Optical vortex 3D displays

Number: 9615068
Published: 2017-04-04
Filed: 2014-01-15
Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Inventors: Smithwick; Quinn Y.
CPC: H04N13/388; G03H1/0808; G03H1/2645; G03B21/005; G03H1/2294; H04N9/3132; H04N13/363; G03H1/2205
Verdict: Medium Hardware
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

The keeper's note

Optical-vortex-based 3D display hardware — glasses-free 3D projection technique.

Abstract

A method for generating three dimensional (3D) displays. The method includes displaying a hologram that combines three (or more) images encoded into three (or more) different OAM channels, and the method also includes reflecting light from the displayed hologram to create a multichannel light beam. Then, the method involves decoding the multichannel light beam to decode and display the three encoded images. The decoding step includes displaying the three encoded images in decoded form in three view zones, three focal planes, or on three spaced-apart planes. The decoding is performed by a single decoding screen using holograms used for generating the three encoded images or is performed by three decoding screens configured based on a differing one of the holograms used forgenerating the three encoded images. The displaying of the hologram step includes operating a spatial light modulator (SLM) to display the hologram on a screen of the SLM.

Background

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS(1) FIG. 1 illustrates schematically components of an optical vortex multi-view display during operation (during performance of a 3D display method) to provide three or more views in different view zones via a decoding screen;(2) FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a3D display system that may be used to provide the optical vortex display processes discussed herein such as those shown in FIGS. 1 and 3-5;(3) FIG. 3 is a schematic or functional illustration of components of an optical vortex multilayer display during operation (during performance of a 3D display method) to provide a 3D displayed image with three or more layers through the use of three or more decoding screens;(4) FIG. 4 is a schematic or functional illustration of components of an optical vortex multi-view pixelated display during operation (during performance of a 3D display method) to provide three or more views in different view zones via a decoding screen; and(5) FIG. 5 a schematic or functional illustration of components of an optical vortex multilayer pixelated display during operation (during performance of a 3D display method) to provide a 3D displayed image with three or morelayers through the use of three or more decoding screens.DETAILED DESCRIPTION(6) Briefly,the present description teaches a 3D display (or optical vortex 3D display or optical vortex 3D display system) that is configured specifically to transition away from displays that utilize or rely upon po

Claims

1. A display system, comprising: a display controller providing a set of three or moreimages; a projector projecting a light beam that is a combination of the three or more images; and a screen assembly displaying the three or more images on three or more screens positioned at three or more differing focal planes or in three or more view zones to provide an autostereoscopic display, wherein the projected light beam comprises a number of multiplexed beams each associated with a differing optical angular momentum (OAM) mode, wherein each of the multiplexed beams has a wavefront shaped as a helical vortex with a pitch differing from other ones of the multiplexed beams, wherein each of the OAM modes is associated with a differing one of the three or more images, wherein the projector comprises a spatial light modulator (SLM) displaying a combination computer-generated hologram, wherein the combination computer-generated hologram is formed by combining a set of computer-generated holograms each representing one of the three or more images, and wherein the projector further includes a light source directing a collimated light beam onto the SLM during the displaying of the combination computer-generated hologram thereby producing the projected light beam. 13. A method of generating a three dimensional (3D) display, comprising: displaying a hologram that combines three computer-generated holograms formed from three images encoded into three different OAM channels, wherein the three computer-generated holograms are formed by multiplying the three images with a fork dislocation for a topological charge defined by a phase profile defining a unique OAM mode; reflecting light from the displayed hologram to create a multichannel light beam; and decoding the multichannel light beam to decode and display the three encoded images. 17. An optical vortex 3D display method, comprising: encoding first, second, and third images to have first, second, and third OAM modes, wherein the first OAM mode differs from the second OAM mode and the first and second OAM modes differ from the third OAM mode and wherein the encoding comprises generatingfirst, second, and third computer-generated holograms from the first, second, and third images based on first, second, and third phase profiles, respectively, defining differing amounts of twist of a wavefront in one of a first or a second direction; generating a hologram combining the encoded first, second, and third images; and operating a projector to use the generated hologram to output a multiplexed beam including light associated with the encoded first, second, and third images.