Controllable lenticular lenslets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9648309-B2
Application number	US-201514687694-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2015
Priority date	May 7, 2013
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

An autostereoscopic 3D display system includes a display having a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel is configured to display light rays representing a left-eye view and a right-eye view of an image. The autostereoscopic 3D display system further includes an optical-deflection system configured to control the light rays representing the left-eye view and the right-eye view. The optical-deflection system includes a separately controllable lenslet associated with each pixel, where the lenslet is configured to steer the light ray representing the left-eye view corresponding to the pixel, and steer the light ray representing the right-eye view corresponding to the pixel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An autostereoscopic 3D display system, comprising:
a display comprising a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel is configured to display light rays representing a left-eye view and a right-eye view of an image; and
for each pixel:
a beam splitter configured to split a ray of light into the light rays representing the left-eye view and the right-eye view; and
a separately controllable lenslet configured to:
steer the light ray representing the left-eye view in a first angular direction by a first amount; and
steer the light ray representing the right-eye view in the first angular direction by a second amount different from the first amount.

2. The autostereoscopic 3D display system of claim 1 , wherein the lenslet comprises an electro-refractive element configured to adjust an angular direction of the light ray passing therethrough.

3. The autostereoscopic 3D display system of claim 2 , wherein the electro-refractive element includes a uniform index prism.

4. The autostereoscopic 3D display system of claim 2 , wherein the electro-refractive element includes a graded index prism.

5. The autostereoscopic 3D display system of claim 2 , wherein the electro-refractive element includes a lens having a controllable strength.

6. The autostereoscopic 3D display system of claim 2 , wherein the electro-refractive element includes an electro-refractive prism and a lens, and wherein the electro-refractive prism and the lens are together configured to adjust the angular direction of the light ray.

7. The autostereoscopic 3D display system of claim 1 , further comprising a processing circuit configured to control each lenslet by generating signals to:
adjust the angular direction of the light ray representing the left-eye view passing through each lenslet; and
adjust the angular direction of the light ray representing the right-eye view passing through each lenslet.

8. The autostereoscopic 3D display system of claim 7 , wherein the adjustment to the angular directions of the light rays laterally varies an ideal viewing location.

9. The autostereoscopic 3D display system of claim 7 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to adjust angular directions of light rays corresponding to a group of pixels.

10. The autostereoscopic 3D display system of claim 9 , wherein the adjustment to the angular directions of the light rays corresponding to the group of pixels varies an ideal viewing location.

11. The autostereoscopic 3D display system of claim 10 , wherein the ideal viewing location is based on a preset option.

12. The autostereoscopic 3D display system of claim 10 , wherein the ideal viewing location is varied in response to a viewer command.

13. The autostereoscopic 3D display system of claim 10 , wherein the ideal viewing location is varied statically.

14. The autostereoscopic 3D display system of claim 10 , wherein the ideal viewing location is varied dynamically.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for execution by a processing circuit of an autostereoscopic 3D display system, the instructions comprising:
instructions for controlling a plurality of pixels configured to display light rays representing a left-eye view and a right-eye view of an image, wherein each pixel of the plurality of pixels includes a beam splitter configured to split a ray of light into the light rays representing the left-eye view and the right-eye view; and
instructions for controlling a separately controllable lenslet for each pixel, wherein the lenslet is configured to:
steer the light ray representing the left-eye view in a first angular direction by a first amount; and
steer the light ray representing the right-eye view in the first angular direction by a second amount different from the first amount.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the lenslet comprises an electro-refractive element configured to adjust an angular direction of a light ray passing therethrough.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising a processing circuit configured to control each lenslet by generating signals to:
instructions for adjusting the angular direction of the light ray representing the left-eye view passing through the lenslet; and
instructions for adjusting the angular direction of the light ray representing the right-eye view passing through the lenslet.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , further comprising instructions for adjusting angular directions of light rays corresponding to a group of pixels.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the adjustment to the angular directions of the light rays corresponding to the group of pixels varies an ideal viewing location.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the ideal viewing location is controlled to correspond with a tracked location of at least one viewer.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium claim 19 , further comprising instructions for generating an identifier configured to assist a viewer in finding the ideal viewing location.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the identifier includes a light beam projected at the ideal viewing location.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the identifier includes range and angle information of the ideal viewing location shown on the display.

24. A method for controlling an autostereoscopic 3D display, comprising:
displaying, by using a plurality of pixels, light rays representing a left-eye view and a right-eye view of an image, wherein each pixel of the plurality of pixels includes a beam splitter configured to split a ray of light into the light rays representing the left-eye view and the right-eye view; and
controlling the light rays representing the left-eye view and the right-eye view by using at least one separately controllable lenslet per pixel, wherein the lenslet is configured to:
steer the light ray representing the left-eye view in a first angular direction by a first amount; and
steer the light ray representing the right-eye view in the first angular direction by a second amount different from the first amount.

25. The method of claim 24 , further comprising:
adjusting the angular direction of the light ray representing the left-eye view passing through the lenslet; and
adjusting the angular direction of the light ray representing the right-eye view passing through the lenslet.

26. The method of claim 25 , further comprising adjusting angular directions of light rays corresponding to a group of pixels.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the adjustment to the angular directions of the light rays corresponding to the group of pixels varies an ideal viewing location.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the ideal viewing location corresponds with a tracked location of a viewer.

29. The method of claim 28 , further comprising tracking the viewer and updating the ideal location based on viewer movement.

30. The method of claim 29 , wherein tracking the viewer includes using at least one of a camera, an ultrasonic component, and a radar component.

31. The method of claim 25 , wherein each pixel comprises a

Assignees

• Elwha Llc

Inventors

• Bathiche Steven
• Chan Alistair K
• Gates William
• Hyde Roderick A
• Jung Edward K Y
• Kare Jordin T
• Lanier Jaron
• Manferdelli John L
• Tegreene Clarence T
• Tuckerman David B
• Whitmer Charles
• Wood Jr Lowell L

Classifications

• H04N13/368

  for two or more viewers · CPC title

• H04N2013/405

  the images being stereoscopic or three dimensional · CPC title

• G09G5/02

  characterised by the way in which colour is displayed {(details of colour display specific for CRTs G09G1/28; specific for flat matrix panels other than liquid crystal displays G09G3/2003; specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607)} · CPC title

• H04N13/373

  for tracking forward-backward translational head movements, i.e. longitudinal movements · CPC title

• H04N13/305 Primary

  using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses · CPC title