Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Image superposition by optical means
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-25
2001-05-08
Luu, Matthew (Department: 2672)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Image superposition by optical means
C345S008000, C359S630000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06229503
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a visual display device or method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a personal display device or method that projects an image onto the retina.
2. Description of the Related Art
Visual display devices which present scene and/or data information are not new and have been readily available to the general public since the invention of the television in the mid-twentieth century. Display devices are available for a broad spectrum of applications, from big screen televisions projecting entertainment media, to computer screens projecting information and display generated by a personal computer, to display devices providing positional and systems data to aircraft pilots. Today, visual displays are often the most vital link between man and machine. Personal displays are display devices designed to be viewed by a single viewer, such as Heads-Up Displays (HUDs) in aircraft applications. Such personal displays have only begun to reach maturity, and general availability and usage by a relatively small segment of the general public, within recent years.
FIG. 1
shows a typical display operations sequence of the more common types of display technology, including televisions and computer monitors. A beam source
102
, typically electron guns, small accelerators, or similar devices, generates a charged particle beam
109
. The charged particle beam is directed into a beam deflection and control system
104
. The result is an incident beam
110
which is directed toward an optic screen
106
. The incident beam
110
causes the optic screen
106
to direct an image beam
112
into the viewer's eye
108
, ultimately projecting an image
114
onto the viewer's retina
116
.
FIGS. 2
a
and
2
b
show further detail of an optic screen
201
in a typical prior art embodiment.
FIG. 2
illustrates a perspective view if a cross-section of the optic screen
201
.
FIG. 2
a
is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the cut away edge of the optic screen
201
. As described previously, the incident beam
210
is shown directed toward the optic screen
201
. Since the 1940s, the incident beam
210
has usually comprised charged particles
212
, such as electrons or ions accelerated by a voltage
208
. The optic screen
201
is comprised of a first layer
202
which contains a visible light emitting material, a second layer
206
which contains optical material such as phosphors, and a third layer
204
of visible light transparent material. The first layer
202
is transparent to the charged particles
212
. Therefore, the charged particles
212
pass through layer
202
and into the second layer
206
. There, the charged particle
212
causes an event
216
in which the optical material
214
contained in the second layer
206
emits visible light
218
. The first layer
202
is opaque to visible light
218
, but the third layer
204
is transparent to visible light
218
. Therefore, visible light
218
either travels directly through the third layer
204
or is first reflected from the first layer
202
, and then travels through the third layer
204
. Upon leaving the optic screen
201
, visible light
218
becomes part of the image beam
112
shown in FIG.
1
.
The process of fabricating typical display systems with the technologies and/or excitation (incident charged beams) as illustrated in
FIGS. 1
,
2
a
and
2
b
is well known and developed. The methods of using charged beams and materials such as phosphors for achieving visible light, light that can be perceived and used by humans, is also a well established and well understood field of science and technology.
Since the introduction of personal displays, a major effort has been made in industry to reduce the size of visual display devices for applications in a wide variety of fields. As personal display devices become more compact, they become more portable, take up less space when integrated with other display devices, such as in an aircraft cockpit, and weigh less. Some advancements have been made in reducing the size and weight of, for example, portable computer screens, personal television monitors, and numerous other video applications.
Another goal driving the further miniaturization of personal display devices involves attempts to minimize the problem of “total immersion” when a viewer is receiving images from the device. Total immersion is the phenomenon that naturally occurs when a viewer directs his attention to a video output. For example, although there are presently available television monitors in very small formats, such as two inch diameter screens, a viewer must focus his full attention on this small screen in order to have the images projected through his eyes and on to his retina. The viewer, therefore, becomes totally immersed in the task of obtaining information from this personal display device. By way of example, it would be rather hazardous for a viewer to attempt to obtain continuous information from the example television screen while also operating a motor vehicle in traffic. However, if the personal display device could be sufficiently miniaturized so that a small visual beam is directed onto the viewer's retina with a minimally distractive profile of the device itself, the viewer could monitor this information more passively while retaining the ability to see the real world and function accordingly. Such a device would allow a viewer to take in information from both a virtual reality image projected onto his retina and real world images while quickly transitioning between the two images or simultaneously extracting information from both.
The beneficial applications of a personal display device miniaturized to the extent that it is highly portable, interferes minimally with normal vision, and limits the phenomena of total immersion are quite extensive. Miniaturization of display information for an aircraft pilot would allow the pilot to monitor such information without substantially degrading the pilot's ability to monitor other items in the cockpit or conduct visual scans outside the aircraft. A discreet and constantly available monitor for portable personal computers would free up workers to perform manual tasks while obtaining information from the computer. Entertainment applications might include video games mixing virtual reality images with real viewer action. A security officer could monitor video from surveillance cameras while also conducting a visual inspection of other areas assigned to his care. Rather than using overhead projectors or other video equipment, a lecturer could be viewed directly while supporting visual images (teaching aids) are beamed discretely onto the retina of the viewer. A surgeon could monitor the output of miniature optics while simultaneously focusing his attention on other areas on the patient. Despite the numerous potential applications for such miniaturized personal display devices, however, industry has yet to produce such a device that is sufficiently small and inexpensive to manufacture as to be available to the general public in a variety of applications.
Attempts have been made to easily implement a relatively small device capable of operating at the user's discretion in full video type operation, in monitor type operation, in full color, or in monochrome. Such attempts have not been successful as no relatively small device capable of operating at the user's discretion in full video type operation, in monitor type operation, in full color, or in monochrome is currently available. This cannot as yet be achieved with liquid crystal display (LCD) technology or electro-luminescent display (ELD) technology; and plasma display (PD) and cathode ray tubes (CRT) technologies cannot be made small enough. Other potential technologies that have offered more promise by theoretically providing adequate brightness with low power requirements are the use of lasers and light emitting diodes (LEDs). With LEDs, there are more than three decades-old questions
Crist Charles E.
Mays, Jr. Robert
Blackman Anthony J.
Luu Matthew
Walder Stephen J.
Yee Duke W.
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