Method and apparatus for displaying three-dimensional images
US6351268B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 28, 1999 |
| Grant date | Feb 26, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 28, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N19/597
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Three dimensional images are generated from a conventional television broadcast signal to which has been added a low bandwidth depth information component. An array of microlenses is placed before the display screen and the microlens array is illuminated with an array of light sources having a periodicity that differs from the periodicity (pitch) of the microlens array. The difference of periodicity between the microlens array and the light sources is a function of the desired depth perception for the object being displayed. For the application to conventional Cathode Ray Tubes, we introduce a tilted opening in the focal plane of the microlens to allow (in a flexible and analog way) any periodicity variation of the lens light source. For the application to Liquid Crystal Displays, we split each pixel in a number of vertical stripes, and a set of stripes is driven in common by a horizontal line driver. Therefore, this technology allows an apparent light source depth variation and as such a realistic three-dimensional television image or computer image, independent of the position of the observer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.