Systems for and methods of three dimensional viewing

A system for providing autostereoscopic viewing to a viewer, comprising;

• (a) a pixilated display for displaying a uniformly polarized combined image of left and right image picture elements of left and right images;
• (b) a first birefringent layer having individually switchable elements being positioned in front of said display and serving for re-dividing said uniformly polarized combined image by controlled partial light rotation of light emanating from each of picture elements of said combined images, thereby constructing a second intermediate image wherein in said first regions intensity of a light component oriented in a first orientation A reproduces light intensity of a corresponding picture element of said left image and a light component oriented in a second orientation B orthogonal to A reproduces light intensity of a corresponding picture element of said right image, and wherein in said second regions a light component oriented in said second orientation B reproduces light intensity of a corresponding picture element of said left image and a light component oriented in said first orientation A reproduces light intensity of a corresponding picture element of said right image;
• (c) a second layer at least some portions of which are birefringent, positioned between said viewer and said first birefringent layer;
• and
• (d) a uniform polarizer positioned between said viewer and said second birefringent layer;
• the system being operable to provide autostereoscopic viewing to a viewer at a position, each of said viewer's right and left eyes seeing, simultaneously, an appropriate image, at full pixel resolution of said display.

A system for autostereoscopic vision comprising:

• (a) a first optical construction which comprises:
• (i) a display for displaying a uniformly polarized combined image of left and right image picture elements of left and right images, wherein light intensity of each picture element of said combined image is a function of left-image light intensity at a corresponding position of a left image, and of right-image light intensity at a corresponding position of a right image;
• and
• (ii) a birefringent layer having individually switchable elements being positioned in front of said display and serving for re-dividing said uniformly polarized combined image by controlled partial light rotation;
• and
• (iii) a computing and control module operable to control functionality of said display and of said switchable elements of said birefringent layer, and thereby to construct an image wherein in first regions each pixel displays light of which a first component having a first orientation reproduces light intensity of a left picture element of a left image and a second component having a second orientation reproduces a right picture element of a right image, and wherein in second regions each pixel displays light of which a first component having said second orientation reproduces light intensity of a left picture element of a left image and a second component having said first orientation reproduces a right picture element of a right image.

A system for stereoscopic or autostereoscopic viewing designed and controllable to present a combined image of left and right image picture elements of left and right images, comprising:

• (a) a display for displaying a uniformly polarized combined image of left and right image picture elements of left and right images;
• (b) a birefringent layer having individually switchable elements being positioned in front of said display and serving for re-dividing said uniformly polarized combined image by controlled partial light rotation;
• and
• (c) a computing module operable to compute said combined image of left and right image picture elements for display by said display, based on left and right picture elements of left and right images, and further operable to compute commands for driving said individually switchable elements of said birefringent layer, said system being operable to construct and display an image wherein pixels within first regions emit light having a component in a first orientation which component reproduces light intensity of a left picture element of said left image and further having a component in a second orientation orthogonal to said first orientation which component reproduces light intensity of a right picture element of said right image, and wherein pixels within second regions emit light having a component in said first orientation which component reproduces light intensity of a right picture element of said right image and a component in said second orientation which component reproduces light intensity of a left picture element of said left image.