Monocentric autostereoscopic optical apparatus using a scanned linear electromechanical modulator

Claim 2

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus for viewing a stereoscopic virtual image comprising an array of image pixels, said stereoscopic virtual image comprising a left image to be viewed by an observer at a left viewing pupil and a right image to be viewed by the observer at a right viewing pupil, the apparatus comprising: (a) a left image generation system for forming a left two-dimensional intermediate image and a right image generation system for forming a right two-dimensional intermediate image, wherein both left and right image generation systems are similarly constructed of separate components, with each image generation system comprising: (a1) an electromechanical grating device for modulating an incident light beam from a light source to form, on a diffusive surface, a line of source pixels; (a2) a scanning ball lens assembly for projecting said line of source pixels to form an intermediate line image, said scanning ball lens assembly comprising: (a2a) at least one reflective surface for reflecting light from said line of source image pixels to said intermediate line image; (a2b) a ball lens segment having a scanning ball lens pupil, said ball lens segment having a center of curvature on said at least one reflective surface; said scanning ball lens assembly rotating about an axis and forming a series of adjacent said intermediate line images in order to sequentially form said two-dimensional intermediate image thereby; (b) a curved mirror having a center of curvature placed substantially optically midway between said scanning ball lens assembly for said left image generation system and said scanning ball lens assembly for said right image generation system; (c) a beamsplitter disposed to fold the optical path from said left image generation system to form said left two-dimensional intermediate image near a front focal surface of said curved mirror and to fold the optical path from said right image generation system to form said right two-dimensional intermediate image near said front focal surface of said curved mirror; and said curved mirror forming said virtual stereoscopic image of said left and right two-dimensional intermediate images and, through said beamsplitter, forming a real image of said left scanning ball lens pupil at said left viewing pupil and a real image of said right scanning ball lens pupil at said right viewing pupil.

Claim 3

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said electromechanical grating device is a conformal grating device.

Claim 4

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said electromechanical grating device is a grating light valve.

Claim 5

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said diffusive surface is a fiber optic faceplate.

Claim 6

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said diffusive surface comprises an etched transparent substrate.

Claim 7

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said diffusive surface comprises a ground transparent substrate.

Claim 8

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said diffusive surface comprises a coating applied to a transparent substrate.

Claim 9

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said line of source pixels is a curved line.

Claim 10

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said curved line shares said center of curvature with said ball lens segment.

Claim 11

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a red light source for providing said incident light beam.

Claim 12

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said red light source is a laser.

Claim 13

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a green light source for providing said incident light beam.

Claim 14

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said green light source is a laser.

Claim 15

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a blue light source for providing said incident light beam.

Claim 16

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said blue light source is a laser.

Claim 17

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said ball lens segment is a hemisphere.

Claim 18

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a motor for rotating said scanning ball lens assembly.

Claim 19

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said motor rotates said scanning ball lens assembly for said left image generation system and said scanning ball lens assembly for said right image generation system in the same direction.

Claim 20

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said motor rotates said scanning ball lens assembly for said left image generation system and said scanning ball lens assembly for said right image generation system in opposite directions.

Claim 21

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said motor provides reciprocating action for said scanning ball lens assembly for said left image generation system and for said scanning ball lens assembly for said right image generation system.

Claim 22

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said scanning ball lens assembly further comprises at least one meniscus lens.

Claim 23

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein both surfaces of said meniscus lens share a common center of curvature with said ball lens segment.

Claim 24

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said scanning ball lens assembly comprises a refractive liquid.

Claim 25

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said curved mirror comprises a replicated mirror.

Claim 26

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said curved mirror comprises a stretched membrane.

Claim 27

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said curved mirror comprises a Fresnel mirror.

Claim 28

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said curved mirror comprises a plurality of mirror segments.

Claim 29

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said curved mirror is essentially spherical.

Claim 30

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said at least one reflective surface is a beamsplitter.

Claim 31

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said at least one reflective surface is planar.

Claim 32

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said at least one reflective surface comprises an interference coating.

Claim 33

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said scanning ball lens assembly rotates less than about 180 degrees about said axis, said scanning ball lens assembly scanning in a reciprocating motion thereby.

Claim 34

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said line of source pixels is formed from light diffracted by said electromechanical grating device.

Claim 35

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 32 wherein said line of source pixels is formed using at least two diffracted orders of light modulated by said electromechanical grating device.

Claim 36

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the interaxial distance between said scanning ball lens assembly for said left image generation system and said scanning ball lens assembly for said right image generation system can be manually adjusted.

Claim 37

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the interaxial distance between said scanning ball lens assembly for said left image generation system and said scanning ball lens assembly for said right image generation system can be automatically adjusted.

Claim 38

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said electromechanical grating device provides pulse-width modulation.

Claim 39

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus for displaying a stereoscopic virtual image comprising an array of image pixels, said stereoscopic virtual image comprising a left image to be viewed by an observer at a left viewing pupil and a right image to be viewed by the observer at a right viewing pupil, the apparatus comprising: (a) a left image generation system for forming a left two-dimensional intermediate image and a right image generation system for forming a right two-dimensional intermediate image, wherein both left and right image generation systems are similarly constructed of separate components, with each image generation system comprising: (a1) an electromechanical grating device for modulating an incident light beam from a light source to form, on a diffusive surface, a line of source pixels; (a2) a scanning ball lens assembly for projecting said line of source pixels to form an intermediate line image, said scanning ball lens assembly comprising: (a2a) at least one reflective surface for reflecting light from said line of source image pixels to said intermediate line image; (a2b) a ball lens segment having a scanning ball lens pupil, said ball lens segment having a center of curvature on said at least one reflective surface; said scanning ball lens assembly rotating about an axis and forming a series of adjacent said intermediate line images in order to sequentially form said two-dimensional intermediate image thereby; and (b) a curved mirror having a center of curvature placed substantially optically midway between said scanning ball lens assembly for said left image generation system and said scanning ball lens assembly for said right image generation system, said curved mirror disposed to form a virtual stereoscopic image from said intermediate images formed by said left and right image generation systems, and said curved mirror disposed to form a real image of said scanning ball lens pupil for said left image generation system at said left viewing pupil and a real image of said scanning ball lens pupil for said right image generation system at said right viewing pupil.

Claim 40

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus for displaying a stereoscopic virtual image comprising an array of image pixels, said stereoscopic virtual image comprising a left image to be viewed by an observer at a left viewing pupil and a right image to be viewed by the observer at a right viewing pupil, the apparatus comprising: (a) a left image generation system for forming a left two-dimensional intermediate image and a right image generation system for forming a right two-dimensional intermediate image, wherein both left and right image generation systems are similarly constructed of separate components, with each image generation system comprising: (a1) an electromechanical grating device for modulating an incident light beam from a light source to form, on a diffusive surface, a line of source pixels; (a2) a scanning ball lens assembly for projecting said line of source pixels to form an intermediate line image, said scanning ball lens assembly comprising: (a2a) at least one reflective surface for reflecting light from said line of source image pixels to said intermediate line image; (a2b) a ball lens segment having a scanning ball lens pupil, said ball lens segment having a center of curvature on said at least one reflective surface; said scanning ball lens assembly rotating about an axis and forming a series of adjacent said intermediate line images in order to sequentially form said two-dimensional intermediate image thereby; and (b) a curved mirror having a center of curvature placed substantially optically midway between said scanning ball lens assembly for said left image generation system and said scanning ball lens assembly for said right image generation system, said curved mirror disposed to form a virtual stereoscopic image from said intermediate images formed by said left and right image generation systems, and said curved mirror disposed to form a real image of said scanning ball lens pupil for said left image generation system at said left viewing pupil and a real image of said scanning ball lens pupil for said right image generation system at said right viewing pupil.

Claim 41

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said electromechanical grating device is a conformal grating device.

Claim 42

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said electromechanical grating device is a grating light valve.

Claim 43

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 40 further comprising a blue light source for providing said incident light beam.

Claim 44

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 41 wherein said blue light source is a laser.

Claim 45

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said diffusive surface is a fiber optic faceplate.

Claim 46

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said diffusive surface comprises an etched transparent substrate.

Claim 47

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said diffusive surface comprises a ground transparent substrate.

Claim 48

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said diffusive surface comprises a coating applied to a transparent substrate.

Claim 49

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said line of source pixels is a curved line.

Claim 50

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 45 wherein said curved line shares said center of curvature with said ball lens segment.

Claim 51

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 further comprising a red light source for providing said incident light beam.

Claim 52

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 47 wherein said red light source is a laser.

Claim 53

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 further comprising a green light source for providing said incident light beam.

Claim 54

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 51 wherein said green light source is a laser.

Claim 55

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said ball lens segment is a hemisphere.

Claim 56

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 further comprising a motor for rotating said scanning ball lens assembly.

Claim 57

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 54 wherein said motor rotates said scanning ball lens assembly for said left image generation system and said scanning ball lens assembly for said right image generation system in the same direction.

Claim 58

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 54 wherein said motor rotates said scanning ball lens assembly for said left image generation system and said scanning ball lens assembly for said right image generation system in opposite directions.

Claim 59

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 54 wherein said motor provides reciprocating action for said scanning ball lens assembly for said left image generation system and for said scanning ball lens assembly for said right image generation system.

Claim 60

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said scanning ball lens assembly further comprises at least one meniscus lens.

Claim 61

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 58 , wherein both surfaces of said meniscus lens share a common center of curvature with said ball lens segment.

Claim 62

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said scanning ball lens assembly comprises a refractive liquid.

Claim 63

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said curved mirror comprises a replicated mirror.

Claim 64

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said curved mirror comprises a stretched membrane.

Claim 65

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said curved mirror comprises a Fresnel mirror.

Claim 66

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said curved mirror comprises a plurality of mirror segments.

Claim 67

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said curved mirror is essentially spherical.

Claim 68

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said at least one reflective surface is a beamsplitter.

Claim 69

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said at least one reflective surface is planar.

Claim 70

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said at least one reflective surface comprises an interference coating.

Claim 71

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said scanning ball lens assembly rotates less than about 180 degrees about said axis, said scanning ball lens assembly scanning in a reciprocating motion thereby.

Claim 72

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said line of source pixels is formed from light diffracted by said electromechanical grating device.

Claim 73

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 70 wherein said line of source pixels is formed using at least two diffracted orders of light modulated by said electromechanical grating device.

Claim 74

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 wherein the interaxial distance between said scanning ball lens assembly for said left image generation system and said scanning ball lens assembly for said right image generation system can be manually adjusted.

Claim 75

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 wherein the interaxial distance between said scanning ball lens assembly for said left image generation system and said scanning ball lens assembly for said right image generation system can be automatically adjusted.

Claim 76

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said electromechanical grating device provides pulse-width modulation.

Claim 77

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said curved mirror is cylindrical.

Claim 78

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said curved mirror is toroidal.

Claim 79

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus for viewing a stereoscopic virtual image comprising an array of image pixels, said stereoscopic virtual image comprising a left image to be viewed by an observer at a left viewing pupil and a right image to be viewed by the observer at a right viewing pupil, the apparatus comprising: (a) an image generation system for forming a left two-dimensional intermediate image and for forming a right two-dimensional intermediate image, said image generation system comprising: (a1) an electromechanical grating device for modulating an incident light beam from a light source to form a modulated light beam; (a2) a first beamsplitter for splitting said modulated light beam into a left image beam and a right image beam, said left image beam directed to a left diffusive surface for forming a left line of source pixels and said right image beam directed to a right diffusive surface for forming a right line of source pixels; (a3) a left scanning ball lens assembly for projecting said left line of source pixels to form a left intermediate line image and a right scanning ball lens assembly for projecting said right line of source pixels to form a right intermediate line image, each scanning ball lens assembly comprising: (a3a) at least one reflective surface for reflecting light from said left or right line of source pixels to said left or right intermediate line image, respectively; (a3b) a ball lens segment having a scanning ball lens pupil, said ball lens segment having a center of curvature on said at least one reflective surface; each said left and right scanning ball lens assembly rotating about an axis and forming a series of adjacent said intermediate line images in order to sequentially form said left and right two-dimensional intermediate image thereby; (b) a curved mirror having a center of curvature placed substantially optically midway between said left scanning ball lens assembly and said right scanning ball lens assembly; (c) a second beamsplitter disposed to form said left two-dimensional intermediate image near a front focal surface of said curved mirror and to form said right two-dimensional intermediate image near said front focal surface of said curved mirror; and said curved mirror forming said virtual stereoscopic image of said left and right two-dimensional intermediate images and, through said second beamsplitter, forming a real image of said left scanning ball lens pupil at said left viewing pupil and a real image of said right scanning ball lens pupil at said right viewing pupil.

Claim 80

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus for viewing a stereoscopic virtual image comprising an array of image pixels, said stereoscopic virtual image comprising a left image to be viewed by an observer at a left viewing pupil and a right image to be viewed by the observer at a right viewing pupil, the apparatus comprising: (a) an image generation system for forming a left two-dimensional intermediate image and for forming a right two-dimensional intermediate image, said image generation system comprising: (a1) an electromechanical grating device for modulating an incident light beam from a light source to form a modulated light beam; (a2) a first beamsplitter for splitting said modulated light beam into a left image beam and a right image beam, said left image beam directed to a left diffusive surface for forming a left line of source pixels and said right image beam directed to a right diffusive surface for forming a right line of source pixels; (a3) a left scanning ball lens assembly for projecting said left line of source pixels to form a left intermediate line image and a right scanning ball lens assembly for projecting said right line of source pixels to form a right intermediate line image, each scanning ball lens assembly comprising: (a3a) at least one reflective surface for reflecting light from said left or right line of source pixels to said left or right intermediate line image, respectively; (a3b) a ball lens segment having a scanning ball lens pupil, said ball lens segment having a center of curvature on said at least one reflective surface; each said left and right scanning ball lens assembly rotating about an axis and forming a series of adjacent said intermediate line images in order to sequentially form said left and right two-dimensional intermediate image thereby; (b) a curved mirror having a center of curvature placed substantially optically midway between said left scanning ball lens assembly and said right scanning ball lens assembly; (c) a second beamsplitter disposed to form said left two-dimensional intermediate image near a front focal surface of said curved mirror and to form said right two-dimensional intermediate image near said front focal surface of said curved mirror; and said curved mirror forming said virtual stereoscopic image of said left and right two-dimensional intermediate images and, through said second beamsplitter, forming a real image of said left scanning ball lens pupil at said left viewing pupil and a real image of said right scanning ball lens pupil at said right viewing pupil.

Claim 81

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 77 wherein said at least one reflective surface of said left scanning ball lens assembly and said at least one reflective surface of said right scanning ball lens assembly are in substantially parallel planes.

Claim 82

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus for viewing a stereoscopic virtual image comprising an array of image pixels, said stereoscopic virtual image comprising a left image to be viewed by an observer at a left viewing pupil and a right image to be viewed by the observer at a right viewing pupil, the apparatus comprising: (a) an image generation system for forming a left two-dimensional intermediate image and for forming a right two-dimensional intermediate image, said image generation system comprising: (a1) an electromechanical grating device for modulating an incident light beam from a light source to form a modulated light beam; (a2) an optical switch for sequentially splitting said modulated light beam into a left image beam and a right image beam, said left image beam directed to a left diffusive surface for forming a left line of source pixels and said right image beam directed to a right diffusive surface for forming a right line of source pixels; (a3) a left scanning ball lens assembly for projecting said left line of source pixels to form a left intermediate line image and a right scanning ball lens assembly for projecting said right line of source pixels to form a right intermediate line image, each scanning ball lens assembly comprising: (a3a) at least one reflective surface for reflecting light from said left or right line of source pixels to said left or right intermediate line image, respectively; (a3b) a ball lens segment having a scanning ball lens pupil, said ball lens segment having a center of curvature on said at least one reflective surface; each said left and right scanning ball lens assembly rotating about an axis and forming a series of adjacent said intermediate line images in order to sequentially form said left and right two-dimensional intermediate image thereby; (b) a curved mirror having a center of curvature placed substantially optically midway between said left scanning ball lens assembly and said right scanning ball lens assembly; (c) a beamsplitter disposed to form said left two-dimensional intermediate image near a front focal surface of said curved mirror and to form said right two-dimensional intermediate image near said front focal surface of said curved mirror; and said curved mirror forming said virtual stereoscopic image of said left and right two-dimensional intermediate images and, through said beamsplitter, forming a real image of said left scanning ball lens pupil at said left viewing pupil and a real image of said right scanning ball lens pupil at said right viewing pupil.

Claim 83

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus for viewing a stereoscopic virtual image comprising an array of image pixels, said stereoscopic virtual image comprising a left image to be viewed by an observer at a left viewing pupil and a right image to be viewed by the observer at a right viewing pupil, the apparatus comprising: (a) an image generation system for forming a left two-dimensional intermediate image and for forming a right two-dimensional intermediate image, said image generation system comprising: (a1) an electromechanical grating device for modulating an incident light beam from a light source to form a modulated light beam; (a2) an optical switch for sequentially splitting said modulated light beam into a left image beam and a right image beam, said left image beam directed to a left diffusive surface for forming a left line of source pixels and said right image beam directed to a right diffusive surface for forming a right line of source pixels; (a3) a left scanning ball lens assembly for projecting said left line of source pixels to form a left intermediate line image and a right scanning ball lens assembly for projecting said right line of source pixels to form a right intermediate line image, each scanning ball lens assembly comprising: (a3a) at least one reflective surface for reflecting light from said left or right line of source pixels to said left or right intermediate line image, respectively; (a3b) a ball lens segment having a scanning ball lens pupil, said ball lens segment having a center of curvature on said at least one reflective surface; each said left and right scanning ball lens assembly rotating about an axis and forming a series of adjacent said intermediate line images in order to sequentially form said left and right two-dimensional intermediate image thereby; (b) a curved mirror having a center of curvature placed substantially optically midway between said left scanning ball lens assembly and said right scanning ball lens assembly; (c) a beamsplitter disposed to form said left two-dimensional intermediate image near a front focal surface of said curved mirror and to form said right two-dimensional intermediate image near said front focal surface of said curved mirror; and said curved mirror forming said virtual stereoscopic image of said left and right two-dimensional intermediate images and, through said beamsplitter, forming a real image of said left scanning ball lens pupil at said left viewing pupil and a real image of said right scanning ball lens pupil at said right viewing pupil.

Claim 84

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 79 wherein said optical switch comprises a liquid crystal shutter.

Claim 85

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 80 wherein said liquid crystal shutter cooperates with a polarizing beamsplitter for directing light.

Claim 86

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 81 further comprising a multi-order waveplate placed before said liquid crystal shutter in the optical path.

Claim 87

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 79 wherein said optical switch comprises a rotating waveplate.

Claim 88

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 79 wherein said optical switch comprises a patterned mirror having reflective and transmissive portions, said mirror reciprocating between a first position for directing light to said left diffusive surface and a second position for directing light to said right diffusive surface.

Claim 89

An autostereoscopic optical apparatus according to claim 84 wherein said reflective and transmissive portions of said patterned mirror are dimensioned according to the spacing of diffracted orders of light modulated by said electromechanical grating device.