Multi-perspective three-dimensional floating image display with polarization multiplexing

A system for generating a centrally located floating three-dimensional image display for a plurality of passengers positioned within a vehicle, comprising:

• a display mounted to a roof within the vehicle and adapted to project a multiplexed image comprising a plurality of three-dimensional images;
• a polarization rotator positioned immediately in front of the display, the polarization rotator selectably actuatable to rotate a polarization of an image projected from the display through the polarization rotator to one of S-polarization and P-polarization;
• a reflector unit mounted to the roof within the vehicle and including:
• a polarized beam splitter immediately downstream of the polarization rotator, the polarized beam splitter adapted to reflect S-polarized images to at least one transparent first beam splitter and to allow P-polarized image to pass through the polarized beam splitter;
• and
• a first mirror immediately downstream of the polarized beam splitter, the first mirror adapted to reflect P-polarized images that pass through the polarized beam splitter to at least one transparent second beam splitter, the first mirror including a filter adapted to rotate the polarization of the second image to S-polarization;
• wherein, each of the at least one first beam splitter and the at least one second beam splitter individually associated with one of the plurality of passengers, and adapted to receive one of the plurality of images from the display and to reflect the one of the plurality of images to the associated one of the plurality of passengers, wherein, each of the plurality of passengers perceives one of the plurality of three-dimensional images floating at a central location within the vehicle;
• a second mirror positioned between the polarized beam splitter and the at least one first beam splitter and adapted to reflect the first image from the polarized beam splitter to the at least one first beam splitter;
• a third mirror positioned between the first mirror and the at least one second beam splitter and adapted to reflect the second image from the first mirror to the at least one second beam splitter;
• and
• a controller in communication with the display and the polarization rotator, the controller adapted to simultaneously:
• actuate the display to alternate between projecting a first image and projecting a second image;
• actuate the polarization rotator to alternate the polarization of the image projected from the display through the polarization rotator between S-polarization and P-polarization;
• and
• synchronize the display and the polarization rotator such that:
• when the display is projecting the first image, the polarization rotator rotates the polarization of the first image to 5-polarization;
• and
• when the display is projecting the second image, the polarization rotator rotates the polarization of the second image to P-polarization.