Monocentric autostereoscopic optical apparatus using resonant fiber-optic image generation

A substantially monocentric autostereoscopic optical apparatus for displaying a 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 and a right image generation system, wherein each left and right image generation system forms a first intermediate curved image comprising an array of image pixels, wherein each image generation system comprises:
• (a1) a light source for emitting modulated light as a series of image pixels arranged according to a scan pattern;
• (a2) an optical waveguide having an input end coupled to said light source and a flexible output end wherein said output end emits said modulated light;
• (a3) an actuator for deflecting said flexible output end of said optical waveguide according to said scan pattern;
• (a4) a curved surface for forming said first intermediate curved image thereon by receiving said modulated light emitted from said output end of said optical waveguide as deflected by said actuator according to said scan pattern;
• (a5) an optical relay element for relaying, onto said curved surface, said modulated light emitted from said flexible output end of said optical waveguide according to said scan pattern, forming said first intermediate curved image thereby;
• (b) a left ball lens assembly for projecting said first intermediate curved image from said left image generation system, said left ball lens assembly having a left ball lens pupil;
• (c) a right ball lens assembly for projecting said first intermediate curved image from said right image generation system, said right ball lens assembly having a right ball lens pupil;
• (d) a curved mirror and a beamsplitter, said beamsplitter disposed to fold the optical path from said left ball lens assembly to form, near a front focal surface of said curved mirror, a second intermediate curved image from said left image generation system, and to fold the optical path from said right ball lens assembly to form, near said front focal surface of said curved mirror, a second intermediate curved image from said right image generation system;
• and
• wherein said curved mirror, through said beamsplitter, forms a real image of said left ball lens pupil at said left viewing pupil and forming a real image of said right ball lens pupil at said right viewing pupil, said curved mirror forming said stereoscopic virtual image of said second intermediate curved image from said left image generation system and said second intermediate curved image from said right image generation system.

A substantially monocentric autostereoscopic optical apparatus for displaying a 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 and, similarly constructed, a right image generation system, wherein each left and right image generation system forms a first intermediate curved image comprising an array of image pixels, with each image generation system comprising:
• (a1) a light source for emitting modulated light as a series of image pixels arranged according to a scan pattern;
• (a2) an optical waveguide having an input end coupled to said light source and a flexible output end for deflection, said output end emitting said modulated light;
• (a3) an actuator for deflecting said flexible output end of said optical waveguide according to said scan pattern;
• (a4) a curved surface for forming said first intermediate curved image thereon by receiving said modulated light emitted from said output end of said optical waveguide as deflected by said actuator according to said scan pattern;
• (a5) an optical relay element for relaying, onto said curved surface, said modulated light emitted from said flexible output end of said optical waveguide according to said scan pattern, forming said first intermediate curved image thereby;
• (b) a left ball lens assembly for projecting said first intermediate curved image from said left image generation system to form a second intermediate curved image from said left image generation system, said left ball lens assembly having a left ball lens pupil;
• (c) a right ball lens assembly for projecting said first intermediate curved image from said right image generation system to form a second intermediate curved image from said right image generation system, said right ball lens assembly having a right ball lens pupil;
• and
• (d) reflective means for forming a real image of said left ball lens pupil at said left viewing pupil and forming a real image of said right ball lens pupil at said right viewing pupil, said reflective means thereby forming said stereoscopic virtual image of said second intermediate curved image from said left image generation system and said second intermediate curved image from said right image generation system.

A substantially monocentric autostereoscopic optical apparatus for displaying a multicolor 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 and, similarly constructed, a right image generation system, wherein each left and right image generation system forms a first intermediate curved multicolor image comprising an array of image pixels, with each image generation system comprising:
• (a1) a first light source for emitting modulated light having a first color as a first series of image pixels arranged according to a scan pattern;
• (a2) a second light source for emitting modulated light having a second color as a second series of image pixels arranged according to said scan pattern;
• (a3) a third light source for emitting modulated light having a third color as a third series of image pixels arranged according to said scan pattern;
• (a4) an optical waveguide coupled to said first light source and coupled to said second light source and coupled to said third light source, said optical waveguide having a flexible output end for deflection, said output end emitting a modulated multicolor light comprising said modulated light having said first, said second, and said third colors;
• (a5) an actuator for deflecting said flexible output end of said optical waveguide according to said scan pattern;
• (a6) a curved surface for forming said first intermediate curved image thereon by receiving said modulated multicolor light emitted from said output end of said optical waveguide as deflected by said actuator according to said scan pattern;
• (a7) an optical relay element for relaying, onto said curved surface, said modulated multicolor light emitted from said flexible output end of said optical waveguide according to said scan pattern, forming said first intermediate curved multicolor image thereby;
• (b) a left ball lens assembly for projecting said first intermediate curved multicolor image from said left image generation system to form a second intermediate curved multicolor image from said left image generation system, said left ball lens assembly having a left ball lens pupil;
• (c) a right ball lens assembly for projecting said first intermediate curved multicolor image from said right image generation system to form a second intermediate curved multicolor image from said right image generation system, said right ball lens assembly having a right ball lens pupil;
• (d) a curved mirror disposed to form a real image of said left ball lens pupil at said left viewing pupil and to form a real image of said right ball lens pupil at said right viewing pupil;
• and
• wherein said curved mirror forms said multicolor stereoscopic virtual image from said second intermediate curved multicolor image from said left image generation system and from said second intermediate curved multicolor image from said right image generation system.

A substantially monocentric autostereoscopic optical apparatus for displaying a stereoscopic real 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 and, similarly constructed, a right image generation system, wherein each left and right image generation system forms a first intermediate curved image comprising an array of image pixels, with each image generation system comprising:
• (a1) a light source for emitting modulated light as a series of image pixels arranged according to a scan pattern;
• (a2) an optical waveguide having an input end coupled to said light source and a flexible output end for deflection, said output end emitting said modulated light;
• (a3) an actuator for deflecting said flexible output end of said optical waveguide according to said scan pattern;
• (a4) a curved surface for forming said first intermediate curved image thereon by receiving said modulated light emitted from said output end of said optical waveguide as deflected by said actuator according to said scan pattern;
• (a5) an optical relay element for relaying, onto said curved surface, said modulated light emitted from said flexible output end of said optical waveguide according to said scan pattern, forming said first intermediate curved image thereby;
• (b) a left ball lens assembly for projecting said first intermediate curved image from said left image generation system, said left ball lens assembly having a left ball lens pupil;
• (c) a right ball lens assembly for projecting said first intermediate curved image from said right image generation system, said right ball lens assembly having a right ball lens pupil;
• (d) a retroreflective surface disposed to form, in cooperation with a beamsplitter, a real image of said left ball lens pupil at said left viewing pupil and to form a real image of said right ball lens pupil at said right viewing pupil;
• and
• said retroreflective surface forming said stereoscopic real image from said first intermediate curved image from said left image generation system and from said first intermediate curved image from said right image generation system.

A method for display of a stereoscopic virtual image to an observer, the virtual image comprising a left image to be viewed by the observer at a left viewing pupil and a right image to be viewed by the observer at a right viewing pupil, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming a second left intermediate curved image near the focal surface of a curved mirror with the steps of:
• (a1) emitting a left modulated light as a series of image pixels arranged according to a left scan pattern;
• (a2) directing said left modulated light through a left optical waveguide having a left output end for emitting said left modulated light, said left output end flexible for deflection;
• (a3) actuating said left output end according to said left scan pattern and relaying said left modulated light emitted from said left output end toward a left curved surface in order to form a first left intermediate curved image on said left curved surface, the center of curvature of said left curved surface substantially coincident with the center of curvature of a left ball lens, said left ball lens having a left ball lens pupil;
• (a4) projecting said first left intermediate curved image by said left ball lens to form said second left intermediate curved image near the focal surface of said curved mirror;
• (b) forming a second right intermediate curved image near the focal surface of said curved mirror with the steps of:
• (b1) emitting a right modulated light as a series of image pixels arranged according to a right scan pattern;
• (b2) directing said right modulated light through a right optical waveguide having a right output end for emitting said right modulated light, said right output end flexible for deflection;
• (b3) actuating said right output end according to said right scan pattern and relaying said right modulated light emitted from said right output end toward a right curved surface in order to form a first right intermediate curved image on said right curved surface, the center of curvature of said right curved surface substantially coincident with the center of curvature of a right ball lens, said right ball lens having a right ball lens pupil;
• (b4) projecting said first right intermediate curved image by said right ball lens to form said second right intermediate curved image near the focal surface of said curved mirror;
• (c) forming a left virtual image from said second left intermediate curved image said left virtual image viewable from said left viewing pupil, said left viewing pupil formed by said curved mirror as an image of said left ball lens pupil;
• and
• (d) forming a right virtual image from said second right intermediate curved image, said right virtual image viewable from said right viewing pupil, said right viewing pupil formed by said curved mirror as an image of said right ball lens pupil.

A method for display of a stereoscopic real image to an observer, the real image comprising a left image to be viewed by the observer at a left viewing pupil and a right image to be viewed by the observer at a right viewing pupil, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) projecting a left image onto a retroreflective surface with the steps of:
• (a1) emitting a left modulated light as a series of image pixels arranged according to a left scan pattern;
• (a2) directing said left modulated light through a left optical waveguide having a left output end for emitting said left modulated light, said left output end flexible for deflection;
• (a3) deflecting said left output end according to said left scan pattern and projecting said left modulated light emitted from said left output end toward said retroreflective surface;
• (b) projecting a right image onto said retroreflective surface with the steps of:
• (b1) emitting a right modulated light as a series of image pixels arranged according to a right scan pattern;
• (b2) directing said right modulated light through a right optical waveguide having a right output end for emitting said right modulated light, said right output end flexible for deflection;
• and
• (b3) deflecting said right output end according to said right scan pattern and projecting said right modulated light emitted from said right output end toward said retroreflective surface.