Holographic object relay for light field display

Abstract

Relay systems and methods are operable to redirect light corresponding to a light field or holographic object such that imagery generated by a light field or other display is perceived by a viewer without having to address the display itself.

1 . A holographic display system, comprising:
 a first display, comprising a light field display configured to project light along a set of projected light paths to form at least a first holographic surface having a first projected depth profile relative to a display screen plane; and   a relay system positioned to receive light along the set of projected light paths from the light field display and relay the received light along a set of relayed light paths such that points on the first holographic surface are relayed to relayed locations thereby forming a first relayed holographic surface having a first relayed depth profile relative to a virtual screen plane, the first relayed depth profile being different from the first projected depth profile;   wherein the light field display comprises a controller configured to receive instructions for accounting for the difference between the first projected depth profile and the first relayed depth profile by operating the light field display to output projected light such that the first relayed depth profile of the first relayed holographic object is the depth profile intended for a viewer.   
     
     
         2 . The holographic display system of  claim 1 , wherein the light field display is configured to project the first holographic surface as an in-screen holographic surface or an off-screen holographic surface. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The holographic display system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the set of projected light paths has a set of positional coordinates and angular coordinates in a four-dimensional (4D) coordinate system, and the instruction received by the controller comprises a reversal of the polarity of the angular coordinates of the first holographic surfaces in the 4D coordinate system. 
     
     
         5 . The holographic display system of  claim 1 , wherein the set of projected light paths form a second holographic surface having a second projected depth profile relative to the display screen plane, and points on the second holographic surface are relayed by the relay system to relayed locations that form a second relayed holographic surface having a second relayed depth profile relative to the virtual screen plane. 
     
     
         6 .- 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The holographic display system of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual screen plane is oriented at a non-parallel or a perpendicular angle relative to the display screen plane of the light field display. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The holographic display system of  claim 1 , wherein the relay system comprises a transmissive reflector positioned to receive light along the set of projected light paths and direct the received light along the set of relayed light paths. 
     
     
         27 . The holographic display system of  claim 26 , wherein the transmissive reflector internally reflects a portion of the received light among a plurality of internal reflective surfaces of the transmissive reflector and outputs light along the set of relayed light paths towards the virtual screen plane in a first direction. 
     
     
         28 . The holographic display system of  claim 26 , wherein the transmissive reflector internally reflects a first portion of the received light among a plurality of internal reflective surfaces of the transmissive reflector and output the first portion of the received light along the set of relayed light paths towards the virtual screen plane in a first direction, and wherein an external surface of the transmissive reflector reflects a second portion of the received light along a set of reflected light paths in a second direction opposite the first direction. 
     
     
         29 . The holographic display system of  claim 28 , wherein the set of reflected light paths and the set of relayed light paths are substantially aligned such that the first relayed holographic surface is perceived from the first and second directions to have the same depth profile relative to the virtual screen plane. 
     
     
         30 . The holographic display system of  claim 28 , wherein each light path in the set of relayed light paths has a unique set of positional coordinates and angular coordinates in a four-dimensional (4D) coordinate system, and the holographic display system further comprises a corrective optical element positioned in a location intersecting the set of relayed light paths or in a location intersecting the set of reflected light paths, wherein the corrective optical element is configured to reverse the polarity of the angular coordinates of light paths passing therethrough. 
     
     
         31 . The holographic display system of  claim 28 , wherein each light path in the set of relayed light paths has a unique set of positional coordinates and angular coordinates in a four-dimensional (4D) coordinate system, and the holographic display system further comprises first and second corrective optical element positioned in first and second locations, respectively, the first location intersecting the set of relayed light paths and the second location intersecting the set of reflected light paths, and wherein the first and second corrective optical elements are each configured to reverse the polarity of the angular coordinates of light paths passing therethrough. 
     
     
         32 . The holographic display system of  claim 26 , wherein the transmissive reflector comprises a dihedral corner reflector array comprising a plurality of dihedral corner reflectors. 
     
     
         33 . The holographic display system of  claim 32 , wherein the dihedral corner reflector array comprises two layers of reflective planes, the two layers being parallel but offset in a first dimension, and wherein, the direction of the reflective planes in one layer oriented orthogonally to the direction of the reflective planes in the other layer in a second dimension. 
     
     
         34 . The holographic display system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second display disposed substantially orthogonally with respect to the first display; and   a beam splitter configured to receive light along the set of projected light paths from the first display and an additional set of projected light paths from the second display and direct the received light towards the relay system.   
     
     
         35 . The holographic display system of  claim 34 , wherein the second display comprises a light field display configured to project an additional holographic surface, points on the additional holographic surface are relayed by the relay system to relayed points thereby forming an additional relayed holographic surface having a depth profile relative to an additional virtual screen plane. 
     
     
         36 . The holographic display system of  claim 35 , wherein the virtual screen plane corresponding to the first display and the additional virtual screen plane corresponding to the second display are located such that two distinct holographic volumes are created. 
     
     
         37 . The holographic display system of  claim 35 , wherein the virtual screen plane corresponding to the first display and the additional virtual screen plane corresponding to the second display are located such that one continuous holographic volume is created, the one continuous holographic volume being larger than individual holographic volumes associated with either virtual screen planes. 
     
     
         38 . The holographic display system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second display opposite the first display, the relay system being disposed between the first and second displays, wherein the relay system is configured to receive light along an additional set of projected light paths from the second display and relay the received light along an additional set of relayed light paths. 
     
     
         39 . The holographic display system of  claim 38 , wherein the second display comprises a light field display configured to project an additional holographic surface and points on the additional holographic surface are relayed by the relay system to relayed points thereby forming an additional relayed holographic surface having a depth profile relative to the virtual screen plane. 
     
     
         40 . The holographic display system of  claim 39 , further comprising a parallax element located in the set of projected light paths from either the first or second displays, and wherein the parallax element is operable to occlude at least a portion of the holographic surface formed along the set of projected light paths of the respective display. 
     
     
         41 . The holographic display system of  claim 39 , further comprising a parallax element located in each of the set of projected light paths from the first and second displays, and wherein each parallax element is operable to occlude at least a portion of the holographic surface formed along the respective set of projected light paths. 
     
     
         42 .- 102 . (canceled)