Two-panel liquid crystal system with circular polarization and polarizer glasses suitable for three dimensional imaging

A three-dimensional display system for providing stereo images to a user, said display system comprising:

• a pair of polarized glasses wearable by said user, said polarized glasses containing one lens for each of two eyes of the user, each said lens having a direction of polarization being orthogonal to the other said lens;
• a flat panel liquid crystal display monitor, said liquid crystal display monitor capable of producing color images via a plurality of individually controllable pixels;
• a transmissive liquid crystal panel adapted to be fitted on top of said flat panel monitor such that it is placed in stacked configuration between said monitor and said user;
• electronic processing means for processing a composite image from a stereopair, said stereopair comprising a left input image and a right input image, said processing means being further adapted to calculate an angle of polarization for each pixel of said second liquid crystal panel;
• flat panel monitor control means for receiving first signals from said processing means and controlling operation of said monitor in accord with said signals;
• and
• liquid crystal panel control means for receiving second signals from said processing means and controlling operation of said liquid crystal panel in accord with said signals;
• wherein said composite image represents an average color intensity for each pixel of the left and right input images, and said angle of polarization φ for each pixel of the second liquid crystal panel can be calculated from the relationship
• tanφ=Square root of (L/R)
• where L is the intensity of a corresponding pixel for the left input image and R is the intensity of a corresponding pixel for the right input image, and wherein said panel control means causes said liquid crystal panel to polarize image light from said monitor and rotate said polarized light such that a left image corresponding to said left input image is decoded by a left lens of said polarizer glasses and a right image corresponding to said right input image is decoded by a right lens of said polarizer glasses;
• and
• wherein said liquid crystal panels each comprise a plurality of pixels each having three sub-pixels corresponding to color components, and wherein said processing means utilizes an appropriate sub-pixel parameter γ to correct calculations relating to each color component according to the following formulas:
• B
• =
• (
• L
• γ
• +
• R
• γ
• 2
• )
• 1
• γ
• F
• =
• (
• R
• γ
• L
• γ
• +
• R
• γ
• )
• 1
• γ
• wherein B is a color component intensity for a pixel of the first liquid crystal panel and F is a color component intensity for a pixel of the second liquid crystal panel and wherein γ is a different parameter for each color component/sub-pixel.

A method for producing a perceived three dimensional image, said method comprising:

• providing a pair of polarized glasses to be worn by said user, said polarized glasses containing one lens for each of two eyes of the user, each said lens having a direction of polarization being orthogonal to the other said lens;
• arranging a first and a second liquid crystal panel in stacked configuration between a light source and said user with said first liquid crystal panel being closer to said light source;
• placing a first polarizer between said light source and said first liquid crystal panel, said first polarizer being adapted to impart linear polarization of a first orientation to light directed toward said first liquid crystal panel;
• placing a second polarizer between said first and second liquid crystal panels, said second polarizer having a polarization orientation orthogonal to said first polarizer;
• determining a composite image from a stereopair comprising a left input image and a right input image, said composite image representing an average color intensity for each pixel of the left and right input images;
• controlling said first liquid crystal panel to display said composite image;
• calculating an angle of polarization for each pixel of said second liquid crystal panel, wherein said angle of polarization φ for each pixel of the second liquid crystal panel is calculated from the relationship
• tanφ=Square root of (L/R)
• where L is the intensity of a corresponding pixel for the left input image and R is the intensity of a corresponding pixel for the right input image;
• and
• controlling said second liquid crystal display panel to achieve said calculated angle of polarization for each pixel of said second liquid crystal panel to produce a three dimensional image viewable by said user wearing said glasses;
• and
• wherein said liquid crystal panels each comprise a plurality of pixels each having three sub-pixels corresponding to color components, and wherein said processing means utilizes an appropriate sub-pixel parameter γ to correct calculations relating to each color component according to the following formulas:
• B
• =
• (
• L
• γ
• +
• R
• γ
• 2
• )
• 1
• γ
• F
• =
• (
• R
• γ
• L
• γ
• +
• R
• γ
• )
• 1
• γ
• wherein B is a color component intensity for a pixel of the first liquid crystal panel and F is a color component intensity for a pixel of the second liquid crystal panel and wherein γis a different parameter for each color component/sub-pixel.