Static multiview display and method

Abstract

A static multiview display and method of static multiview display operation provide a static multiview image using diffractive gratings to diffractively scatter light from guided light beams having different radial directions. The static multiview display includes a light guide configured to guide plurality of guided light beams and a light source configured to provide the guided light beam plurality having the different radial directions. The static multiview display further includes a plurality of diffraction gratings configured to provide from a portion of the guided light beams directional light beams having intensities and principal angular directions corresponding to view pixels of the static multiview image.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A static multiview display comprising:
 a light guide configured to guide light beams;   a light source at an input location on the light guide, the light source being configured to provide within the light guide a plurality of guided light beams having different radial directions from one another; and   a plurality of diffraction gratings configured to emit directional light beams representing a static multiview image, each diffraction grating being configured to provide from a portion of a guided light beam of the guided light beam plurality a directional light beam having an intensity and a principal angular direction corresponding to an intensity and a view direction of a view pixel of the static multiview image.   
     
     
         2 . The static multiview display of  claim 1 , wherein the input location of the light source is on a side of the light guide at about a midpoint of the side. 
     
     
         3 . The static multiview display of  claim 1 , wherein a grating characteristic of the diffraction grating is configured to determine the intensity and the principal angular direction, the grating characteristic being a function of both a location of the diffraction grating on a surface of the light guide and the input location of the light source on a side of the light guide. 
     
     
         4 . The static multiview display of  claim 3 , wherein the grating characteristic comprises one or both of a grating pitch of the diffraction grating and a grating orientation of the diffraction grating, the grating characteristic being configured to determine the principal angular direction of the directional light beam provided by the diffraction grating. 
     
     
         5 . The static multiview display of  claim 3 , wherein the grating characteristic comprises a grating depth configured to determine the intensity of the directional light beam provided by the diffraction grating. 
     
     
         6 . The static multiview display of  claim 1 , wherein an emission pattern of a directional light beam of the directional light beam plurality is wider in a direction parallel to a direction of propagation of the guided light beam plurality than in a direction perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the guided light beam plurality. 
     
     
         7 . The static multiview display of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of diffraction gratings are located on a surface of the light guide opposite to a light beam emission surface of the light guide. 
     
     
         8 . The static multiview display of  claim 1 , further comprising a collimator between the light source and the light guide, the collimator being configured to collimate light emitted by the light source, the plurality of guided light beams comprising collimated light beams. 
     
     
         9 . The static multiview display of  claim 1 , further comprising another light source at another laterally offset input location on the light guide, the other light source being configured to provide another plurality of guided light beams, wherein the plurality of guided light beams and the other plurality of guided light beams have different radial directions from one another, and wherein switching between the light source and the other light source is configured to animate the static multiview image, the static multiview display being a quasi-static multiview display. 
     
     
         10 . The static multiview display of  claim 1 , wherein the light guide is transparent to light propagating in a direction orthogonal a direction of propagation of a guided light beam of the guided light beam plurality within the light guide. 
     
     
         11 . A static multiview display comprising:
 a plate light guide;   a light source configured to provide a plurality of guided light beams having different radial directions from one another within the plate light guide; and   an array of multiview pixels configured to provide a plurality of different views of a static multiview image, a multiview pixel comprising a plurality of diffraction gratings configured to diffractively couple out light from the guided light beam plurality to provide directional light beams representing view pixels of the multiview pixel,   wherein a principal angular direction of a directional light beam provided by a diffraction grating of the diffraction grating plurality is a function of a grating characteristic, the grating characteristic being a function of a relative location of the diffraction grating and the light source.   
     
     
         12 . The static multiview display of  claim 11 , wherein the grating characteristic comprises one or both of a grating pitch and a grating orientation of the diffraction grating. 
     
     
         13 . The static multiview display of  claim 11 , wherein an intensity of the directional light beam provided by the diffraction grating and corresponding to an intensity of a corresponding view pixel is determined by a diffractive coupling efficiency of the diffraction grating. 
     
     
         14 . The static multiview display of  claim 11 , wherein the light source comprises a first optical emitter laterally offset from a second optical emitter along a side of the light guide, the first optical emitter being configured to provide a first plurality of guided light beams and the second optical emitter being configured to provide a second plurality of guided light beams. 
     
     
         15 . The static multiview display of  claim 11 , wherein the light guide is transparent in a direction orthogonal to a direction of propagation of a guided light beam of the guided light beam plurality within the light guide. 
     
     
         16 . A method of static multiview display operation, the method comprising:
 guiding in a light guide a plurality of guided light beams having a common point of origin and different radial directions from one another; and   emitting a plurality of directional light beams representing a static multiview image using a plurality of diffraction gratings, a diffraction grating of the diffraction grating plurality diffractively coupling out light from the guided light beam plurality as a directional light beam of the directional light beam plurality having an intensity and a principal angular direction of a corresponding view pixel of the static multiview image,   wherein the intensity and principal angular direction of the emitted directional light beam are controlled by a grating characteristic of the diffraction grating that is based on a location of the diffraction grating relative to the common origin point.   
     
     
         17 . The method of static multiview display operation of  claim 16 , wherein grating characteristic controlling the principal angular direction comprises one or both of a grating pitch and a grating orientation of the diffraction grating. 
     
     
         18 . The method of static multiview display operation of  claim 16 , wherein the grating characteristic controlling the intensity comprises a grating depth of the diffraction grating. 
     
     
         19 . The method of static multiview display operation of  claim 16 , further comprising providing light to be guided as the plurality of guided light beams using a light source, the light source being located at a side of the light guide, wherein the light source location is the common origin point of the guided light beam plurality. 
     
     
         20 . The method of static multiview display operation of  claim 16 , further comprising animating the static multiview image by guiding a first plurality of light guided light beams during a first time period and guiding a second plurality of guided light beams during a second time period during a second period, the first guided light beam plurality having a common origin point that differs from a common origin point of the second guided light beam plurality, wherein animation comprises a shift in an apparent location of the static multiview image during the first and second time periods.