Stereoscopic flat panel display with a continuously lit backlight
AssigneeRealid Inc.
InventorsMichael G. Robinson, Jianmin Chen
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Abstract
This disclosure describes stereoscopic flat panel display systems based on the polarization encoding of sequentially displayed left and right eye images. The systems comprise line-by-line addressed liquid crystal display (LCD) panels, illuminating back light units and polarization control panels (PCPs). Right and left eye images are written sequentially onto the LCD whose polarization is controlled by a substantially synchronously driven PCP. The backlight may be continuously illuminated, or modulated temporally, spatially or both, as can the PCP.
Claims20
A method of displaying stereoscopic imagery on a display, the display having a backlight, a liquid crystal (LC) modulating panel having modulation regions, and a polarization control panel (PCP) having a plurality of polarization control segments associated with the modulation regions, the polarization control segments being operable to selectively transform the state of polarization (SOP) of modulated light incident from the modulation regions, the method comprising:
- providing continuous illumination from the backlight through alternate left eye image frame and right eye image frame display cycles;
- addressing data lines in a modulation region on the LC modulating panel with left eye image data;
- and
- providing polarization control instructions to the polarization control segment associated with the modulation region to operate in a left eye polarization display mode, wherein the polarization control instructions are operable to switch the polarization control segment to operate in a left eye polarization display mode when a predetermined portion of the lines in the modulation region display a predetermined portion of the left eye image frame.
A flat panel display operable to display stereoscopic imagery, comprising:
- a backlight element operable to provide light;
- a liquid crystal (LC) modulation element positioned to receive the light incident from the backlight element and operable to modulate the light incident from the backlight element;
- and
- a polarization control panel (PCP) having a plurality of segmented polarization control segments positioned to receive the modulated light incident from the LC modulation element, wherein each segmented polarization control segment is operable to selectively transform the state of polarization (SOP) of the modulated light incident from the LC modulation element;
- wherein the backlight element provides continuous illumination to the LC modulation element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.