Light display systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12111462-B2
Application number	US-202117223733-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2021
Priority date	May 19, 2020
Publication date	Oct 8, 2024
Grant date	Oct 8, 2024

Abstract

A light display system may display an image to a user and/or an audience using a persistence of vision effect. In an embodiment, a light display system includes a light source configured to emit a plurality of light patterns that correspond to multiple frames of an image. The light source is configured to sequentially emit the plurality of light patterns based on instructions from a control system such that the multiple frames are presented in a sequence at a first rate. The light display system also includes an image expander configured to reflect the plurality of light patterns toward a user of the head-mounted device, wherein at least a portion of the image expander is configured to rotate relative to the light source at a second rate that is coordinated with the first rate by the control system to thereby display the image for visualization by the user.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A light display system, comprising:
a light source configured to emit a plurality of light patterns that correspond to multiple frames of an image, wherein the light source is configured to sequentially emit the plurality of light patterns based on instructions from a control system such that the multiple frames are presented in a sequence at a first rate; and
a head-mounted device, comprising a first reflective surface and a second reflective surface, wherein:
the second reflective surface is configured to reflect the plurality of light patterns toward the first reflective surface; and
the first reflective surface is configured to reflect the plurality of light patterns toward a user of the head-mounted device, wherein the first reflective surface is configured to rotate relative to the light source at a second rate, wherein the first rate and the second rate are timed relative to one another to combine the multiple frames into the image for visualization by the user.

2. The light display system of claim 1 , wherein the light source is configured to emit the plurality of light patterns that correspond to all of the multiple frames of the image within one sixteenth of a second.

3. The light display system of claim 1 , wherein each frame of the multiple frames of the image corresponds to a single line of pixels associated with the image.

4. The light display system of claim 1 , comprising a motor configured to rotate the first reflective surface relative to the light source.

5. The light display system of claim 1 , wherein the second reflective surface is fixed relative to a frame of the head-mounted device.

6. The light display system of claim 1 , wherein the second reflective surface is a prism.

7. The light display system of claim 1 , wherein the first reflective surface is configured to align with and reflect the plurality of light patterns toward a first eye of the user.

8. The light display system of claim 7 , wherein the head-mounted device comprises a third reflective surface configured to align with and reflect the plurality of light patterns toward a second eye of the user.

9. A light display system, comprising:
a light source configured to emit a plurality of light patterns that correspond to multiple frames of an image, wherein the light source is configured to sequentially emit the plurality of light patterns based on instructions from a control system such that the multiple frames are presented in a sequence at a first rate;
a prism configured to reflect a first portion of the plurality of light patterns toward a first reflective surface, wherein the first reflective surface is configured to rotate relative to the prism at a second rate, wherein the first rate and the second rate are timed relative to one another to combine the multiple frames into the image for visualization by a user; and
a motor configured to be controlled by the control system to drive the first reflective surface to rotate relative to the prism.

10. The light display system of claim 9 , comprising a second reflective surface that is configured to rotate relative to the prism at the second rate, wherein the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface are supported within a head-mounted device that is configured to be worn by the user, the first reflective surface is configured to align with and reflect the first portion of the plurality of light patterns toward a first eye of the user, and the second reflective surface is configured to align with and reflect a second portion of the plurality of light patterns toward a second eye of the user.

11. The light display system of claim 10 , wherein the prism is configured to reflect the second portion of the plurality of light patterns toward the second reflective surface.

12. The light display system of claim 9 , comprising a sensor configured to detect a starting light emitted by the light source, wherein the sensor is configured to transmit a signal to the control system in response to detecting the starting light.

13. The light display system of claim 12 , wherein the sensor is configured to sense infrared light, and the light source is configured to emit the starting light as infrared light.

14. The light display system of claim 9 , wherein the first reflective surface is a semi-silvered mirror.

15. A light display system, comprising:
a light source configured to emit a plurality of light patterns that correspond to multiple frames of an image, wherein the light source is configured to sequentially emit the plurality of light patterns for the multiple frames such that the multiple frames are presented in a sequence at a first rate;
a reflective surface configured to rotate relative to the light source at a second rate, wherein the first rate and the second rate are timed relative to one another to combine the multiple frames into the image for visualization by a user;
a prism configured to reflect a portion of the plurality of light patterns onto the reflective surface;
a motor configured to drive the reflective surface to rotate relative to the light source;
a sensor configured to detect a starting light and to transmit a first signal in response to detecting the starting light, wherein the first signal is indicative of operation of the light source to emit the plurality of light patterns that correspond to the multiple frames of the image;
at least one processor communicatively coupled to the sensor and the motor; and
at least one non-transitory computer-readable media communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving, via the sensor, the first signal; and
in response to receiving the first signal, transmitting a second signal to the motor to cause the motor to drive the reflective surface to rotate relative to the light source at the second rate.

16. The light display system of claim 15 , wherein the first signal is indicative of the first rate.

17. The light display system of claim 15 , wherein the light source is a light bar formed of a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged in a single line.

18. The light display system of claim 15 , wherein the reflective surface is supported within a head-mounted device that is configured to be worn by the user.

19. The light display system of claim 15 , wherein the light source is configured to emit additional light patterns that correspond to multiple respective frames of a second image, wherein the light source is configured to emit the additional light patterns for the multiple respective frames of the second image such that the multiple respective frames are presented in a respective sequence.

20. The light display system of claim 15 , wherein the light source is configured to emit the plurality of light patterns that correspond to the multiple frames of the image in a repetitive manner to thereby repeatedly display the image for visualization by the user.

Assignees

• Universal City Studios Llc
• Univeral City Studios LLC

Inventors

• Jeromin Aaron

Classifications

• G02B27/0172 Primary

  characterised by optical features · CPC title

• G02B26/0833

  the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD (G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B) · CPC title

• G02B26/0816

  by means of one or more reflecting elements · CPC title

• G02B27/14

  operating by reflection only · CPC title

• G09G3/02

  by tracing or scanning a light beam on a screen · CPC title