Patent · US Expired

Multiple image, single display system and method

US4879603A · kind A · utility

41Cited by
10References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 15, 1988
Grant dateNov 7, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 15, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N5/445
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A multiple image, single display system (2) includes a monochromatic display source (4) which provides first and second rapidly alternating visual images (8, 10) which pass through an active polarizer assembly (14). The polarizer assembly includes an image polarizer (20), which polarizes all the light to a left hand circular polarization, and a polarization changer (22) coupled to the display source by a synchronizer 28). The polarization changer switches the polarization of the first image but not the second image. A first user (34) sees the first image, but not the second image, through a right hand circular user polarizer (16) while a second user (36) sees the second image, but not the first image, through a left hand circular user polarizer (18). The user polarizers are wave-length sensitive so they block light only if the light has the same polarization and if the light is the wavelength of the light produced by the display source; the user polarizers are otherwise transparent to visible light. This permits the invention to be used in critical low light situations.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.