Single cell liquid crystal shutter glasses

Single cell liquid crystal grating glass

<p>Component number comparison</p><p>10. . .Synthetic wave crystal shutter assembly</p><p>12. . .Flexible substrate</p><p>14. . .Linear polarizing film</p><p>16A. . .film</p><p>16B. . .film</p><p>20. . .Synthetic LCD shutter system</p><p>twenty two. . .P1 linear polarizing film</p><p>twenty four. . .Liquid crystal crystal</p><p>26R. . .Polarizing angle</p><p>26L. . .Polarizing angle</p><p>28R. . .P1 Analyzer</p><p>28L. . .P2 Analyzer</p>

FIG. 1 is a top view of a single-cell liquid crystal three-dimensional shutter system.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a single cell liquid crystal shutter operation pattern, in which one cell line is in an OFF state.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a single cell liquid crystal shutter operation pattern, in which one cell line is in an ON state.

Figure 4 illustrates a typical shutter response for a twisted nematic liquid crystal based system.

Figure 5 illustrates a typical optical shutter response for a ferroelectric liquid crystal based system.

Background of the invention

The present invention relates to a three-dimensional viewing field, and in particular, relates to the use of a single cell liquid crystal grating glass.

A typical liquid crystal (LC) grating glass is composed of two individual liquid crystal shutters in alternate forms of opening and closing, which are synchronized with the control of the image display system. Furthermore, the current systems using liquid crystal cells are constructed from glass substrates, which are non-flexible and limit the design range that can be achieved for these glasses. The invention provides a new method for constructing a liquid crystal grating glass by using a single flexible liquid crystal cell as an active element. The advantages of the present invention over conventional techniques include a simpler transmission system that requires only two lines. Since there is only a single large liquid crystal cell, it has a lower cost. A flexible substrate allows for a wider range of The design range shutter has a simple curvature and is lighter due to the removal of the glass substrate. Previous patents and applications filed by Faris, Lazzaro, Divelbiss, Swift, Guralnick, Lipton, and Tettington have fixed the field of view of liquid crystal filters. Time multiplexing technology for viewing electronic stereoscopic images is now the standard viewing format for computer graphics and images. In the past ten years, electronic stereoscopic displays have become an accepted device for viewing images.

All of these systems use liquid crystal ("LC") shutter glasses to view stereoscopic images, which are described in the following patents and patent applications: U.S. Patent No. 4,884,876, entitled "For Stereo Achromatic Liquid Crystal Shutter For Stereoscopic And Other Applications "; US Patent No. 4,967,268, entitled" Liquid Crystal Shutter System For Stereoscopic And Other Applications " "; US Patent No. 5,117,302, entitled" High Dynamic Range Electro-Optical Shutter For Stereoscopic And Other Applications "for stereo and other applications"; US Patent No. 5,181,133, entitled " Drive Method For Twisted Nematic Liquid for Stereo and Other Applications "Crystal Shutters For Stereoscopic And Other Applications"; US Patent No. 5,463,428, entitled "Wireless Active Eyewear For Stereoscopic Applications"; for high-power range with stereoscopic and other applications Electro-optical shutters (High Dynamic Range Electro-optical Shutter For Stereoscopic And Other Applications); US Patent No. 5,572,250, entitled "Universal Electronic StereoScopicDisplay" and World Patent No. WO98 / 54614, entitled " 1. electric stereo glasses Eyewear) ". Additional patents describing liquid crystal grating glass include: U.S. Patent No. 5,821,989, entitled" Three-dimensional 3D viewing system, and a horizontal pulse detection station with a vertical synchronization pulse period that generates image signals by using a computer The lens of the electro-optical shutter controlled by the control signal generated (steroscopic 3-D View System and Glass Having Having Electro-optical Shutters Controlled ByControl Signals produced by Using Horizontal PulseDetection Witwin the Synchronization Pulse Period of Computer Generated Video Signals); US Patent No. 6,295,065 , Entitled "Method and Apparatus To Alternate Stereoscopic Image In a Video Display Device"; US Patent No. 6,088,052, entitled "3D Stereoscopic Image Display System (3D Stereoscopic VideoDisplay System "; US Patent No. 6,278,501, entitled" Three Dimensional Liquid Shutter Glass "; US Patent No. 6,359,664, entitled" Used for visual display in the same high quality and high resolution Electro-optical Display System For Visually Displaying Polarized Spatially Multiplexed Images of 3-D Objects for Use In Stereoscopically Viewing The same With HighQuality and High Resolution "; and World Patent No. WO 01/25836 entitled" 3D Shutter Glass and Line Blanker System ". All of the above patents and patent applications are incorporated herein by reference for reference. .

In order to be competitive in the daily necessities market, liquid crystal grating glass for the mass consumer market must minimize the price of manufactured products. Therefore, what is needed is a lenticular glass system with a lower price and simplified design, and a flexible substrate allows a wider range of eyeglass designs.

Summary of invention

The invention relates to a stereo shutter system having a single liquid crystal (LC) cell. The system can have a flexible substrate or a non-flexible substrate. The system requires only two electrical conductors to provide a shutter for both eyes. The system uses twisted nematic liquid crystal, ferroelectric liquid crystal, pi-cell technology, or other similar shutter technologies. The system only includes a liquid crystal cell, a single large laminated linear polarizing filter P1, and two smaller linear polarizing analyzers oriented in the P1 and P2 states. The shutter system can be curved in a one-dimensional curve in relation to the vertical or horizontal axis.

Schematic illustration

FIG. 1 is a top view of a single-cell liquid crystal three-dimensional shutter system.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a single cell liquid crystal shutter operation pattern, in which one cell line is in an OFF state.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a single cell liquid crystal shutter operation pattern, in which one cell line is in an ON state.

Figure 4 illustrates a typical shutter response for a twisted nematic liquid crystal based system.

Figure 5 illustrates a typical optical shutter response for a ferroelectric liquid crystal based system.

Detailed description of the invention

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating the synthesized liquid crystal shutter assembly 10. The liquid crystal cell itself can be constructed by any one of a number of methods known in the art, including twisted nematic, ferroelectric, and pi-cell methods. A liquid crystal cell system constructed using a flexible substrate 12 allows the cell to be bent in one dimension. One side of the shutter assembly 10 is laminated with a linear polarizing film 14 (indicated by P1). The other side is laminated with two separate linear polarizing films 16A and 16B, which are matched with each eye. A film 16A is oriented so that its polarizing axis is parallel to P1. Another film 16B is oriented such that its polarizing axis is perpendicular to P1 and is known as P2. The order of the elements relative to the viewer's eyes is not critical.

FIG. 2 is an operation diagram of the synthesized liquid crystal shutter system 20, in which the liquid crystal cell 24 is in an off state. No electric field is applied to the liquid crystal cell 24 in this example. In this example, light enters through the P1 linear polarizing film 22 from the left. The linearly polarized light having a polarization angle of 45 degrees then passes through the liquid crystal cell 24 in a turned-off state. Because the unit cell is turned off, the polarization angle of the light is turned 90 degrees to +45 degrees, as shown in 26L and 26R in the figure. Then the light enters the P1 analyzer (output polarizing film) 28R. The light is blocked because the polarization angle of the light is now perpendicular to the P1 state. On the contrary, because the polarization angle of the light is parallel to the P2 state, the light entering the P2 analyzer 28L passes through. Note: We will consider the optical element combined with the left eye as the left element, and the optical element combined with the right eye as the right element.

FIG. 3 illustrates the operation pattern of the synthesized liquid crystal shutter 20, in which the unit cell itself is in an ON state. In this example, an electric field is applied to the liquid crystal cell. In this example, light enters through the P1 linear polarizing film 22 from the left. The linearly polarized light having a polarization angle of -45 degrees then passes through the liquid crystal cell 24 in a turned-off state. Because the cell system is ON, the polarization angle of the light does not rotate and remains in the P1 state. Then the light entering the P1 analyzer (output polarizing film) 28R passes because the polarization angle of the light is parallel to the P1 state. On the contrary, because the polarization angle of the light is perpendicular to the P2 state, the light entering the P2 analyzer 28L is blocked.

Figures 2 and 3 show one form of the system in which the P2 filter is combined with the right eye of the viewer. The system is assembled at the same time so the P2 filter is combined with the left eye of the viewer.

Most LCD grating glass systems require separate control circuits for each eye path because each eyeglass path has a separate switching element. The invention only requires the switching of a single liquid crystal cell. Therefore a simplified control system is used and only a single pair of lines (not shown) from the control system is required. Controlled switching by the electronic components of the display system is well known in the art. The plural of these systems are explained in the above disclosures.

One of the advantages of using a single cell with a single drive system is that the user can easily determine whether the glasses are unable to move because one of the components is dark (either the left or right component). In a dual cell system, when no power is applied, the typically clear lines of the two cell line are easily confused with the normally seemingly clear active shutter mode.

For two elements (viewing non-three-dimensional stereo data is useful), by pressing the shutter on the liquid crystal cell at a high frequency, a generally clear state can be achieved at the same time, so flicker is not detected.

FIG. 4 is a typical optical response diagram for a flexible twisted nematic liquid crystal cell according to the present invention. Figure 4a illustrates the excitation voltage to the shutter mechanism. In this example, the unit cell is turned off to observe the light with the left eye, and the unit cell is turned on when the right eye is watching the light. Figures 4b and 4c show the transition from OFF to ON. This figure illustrates a typical slow response to a TN cell.

FIG. 5 is a typical optical response diagram for a flexible ferroelectric liquid crystal cell according to the present invention. Figure 5a illustrates the switching voltage again. In this example, the unit cell is turned off to observe the light with the left eye, and the unit cell is turned on when the right eye is watching the light. Figures 5b and 5c show faster response and more symmetrical conversion of the ferroelectric liquid crystal cell.

The invention has been described in relation to the specific embodiments described above. It should be understood, however, that those skilled in the art can easily modify the specific embodiments described. All such modifications and changes are considered to be within the scope and spirit of the present invention as determined by the scope of the accompanying patent application.

Explanation of main component symbols

Component number comparison

10. . .Synthetic wave crystal shutter assembly

12. . .Flexible substrate

14. . .Linear polarizing film

16A. . .film

16B. . .film

20. . .Synthetic LCD shutter system

twenty two. . .P1 linear polarizing film

twenty four. . .Liquid crystal crystal

26R. . .Polarizing angle

26L. . .Polarizing angle

28R. . .P1 Analyzer

28L. . .P2 Analyzer