# US 9,753,294 B2 · Eyewear system, apparatus and method for stereoscopically viewing motion pictures > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,753,294 B2 - Document ID: US9753294B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/616,870 - Filed: 2015-02-09 - Published: 2016-08-11 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2015-02-09 - Applicants: Leslie C. Hardison - Inventors: Leslie C. Hardison - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9753294B2 ## CPC - G02B 30/36: using refractive optical elements, e.g. prisms, in the optical path between the images and the observer - G02B 30/40: giving the observer of a single two-dimensional [2D] image a perception of depth - G02C 7/02: Lenses; Lens systems {; Methods of designing lenses} - G02C 7/14: Mirrors; Prisms - H04N 13/332: Displays for viewing with the aid of special glasses or head-mounted displays [HMD] - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G02C: SPECTACLES; SUNGLASSES OR GOGGLES INSOFAR AS THEY HAVE THE SAME FEATURES AS SPECTACLES; CONTACT LENSES (trial frames for testing the eyes A61B3/04; goggles or eyeshields not having the same features as spectacles A61F9/00) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Moving pictures, as exemplified by ordinary television programming, are viewed stereoscopically when viewed using a special eyewear apparatus which includes a prismatic lens construction. The three dimensional effect is produced by the design of the eyewear to redirect the visual tracking of one or both eyes away from the normal convergent angle used when viewing display screens to a wider angle, which is normally associated with viewing objects at a greater distance that the display screen. This causes the eyes to perceive two distinct views of the single picture on the screen, which are interpreted by the viewer's brain, not as two laterally displaced pictures, but as a single picture with elements of depth, or a 3D picture. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An eyewear apparatus in combination with a motion picture screen, for modified viewing of ordinary television broadcasts, display of video recordings and other motion picture visual material displayed on a flat screen as two dimensional visual material created by a single camera or video recorder, but perceived by a viewer as having two laterally offset images so as to produce the impression of depth, or three dimensional viewing; the motion picture screen displaying visual material created by a single camera or video recorder, the visual material being a single image or series of images that is viewable by a user and not distorted when viewed without the eyewear apparatus; the eyewear apparatus comprising: a left and right lens, the left and right lens comprising a single solid refractory element, each mounted in a suitable structure for convenience of a viewer, at least one of which said lenses utilizes a prismatic lens construction which shifts the wearers line of sight laterally outwardly by a select degree from the normal convergent alignment automatically assumed by the eyes when viewing the display screen by altering the angle of the light exiting the lens with respect to the angle of entrance, causing the viewer to perceive an image offset laterally from that which would ordinarily be seen by that eye, causing the two eyes to experience as greater than normal offset of the two images which would ordinarily be associated with the viewing of objects at a considerably greater distance from the viewer than the visual display screen, and causing the viewer to perceive the appearance that the visual objects displayed on the screen are at a considerably greater distance from the viewer than the actual distance to the screen, thus causing the viewer to perceive a single image with depth. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The eyewear apparatus of claim 1 wherein the prismatic surface which shifts the wearers line of sight for one or both eyes so as to produce the appearance of depth comprises the entire surface of the lens. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The eyewear apparatus of claim 1 wherein the prismatic surface which shifts the wearers line of sight for one or both eyes so as to produce the appearance of depth comprises as limited portion of said lens which encompasses all of the lines of sight from the eye to the display screen, with the remainder of the lens consisting of optically flat material so as to limit the distortion of depth for much of the visual field outside the display screen. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The eyewear apparatus of claim 1 wherein the select degree of shift of the line of sight of the prismatic lens construction is between 1 degree and 10 degrees. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The eyewear apparatus of claim 1 wherein the prismatic lens construction is limited to either the left eye or the right eye. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The eyewear apparatus of claim 1 wherein the user's normal lines of sight are convergent, and the prismatic lens construction shifts the user's line of sight laterally and outwardly a select degree away from the convergent normal line of sight; and wherein the motion picture screen being a visual display screen, displaying two-dimensional imagery. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The eyewear apparatus of claim 1 wherein the eyewear apparatus is cooperable with a viewer's corrective lenses, the viewer's corrective lenses for remedying a select eye condition. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The eyewear apparatus of claim 1 wherein the select lens comprises a corrective lens construction, the corrective lens construction for remedying the user's specific vision deficiency. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The eyewear apparatus of claim 1 wherein the prismatic lens construction comprises a multilayered lens construction, the multilayered lens construction comprising an anterior material layer, a posterior material layer, and an intermediate material layer, the anterior and posterior material layers comprising substantially rigid optically flat clear material, the intermediate material layer comprising a compressible optically clear material, the intermediate material layer being sandwiched between the anterior and posterior material layers, the intermediate material layer being compressible by inclining a first select layer relative to a second select layer by mechanical means, the first and second select layers being selected from the group consisting of the anterior and posterior material layers, the first select layer being inclinable relative to the second select layer for shifting the user's line of sight laterally the select degree from the normal line of sight. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The eyewear apparatus of claim 1 wherein the prismatic lens construction of either or both lenses comprises a support member consisting of an optically clear structural support to which is affixed a centrally located thin film containing a Fresnel lens pattern, the Fresnel lens pattern having a height and a width each ranging from 0.5 to 0.75 inches, effectively duplicating the function of a simple prismatic lens. ### Claim 11 A method for enabling a user to view moving pictures made for display on conventional display screens with no enhancement to produce the illusion of depth, as three dimensional pictures comprising the steps of: providing a the motion picture screen displaying visual material created by a single camera or video recorder, the visual material being a single image or series of images that is viewable by a user and not distorted when viewed without the eyewear apparatus; providing an eyewear apparatus comprising a left and right lens, the left and right lens comprising a single layer of refractory material, each mounted in a suitable structure for convenience of a viewer, at least one of which said lenses utilizes a prismatic lens construction which shifts the wearers line of sight laterally outwardly by a select degree from the normal convergent alignment automatically assumed by the eyes when viewing the display screen, causing the viewer to perceive an image offset laterally from that which would ordinarily be seen by that eye, causing the two eyes to experience as greater than normal offset of the two images which would ordinarily be associated with the viewing of objects at a considerably greater distance from the viewer than the visual display screen, and causing the viewer to perceive the appearance that the visual objects displayed on the screen are at a considerably greater distance from the viewer than the actual distance to the screen, thus causing the viewer to perceive the a single image with depth or a third dimension in the viewed scene. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the user's normal lines of sight are convergent and the prismatic lens construction shifts the viewer's lines of sight laterally outward to create the illusion of depth in the viewed material; and wherein the motion picture screen being a visual display screen, displaying two-dimensional imagery. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the prismatic lenses are built into a support system compatible with the use of ordinary corrective lenses or glasses worn by the viewer for the correction of optical problems. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 where the prismatic lens construction of one or both lenses are combined with optical lens corrections for correcting vision deficiencies of the specific user. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the prismatic lens construction comprises a multilayered lens construction, comprising in turn an anterior layer, a posterior layer, and an intermediate material layer, the anterior and posterior layers consisting of rigid optically flat clear material, and the intermediate layer comprising a compressible optically clear material, the intermediate layer being sandwiched between the anterior and posterior layers, the method further comprising the steps of: selectively compressing the intermediate material layer by inclining the relative positions of the anterior and posterior layers by mechanical means to attain a trapezoidal shape of the interior layer with the two planar surfaces deformed from their normal parallel disposition to a select angle, between 1 degree and 10 degrees so as to form an prismatic element suitable for use as a lens for shifting the line of sight through the composite by 1 degree to 10 degrees as required for the prismatic lens. ### Claim 16 (depends on 4) The eyewear apparatus of claim 4 wherein the select degree of shift of the line of sight of the prismatic lens construction is between 2 degrees and 6 degrees. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The eyewear apparatus of claim 1 wherein the select lens construction is applied to both eyes, such that the sum of the degrees of shift of the line of sight for each of the eyes individually totals 1 degree to 10 degrees. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The eyewear apparatus of claim 17 wherein the select lens construction is applied to both eyes, such that the sum of the degrees of shift of the line of sight for each of the eyes individually totals 2 degrees to 6 degrees. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The eyewear apparatus of claim 1 wherein the left and right lens are formed of a solid and have mirrored symmetry. ### Claim 20 An eyewear apparatus for modified viewing of ordinary television broadcasts, display of video recordings and other motion picture visual material displayed on a flat screen as two dimensional visual material having two offset images created so as to produce the impression of depth, or three dimensional viewing, the eyewear apparatus comprising: a left and right lens, the left and right lens comprising a refractory material, each mounted in a suitable structure for convenience of a viewer, one or both of which said lenses utilizes a prismatic lens construction which shifts the wearers line of sight laterally outwardly by a select degree from the normal convergent alignment automatically assumed by the eyes when viewing the display screen, causing the viewer to perceive an image offset laterally from that which would ordinarily be seen by that eye, causing the two eyes to experience as greater than normal offset of the two images which would ordinarily be associated with the viewing of objects at a considerably greater distance from the viewer than the visual display screen, thus causing the viewer to perceive the illusion not of two laterally displaced images, but of a single image with depth; wherein the prismatic lens construction of either or both lenses comprises a support member consisting of an optically clear structural support to which is affixed a centrally located thin film containing a Fresnel lens pattern, the Fresnel lens pattern having a height and a width each ranging from 0.5 to 0.75 inches, effectively duplicating the function of a simple prismatic lens.