- Number
- 10732432
- Published
- 2020-08-04
- Filed
- 2019-07-01
- Assignee
- Disney Enterprises, Inc.
- Inventors
- Haseltine; Eric C., Goslin; Michael P., Thornton; Stephen A., Hsu; Jonathan R., Baumbach; Elliott
- CPC
- G09G3/3406; G09G3/36; G09G3/005; G02B30/56; G06T1/20; G09G3/003
- Verdict
- Medium Hardware
- Source
- Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline
The keeper's note
Floating-image optical display hardware.
Abstract
According to one implementation, a floating image display system includes a computing platform including a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), and a system memory storing a software code. The system also includes one or more display screens controlled by the GPU, and a rotor coupled to the one or more display screens and controlled by the CPU. The CPU executes the software code to render a two-dimensional (2D) graphic on the one or more display screens using the GPU, and to spin the rotor and the one or more display screens about a vertical axis parallel to a display surface of the one or more display screens at a predetermined spin rate to generate a floating image of the 2D graphic. The floating image appears to be a three-dimensional (3D) floating image of the 2D graphic to a user viewing the floating image.
Background
BACKGROUND(1) Advances in computer technology and software have made possible the creation of richly featured virtual characters capable of simulating interactivity with a human viewer of the virtual character. The illusion of interactivity can be further enhanced when the virtual character is displayed as a three-dimensional (3D) image, apparently independent of the display system generating it. For example, the image of the virtual character may be shown as a holographic image, or may be shown as an image that appears to float in space.(2) Conventional techniques for displaying holographic or floating images typically utilize sophisticated optical arrays to project the image for viewing, which can limit the environments and use cases in which providing such interactive 3D imagery is practical. Consequently, in order to make the enhanced entertainment value of interaction with a holographic or floating image more widely available, there is a need in the art for an imaging solution capable of displaying a floating image of a virtual character using readily available consumer electronics or relatively simple optical arrays.SUMMARY(3) There are provided floating image display systems, substantially as shown in and/or described in connection with at least one of the figures, and as set forth more completely in the claims.
Claims
1. An image display system comprising: a computing platform including a central processing unit (CPU), and a system memory storing a software code; at least one display; a rotor coupled to the at least one display; and a glass surrounding the at least one display, the glass being opaque to obscure the at least one display while the rotor is not spinning the at least one display; the CPU configured to execute the software code to: render a two-dimensional (2D) graphic on the at least one display; spin the rotor coupled to the at least one display, the rotor configured to spin the at least one display about a vertical axis parallel to a display surface of the at least one display at a predetermined spin rate to display a three-dimensional (3D) floating image of the 2D graphic; and transition the glass from opaque to transparent, after the spinning of the rotor coupled to the at least one display, to reveal the 3D floating image of the 2D graphic being rendered on the at least one display, and while the rotor is spinning the at least one display about the vertical axis using the rotor, wherein the glass remains transparent while the rotor is spinning; wherein the CPU is configured to transition the glass from opaque to transparent after the 2D graphic being rendered on the at least one display appears as the 3D floating image due to the spinning of the rotor coupled to the at least one display.
9. A method for use by an image display system including a computing platform including a central processing unit (CPU), and a system memory storing a software code, at least one display, a rotor coupled to the at least one display and a glass surrounding the at least one display, the glass being opaque to obscure the at least one display while the rotor is not spinning the at least one display, the method comprising: rendering, by the CPU executing the software code, a two-dimensional (2D) graphic on the at least one display; spinning, by the CPU executing the software code and using the rotor, the at least one display about a vertical axis parallel to a display surface of the at least one display at a predetermined spin rate to display a three-dimensional (3D) floating image of the 2D graphic; and transitioning, by the CPU executing the software code, the glass from opaque to transparent, after the spinning of the rotor coupled to the at least one display, to reveal the 3D floating image of the 2D graphic being rendered on the at least one display, and while the rotor is spinning the at least one display about the vertical axis using the rotor, wherein the glass remains transparent while the rotor is spinning; wherein the transitioning of the glass from opaque to transparent occurs after the 2D graphic being rendered on the at least one display appears as the 3D floating image due to the spinning of the rotor coupled to the at least one display.