Methods and apparatus for 3D shutter glasses synchronization

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9426453-B2
Application number	US-201213411161-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2012
Priority date	Mar 4, 2011
Publication date	Aug 23, 2016
Grant date	Aug 23, 2016

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for signaling timing of refreshes of stereographic displays are provided. In some embodiments, light emitting elements are used to signal the start of a display refresh and to signal when the light emitting elements of the display have attained a stable optical state following the display refresh. In some embodiments, light emitting elements used to signal timing of display refreshes include light emitting elements defining a display area of the display.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for generating a signal to synchronize 3D glasses comprising:
at a display, driving a spatial light modulator illuminated by a light source to display a sequence of images, the images comprising left images and right images;
between display of left and right images, refreshing the spatial light modulator, the refreshing comprising, in a sequence, changing driving signals for a plurality of parts of the spatial light modulator starting with a first-to-be-updated part and completing with a last-to-be-updated part; and
controlling transmission of a synchronization signal at least in part by the driving signals for the last-to-be-updated part;
wherein:
controlling transmission of the synchronization signal comprises setting the synchronization signal to a first state having a first electromagnetic radiation level to control a left shutter of the 3D glasses to be open;
controlling transmission of the synchronization signal comprises setting the synchronization signal to a second state having a second electromagnetic radiation level to control a right shutter of the 3D glasses to be open;
controlling transmission of the synchronization signal comprises setting the synchronization signal to a third state to control the right shutter and the left shutter of the 3D glasses to be open;
wherein the first electromagnetic radiation includes a frequency not included in the second electromagnetic radiation;
wherein:
the display comprises one or more radiation sources operable to emit spectra of radiation which comprise one or more frequencies that are not included in a spectrum of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the light source; and
the synchronization signal comprises electromagnetic radiation from the one or more radiation sources and the synchronization signal is at a frequency not included in the spectrum of light over which the left and right images are displayed.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising transmitting the synchronization signal by way of the last-to-be-updated part of the spatial light modulator.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the last-to-be-updated part of the spatial light modulator comprises a last-to-be-updated pixel of the spatial light modulator.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the synchronization signal is imperceptible to the human visual system.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the synchronization signal comprises electromagnetic radiation in the infrared spectrum.

6. A method for generating a signal to synchronize 3D glasses comprising:
in refreshing a display to display a new image, applying updated driving signals to light emitting elements of the display according to a sequence having a first portion and a last portion; and
controlling transmission of a synchronization signal at least in part by the updated driving signals applied in the last portion of the sequence,
controlling transmission of the synchronization signal comprises setting the synchronization signal to a first state having a first electromagnetic radiation level to control a left shutter of the 3D glasses to be open;
controlling transmission of the synchronization signal comprises setting the synchronization signal to a second state having a second electromagnetic radiation level to control a right shutter of the 3D glasses to be open;
controlling transmission of the synchronization signal comprises setting the synchronization signal to a third state to control the right shutter and the left shutter of the 3D glasses to be open;
wherein the first electromagnetic radiation includes a frequency not included in the second electromagnetic radiation;
wherein:
the display comprises one or more light sources which supply light to the light emitting elements and one or more radiation sources separate from the light sources,
the one or more radiation sources are operable to emit spectra of radiation which comprise one or more frequencies that are not included in a spectrum of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the light sources; and
the updated driving signals control transmission of electromagnetic radiation from the radiation sources.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein controlling transmission of the synchronization signal comprises changing the amount of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by at least one light emitting element in a last-to-be-updated part of the display.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the at least one light emitting element in the last-to-be-updated part of the display comprises a spatial light modulator pixel.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the synchronization signal comprises electromagnetic radiation at a frequency not included in the spectrum of light over which the left and right images are displayed.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the electromagnetic radiation is imperceptible to the human visual system.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the synchronization signal comprises electromagnetic radiation in the infrared spectrum.

12. A 3D display comprising:
a spatial light modulator;
a light source configured to illuminate the spatial light modulator from a first side;
a display controller configured to:
in refreshing the display to display a new image, apply updated driving signals to pixels of the spatial light modulator according to a sequence having a first portion and a last portion;
controlling transmission of a synchronization signal at least in part by the updated driving signals for the last-to-be-updated part;
wherein:
controlling transmission of the synchronization signal comprises setting the synchronization signal to a first state having a first electromagnetic radiation level to control a left shutter of the 3D glasses to be open;
controlling transmission of the synchronization signal comprises setting the synchronization signal to a second state having a second electromagnetic radiation level to control a right shutter of the 3D glasses to be open;
controlling transmission of the synchronization signal comprises setting the synchronization signal to a third state to control the right shutter and the left shutter of the 3D glasses to be open;
wherein the first electromagnetic radiation includes a frequency not included in the second electromagnetic radiation; and
a signal source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation onto a pixel from the first side, the pixel updated in the last portion of the sequence, the electromagnetic radiation emittable by the signal source distinct from the spectrum of light emittable by the light source onto the spatial light modulator;
wherein the display controller is configured to control the pixel while the signal source is emitting the electromagnetic radiation to thereby control the amount of the electromagnetic radiation from the signal source transmitted through the pixel to a viewing location according to a state signal for controlling shutter glasses.

13. The 3D display of claim 12 wherein the electromagnetic radiation emittable by the signal source is imperceptible to the human visual system.

14. The 3D display of claim 12 wherein the electromagnetic radiation emittable by the signal source comprises electromagnetic radiation in the infrared spectrum.

15. Shutter glasses comprising:
left and right shutters independently operable to selectively block visible light;
a sensor configured to detect a synchronization signal; and
a controller configured to:
in response to the sensor detecting the synchronization signal having a first electromagnetic radiation indicative of a first state, control the left shutter to be open;
in response to the sensor detecting the synch

Assignees

• Kozak Eric
• Messmer Neil W
• Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corp

Inventors

• Kozak Eric
• Messmer Neil W

Classifications

• H04N13/398

  Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof · CPC title

• H04N2213/008

  Aspects relating to glasses for viewing stereoscopic images · CPC title

• H04N13/341 Primary

  using temporal multiplexing · CPC title

• G02B30/24

  involving temporal multiplexing, e.g. using sequentially activated left and right shutters · CPC title

• H04N13/0438 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic