Retroreflector display system for generating floating image effects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10739613-B2
Application number	US-201815979616-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2018
Priority date	Jul 25, 2016
Publication date	Aug 11, 2020
Grant date	Aug 11, 2020

Abstract

A display system is provided that combines the use of a display element with a beamsplitter and at least one retroreflector to provide an image (2D or 3D depending upon the output image from the display element) that appears to be floating in space some distance from the beamsplitter. For example, light that is bounced off/reflected and/or that is transmitted through the beamsplitter may be reflected from the reflective surface of the retroreflector toward the beamsplitter. The beamsplitter directs this light, through reflection or transmission, into a viewing space such that the 2D or 3D image can be viewed by a viewer as it appears to float a distance from the nearest surface of the beamsplitter and, typically, some distance above the ground/floor upon which viewers are walking. The floating image may be relatively bright so that it is viewable in low and brighter light conditions.

First claim

We claim:

1. An apparatus for generating floating images, comprising:
a display element providing a 2D or 3D image with first light;
a retroreflector comprising a reflective surface facing the display element and including a retroreflective material;
a beamsplitter disposed between the display element and the retroreflector with a first surface facing the display element to receive the first light, wherein the beamsplitter transmits a portion of the received first light as second light toward the reflective surface of the retroreflector, wherein the reflective surface reflects the second light as third light toward a second surface of the beamsplitter that is opposite the first surface, and wherein the beamsplitter reflects a portion of the third light as fourth light into a display space to provide a displayed image at a distance from the second surface of the beamsplitter;
a controller; and
a viewer tracking assembly, wherein the viewer tracking assembly tracks at least one of movement of a viewer or location of the viewer relative to the displayed image and wherein the controller controls the display element to modify the 2D or 3D image based on processing of the tracked movement or location of the viewer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tracked movement or location viewer involves interaction with the displayed image or a prop positioned proximate to the displayed image.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the display element comprises a 2D or 3D object with a 2D or 3D surface providing the first light.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the display element comprises a multiplane display element and wherein the 2D or 3D image is a 3D image.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the display element comprises an LED chase or row and wherein the 2D or 3D image comprises a moving or changing streak of light or an illuminated shape.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reflective surface and the display surface are planar surfaces, wherein the reflective surface is parallel to the display surface, wherein the first surface of the beamsplitter extends at an angle of 45 degrees relative to the display surface, wherein the displayed image is a real image provided at a convergence plane located the distance from the second surface of the beamsplitter, and wherein the first surface of the beamsplitter is located a second distance, equal to the distance from the second surface of the beamsplitter, from the display surface.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the display element comprises a monitor with an output luminance of at least 2500 Nits and wherein the display element comprises a liquid crystal display (LCD) monitor.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second retroreflector positioned with a reflective surface including retroreflective material facing the first surface of the beamsplitter and oriented to be orthogonal to the reflective surface of the retroreflector.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a prop in the display space with a surface below, above, or to the side of the displayed image, wherein at least a portion of the surface of the prop is located at a separation distance from the second surface of the beamsplitter that equals the distance between the displayed image and the second surface of the beamsplitter.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first light from the display element has a first polarization, wherein the beamsplitter is polarized to be transmissive to light having the first polarization and to reflect light with other polarizations, wherein the apparatus further comprises a waveplate between the second surface of the beamsplitter and the reflective surface of the retroreflector, wherein the second light has a second polarization and the third light has a third polarization, and wherein the third polarization differs from the first polarization.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a focusing element positioned between the second surface of the beamsplitter and the reflective surface of the retroreflector, the focusing element being adapted to clarify the displayed image.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the focusing element comprises a planar array of convex lenses of differing sizes arranged in a random pattern.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the focusing element comprises an array of convex lenses and wherein the convex lenses are Fresnel lenses, zone plates, astigmatic, or compound.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the focusing element comprises a sheet of lenticular material.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the focusing element comprises a sheet of opaque material including an array of elongated, side-by-side slits formed in the opaque material to transmit light through the focusing element and wherein the elongated, side-by-side slits are arranged to provide sharpening of vertical retroreflection or horizontal retroreflection.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the focusing element comprises an addressable spatial light modulator selectively operable to concurrently display an opaque pattern and a transparent pattern and wherein the transparent pattern includes at least one of an array of transparent slits and a pattern of transparent apertures.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the focusing element comprises a sheet of polarized material with horizontal or vertical columns to provide sharpening of light of a predefined direction of polarization in the third light from the retroreflector and wherein the reflective surface of the retroreflector comprises a polarization maintaining retroreflective surface.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the focusing element comprises a substrate of material transparent to light of a first color and an array of vertical or horizontal slits in the substrate that are transparent to light of a second color, whereby rays of the second color are sharpened by the focusing element.

19. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the focusing element comprises a liquid container, a volume of liquid disposed in the liquid container, and a perforated sheet disposed in the volume of liquid to a depth, whereby an array of liquid lenses is formed for focusing the third light.

20. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising a translation assembly applying a translational motion to the focusing element, wherein the translational motion is vibration or rotation.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the retroreflector is coupled to the focusing element whereby the translational motion is concurrently applied to the retroreflector by the translation assembly.

22. A display system, comprising:
a display providing a 2D or 3D image, wherein the display element comprises at least one of a 2D or 3D object with a 2D or 3D surface, a multiplane display element, an LED chase or row, and a monitor;
a first retroreflector with a planar reflective surface facing the display to reflect the 2D or 3D image;
a beamsplitter disposed between the display and the reflective surface of the first retroreflector, wherein the beamsplitter is oriented at an angle relative to the reflective surface whereby a first surface of the beamsplitter faces the display and a second surface opposite the first surface faces the reflective surface to reflect light from the reflective surface into a display space, whereby a floating image corresponding to the 2D or 3D image is displayed in the display space;
a second retroreflector with a planar reflective surfac

Assignees

• Disney Entpr Inc

Inventors

• Joseph Daniel M
• Smoot Lanny S
• Smithwick Quinn Y
• Ilardi Michael J

Classifications

• G02B3/0043 Primary

  Inhomogeneous or irregular arrays, e.g. varying shape, size, height · CPC title

• G02B30/56 Primary

  by projecting aerial or floating images · CPC title

• G02B3/0056

  arranged along two different directions in a plane, e.g. honeycomb arrangement of lenses (G02B3/0043 takes precedence; miniaturised objectives for electronic devices employing wafer level optics G02B13/0085) · CPC title

• G02B5/124

  plural reflecting elements forming part of a unitary plate or sheet · CPC title

• G02B5/3083

  Birefringent or phase retarding elements (G02B5/3008, G02B5/3016 take precedence; systems for polarisation control G02B27/286; manufacturing phase modulating patterns by lithographic processes G03F7/001) · CPC title