Array Directed Light-field (ADL) Display for Autostereoscopic Viewing
This invention relates to 3D displays and more particularly to a display for autostereoscopic viewing. It is used to direct light to produce multithreaded, autostereoscopic, true 3D images and can also be used to capture 3D video or images. The display technology can produce true 3D images that show horizontal and vertical perspective without the need for special glasses and that are unique to each viewing location.
Researchers
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array directed light-field display for autostereoscopic viewing
United States of America | Granted | 9,007,444
Technology
The array directed light-field (ADL) display technology includes an array of elements from which light emanates, the elements being rotatable about two orthogonal axes by microcontrollers. An eye tracker is provided for determining the location in three dimensions of at least one eye viewing the array. The microcontrollers, using information from the eye tracker, rotate the elements to mimic a concave surface to deliver light to the eye. It is preferred that the elements are mirrors and the display further includes a projector for projecting an image on the array for reflecting to the eye. The elements themselves may include means for generating light rather than reflecting light.
Problem Addressed
Stereoscopic displays utilize glasses that must be worn to generate the stereoscopic image and the image viewpoint is unalterable. Autostereoscopic displays produce 3D images without specialized glasses but have limitations. Parallax-based autostereoscopic display technologies require the viewer to be seated at a particular location to produce the stereoscopic effect, which limits the number and orientation of viewers. Lenticular lens-based autostereoscopic displays suffer from reduced resolution. Present autostereoscopic display technologies can only produce horizontal parallax for multiple viewers, not vertical parallax. Vertical parallax can be accomplished only for a single viewer using eye tracking. The image is altered to produce the vertical parallax for the single viewer based on a known eye location, resulting in a distorted image for all other viewers.
Advantages
- Produces true 3D images without the need for special glasses.
- Produces less sound during operation.
- Has a higher bandwidth.
- Reduces visual motion blur due to smaller absolute motion.
- The use of specular (reflective) mirrors simplifies the fabrication of the display.
- Only a single projector is required, which reduces cost and complexity of the electrical/optical components in the system.
- Reduces hazards associated with operation.
- Requires only a thin planar operating volume rather than a large cylindrical volume.
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