Back to results
US 6,184,969 B2Granted
Optical display system and method, active and passive dithering using birefringence, color image superpositioning and display enhancement
OwnerJames L. Fergasoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A passive dithering display system includes an optical display including a plurality of pixels with optical dead space between the pixels for producing an image, and a birefringent material for shifting one polarization component of the image relative to a second polarization component of the image such that the shifted polarization component lies in the dead space. Thus, the system of the invention can change the location of an optical signal, and the change can be used to improve resolution of a display, to reduce fixed pattern noise of a display, to facilitate locating and hiding of circuitry, to facilitate overlapping of tiles or pixels, etc.
Claims75
An optical display system, comprising:
- a light source having a periodic driving signal for producing a light signal at a first location, the light signal having periodic bright and dark intervals and a phase lag relative to the driving signal;
- and
- an optical switch for alternatively shifting and not shifting the apparent source of the light signal from the first location to a second location, the optical switch shifting the light signal periodically and in phase with the light signal, such that the apparent source of the light signal is one of the locations during the bright intervals and the other of the locations during the dark intervals.
An optical display system comprising:
- a light source which produces a light signal at a first location, the light signal having periodically alternating bright and dark intervals and a phase lag relative to the driving signal;
- an optical switch for alternatively shifting and not shifting the apparent source of the light signal from the first location to a second location;
- means for controlling the optical switch so that the apparent source of the light signal is one of the locations during the bright intervals and the other of the locations during the dark intervals.
A color optical device comprising:
- means for supplying a first colored light;
- means for supplying a second colored light;
- and
- optical shift me for shifting the location of at least a portion of one colored light to overlap at least a substantial portion of the other colored lights;
- wherein the portion of one colored light and the part of the other colored light are different colors, and wherein the portion of one colored light completely overlaps the part of the other colored light.
2 more elements
A display system, comprising:
- an optical display including a plurality of pixels, with optical dead space therebetween, for producing an image;
- a first birefringent means for shifting one polarization component of the image relative to a second polarization component of the image such that said shifted polarization component produces a shifted image in said dead space;
- a second birefringent means for selectively shifting one component of each of the images based on polarization components to produce an additional plurality of adjacent images.
An optical display system, comprising:
- a light source for producing a light output at a first location;
- first means for selectively shifting or not shifting the light output in a first direction, which includes:
- a first liquid crystal device which selectively rotates or does not rotate the plane of polarization of light based on a prescribed input;
- a first means for selectively shifting or not shifting light based on a polarization characteristic of light;
- and
- second means for selectively shifting or not shifting the light output in a second direction which is not parallel to the first direction, which includes:
- a second liquid crystal device which selectively rotates or does not rotate the plane of polarization of light based on a prescribed input;
- and
- a second means for selectively shifting or not shifting light based on a polarization characteristic of light.
6 more elements
A method of displaying an image composed of plural frames, comprising:
- supplying information representing an image using a plurality of elements to present information at a first location;
- subsequently using the elements to present information at a second location which is positionally coordinated with the first location;
- subsequently using the elements to present information at a third location which is positionally coordinated with the first location;
- and
- subsequently using the elements to present information at a fourth location which is positionally coordinated with the first location.
2 more elements
A display system, comprising:
- an optical display for producing an image using nonpolarized light;
- first birefringent means for refracting one component of the image relative to a second component of the image based on polarization characteristics of said components to produce a plurality of adjacent images;
- and
- second birefringent means for refracting one component of each of the images produced by said first birefringent means relative to a second component of each of the images based on polarization characteristics of said components to produce an additional plurality of adjacent images.
1 more element
A display system comprising:
- an optical display producing an image which comprises a plurality of portions;
- a means for independently selectively shifting or not shifting the location of the portions which includes:
- means for selectively shifting or not shifting light based on a polarization characteristic of the light;
- and
- optical switches corresponding to respective of the portions, the optical switches selectively rotating or not rotating the plane of polarization of light based on a prescribed input.
2 more elements
A method of displaying an image composed of plural subframes, each subframe composed of a plurality of portions, comprising:
- supplying information representing a first portion of a first subframe using a plurality of first elements to present information at a first location;
- subsequently supplying information representing a second portion of the first subframe using a plurality of second elements to present information at a second location;
- subsequently using the first elements to present information representing a first portion of a second subframe, at a third location which is different from and positionally coordinated with the first location;
- and
- subsequently using the second elements to present information representing a second portion of the second subframe, at a fourth location which is different from and is positionally coordinated with the second location;
- wherein the step of presenting information at the third location also involves continuing to present information at the second location using the second elements.
3 more elements
A method of displaying an image composed of a plurality of portions, comprising:
- displaying each portion, the displaying of a portion comprising:
- activating a plurality of elements corresponding to the portion to produce an output signal which is displayed at a first location by use of a means for shifting location of a light signal corresponding to the portion;
- continuing to display the output signal at the first location while the output signal fades;
- using the means for shifting to change the location of the output signal to a second location;
- activating the elements to produce an output signal which is displayed at the second location by use of the means for shifting;
- continuing to display the output signal at the second location while the output signal fades;
- and
- using the means for shifting to change the location of the output signal to a third location;
- where the elements of different portions are activated successively.
6 more elements
An optical display system, comprising:
- a display which produces a polarized light output having a first plane of polarization;
- an optical switch which selectively rotates or does not rotate the plane of polarization of the light output from the first plane to a second plane of polarization, based on a prescribed input;
- a birefringent means which shifts light having the second plane of polarization in a direction which is not parallel to nor perpendicular to the first plane of polarization.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.