- Number
- 10942360
- Published
- 2021-03-09
- Filed
- 2019-01-11
- Assignee
- Disney Enterprises, Inc.
- Inventors
- Reichow; Mark A., Laduke; Thomas F., Smithwick; Quinn Y.
- CPC
- G02B27/005; G02B27/148; G03B21/28; G02B27/30; G02B27/0101; G03B21/56
- Verdict
- Medium Hardware
- Source
- Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline
The keeper's note
Free-viewpoint collimated show-display optics hardware (granted).
Abstract
Display systems for achieving collimated projection effects. For example, in a theatrical or concert installation, display systems can be used to project images of scenery that appear to be vast and at a great distant behind the viewing window. The system may include a flat panel display, a corrective mirror, and a concave mirror positioned for viewing by an observer. The corrective mirror pre-warps an image generated by the flat panel display and reflects the undistorted image onto the concave mirror such that the observer perceives the image generated by the flat panel display as being at a large distance. The corrective mirror does not distort with changes in viewpoint. In another implementation, the system may include a short throw projector generating an image, a free-form projection screen, and a concave mirror positioned for viewing by many observers through a viewing window.
Background
BACKGROUND (1) In today's technological environment, collimated displays are used in flight simulators to provide pilots with a realistic virtual environment to train in. These displays work by fitting an image onto a spherical mirror placed in front of the viewer. The image is generated by an out-of-view projector, which projects onto a screen, and the images thereon are reflected by the spherical mirror and made visible. The light for the reflected images is directed towards the observer in a collimated manner. When reflected light is collimated, depicted images appear focused at “infinity” with fully relaxed eye accommodation, and a viewer's eye viewpoints are parallel with zero vergence. As such, the viewer perceives the reflected images as a large distant vista and as expansive scenery. Such an effect can provide realistic depictions of, for example, a runway trailing off into the horizon or a panorama of the night sky. (2) For most collimated displays, all viewpoints are the same, and, as such, multiple viewers see distant objects at the same visual angle. This is important in cross-cockpit displays, where the seated pilot and co-pilot must agree on the direction of simulated scenery or distant objects contained therein. However, for certain visual installations where observers are given the freedom to move and look around from different viewpoints, realism, believability, and accurate portrayal of a depicted scene may require greater attention to such effects as parall
Claims
1. A display system for providing collimated projection effects, comprising: a viewing space in which observers are free to move among a plurality of viewing positions; a display device; a mirror with a concave reflective surface facing the display device; and a viewing window disposed between the concave reflective surface of the mirror and the viewing space, wherein the mirror is positioned for viewing by the observers through the viewing window, wherein light for an image generated by the display device is reflected off of the concave reflective surface towards the viewing window as substantially collimated light, wherein the display device is a flat panel display, and wherein the display system further comprises a correction optic positioned between the display device and the mirror, the correction optic having a convex surface directing the light for the image generated by the display device toward the concave reflective surface of the mirror and the directed light having an added field curvature based on a shape of the concave reflective surface of the mirror. ||
5. A display system for providing collimated projection effects, comprising: a viewing space in which observers are free to move among a plurality of viewing positions; a display device; a mirror with a concave reflective surface facing the display device; and a viewing window disposed between the concave reflective surface of the mirror and the viewing space, wherein the mirror is positioned for viewing by the observers through the viewing window, wherein light for an image generated by the display device is reflected off of the concave reflective surface towards the viewing window as substantially collimated light, wherein the display system further comprises a correction optic positioned between the display device and the mirror, the correction optic having a convex surface directing the light for the image generated by the display device toward the concave reflective surface of the mirror and the directed light having an added field curvature based on a shape of the concave reflective surface of the mirror, wherein the display device includes a projector projecting the light for the image, and wherein the correction optic comprises a projection screen. ||
13. A display system for providing collimated projection effects, comprising: a viewing space in which observers are free to move among a plurality of viewing positions; a display device; a mirror with a concave reflective surface facing the display device; and a viewing window disposed between the concave reflective surface of the mirror and the viewing space, wherein the mirror is positioned for viewing by the observers through the viewing window, wherein light for an image generated by the display device is reflected off of the concave reflective surface towards the viewing window as substantially collimated light, wherein the display device comprises a 3D lenticular, fly eye, or light field display providing the light for the image and configured to control aberrations in the collimated light, and wherein the display system further comprises a correction optic positioned between the display device and the mirror, the correction optic having a convex surface directing the light for the image generated by the display device toward the concave reflective surface of the mirror and the directed light having an added field curvature based on a shape of the concave reflective surface of the mirror. ||
19. A display system for providing collimated projection effects, comprising: a viewing space in which observers are free to move among a plurality of viewing positions; a display device; a mirror with a concave reflective surface facing the display device; and a viewing window disposed between the concave reflective surface of the mirror and the viewing space, wherein the mirror is positioned for viewing by the observers through the viewing window, wherein light for an image generated by the display device is reflected off of the concave reflective surface towards the viewing window as substantially collimated light, wherein the display device is a flat panel display, wherein the display system further comprises a corrective lens positioned between the flat panel display and the mirror, wherein the corrective lens receives the light for the image generated by the flat panel display and focuses light toward the concave reflective surface of the mirror into a curved image plane matching a focal surface of the concave reflective surface of the mirror, and wherein the light for the image passes through a physical aperture provided by the viewing window and towards the observer such that the observer perceives imagery generated by the display device as a scene existing behind the aperture. ||
20. A display system for providing collimated projection effects, comprising: a viewing space; a display device; a concave mirror with a reflective surface facing the display device; and a viewing window disposed between the reflective surface of the concave mirror and the viewing space, wherein the mirror is positioned for viewing by the observers through the viewing window, wherein light for an image generated by the display device is reflected off of the concave reflective surface towards the viewing window for viewing by an observer in the viewing space, and wherein the display system further comprises a transparent display positioned between the viewing window and the concave mirror operating to display images concurrently observable by the observer with the light for the image generated by the display device.