Patent · US Expired

Three dimensional display apparatus

US4881068A · kind A · utility

26Cited by
6References
16Claims
0Family size

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 8, 1988
Grant dateNov 14, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 8, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B2207/114
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A 3-D visual display apparatus. A sealed chamber having one or more walls transparent to visible light contains a gas having a first excited state and a second excited state which second excited state relaxes with the emission of visible light. A first laser source excites a small first volume of the gas to the first excited state and a second laser source excites a second volume, which is a small portion of the small first volume, to the second excited state which relaxes to emit visible light in all directions from the small second volume. This small light emitting volume appears as a small spot of light. Rapid movement of the two lasers permits the creation of other light emitting spots quickly enough to produce what appears to the human eye as a 3-D display. By proper choice of gases and lasers, visible light in all colors can be emitted from the spots to produce a 3-D color display. By changing the distribution of illuminated spots as time progresses, the objects simulated in the display can be caused to move.

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