Mutli-layer plenoptic displays that combine multiple emissive and light modulating planes

An autostereoscopic display method, comprising:

• with a computer, receiving an input light field describing a three dimensional scene;
• with a decomposition program running on the computer, extracting diffuse components from the input light field including determining depths of each of the extracted diffuse components within the input light field;
• determining a nearest one among emitting elements in a multi-layer plenoptic display assembly for each of the extracted diffuse components based on a comparison of the determined depths of each of the extracted diffuse components with predefined locations of the emitting elements within the multi-layer plenoptic display assembly and assigning each of the extracted diffuse components to the determined nearest one of the emitting elements;
• operating the emitting elements to display the assigned ones of the extracted diffuse components, wherein the extracted diffuse components are view-independent components of the input light field and wherein the method further includes displaying view-independent components of the input light field on a combination of the emitting elements and one or more modulating layers in the multi-layer plenoptic display assembly;
• for every residual ray remaining after the extracting of the diffuse component, identifying occluders in the input light field and assigning each of the occluders to a modulating element in the multi-layer plenoptic display assembly;
• and
• identifying and then filling empty spaces in continuous surfaces and adjusting specular highlights in the residual rays to be at a same depth as a counterpart one among the extracted diffuse components.

An autostereoscopic display method, comprising:

• receiving an input light field describing a three dimensional scene;
• extracting diffuse components from the input light field;
• determining a nearest one among emitting elements in a multi-layer plenoptic display assembly for each of the extracted diffuse components by comparing a determined depth of each of the extracted diffused components with a planar depth of the emitting elements and assigning each of the extracted diffuse components to the determined nearest one of the emitting elements;
• operating the emitting elements to display the assigned ones of the extracted diffuse components, wherein the extracted diffuse components are view-independent components of the input light field and wherein the method further includes displaying view-independent components of the input light field on a combination of the emitting elements and modulating layers in the multi-layer plenoptic display assembly;
• for every residual ray remaining after the extracting of the diffuse component, identifying occluders in the input light field and assigning each of the occluders to a modulating element in the multi-layer plenoptic display assembly;
• and
• distributing partially visible rays among the residual rays to the emitting elements for display.

An autostereoscopic display method, comprising:

• receiving an input light field describing a three dimensional scene;
• extracting diffuse components from the input light field;
• determining a nearest one among emitting elements in a multi-layer plenoptic display assembly for each of the extracted diffuse components by comparing a determined depth of each of the extracted diffused components with a planar depth of the emitting elements and assigning each of the extracted diffuse components to the determined nearest one of the emitting elements;
• operating the emitting elements to display the assigned ones of the extracted diffuse components, wherein the extracted diffuse components are view-independent components of the input light field and wherein the method further includes displaying view-independent components of the input light field on a combination of the emitting elements and modulating layers in the multi-layer plenoptic display assembly;
• for every residual ray remaining after the extracting of the diffuse component, identifying occluders in the input light field and assigning each of the occluders to a modulating element in the multi-layer plenoptic display assembly;
• and
• identifying and then filling empty spaces in continuous surfaces and adjusting specular highlights in the residual rays to be at a same depth a counterpart one among the extracted diffuse components.

An automultiscopic display method, comprising:

• displaying, with a planar light modulating device, parallax barrier patterns;
• selectively operating first and second planar emitting devices to emit received light;
• operating the first and second planar emitting devices to display first and second components of a light field, wherein the light field comprises a 3D content file;
• and
• operating the modulating device to occlude a portion of the light field,
• wherein the first and second components of the light field correspond to images that are at first and second depths within the light field,
• wherein the first and second emitting devices are spaced apart in parallel planes whereby the first and second components are displayed in spaced apart parallel planes, and
• wherein the first component includes view-dependent components extracted from the light field and the parallax barrier pattern is generated to mask view-dependent occlusions in the light field, whereby portions of the first component are blocked by the modulating device.