Holographic and diffractive optical encoding systems
AssigneeLight Field Lab, Inc.
InventorsJonathan Sean Karafin, Brendan Elwood Bevensee
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Abstract
Holographic and diffractive optical encoding techniques for forming reflection or transmission holograms. The encoding device includes a substrate having an interference pattern that can propagate light along a light propagation path from one side of the substrate to another side of the substrate. Furthermore, an optical element may be used to propagate light according to a four-dimensional light field coordinate system.
Claims23
A waveguide comprising:
- a substrate comprising a photographic medium;
- and
- an interference pattern encoded in the photographic medium, the interference pattern defining an array of substrate sites in the substrate;
- wherein the interference pattern is configured to propagate light along light propagation paths extending from light locations on a first side of the substrate toward a second side of the substrate;
- wherein the light propagation paths comprise sets of light propagation paths that extend through a same substrate site and a same light location, wherein each set of light propagation paths are configured to extend in substantially a unique direction on the second side of the substrate and converge from the same substrate site to the same light location on the first side of the substrate, the unique direction being determined by an angular direction of a chief ray propagation path in each set of light propagation paths;
- and
- whereby, the array of substrate sites is configured to propagate light according to a four-dimensional light field coordinate system comprising spatial coordinates defined by positions of the substrate sites and angular coordinates defined by the unique directions of the sets of light propagation paths for each substrate site.
An array of waveguides comprising:
- a substrate comprising a photographic medium;
- an interference pattern encoded in the photographic medium, the interference pattern defining an array of substrate sites in the substrate, each substrate site comprising a plurality of substrate subsites;
- and
- an optical element, the optical element defining an array of optical element sites each corresponding to a respective substrate site, each optical element site comprising a plurality of optical element subsite locations;
- wherein the interference pattern is configured to propagate light along light propagation paths extending through the substrate subsites of each substrate site to the optical element subsite locations of the respective optical element site, wherein the light propagation paths comprise sets of light propagation paths that extend through a same optical element site and a same substrate subsite of a corresponding substrate site;
- wherein each set of light propagation paths extend from the optical element away from substrate in substantially a unique direction and converge from different optical element subsite locations of the same optical element site to the same substrate subsite of the corresponding substrate site, the unique direction being determined by an angular direction of a chief ray propagation path in each set of light propagation paths;
- and
- whereby, the array of optical element sites is configured to propagate light according to a four-dimensional light field coordinate system comprising spatial coordinates defined by positions of the optical sites and angular coordinates defined by the unique directions of the sets of light propagation paths for each optical site.
The array of waveguides of claim of 24, wherein each diffractive optical element propagates light according to the function of a lens.
The array of waveguides of claim of 24, wherein each diffractive optical element is subdivided into an array of subsite locations, where each subsite location functions to deflect light propagation paths therethrough by a deflection angle, and wherein the deflection angle at each subsite is chosen to deflect light for each set of propagation paths incident on the first side of the optical site into a substantially unique direction, for all the sets of propagation paths associated with the diffractive optical element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.