Stereoscopic imaging systems utilizing solid-state illumination and passive glasses

Abstract

A stereoscopic display system employs narrowband illumination light beams and passive glasses with built-in interference filters. The system is also compatible with multiple viewing functions.

1 . A method, comprising:
 producing first and second light beams that are composed of different numbers of colors;   modulating the first and second light beams based upon first and second sets of image data that are respectively derived from first and second sets of images; and   passing the modulated first and second light beams through a pair of passive glasses with built-in first and second interference filters for viewing.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second light beams are narrow band light beams. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first light beam comprises red, green, and blue colors. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first light beam further comprises yellow and cyan colors. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second light beams are produced by a set of solid-state light sources that are lasers or light emitting diodes. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 sequentially directing the first and second light beams onto an image engine that modulates the first and second light beams.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 simultaneously directing the first and second light beams onto an image engine that modulates the first and second light beams.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 producing third and fourth narrowband light beams whose wavelength spectrums substantially have no overlap;   modulating the first and second light beams to re-produce images for a first viewer; and   modulating the third and fourth light beams to re-produce images for a second viewer.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of modulating the first and second light beams further comprises:
 at a first time period, modulating the first light beam so as to re-produce the first set of images; and   at a second time period modulating the second light beam so as to re-produce the second set of images.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first and second time period are substantially equal to a frame period. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 producing third and fourth narrowband light beams whose wavelength spectrums substantially have no overlap;   modulating the first and second light beams so as to re-produce a portion of the first and second sets of images for first and second viewers; and   modulating the first and second light beams to re-produce another portion of the first and second sets of images for first and second viewers.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of modulating the first and second light beams so as to re-produce a portion of the first and second sets of images for first and second viewers further comprises:
 at a first time period, modulating the first light beam so as to re-produce the first portion of the first set of images; and   at a second time period, modulating the second light beam so as to re-produce the second portion of the first set of images.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of modulating the first and second light beams further comprises:
 directing the first and second light beams onto a first image engine;   the first engine modulating the first and second light beams based upon at least a portion of the first and second sets of images so as to generate first and second modulated light beams; and   projecting the first and second modulated light beams from the first image engine onto a second image engine so as to re-produce the first and second sets of images.   
   
   
       14 . A system capable of producing a stereoscopic image, the system comprising:
 an illumination system capable of producing first and second sets of light beams, wherein the wavelengths of light of the first set are not substantially overlapped with the wavelengths of light of the second set, and wherein the first set light beams comprises a different number of colors than the second light beam.   a color processor capable of scaling a color space of the stereoscopic image;   an image engine for re-producing a set of images derived from the stereoscopic image by modulating the light beams based upon the stereoscopic image; and   a passive glass with a built-in interference filter for separating the set of images.   
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the image engine comprises an array of micromirrors. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the image engine comprises an array of liquid-crystal cells. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 14  is a front projection system. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 14  is a rear projection system. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 14  is a backlit display system. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 another image engine disposed on an optical path of the system.   
   
   
       21 . A method, comprising:
 producing first and second narrowband light beams;   modulating the first and second light beams based upon first and second sets of image data that are respectively derived from first and second sets of images;   passing the modulated first and second light beams through a pair of passive glasses with built-in first and second interference filters for viewing such that the modulated first light beam is capable of passing through and substantially only the first interference filter; and such that the modulated second light beam is capable of passing through and substantially only the second interference filter; and   delivering the re-produced first set of images to a first viewer, and the second set of images to the second viewer for viewing.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the light beams are composed of different numbers of colors 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first light beam comprises red, green, blue, yellow and cyan colors. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first and second light beams are produced by a set of solid-state light sources that are lasers or light emitting diodes. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 producing third and fourth narrowband light beams whose wavelength spectrums substantially have no overlap;   modulating the first and second light beams to re-produce images for a first viewer; and   modulating the third and fourth light beams to re-produce images for a second viewer.   
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 producing third and fourth narrowband light beams whose wavelength spectrums substantially have no overlap;   modulating the first and second light beams so as to re-produce a portion of the first and second sets of images for first and second viewers; and   modulating the first and second light beams to re-produce another portion of the first and second sets of images for first and second viewers.