Component displays and beamsplitter that form composite image

Abstract

An apparatus in one example comprises a first component display with a first display area, a second component display with a second display area, and a beamsplitter. The first component display is positioned such that the first display area is viewable through the beamsplitter as a transmitted display area. The second component display is positioned such that the second display area is viewable from the beamsplitter as a reflected display area. The first component display, the second component display, and the beamsplitter are positioned such that the beamsplitter provides a composite image of the transmitted display area and the reflected display area. The reflected display area of the composite image is at least partially offset from the transmitted display area.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Features of example implementations of the invention will become apparent from the description, the claims, and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a representation of one implementation of three component displays in a single high-resolution display using a beamsplitter.

FIG. 2 shows a representation of one implementation of a system that comprises a high-resolution display, a knob console, and an infrared gesture interface.

FIG. 3 shows a representation of an oblique view of the system of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows a representation of an upward oblique view of the system of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 shows a representation of one implementation of a cross-section of a component display of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 shows a representation of one implementation of a cross-section of a component display with an overhang.

FIG. 7 shows a representation of one implementation of a knob console.

FIG. 8 shows a representation of one implementation of an infrared gesture interface.

FIG. 9 shows a functional block diagram according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 10-12 show additional views of the system of FIG. 2.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising: a first component display with a first display area, a second component display with a second display area, and a beamsplitter;wherein the first component display is positioned such that the first display area is viewable through the beamsplitter as a transmitted display area;wherein the second component display is positioned such that the second display area is viewable from the beamsplitter as a reflected display area;wherein the first component display, the second component display, and the beamsplitter are positioned such that the beamsplitter provides a composite image of the transmitted display area and the reflected display area, wherein the reflected display area of the composite image is at least partially offset from the transmitted display area.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first component display and the second component display are positioned such that the transmitted display area abuts the reflected display area along a horizontal or vertical dimension.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the beamsplitter is positioned in a plane of symmetry between the first component display and the second component display.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first component display is positioned at a ninety degree angle relative to the second component display; wherein the first component display is positioned at a forty-five degree angle relative to a first side of the beamsplitter;wherein the second component display is positioned at a forty-five degree angle relative to a second side of the beamsplitter.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first component display comprises a first bezel that surrounds the first display area, wherein the second component display comprises a second bezel that surrounds the second display area; wherein the transmitted display area abuts the reflected display area at a vertical seam;wherein an edge of the first bezel comprises a first overhang and an edge of the second bezel comprises a second overhang along the vertical seam;wherein the first and second overhangs comprise a width T, wherein the first display area and the reflected area comprise a repeated image portion of width 2T such that at an oblique angle to the composite image, a portion of the repeated image portion is visible from beneath one of the first and second overhangs and blocked by the other of the first and second overhangs.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the width T of the first and second overhangs is based on a desired maximum viewing angle A and a thickness of the first and second bezels B according to: T=B tan (A).

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first component display comprises a first bezel that surrounds the first display area, wherein the second component display comprises a second bezel that surrounds the second display area; wherein the first component display and the second component display are positioned such that the transmitted display area overlaps a portion of the second bezel and the reflected display area overlaps a portion of the first bezel when viewed from the beamsplitter.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first bezel and the second bezel comprise a relatively dark color; wherein the first component display, the second component display, and the beamsplitter are enclosed within a substantially light-tight enclosure to reduce illumination of the first bezel and the second bezel.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first component display comprises a first bezel that surrounds the first display area, wherein the second component display comprises a second bezel that surrounds the second display area; wherein the first component display and the second component display are selected such that a thickness of the first and second bezel is minimized or the bezel is removed.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first component display comprises a first bezel that surrounds the first display area, wherein the second component display comprises a second bezel that surrounds the second display area; wherein a portion of the first bezel and the second bezel adjacent to a seam in the composite image are beveled back from vertical by an angle equal to a maximum anticipated departure of a user's sight line from a normal to the composite image.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the beamsplitter is approximately 50% reflective and 50% transmissive.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first component display and the second component display comprise an increased display brightness that compensates for a reduced light intensity from the beamsplitter.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a first set of at least one component display that comprises the first component display and a second set of at least one component display that comprises the second component display;wherein the first set of at least one component display is positioned in a first plane and the second set of at least one component display is positioned in a second plane;wherein the first set of at least one component display is horizontally interleaved with the second set of at least one component display;wherein the beamsplitter is positioned in a plane of symmetry between the first plane and the second plane such that the first set of at least one component display is viewable through the beamsplitter and the second set of at least one component display is viewable as a set of reflected areas from the beamsplitter to form the composite image, wherein the set of reflected areas comprise the reflected area.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one retarder positioned between the beamsplitter and at least one component display of the first component display and the second component display.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the retarder comprises a quarter-wave film.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one component display comprises at least one liquid crystal display (LCD); wherein the quarter-wave film is positioned at a 45 degree offset from a polarization plane of the at least one LCD.

17. An apparatus, comprising: a beamsplitter positioned in a plane of symmetry between a first plane and a second plane, wherein the first plane is orthogonal to the second plane;a first set of component displays aligned along a first line in the first plane; anda second set of component displays aligned along a second line in the second plane, wherein the first line is parallel to the second line;wherein each component display of the first set of component displays comprises a light-modulating element viewable through the beamsplitter as a transmitted display area, andwherein each component display of the second set of component displays comprises a light-modulating element viewable reflected from the beamsplitter as a reflected display area;wherein the first set of component displays and the second set of component displays are spaced apart such that the transmitted display areas of the first set of component displays are interleaved with the reflected display areas of the second set of component displays to provide a substantially seamless composite image displayed across the first and second set of component displays.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising: a hood that substantially encloses the first set of component displays, the second set of component displays, and the beamsplitter and configured to provide a substantially light-tight enclosure.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first set of component displays comprises a first component display, wherein the second set of component displays comprises a second component display, wherein the transmitted display area of the first component display is adjacent to the reflected display area of the second component display in the composite image; wherein the first component display comprises a first bezel of thickness B that surrounds the light-modulating element of the first component display, wherein the second component display comprises a second bezel of thickness B that surrounds the light-modulating element of the second component display;the apparatus further comprising:a first overhang that comprises an outside edge mounted along a vertical edge of the first bezel and comprises an inside edge that extends over a first vertical strip of the light-modulating element of the first component display, wherein the first overhang comprises a width T between the inside edge and the outside edge, anda second overhang that comprises an outside edge mounted along a vertical edge of the second bezel and comprises an inside edge that extends over a first vertical strip of the light-modulating element of the second component display, wherein the second overhang comprises a width T between the inside edge and the outside edge;wherein the first component display and the second component display are positioned such that the inside edge of the first overhang and the inside edge of the second overhang lie in a same vertical plane.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the width T of the first and second overhangs is based on a desired maximum viewing angle A and a thickness of the first and second bezels B according to: T=B tan (A).

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the light-modulating element of the first component display and the light-modulating element of the second component display comprise a repeated image portion of width 2T such that at an oblique angle to the composite image, a portion of the repeated image portion is visible from beneath one of the first and second overhangs and blocked by the other of the first and second overhangs; wherein the first component display is configured to display the repeated image portion over the first vertical strip of the light-modulating element of the first component display and an adjacent second vertical strip of width T;wherein the second component display is configured to display the repeated image portion over the first vertical strip of the light-modulating element of the second component display and an adjacent second vertical strip of width T.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising: at least one retarder positioned between the beamsplitter and at least one component display of the first set of component displays and the second set of component displays.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the retarder comprises a quarter-wave film.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the at least one component display comprises at least one LCD; wherein the quarter-wave film is positioned at a 45 degree offset from a polarization plane of the at least one LCD.

25. A method, comprising the steps of: positioning a first component display at a forty-five degree angle to a beamsplitter such that the first component display is visible as a transmitted display area through the beamsplitter;positioning a second component display at a forty-five degree angle to the beamsplitter and ninety degrees to the first component display such that the second component display is visible from the beamsplitter as a reflected display area and the transmitted display area is offset from the reflected display area.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising the steps of: dividing an image into first, second, and third consecutive vertical portions, wherein the second vertical portion comprises a width 2T;displaying the first and second consecutive vertical portions of the image on the first component display, wherein the first component display comprises a first light-modulating element, a first bezel that surrounds the light-modulating element, and a first overhang, wherein the first overhang comprises an outside edge mounted along a vertical edge of the first bezel and comprises an inside edge that extends over a first vertical strip of the first light-modulating element, wherein the first overhang comprises a width T between the inside edge and the outside edge;displaying the second and third consecutive vertical portions of the image on the second component display, wherein the second component display comprises a second light-modulating element, a second bezel that surrounds the second light-modulating element, and a second overhang, wherein the second overhang comprises an outside edge mounted along a vertical edge of the second bezel and comprises an inside edge that extends over a vertical strip of the second light-modulating element, wherein the second overhang comprises a width T between the inside edge and the outside edge;selecting the distance T=B tan (A), where B is a thickness of the first bezel and the second bezel, and A is a desired maximum viewing angle for a composite image from the beamsplitter.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising the steps of: positioning the beamsplitter in a plane of symmetry between a first plane and a second plane, wherein the first plane is orthogonal to the second plane;wherein the step of positioning the first component display comprises the steps of:positioning a first set of component displays along a first line in the first plane, wherein the first set of component displays comprises the first component display; andpositioning the first set of component displays such that a light-modulating element of each component display of the first set of component displays is viewable through the beamsplitter as a transmitted display area;wherein the step of positioning the second component display comprises the steps of:positioning a second set of component displays along a second line in the second plane, wherein the second set of component displays comprises the first component display, wherein the first line is parallel to the second line; andpositioning the second set of component displays such that a light-modulating element of each component display of the second set of component displays is viewable reflected from the beamsplitter as a reflected display area;the method further comprising the step of:spacing apart the first set of component displays and the second set of component displays such that the transmitted display areas of the first set of component displays are interleaved with the reflected display areas of the second set of component displays to provide a substantially seamless composite image displayed across the first and second set of component displays.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of: positioning at least one retarder between the beamsplitter and at least one of the first component display and the second component display.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the at least one component display of the first component display and the second component display comprise at least one LCD, wherein the at least one retarder comprises a quarter-wave film; wherein the step of positioning the at least one retarder between the beamsplitter and the at least one of the first component display and the second component display comprises the step of:positioning the at least one quarter-wave film at a 45 degree offset from a polarization plane of the at least one LCD.