Holographic image generation and reconstruction

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9335737-B2
Application number	US-201213992745-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2012
Priority date	Nov 15, 2012
Publication date	May 10, 2016
Grant date	May 10, 2016

Abstract

Technologies are generally described for generating and recording holograms of an object using a plurality of light sources and an array of image sensors arranged to surround the object. In various examples, an apparatus may be configured to irradiate a plurality of light beams from multiple light sources to a corresponding number of beam splitters, which are configured to generate a first portion of the light beams that can be irradiated on the object, and a second portion of the light beams that can be reflected by a mirror unit to generate reference beams. Some apparatus can also include an array of image sensors that may be configured to receive images of interference caused by the reference beams and object beams scattered by the object.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A holographic image reconstruction apparatus, comprising:
a unit configured to receive input signals representing holograms of an object;
a plurality of ultraviolet light sources, each configured to generate a corresponding ultraviolet light beam based on a respective one of the input signals and irradiate the ultraviolet light beam on a scanning mirror;
the scanning mirror configured to reflect each of the ultraviolet light beams to generate scan beams;
a screen configured to surround the plurality of ultraviolet light sources and the scanning mirror and configured to receive the scan beams which are steered at a plurality of angles by the scanning mirror, wherein the screen is coated with a photochromic material and is effective to form the holograms of the object on the screen due to visible light transmittance characteristics of the screen adjusted in response to the scan beams; and
a plurality of reconstruction light sources, each configured to irradiate a reconstruction light beam on the screen to reconstruct images of the object.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the screen includes the photochromic material formed on a transparent layer.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the transparent layer is formed of a glass material.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the transparent layer is formed of a transparent plastic material or polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the photochromic material includes one or more materials selected from a group consisting of potassium tantalite (KTaO 3 ) and strontium titanate (SrTiO 3 ) doped with an impurity.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the impurity includes nickel (Ni).

7. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the photochromic material includes hexaarylbiimidazole (HABI).

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the screen is arranged in a shape of a cylinder or a polygonal prism.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the unit is configured to receive the input signals from a holographic image generation apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the ultraviolet light sources is configured to irradiate an ultraviolet laser beam.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the reconstruction light sources is configured to irradiate a visible laser beam.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the scanning mirror is magnetically actuated or electromagnetically actuated.

13. A method to reconstruct holographic images, comprising:
receiving, by a unit, input signals representing holograms of an object;
generating, by each of a plurality of ultraviolet light sources, a corresponding ultraviolet light beam based on a respective one of the input signals and irradiating the ultraviolet light beam on a scanning mirror;
reflecting, by the scanning mirror, each of the ultraviolet light beams to generate scan beams;
receiving the scan beams which are steered at a plurality of angles by the scanning mirror, by a screen that surrounds the plurality of ultraviolet light sources and the scanning mirror and is coated with a photochromic material, to form the holograms of the object on the screen due to visible light transmittance characteristics of the screen adjusted in response to the scan beams; and
irradiating, by each of a plurality of reconstruction light sources, a reconstruction light beam on the screen to reconstruct images of the object.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the receiving input signals includes receiving, by the unit, the input signals from a holographic image generation apparatus.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium which stores a program to reconstruct holographic images, the program comprising one or more instructions that are executable by a processor to perform or cause to be performed:
receiving, by a unit, input signals representing holograms of an object;
generating, by each of a plurality of ultraviolet light sources, a corresponding ultraviolet light beam based on a respective one of the input signals and irradiating the ultraviolet light beam on a scanning mirror;
reflecting, by the scanning mirror, each of the ultraviolet light beams to generate scan beams;
receiving the scan beams which are steered at a plurality of angles by the scanning mirror, by a screen that surrounds the plurality of ultraviolet light sources and the scanning mirror and is coated with a photochromic material, to form the holograms of the object on the screen due to visible light transmittance characteristics of the screen adjusted in response to the scan beams; and
irradiating, by each of a plurality of reconstruction light sources, a reconstruction light beam on the screen to reconstruct images of the object.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein to receive input signals representing holograms of the object, the program comprises one or more instructions that are executable by the processor to perform or cause to be performed: receiving, by the unit, the input signals from a holographic image generation apparatus.

Assignees

• Empire Technology Dev Llc

Inventors

• Yamaichi Eiji

Classifications

• G03H2260/52

  Photochromic reactivity wherein light induces a reversible transformation between two states having different absorption spectra · CPC title

• G03H2001/0445

  Off-axis recording arrangement (G03H2001/0456 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G03H1/0443 Primary

  Digital holography, i.e. recording holograms with digital recording means (holobject computation G03H1/0866) · CPC title

• G02B5/32

  Holograms used as optical elements · CPC title

• G03H2222/15

  Ultra Violet [UV] · CPC title