Patent Grant
9866822
This application is related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/676,014 filed on Apr. 1, 2015 and entitled “Systems and Methods for Transmission of Synchronized Physical and Visible Images for Three Dimensional Display,” which is incorporated herein by reference.
Traditional two-dimensional (2D) displays present 2D images, which are not capable of providing three-dimensional (3D) immersive experiences. Display techniques known as stereo displays utilize stereopsis for binocular vision to provide illusionary solutions to convey depth perceptions to the viewers. However, stereo displays do not physically render 3D objects and lack certain interactive attributes only provided by physically rendering 3D objects. In addition, some stereo displays require eye glasses that may be lost or damaged, and the eye glasses may also interfere with use of prescription lenses.
Some 3D displays rely on holographic techniques that use image and beam wave interferences and Fresnel lenses to generate virtual images. Such displays generally require viewers to view the images from certain angles. In addition, it is noted that displays using wave interference designs generally lack brightness and definition, and have difficulties implementing high frame rates.
Still another type of 3D display may utilize stacking of multiple liquid crystal display (LCD) layers. Stacked LCDs, however, suffer from severe attenuation progressively through each layer, resulting in reduced image quality.
An embodiment of the inventive concepts disclosed herein is directed to a display. The display may include an n-layered 3D column, wherein each i-th layer of the n-layered 3D column includes a group of at least one illuminable element uniquely positioned within the n-layered 3D column. The display may also include a 2D macro-pixel configured to control a depth of illumination within the n-layered 3D column. The macro-pixel may include n-number of control groups, and each i-th control group of the n-number of control groups may include at least one individual pixel uniquely positioned to selectively provide at least one directional beam toward the group of at least one illuminable element positioned in the i-th layer of the n-layered 3D column, thereby allowing the macro-pixel to control the depth of illumination within the n-layered 3D column by selectively engaging at least one of the n-number of control groups of the macro-pixel.
An additional embodiment of the inventive concepts disclosed herein is also directed to a display. The display may include an n-layered optical stack defining a plurality of n-layered 3D columns, wherein each i-th layer of each particular n-layered 3D column includes a group of at least one illuminable element uniquely positioned within each particular n-layered 3D column. The display may also include an optical controller including a plurality of 2D macro-pixels. Each particular macro-pixel may uniquely correspond to a particular n-layered 3D column of the n-layered optical stack, and each particular macro-pixel may be configured to control a depth of illumination within the particular n-layered 3D column, wherein each particular macro-pixel includes n-number of control groups, and wherein each i-th control group of each particular macro-pixel includes at least one individual pixel uniquely positioned to selectively provide at least one directional beam toward the group of at least one illuminable element positioned in the i-th layer of the particular n-layered 3D column that uniquely corresponds to the particular macro-pixel, thereby allowing each particular macro-pixel to control the depth of illumination within the particular n-layered 3D column that uniquely corresponds to the particular macro-pixel by selectively engaging at least one of the n-number of control groups of that particular macro-pixel.
A further embodiment of the inventive concepts disclosed herein is directed to a method. The method may include: providing an n-layered 3D column, wherein each i-th layer of the n-layered 3D column includes a group of at least one illuminable element uniquely positioned within the n-layered 3D column; providing a mapping between a 2D macro-pixel and the n-layered 3D column, wherein the macro-pixel includes n-number of control groups, and wherein each i-th control group of the n-number of control groups includes at least one individual pixel uniquely positioned to selectively provide at least one directional beam toward the group of at least one illuminable element positioned in the i-th layer of the n-layered 3D column; and facilitating control of a depth of illumination within the n-layered 3D column by selectively engaging at least one of the n-number of control groups of the macro-pixel.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the inventive concepts disclosed and claimed herein. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the inventive concepts and together with the general description, serve to explain the principles and features of the inventive concepts disclosed herein.
The numerous objects and advantages of the inventive concepts disclosed herein may be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying figures in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Embodiments in accordance with the inventive concepts disclosed herein are directed to 3D display devices that can create/render true 3D representations without the use of wave interference, stacked LCDs, or special lenses. More specifically, a 3D display device in accordance with the inventive concepts disclosed herein may leverage continued advancements in (ultra) high definition 2D display technologies to provide a 2D-to-3D mapping, allowing various illuminable elements suspended within a 3D volume to be selectively engaged or activated to form a true 3D representation. The 2D-to-3D mapping also allows a 3D display device to be driven by a directional bias of light from just one direction, without the need for using multiple interference beams positioned at different angles to help define 3D pixels. The 3D display devices in accordance with the inventive concepts disclosed herein may be implemented or scaled to portable displays (e.g., wearables, phones, head mounted, augmented reality, tablets, personal electronics, and the like), automotive and avionics displays, computer displays, television displays, projection systems, virtual reality displays, theater displays, situational awareness and room displays, as well as various other types of displays.
Referring generally to
The light switch 104 may be implemented utilizing any thin panel display that is capable of receiving a control input from a 2-D or 3-D video or graphics processor and selectively blocking or controlling certain portions of the illumination provided by the light source 102 from reaching the optical stack 108. For instance, a black-and-white matrixed SLM or LCD may be utilized to serve as the light switch 104. The various individual pixels of the light switch 104 (e.g., forming logical LCD light switch arrays) may be selectively turned on or off, blocking or letting through the illumination provided by the light source 102 at these corresponding pixels. Alternatively, the LCD light switch 104 may include a non-colorized grayscale display, where each pixel of the LCD light switch 104 may range between black (substantially non-transparent) and white (substantially transparent), allowing the illumination intensity reaching the optical stack 108 to be adjustable at each pixel of the LCD light switch 104. It is contemplated that pixel intensities may also be controlled by driving or modulating the light source 102 (which may be planar or pixilated).
The individual pixels of the LCD light switch 104 may be logically grouped into one or more macro-pixels 106 to facilitate a 2D-to-3D mapping. The term 2D-to-3D mapping refers to a mapping from a 2D space (e.g., x and y axis) to a 3D space (e.g., x, y, and z axis). More specifically, as depicted in
It is noted that each layer 108-i of the n-layered optical stack 108 has a specified thickness or distance between adjacent stack layers, defining a depth in the z-axis direction. It is also noted that each illuminable element group 110-i is positioned within its corresponding layer 108-i in a one-to-one and non-overlapping manner. That is, for the positions occupied by a given illuminable element group 110-i in a layer 108-i, the corresponding positions in layers above and below the layer 108-i will be transparent (a pass through for other layer beams) and will not contain any illuminable element positioned therein. Furthermore, it is noted that the illuminable elements 110 used to form the illuminable groups 110-i may include materials that emit (or re-emit) visible light only when illuminated, but otherwise remains substantially invisible (or transparent). In this manner, if the illumination provided by the light source 102 (planar or pixelated) is allowed to directionally illuminate through a particular control group 106-i, the illumination will then travel orthogonally (or vertically with respect to the orientation shown in the figures) through the n-layered optical stack 108, but will only encounter (illuminate or excite) the illuminable element group 110-i uniquely positioned in layer 108-i, effectively allowing a two-dimensional switching mechanism (i.e., the macro-pixel 106) to control the depth of illumination on the z-axis in a three-dimensional volume (shown as a 3D column, or a “z-column” 107) directly above the macro-pixel 106.
It is contemplated that each particular macro-pixel 106 of the light switch 104 may be configured in the same manner to control a corresponding z-column 107 of the optical stack 108 directly above that particular macro-pixel 106. It is to be understood that the representations of the z-columns 107 in
It is noted that each illuminable element group 110-i in the example shown in
It is also noted that the plurality of control groups 106-1, 106-2, 106-3, . . . 106-n and the plurality of illuminable element groups 110-1, 110-2, 110-3, . . . 110-n are shown to have been arranged as a plurality of rows oriented in a particular direction as depicted in
It is contemplated the apparent shifting effect may be further reduced using exemplary arrangements as shown in
It is also contemplated that the macro-pixels 106 are not required to separate the logical groups of red, green and blue pixels.
Similar to the way patterns in
It is contemplated that the various macro-pixel 106 arrangements described herein are feasible with continued advancements in ultra high definition display technologies. As resolutions of ultra high definition displays continue to increase, the light switch 104 may continue to provide more resolution power, which in turn may continue to enhance resolutions and increase angular alignment of the groupings within the columnar 3D pixels formed in the optical stack 108. It is contemplated that the resolutions of the 3D pixels may be enhanced not only in the x and y directions, but also in the z direction by enabling support for more layers, which may be appreciated in various applications.
It is also contemplated that adjacent macro-pixels 106 are not required to abut against each other. In other words, not every individual pixel of the light switch 104 is required to be mapped to an illuminable element in the optical stack 108. As depicted in
It is further contemplated that various techniques may be employed during the manufacture and assembly process to ensure proper alignment of the light switch 104 to the optical stack 108. For instance, the registration of the light switch 104 to the optical stack 108 may be performed during or after assembly through an excitation and sensing process. If misalignment is detected, the light switch 104 may be re-programmed to achieve proper alignment. Alternatively and/or additionally, an optical feedback test during assembly may be utilized to enable a machine to make physical adjustments and to secure the system during the assembly process. It is to be understood that other techniques may also be employed without departing from the broad scope of the inventive concepts disclosed herein.
It is also to be understood that the various macro-pixel 106 arrangements described above are merely exemplary and are not meant to be limiting. It is contemplated that specific implementations and macro-pixel arrangements may vary without departing from the broad scope of the inventive concepts disclosed herein. It is noted, however, for purposes of presentation simplicity, the following descriptions may continue to reference the control groups as control groups 106-1, 106-2, 106-3, . . . 106-n and their corresponding illuminable element groups as illuminable element groups 110-1, 110-2, 110-3, . . . 110-n to explain the operations of the 3D display device 100. It is to be understood that the same principles are applicable to various different macro-pixel 106 arrangements without departing from the broad scope of the inventive concepts disclosed herein.
Referring now to
Alternatively, the n layers may be stacked using one or more thin/ultra-thin glass or film substrates without being laminated together. As shown in
It is contemplated that the phosphor elements 110 may also be embedded within the clear substrate (in addition to, or instead of, being positioned on the clear substrate). For instance, as shown in
It is also contemplated that the size of the phosphor elements 110 may vary without departing from the broad scope of the inventive concepts disclosed herein. In some implementations, as depicted in
It is contemplated that the phosphor elements 110 may be excited using blue, violet or ultra violet (UV) light, extending from approximately 475 nm to 10 nm. In certain embodiments, the light source 102 may be configured to provide violet or UV light toward the optical stack 108 through the light switch 104. As previously described, the light switch 104 may control which phosphor elements 110 suspended within the optical stack 108 may be exposed to the violet or UV light and the intensities of the exposures. Subsequently, upon their exposures to the violet or UV light, each exposed phosphor element 110 may perform a “Stokes shift” (or down shift) from the violet or UV light to a preconfigured color visible to a viewer. It is noted that if all phosphor elements 110 are configured to perform a similar shift, they may form a monochromic 3D image, which may be appreciated in certain applications. Alternatively, the phosphor elements 110 may be arranged in manners capable of producing polychromic (or colored) 3D images.
To produce polychromic 3D images, for example, each illuminable element group 110-i may include a triad of phosphor elements capable of producing primary colors. More specifically, as shown in
It is to be understood that different color-producing phosphor elements are not required in order to produce the polychromic output 120. As shown in
It is contemplated that the combination of utilizing phosphors as illuminable elements and utilizing violet or UV light to selectively excite such illuminable elements may provide several features that may be appreciated. For instance, it allows the light switch 104 to simply control the positions and intensities of the violet or UV beams to excite the phosphor elements 110 without the need to carry any color information. The phosphor elements 110 may then re-emit omnidirectionally when excited, providing a pleasant image viewable from a large viewing angle. Additionally, it is noted that the violet or UV light may have little or no impact on the color range visible to the viewer. Furthermore, as shown in
It is contemplated that the one or more additional filters 122 may also be optionally positioned to filter the light entering the optical stack 108 as well. For example, as shown in
It is to be understood that while the exemplary implementations described above referenced violet or UV light, such references are not meant to be limiting. The excitation of phosphors may be triggered using light sources including one of a blue light source (e.g., an InGaN-based light source having an emission wavelength of approximately 445 nm, or 473, 474 nm derived from frequency doubling 946 nm), a far blue light source, a violet light source (e.g., a GaN-based light source having an emission wavelength of approximately 404-405 nm), a far violet light source, an ultraviolet light source (e.g., a light source having an emission wavelength of approximately 265-410 nm), as well as other light sources (including visible light) without departing from the broad scope of the inventive concepts disclosed herein. It is contemplated that electromagnetic waves beyond shortwave ultraviolet and matrixed emission sources may also become technically feasible.
It is contemplated that the light source may be selected based on several factors, including the intended operating environment for the display. For instance, violet or far violet may be an option where UV is less economical or for other reasons not as acceptable. However, violet or far visible violet may have certain limitations in a flight deck environment due to certain visibility concerns. UV beams, on the other hand, are high energy beams and provide much shorter relative wavelengths, allowing finer beam projections to suspended pixels and better control of tighter Fraunhofer interference lines (which may result in some display system architectures). However, UV beams may be more destructive and may shorten the life of the display in certain operating conditions.
It is also to be understood that while the exemplary implementations described above referenced phosphors as the illuminable elements 110, such references are not meant to be limiting. It is contemplated that compounds that exhibit the phenomenon of luminescence, and particularly compounds that may perform a spectrum shift (e.g., a down shift, or “Stokes shift”, or an up shift) from an invisible light (e.g., UV light) to a visible light (e.g., white or colored light), may be utilized. Such compounds may include, for example, phosphors, phosphor blends, photoluminecent materials, rare earth phosphors, a Eu-doped photoluminecent metal sulfide, garnet florescent chemistries, as well as other florescent chemistries and violet/UV excitable re-emissive particles, including certain gas materials and/or mixtures. It is also contemplated that compounds that are reflective, partially translusive, or otherwise excitable when illuminated may also be utilized without departing from the broad scope of the inventive concepts disclosed herein.
Referring now to
Similar to the light switch 104 previously described, the light-emitting elements of the light matrix 130 may be grouped into a plurality of macro-pixels 106 to facilitate 2D-to-3D mapping, with a difference being that the individual light-emitting elements of the light matrix 130 may actively emit excitation beams at adjustable intensities toward the optical stack 108 as opposed to passively letting the excitation beams through. Otherwise, the control logic of using a two-dimensional switching mechanism to control z-axis depth in a three-dimensional volume may function in the same manner as previously described. It is noted, therefore, both the light matrix 130 and the light switch 104 may be referred to generally as optical controllers in accordance with the inventive concepts disclosed herein.
Referring now to
It is contemplated that utilizing the light matrix 130 in conjunction with the light switch 104 may provide additional functionalities that may be appreciated. For instance, the LEDs of the light matrix 130 may be configured to act as sensors to detect light reflected from a finger, latent emissions from the phosphors, a stylus or the like, allowing the 3D display device 100 to support touch sensing. It is contemplated that other touch sensing technologies may also be utilized without departing from the broad scope of the inventive concepts disclosed herein.
It is contemplated that the 3D display devices in accordance with the inventive concepts disclosed herein may be implemented or scaled to a variety of sizes and formats. For instance, the 3D display devices may be utilize in wearable devices (e.g., a watch depicted in
The graphics processor 140 may be implemented as dedicated processing units, application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), integrated components of existing hardware or firmware configured to control operations of the 3D display device 100, or various other types of processing units without departing from the broad scope of the inventive concepts disclosed herein. The graphics processor 140 may process the 3D data and the image data received in order to control an optical controller 150 accordingly. The optical controller 150, which may include a light switch and/or a light matrix (as previously described), may in turn control the formation of a 3D image within an optical stack 108 of the 3D display device 100 utilizing the techniques in accordance with the inventive concepts disclosed herein.
It is contemplated that the 3D display device 100 may be configured to function in absence of either the 3D data or the image data. For instance, if the 3D data is missing (whether intentional or not), the optical controller 150 may default to a particular layer setting (e.g., default to the top layer) of the optical stack 108 to form a 2D image based on solely on the image data. Similarly, if the image data is missing (whether intentional or not), the optical controller 150 may default to a particular color setting (e.g., exciting each triads with equal intensity) but still present the 3D image according to the 3D data. It is contemplated that providing continued operation without requiring both the 3D data and the image data to be present may be appreciated in certain applications.
Referring now to
As previously described, the mapping between each 2D macro-pixel and its corresponding n-layered 3D column enables control of a depth of illumination within the n-layered 3D column. More specifically, by selectively engaging one of the n-number of control groups of the 2D macro-pixel (e.g., the i-th control group), the i-th control group may selectively provide one or more directional beams toward the group of at least one illuminable element positioned in the i-th layer of the n-layered 3D column, effectively setting the depth of illumination at the i-th layer within the n-layered 3D column. It is contemplated that by setting the various n-layered 3D columns in this manner, an image with varying depth of illumination may be formed, providing a true 3D representation.
It is to be understood that the present disclosure may be conveniently implemented in forms of a software, hardware or firmware package. Such a package may be a computer program product which employs a computer-readable storage medium including stored computer code which is used to program a computer to perform the disclosed function and process of the present invention. The computer-readable medium may include, but is not limited to, any type of conventional floppy disk, optical disk, CD-ROM, magnetic disk, hard disk drive, magneto-optical disk, ROM, RAM, EPROM, EEPROM, magnetic or optical card, or any other suitable media for storing electronic instructions.
It is to be understood that embodiments of the inventive concepts described in the present disclosure are not limited to any underlying implementing technology. Embodiments of the inventive concepts of the present disclosure may be implemented utilizing any combination of software and hardware technology and by using a variety of technologies without departing from the broad scope of the inventive concepts or without sacrificing all of their material advantages.
It is to be understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the processes disclosed is an example of exemplary approaches. It is to be understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the processes may be rearranged while remaining within the broad scope of the present disclosure. The accompanying method claims present elements of the various steps in a sample order, and are not meant to be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented.
It is believed that the inventive concepts disclosed herein and many of their attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the broad scope of the inventive concepts or without sacrificing all of their material advantages. The form herein before described being merely an explanatory embodiment thereof, it is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9642363 | Koehler et al. | May 2017 | B2 |
| 20110116049 | Nayar | May 2011 | A1 |
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