate to a projection lens. | 07-18-2013 |
20130222709 | Stereoscopic projection system employing spatial multiplexing at an intermediate image plane - 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. | 08-29-2013 |
20130307831 | Wide angle imaging directional backlights - An imaging directional backlight apparatus including a waveguide, a light source array, for providing large area directed illumination from localized light sources. The waveguide may include a stepped structure, in which the steps may further include extraction features optically hidden to guided light, propagating in a first forward direction. Returning light propagating in a second backward direction may be refracted, diffracted, or reflected by the features to provide discrete illumination beams exiting from the top surface of the waveguide. Viewing windows are formed through imaging individual light sources and hence defines the relative positions of system elements and ray paths. The uncorrected system creates non-illuminated void portions when viewed off-axis preventing uniform wide angle 2D illumination modes. The system may be corrected to remove this non uniformity at wide angles through the introduction of additional sources away from the system's object plane, additional imaging surfaces, and/or by altering ray paths. | 11-21-2013 |
20130307946 | Crosstalk suppression in a directional backlight - Disclosed is a light guiding valve apparatus including a light valve, a two dimensional light emitting element array and an input side arranged to reduce light reflection for providing large area directional illumination from localized light emitting elements with low cross talk. A waveguide includes a stepped structure, in which the steps may include extraction features hidden to guided light propagating in a first forward direction. Returning light propagating in a second backward direction may be refracted or reflected by the features to provide discrete illumination beams exiting from the top surface of the waveguide. Stray light falling onto a light input side of the waveguide is at least partially absorbed. | 11-21-2013 |
20130308185 | Polarization recovery in a directional display device - Disclosed is an imaging directional backlight polarization recovery apparatus including an imaging directional backlight with at least a polarization sensitive reflection component with optional polarization transformation and redirection elements. Viewing windows may be formed through imaging individual light sources and hence defines the relative positions of system elements and ray paths. The base imaging directional backlight systems provide substantially unpolarized light primarily for the illumination of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) resulting in at least 50% loss in light output when using a conventional sheet polarizer as input to the display. The invention herein introduces a polarization sensitive reflecting element to separate desired and undesired polarization states for the purposes of transformation and redirection of the reflected light for usable illumination. Polarization transformation and redirection can be provided by additional components such as retarder films and specular mirror surfaces. | 11-21-2013 |
20130308339 | Directional backlight - Disclosed is a light guiding valve apparatus including at least one transparent stepped waveguide optical valve for providing large area collimated illumination from localized light sources, and at least one further illumination source. A stepped waveguide may be a stepped structure, where the steps include extraction features hidden to guided light, propagating in a first forward direction. Returning light propagating in a second backward direction may be refracted, diffracted, or reflected by the features to provide discrete illumination beams exiting from the top surface of the waveguide. Such controlled illumination may provide for efficient, multi-user autostereoscopic displays as well as improved 2D display functionality. Light from a separate illumination source may pass through the transparent stepped waveguide optical valve to provide at least one further additional illumination function. | 11-21-2013 |
20130321599 | Directional display apparatus - Disclosed is a light guiding valve apparatus including an imaging directional backlight, an illuminator array and an observer tracking system arranged to achieve control of an array of illuminators which may provide a directional display to an observer over a wide lateral and longitudinal viewing range, wherein the number of optical windows presented to the observer as viewing windows is controlled dependent on the lateral and longitudinal position or speed of an observer. | 12-05-2013 |
20130321913 | Directional Backlight - Disclosed is an optical inline light guiding apparatus which may include a substantially parallel planar light expansion section and a light extraction section comprising a stepped structure, in which the steps may be extraction features and guiding features. Such controlled illumination may provide for efficient, multi-user autostereoscopic displays with wide viewing freedom, high efficiency and low cross talk and other directional display uses. | 12-05-2013 |
20130335821 | Source conditioning for imaging directional backlights - Disclosed is an imaging directional backlight apparatus for providing large area uniform directed illumination from localized light sources. Within an exemplary optical valve system, a waveguide comprises a stepped structure, where the steps comprise extraction features hidden to guided light, propagating in a first forward direction. Returning light propagating in a second backward direction may be refracted, diffracted, or reflected by the features to provide discrete illumination beams exiting from the top surface of the waveguide. Such controlled illumination may provide for efficient, multi-user autostereoscopic displays as well as improved 2D display functionality. Illumination uniformity is provided by the positioning, packaging, and optically modifying of individual input sources. The latter employs non-imaging and refractive optics. | 12-19-2013 |
20140036361 | Directionally illuminated waveguide arrangement - Disclosed is a light guiding valve apparatus comprising an optical valve, a two dimensional light source array and a focusing optic for providing large area collimated illumination from localized light sources. A stepped waveguide may be a stepped structure, in which the steps may be extraction features optically hidden to guided light, propagating in a first forward direction. Returning light propagating in a second backward direction may be refracted, diffracted, or reflected by the features to provide discrete illumination beams exiting from the top surface of the waveguide. A two dimensional array of viewing windows may be produced. Such controlled illumination may provide for efficient, multi-user autostereoscopic displays with wide viewing freedom and low cross talk and near-eye displays that are substantially transparent. | 02-06-2014 |
20140041205 | Method of manufacturing directional backlight apparatus and directional structured optical film - Disclosed is a manufacturing method for a stepped imaging directional backlight apparatus which may include a structured optical film and a tapered body. The structured optical film may include multiple optical functions and may be assembled by folding onto the tapered body, reducing cost and complexity of manufacture. | 02-13-2014 |
20140118505 | Stereoscopic image capture - The present application provides a single lens capture device having a single input port. The single lens capture device may include an objective lens, a fixed objective lens aperture, off-center apertures inside the objective lens, and a sensor. The sensor is operable to capture images at a rate of at least two times the rate of stereoscopic presentation. | 05-01-2014 |
20140253879 | Polarization conversion system and method for projecting polarization encoded imagery - A polarization conversion system separates light from an unpolarized image source into a first state of polarization (SOP) and an orthogonal second SOP, and directs the polarized light on first and second light paths. The SOP of light on only one of the light paths is transformed to an orthogonal state such that both light paths have the same SOP. A polarization modulator temporally modulates the light on the first and second light paths to first and second output states of polarization. First and second projection lenses direct light on the first and second light paths toward a projection screen to form substantially overlapping polarization encoded images. The polarization modulator may be located before or after the projection lenses. The polarization-encoded images may be viewed using eyewear with appropriate polarization filters. | 09-11-2014 |