Relay system

Abstract

A relay system may be incorporated into the optical system to direct light from at least one image source to the viewing area. Light from multiple image sources may be directed to the viewing area by the relay system. Some of the light from the multiple image sources may be shielded by an shielding system to reduce undesirable artifacts when the relayed light from the multiple image sources is observed in the viewing area.

Claims

1. An optical system, comprising: a first input interface configured to receive light from a first image source along a first set of light paths, wherein the light from the first image source is operable to define a first image surface; a second input interface configured to receive light from a second image source along a second set of light paths, wherein the light from the second image source is operable to define a second image surface; a relay system configured to direct the light received from the first and second image sources to a viewing area, wherein at least one of the first and second image surfaces is relayed into the viewing area by the relay system; and an occlusion system configured to occlude a portion of light from at least one of the first and second image sources; wherein at least one of the first and second image sources comprises a light field display, and the first set of light paths is determined according to a four-dimensional function defined by the light field display such that each light path from the light field display has a set of spatial coordinates and angular coordinates in a first four-dimensional coordinate system; The occlusion system comprises at least one occlusion object; wherein light from the first image source defines a foreground surface in the field of view before a background surface defined in the field of view by light from the second image source, and wherein the at least one occlusion object is located in front of the second image source, and wherein the size and shape of the at least one occlusion object are proportional to the size and shape of the foreground surface in the field of view such that the occluded portion of the background surface cannot be observed behind the foreground surface.

2. The optical system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second image sources comprises: A 2D display surface, a stereoscopic display surface, an autostereoscopic display surface, a multi-view display surface, a spatial 3D display surface, a light field display surface, a surface of a real-world object that emits light, or a surface of a real-world object that reflects light.

3. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second image surfaces comprises: An image surface projected from a 2D display surface, an image surface projected from a stereoscopic display surface, an image surface projected from an autostereoscopic display surface, an image surface projected from a multi-view display surface, an image surface of a spatial 3D display, the surface of a holographic object, the surface of a real-world object, or a relayed image of the surface of the real-world object.

4. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the first image source comprises a light field display and the first image surface comprises a surface of a holographic object; and further, wherein the second image source comprises a 2D display surface, a stereoscopic display surface, an autostereoscopic display surface, a multi-view display surface, a spatial 3D display surface, a second light field display surface, a surface of a real-world object that emits light, or a surface of a real-world object that reflects light.

5. The optical system of claim 4, wherein the second image surface comprises an image surface projected from a 2D display surface, an image surface projected from a stereoscopic display surface, an image surface projected from an autostereoscopic display surface, an image surface projected from a multi-view display surface, an image surface of a spatial 3D display, a surface of a holographic object, or a surface of a real-world object, or a relay image of the surface of the real-world object.

6. An optical system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second image surfaces are both relayed into the field of view by the relay system to define first and second relay image surfaces, respectively, and wherein the blocked portion of the light corresponds to a relay blocked portion of at least one of the first and second relay image surfaces, and the relay blocked portion can be observed in the field of view to be blocked by the other of the first and second relay image surfaces.

7. An optical system according to claim 1, wherein only one of the first and second image surfaces is relayed into the field of view to define a relayed image surface in the field of view, and wherein the blocked portion of the light corresponds to the blocked portion of the other of the first and second image surfaces that is observable in the field of view and is blocked by the relayed image surface.

8. An optical system according to claim 1, wherein only one of the first and second image surfaces is relayed into the field of view to define a relayed image surface in the field of view, and wherein the blocked portion of the light corresponds to a relay blocked portion of the relayed image surface, which can be observed in the field of view to be blocked by the other of the first and second relay image surfaces.

9. The optical system of claim 1, further comprising an additional shading system configured to shading a portion of light from the other of the at least one of the first and second image sources.

10. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the shading system comprises at least one shading layer.

11. The optical system of claim 10, wherein the at least one obstructing layer comprises one or more individually addressable elements.

12. The optical system of claim 11, wherein the one or more individually addressable elements include occlusion sites configured to block a portion of incident light or a parallax barrier.

13. The optical system of claim 11, wherein the one or more blocking layers include one or more transparent LED panels, transparent OLED panels, LC panels, or other panels operable to selectively block light.

14. The optical system of claim 11, wherein light from the first image source defines a foreground surface in the viewing area before a background surface defined in the viewing area by light from the second image source, and; The at least one occlusion layer is located in front of the second image source and is operable to define an occlusion region whose size and shape are proportional to the size and shape of the foreground surface so that the occluded portion of the background surface cannot be observed behind the foreground surface.

15. The optical system of claim 14, wherein a distance between the at least one obstructing layer and the second image source is substantially equal to a distance between the foreground surface and the background surface.

16. The optical system of claim 14, wherein the occluded region defined by the at least one occluding layer is relayed to the viewing area to substantially coincide with the foreground surface.

17. The optical system of claim 14, wherein the optical system further comprises a controller operable to coordinate movement of the occluded region with movement of an image surface in the viewing area.

18. The optical system of claim 10, wherein the relay system comprises a mechanical mechanism operable to impart movement to the relay system relative to the at least one obscuring layer and the first and second image sources.

19. The optical system of claim 18, wherein the relay system further comprises a controller operable to coordinate movement of the relay system with movement of an image surface defined in the field of view.

20. The optical system of claim 18, wherein the relay system further comprises a controller operable to coordinate movement of the relay system with movement of an occluding region defined by the at least one occluding layer.

21. The optical system of claim 20, wherein the movement of the occluding regions in the at least one occluding layer is achieved at least in part by physical movement of the at least one occluding layer.

22. The optical system of claim 20, wherein the movement of the occluding regions in the at least one occluding layer is achieved at least in part by modulating individually addressable elements in the at least one occluding layer.

23. The optical system of claim 10, wherein the at least one obstructing layer is movable to impart motion relative to at least one of the first and second image sources.

24. The optical system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first and second image sources is movable to impart motion relative to the at least one obstructing layer.

25. The optical system of claim 1, wherein a distance between the at least one occluding object and the second image source is substantially equal to a distance between the foreground surface and the background surface.

26. The optical system of claim 1, wherein an occlusion region defined by the at least one occluding object is relayed to the viewing area to substantially coincide with the foreground surface.

27. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the at least one occluding object is motorized.

28. The optical system of claim 27, wherein the optical system further comprises a controller operable to coordinate movement of the at least one occluding object with movement of an image surface in the viewing area.

29. The optical system of claim 28, wherein the relay system comprises a mechanical mechanism operable to impart movement to the relay system relative to the at least one occluding object and the first and second image sources, and wherein the controller is operable to coordinate movement of the relay system with the movement of the at least one occluding object.

30. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the relay system comprises a mechanical mechanism operable to impart motion to the relay system relative to the at least one occluding object and the first and second image sources, and a controller operable to coordinate movement of the relay system with movement of an image surface in the field of view.

31. The optical system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second image sources is movable to impart motion relative to the at least one occluding object.

32. The optical system of claim 1, wherein light from the first image source is relayed into the viewing area to define a relayed image surface observable in a foreground, and light from the second image source is observable in the viewing area in a background.

33. The optical system of claim 1, wherein light from the first image source is observable in the viewing area in the background, and light from the second image source is relayed into the viewing area to define a relayed image surface observable in the foreground.

34. The optical system of claim 1, wherein light from the first and second image sources are both relayed into the viewing area to form first and second relayed image surfaces, respectively.

35. An optical system according to claim 34, wherein: a. The first and second relay image surfaces are both observable in the foreground; b. The first and second relay image surfaces are both observable in the background; or c. One of the first and second relayed image surfaces is observable in the foreground, and the other of the first and second relayed image surfaces is observable in the background.

36. The optical system of claim 1, wherein: The first image surface is a surface of a holographic object formed by a light path from a light field display, the surface of the holographic object having a first depth profile, and; The holographic surface is relayed by the relay system to define a first relayed image surface comprising a relayed holographic surface having a first relayed depth profile different from the first depth profile.

37. The optical system of claim 36, wherein the light field display comprises: an array of modular display devices, each modular display device comprising a display area and a non-imaging area, wherein the array of modular display devices defines a plurality of display planes, each display plane comprising an imaging area defined by the display area of ​​a corresponding display device and a non-imaging area defined by the non-imaging area of ​​the corresponding display device; an array of waveguides, each waveguide array being positioned to receive light from said display plane of one of said array of modular display devices; and a light combining system operable to combine light from the waveguide array; Wherein each waveguide array is configured to guide light from a corresponding array of modular display devices, so that combined light from the light combining system includes the light paths, each light path is defined according to a four-dimensional function and each light path has a set of spatial coordinates and angular coordinates in a first four-dimensional coordinate system, and wherein the combined light includes the light paths that define the holographic object.

38. The optical system of claim 37, wherein the light field display further comprises a controller operable to operate the array of modular display devices to output light such that the combined light defining the holographic surface includes light from at least one imaging region of different arrays of modular display devices.

39. The optical system of claim 37, wherein the light combining system comprises at least two light combiners arranged to combine light from at least three arrays of modular display devices.

40. The optical system of claim 37, wherein the light combining system comprises at least three light combiners arranged to combine light from at least four arrays of modular display devices.

41. The optical system of claim 36, wherein the light field display comprises a controller configured to provide instructions for accounting for differences between the first depth profile and the first relay depth profile by operating the light field display to output light such that the first relay depth profile of the first relay image surface is a depth profile for an observer.

42. The optical system of claim 36, wherein: the light field display being configured to project light along a set of light paths to form the first image surface, the set of light paths being determined according to a first four-dimensional (4D) function defined by the light field display such that each light path from the light field display has a set of spatial coordinates and angular coordinates in a first 4D coordinate system defined relative to a light field display screen plane, and; The relay position of the first relay image surface is determined according to a second 4D function defined by the relay system, so that the received light is relayed along relay optical paths, each relay optical path having a set of spatial coordinates and angular coordinates in a second 4D coordinate system defined relative to the first virtual display plane, and; The light field display comprises a controller configured to provide instructions for interpreting the second 4D function by operating the light field display to output projection light according to the first 4D function so that the position coordinates and angular coordinates of each relay light path in the set of relay light paths in the second 4D coordinate system allow the relay holographic surface to be presented to an observer as expected.

43. An optical system according to claim 1, wherein the relay system is configured to receive light from at least one of the first and second image sources through a first relay subsystem of the relay system, the first relay subsystem being operable to relay the received light to define a first relay image surface corresponding to a corresponding image surface, the first relay image surface having a depth profile different from a depth profile of the corresponding image surface defined by light from the at least one of the first and second image sources.

44. The optical system of claim 43, wherein said at least one of said first and second image sources comprises a surface of a real-world object; wherein said first relay subsystem is operable to receive light from said surface of said real-world object; and wherein said first relayed image surface comprises a relayed image of said surface of said real-world object having a depth profile different from a depth profile of said surface of said real-world object.

45. An optical system according to claim 43, wherein the relay system further comprises a second relay subsystem, the second relay subsystem being configured to direct light from the first relay image surface to the field of view and to relay light from the other of the at least one of the first and second image sources defining a corresponding image surface to a relay position in the field of view, thereby defining a relay image surface of the corresponding image surface of the other of the at least one of the first and second image sources.

46. ​​The optical system of claim 43, wherein the relay system further comprises a second relay subsystem configured to relay the first relay image surface to the field of view, thereby defining a second relay image surface corresponding to the corresponding image surface defined by light from at least one of the first and second image sources, the second relay image surface having a depth profile substantially the same as the depth profile of the corresponding image surface defined by light from at least one of the first and second image sources.

47. An optical system according to claim 46, wherein the relay system further includes an image combining element, which is positioned to combine light from the first relay subsystem and light from the other of the at least one of the first and second image sources defining a corresponding image surface, wherein the combined light including the first relay image surface and the corresponding image surface of the other of the at least one of the first and second image sources is directed to the second relay subsystem, and the second relay subsystem is configured to relay the combined light to the field of view.

48. The optical system of claim 47, wherein said at least one of said first and second image sources comprises a surface of a real-world object; wherein said first relay subsystem is operable to receive light from said surface of said real-world object; wherein said first relay image surface corresponding to a respective image surface of said at least one of said first and second image sources comprises a first relay image surface of said real-world object having a depth profile different from a depth profile of said surface of said real-world object.

49. The optical system of claim 48, wherein the second relayed image surface corresponding to the respective image surface of the at least one of the first and second image sources comprises a second relayed image surface of the real-world object having a depth profile substantially the same as a depth profile of the surface of the real-world object.

50. The optical system of claim 47, wherein the field of view of the relay system defines a first field of view, and wherein the optical system further comprises an additional relay system configured to relay light from at least one additional image source along an optical path to an additional field of view defining a second field of view; and wherein the relay system and the additional relay system are aligned such that the first and second fields of view are combined to define a combined field of view.

51. The optical system of claim 50, wherein the at least one additional image source comprises a first additional image source and a second additional image source; The optical system further comprises: a third input interface configured to receive light from the first additional image source; a fourth input interface configured to receive light from the second additional image source; wherein the additional relay system comprises first and second relay subsystems and an optical combination element of the additional relay system; wherein the first relay subsystem of the additional relay system is positioned to receive light from the first additional image source and is configured to relay the received light to the second relay subsystem of the additional relay system; wherein the optical combining element of the additional relay system is positioned to receive light from the first relay subsystem of the additional relay system and light from the second additional image source and is configured to combine and direct the received light to the second relay subsystem of the additional relay system; and The second relay subsystem of the additional relay system is configured to relay light received from the optical combination element to the additional viewing area.

52. The optical system of claim 1, further comprising an optical folding system optically located before at least one of the first and second interfaces.

53. The optical system of claim 52, wherein the optical folding system comprises a plurality of internal optical layers, wherein light from a corresponding image source is directed along a plurality of internal channels between the internal optical layers, thereby increasing the optical path length between the relay system and an image surface location in the field of view.

54. An optical system according to claim 53, wherein the optical folding system includes a circular polarizer optically before the reflector, a quarter-wave retarder optically after the reflector, and an output polarizer optically after the quarter-wave retarder, wherein the quarter-wave retarder has an optical axis in a first direction.

55. The optical system of claim 54, wherein the light from a respective image source is directed through the quarter-wave retarder in three internal passes between the reflector and the output polarizer.

56. The optical system of claim 54, wherein the circular polarizer comprises an input polarizer and a quarter-wave retarder having an optical axis in the second direction.

57. An optical system according to claim 56, wherein the input and output polarizers have orthogonal optical axes.

58. An optical system according to claim 56, wherein the first and second optical axes of the quarter-wave retarder are orthogonal.

59. The optical system of claim 52, wherein the optical folding system comprises: a polarizing beam splitter positioned to receive light from a corresponding image source on an input side of the polarizing beam splitter; first and second reflectors, the first and second reflectors adjacent opposite sides of the polarizing beam splitter; a first quarter-wave retarder, the first quarter-wave retarder being disposed between the first reflector and the polarization beam splitter; and a second quarter-wave retarder disposed between the second reflector and the polarization beam splitter; wherein the light received by the polarization beam splitter has a first polarization state and is reflected by the polarization beam splitter toward the first quarter-wave retarder and the first reflector; wherein the light received by the first reflector is reflected back to the polarization beam splitter after passing through the first quarter-wave retarder twice; wherein the light received by the polarizing beam splitter from the first reflector has a second polarization state orthogonal to the first polarization state and is directed through the polarizing beam splitter toward the second quarter-wave retarder and the second reflector; wherein the light received by the second reflector is reflected back to the polarization beam splitter after passing through the second quarter-wave retarder twice; and The light received by the polarization beam splitter from the second reflector has the first polarization state and is reflected by the polarization beam splitter toward the corresponding interface.

60. The optical system of claim 59, wherein the optical folding system further comprises an input polarizer.

61. An optical system according to claim 59, wherein the optical folding system further comprises a polarization control panel, which is positioned to receive the light from the corresponding image source and is operable to selectively change the polarization state of a selected portion of the received light from the first polarization state to the second polarization state, so that the selected portion of the received light passes through the polarization beam splitter without being reflected toward the first or second reflector.

62. An optical system according to claim 61, wherein the optical folding system further comprises an exit polarizer, wherein the exit polarizer is configured to absorb or reflect light having the second polarization state.

63. An optical system according to claim 59, wherein the polarizing beam splitter includes a material having a first refractive index and the light from the corresponding image source propagates through a medium adjacent to an input side of the polarizing beam splitter, the medium having a second refractive index, and the first refractive index is greater than the second refractive index.

64. The optical system of claim 52, wherein the optical folding system is located in the path of the first image source to increase the optical path length between the field of view and the relay system.

65. The optical system of claim 52, wherein the optical folding system is located in a path of a second image source to increase the optical path length between the field of view and the relay system.

66. The optical system of claim 1, further comprising an optical folding system optically subsequent to at least one of the first and second interfaces of the relay system.

67. An optical system according to claim 1, wherein the relay system includes a beam splitter and a reflector, the beam splitter being configured to receive the light along the first group of light paths from the first image source and to direct a first portion of the received light along the first group of light paths in an approaching direction toward the reflector.

68. An optical system according to claim 67, wherein the reflector and the beam splitter are aligned so that light directed from the beam splitter toward the reflector is reflected from the reflector along a return direction opposite to the approach direction.

69. The optical system of claim 68, wherein the light reflected from the retroreflector in the return direction is directed by the beam splitter toward a viewing area.

70. The optical system of claim 69, wherein the beam splitter is configured to receive light from the second image source along the second set of light paths and to pass a portion of the received light along the second set of light paths toward the viewing area.

71. The optical system of claim 67, wherein the beam splitter comprises a polarization beam splitter, and wherein the relay system further comprises a quarter-wave delay device disposed between the polarization beam splitter and the reflector.

72. An optical system according to claim 1, wherein the relay system includes a beam splitter and a mirror, the beam splitter being configured to receive the light along the first set of light paths from the first image source and to direct a first portion of the received light along the first set of light paths in an approach direction toward the mirror.

73. An optical system according to claim 72, wherein the mirror and the beam splitter are aligned so that light directed from the beam splitter toward the mirror is reflected from the mirror along a return direction substantially opposite to the approach direction.

74. The optical system of claim 73, wherein the light reflected from the mirror in the return direction is directed by the beam splitter toward the viewing area.

75. The optical system of claim 74, wherein the beam splitter is configured to receive light from the second image source along the second set of light paths and to pass a portion of the received light along the second set of light paths toward a viewing area.

76. An optical system according to claim 72, wherein the mirror is a curved mirror.

77. The optical system of claim 72, wherein the mirror is a Fresnel mirror.

78. The optical system of claim 72, wherein the beam splitter comprises a polarizing beam splitter, and the first relay subsystem further comprises a quarter-wave retarder disposed between the polarizing beam splitter and the mirror.

79. An optical system according to claim 1, wherein the field of view of the relay system defines a first field of view; wherein the optical system further comprises an additional relay system configured to relay light from at least one additional image source along an optical path to an additional field of view defining a second field of view; and wherein the first relay system and the additional relay system are aligned such that the first and second fields of view are combined to define a combined field of view.

80. The optical system of claim 79, wherein the at least one additional image source comprises first and second additional image sources; The optical system further comprises: a third input interface configured to receive light from the first additional image source; a fourth input interface configured to receive light from the second additional image source; Wherein the additional relay system is configured to direct light from the first and second additional image sources to the additional viewing area.

81. The optical system of claim 1, further comprising a third input interface configured to receive light along a set of optical paths from a third image source; The relay system comprises: a first relay subsystem configured to receive the light from the first image source; a second relay subsystem, the second relay subsystem being positioned to receive the light from the second image source; and a third relay subsystem, the third relay subsystem being positioned to receive light from the third image source, wherein the first, second and third relay subsystems are oriented to relay respective received light to respective sub-fields of view, the sub-fields of view being combined to define a combined field of view.

82. The optical system of claim 1, further comprising an ambient light suppression system configured to reduce the amount of ambient light entering the optical system.

83. The optical system of claim 82, wherein the ambient light suppression system comprises a housing partially surrounding the relay system and a window comprising a polarizing filter.

84. The optical system of claim 83, wherein the polarizing filter is operable to block ambient light having a first polarization state.

85. The optical system of claim 84, wherein the ambient light has the first polarization state and is provided by a light source comprising a polarization output filter configured to allow light of the first polarization state to pass therethrough.

86. An optical system comprising: An optical combination system, the optical combination system comprising: a first input interface configured to receive light from a first image source along a first set of light paths, wherein the light from the first image source is operable to define a first image surface; and a second input interface configured to receive light from a second image source along a second set of light paths, wherein the light from the second image source is operable to define a second image surface; a relay system configured to receive the combined light from the optical combining system and to relay the received light to relay locations in the viewing area, whereby first and second relayed image surfaces are observable at the respective relay locations; and an occlusion system configured to occlude a portion of light from at least one of the first and second image sources; wherein at least one of the first and second image sources comprises a light field display, and the first set of light paths is determined according to a four-dimensional function defined by the light field display such that each light path from the light field display has a set of spatial coordinates and angular coordinates in a first four-dimensional coordinate system; The occlusion system comprises at least one occlusion object; wherein light from the first image source defines a foreground surface in the field of view before a background surface defined in the field of view by light from the second image source, and wherein the at least one occlusion object is located in front of the second image source, and wherein the size and shape of the at least one occlusion object are proportional to the size and shape of the foreground surface in the field of view such that the occluded portion of the background surface cannot be observed behind the foreground surface.

87. The optical system of claim 86, wherein at least one of the first and second image sources comprises: A 2D display surface, a stereoscopic display surface, an autostereoscopic display surface, a multi-view display surface, a spatial 3D display surface, a light field display surface, a surface of a real-world object that emits light, or a surface of a real-world object that reflects light.

88. The optical system of claim 86, wherein at least one of the first and second image surfaces comprises: An image surface projected from a 2D display surface, an image surface projected from a stereoscopic display surface, an image surface projected from an autostereoscopic display surface, an image surface projected from a multi-view display surface, an image surface of a spatial 3D display, the surface of a holographic object, the surface of a real-world object, or a relayed image of the surface of the real-world object.

89. The optical system of claim 86, wherein the first image source comprises a light field display and the first image surface comprises a surface of a holographic object; and further, wherein the second image source comprises a 2D display surface, a stereoscopic display surface, an autostereoscopic display surface, a multi-view display surface, a spatial 3D display surface, a second light field display surface, a surface of a real-world object that emits light, or a surface of a real-world object that reflects light.

90. The optical system of claim 89, wherein the second image surface comprises an image surface projected from a 2D display surface, an image surface projected from a stereoscopic display surface, an image surface projected from an autostereoscopic display surface, an image surface projected from a multi-view display surface, an image surface of a spatial 3D display, a surface of a holographic object, or a surface of a real-world object, or a relay image of the surface of the real-world object.

91. An optical system according to claim 86, wherein the blocked portion of light corresponds to a relay blocked portion of at least one of the first and second relay image surfaces, and the relay blocked portion can be observed in the field of view as being blocked by the other of the first and second relay image surfaces.

92. The optical system of claim 86, further comprising an additional shading system configured to shading a portion of light from the other of the at least one of the first and second image sources.

93. The optical system of claim 86, wherein the occluding system comprises at least one occluding layer.

94. An optical system according to claim 93, wherein the at least one blocking layer comprises one or more individually addressable elements.

95. The optical system of claim 94, wherein the one or more individually addressable elements include occlusion sites configured to block a portion of incident light or a parallax barrier.

96. The optical system of claim 94, wherein the one or more blocking layers comprise one or more transparent LED panels, transparent OLED panels, LC panels, or other panels operable to selectively block light.

97. An optical system according to claim 94, wherein The first relay image surface includes a foreground relay surface in front of the second relay image surface, the second relay image surface includes a background relay object surface, and; The at least one occlusion layer is located in front of the second image source and is operable to define an occlusion region whose size and shape are proportional to the size and shape of the foreground surface so that the occluded portion of the background surface cannot be observed behind the foreground surface.

98. The optical system of claim 97, wherein a distance between the at least one obstructing layer and the second image source is substantially equal to a distance between the foreground surface and the background surface.

99. An optical system according to claim 97, wherein the occluded area defined by the at least one occluding layer is relayed to the field of view to substantially coincide with the foreground surface.

100. The optical system of claim 97, wherein the optical system further comprises a controller operable to coordinate movement of the occluded region with movement of an image surface in the field of view.

101. The optical system of claim 93, wherein the relay system comprises a mechanical mechanism operable to impart movement to the relay system relative to the at least one obscuring layer and the first and second image sources.

102. The optical system of claim 101, wherein the relay system further comprises a controller operable to coordinate movement of the relay system with movement of an image surface defined in the field of view.

103. The optical system of claim 101, wherein the relay system further comprises a controller operable to coordinate movement of the relay system with movement of an occluding region defined by the at least one occluding layer.

104. The optical system of claim 103, wherein the movement of the occluding region in the at least one occluding layer is achieved at least in part by physical movement of the at least one occluding layer.

105. The optical system of claim 103, wherein the movement of the occluding regions in the at least one occluding layer is achieved at least in part by modulating individually addressable elements in the at least one occluding layer.

106. The optical system of claim 93, wherein the at least one obscuring layer is movable to impart motion relative to at least one of the first and second image sources.

107. The optical system of claim 93, wherein at least one of the first and second image sources is movable to impart motion relative to the at least one obstructing layer.

108. The optical system of claim 86, wherein a distance between the at least one occluding object and the second image source is substantially equal to a distance between the foreground surface and the background surface.

109. The optical system of claim 86, wherein an occlusion region defined by the at least one occluding object is relayed to the field of view to substantially coincide with the foreground surface.

110. The optical system of claim 86, wherein at least one of the occluding objects is motorized.

111. The optical system of claim 110, wherein the optical system further comprises a controller operable to coordinate movement of the at least one occluding object with movement of an image surface in the field of view.

112. An optical system according to claim 86, wherein the relay system includes a mechanical mechanism capable of being operated to impart movement to the relay system relative to the at least one occluding object and the first and second image sources, and a controller capable of being operated to coordinate the movement of the relay system with the movement of the at least one occluding object.

113. An optical system according to claim 86, wherein the relay system includes a mechanical mechanism that is capable of operating to impart movement to the relay system relative to the at least one occluding object and the first and second image sources, and a controller is capable of operating to coordinate the movement of the relay system with the movement of the image surface in the field of view.

114. The optical system of claim 86, wherein at least one of the first and second image sources is movable to impart motion relative to the at least one occluding object.

115. The optical system of claim 86, wherein the first relayed image surface is observable in the foreground and the second relayed image surface is observable in the background.

116. The optical system of claim 86, wherein the first relayed image surface is observable in the background and the second relayed image surface is observable in the foreground.

117. An optical system according to claim 86, wherein the first and second relay image surfaces are both observable in the foreground.

118. An optical system according to claim 86, wherein the first and second relay image surfaces are both observable in a background.

119. The optical system of claim 86, wherein: The first image surface is a surface of a holographic object formed by a light path from a light field display, the surface of the holographic object having a first depth profile, and; The first relay image surface comprises a first relay holographic surface having a first relay depth profile different from the first depth profile.

120. The optical system of claim 119, wherein the light field display comprises: an array of modular display devices, each modular display device comprising a display area and a non-imaging area, wherein the array of modular display devices defines a plurality of display planes, each display plane comprising an imaging area defined by the display area of ​​a corresponding display device and a non-imaging area defined by the non-imaging area of ​​the corresponding display device; an array of waveguides, each waveguide array being positioned to receive light from said display plane of one of said array of modular display devices; and a light combining system of the lightfield display, the light combining system operable to combine light from the waveguide array; wherein each waveguide array is configured to guide light from a corresponding array of modular display devices, such that combined light from the light combining system of the light field display comprises the light paths, each light path being defined according to a four-dimensional function and each light path having a set of spatial coordinates and angular coordinates in a first four-dimensional coordinate system, and wherein the combined light comprises the light paths defining the holographic object.

121. An optical system according to claim 120, wherein the light field display further comprises a controller operable to operate the modular display device array to output light such that the combined light from the light combining system defines a holographic surface, and the combined light defining the holographic surface includes light from at least one imaging area of ​​different modular display device arrays.

122. The optical system of claim 120, wherein the light combining system of the light field display comprises at least two light combiners arranged to combine light from at least three arrays of modular display devices.

123. The optical system of claim 120, wherein a light combining system of the light field display comprises at least three light combiners arranged to combine light from at least four arrays of modular display devices.

124. An optical system according to claim 119, wherein the light field display comprises a controller configured to provide instructions for operating the light field display to output light such that the first relay depth profile of the first relay holographic object is a depth profile for an observer to account for the difference between the first depth profile and the first relay depth profile.

125. The optical system of claim 119, wherein: the light field display being configured to project light along a set of light paths to form the first image surface, the set of light paths being determined according to a first four-dimensional (4D) function defined by the light field display such that each light path from the light field display has a set of spatial coordinates and angular coordinates in a first 4D coordinate system defined relative to a light field display screen plane, and; The relay position of the first relay image surface is determined according to a second 4D function defined by the relay system, so that the received light is relayed along relay optical paths, each relay optical path having a set of spatial coordinates and angular coordinates in a second 4D coordinate system defined relative to the first virtual display plane, and; The light field display comprises a controller configured to provide instructions for interpreting the second 4D function by operating the light field display to output light according to the first 4D function so that the position coordinates and angular coordinates of each relay light path in the set of relay light paths in the second 4D coordinate system allow the relay holographic surface to be presented to an observer as expected.

126. The optical system of claim 86, wherein: at least one of the first and second image sources comprises a surface of a real-world object, and the optical combining system is configured to receive light from the surface of the real-world object via an input relay subsystem, and the input relay subsystem is configured to relay light from the surface of the real-world object to define a relayed image surface of the real-world object, whereby a respective image surface of the at least one of the first and second image sources comprises the relayed image surface of the real-world object; and The relayed image surface of the real-world object has a depth profile that is different from a depth profile of the surface of the real-world object.

127. An optical system according to claim 126, wherein the relay system is configured to relay the relay image surface of the real-world object to the relay positions, which define the corresponding relay image surfaces of the real-world object in the field of view, so that the corresponding relay image surfaces of the real-world object in the field of view have a depth profile substantially the same as the depth profile of the surface of the real-world object.

128. The optical system of claim 86, further comprising an optical folding system optically preceding at least one of the first and second interfaces of the optical combining system.

129. An optical system according to claim 128, wherein the optical folding system includes a plurality of internal optical layers, wherein light from a corresponding image source is guided along a plurality of internal channels between the internal optical layers, thereby increasing the optical path length between the relay system and the corresponding relay position.

130. An optical system according to claim 129, wherein the optical folding system includes a circular polarizer optically before the reflector, a quarter-wave retarder optically after the reflector, and an output polarizer optically after the quarter-wave retarder, wherein the quarter-wave retarder has an optical axis in a first direction.

131. An optical system according to claim 130, wherein the light from the corresponding image source is directed through the quarter-wave retarder in three internal channels between the reflector and the output polarizer.

132. An optical system according to claim 130, wherein the circular polarizer comprises an input polarizer and a quarter-wave retarder, the quarter-wave retarder having an optical axis in the second direction.

133. An optical system according to claim 132, wherein the input and output polarizers have orthogonal optical axes.

134. An optical system according to claim 132, wherein the first and second optical axes of the quarter-wave retarder are orthogonal.

135. The optical system of claim 128, wherein the optical folding system comprises: a polarizing beam splitter positioned to receive light from a corresponding image source on an input side of the polarizing beam splitter; first and second reflectors, the first and second reflectors adjacent opposite sides of the polarizing beam splitter; a first quarter-wave retarder, the first quarter-wave retarder being disposed between the first reflector and the polarization beam splitter; and a second quarter-wave retarder disposed between the second reflector and the polarization beam splitter; wherein the light received by the polarization beam splitter has a first polarization state and is reflected by the polarization beam splitter toward the first quarter-wave retarder and the first reflector; wherein the light received by the first reflector is reflected back to the polarization beam splitter after passing through the first quarter-wave retarder twice; wherein the light received by the polarizing beam splitter from the first reflector has a second polarization state orthogonal to the first polarization state and is directed through the polarizing beam splitter toward the second quarter-wave retarder and the second reflector; wherein the light received by the second reflector is reflected back to the polarization beam splitter after passing through the second quarter-wave retarder twice; and The light received by the polarization beam splitter from the second reflector has the first polarization state and is reflected by the polarization beam splitter toward the corresponding interface.

136. An optical system according to claim 135, wherein the optical folding system further comprises an input polarizer.

137. An optical system according to claim 135, wherein the optical folding system further comprises a polarization control panel, which is positioned to receive the light from the corresponding image source and is operable to selectively change the polarization state of a selected portion of the received light from the first polarization state to the second polarization state, so that the selected portion of the received light passes through the polarization beam splitter without being reflected toward the first or second reflector.

138. An optical system according to claim 137, wherein the optical folding system further comprises an exit polarizer, wherein the exit polarizer is configured to absorb or reflect light having the second polarization state.

139. An optical system according to claim 135, wherein the polarizing beam splitter comprises a material having a first refractive index, and the light from the corresponding image source propagates through a medium adjacent to the input side of the polarizing beam splitter, the medium having a second refractive index, and the first refractive index is greater than the second refractive index.

140. The optical system of claim 128, wherein the optical folding system is located in the path of the first image source to increase the optical path length between the first relay image surface and the relay system.

141. An optical system according to claim 128, wherein an optical folding system is located in the path of the second image source to increase the optical path length between the second relay image surface and the relay system.

142. The optical system of claim 86, further comprising an optical folding system optically subsequent to at least one of the first and second interfaces of the optical combining system.

143. An optical system according to claim 86, wherein the relay system includes a transflector.

144. The optical system of claim 143, wherein the relay system further comprises: a beam splitter positioned to receive the combined image light and direct a portion of the combined image light through the transflector in a first channel; a mirror system comprising at least one mirror, wherein the mirror system is positioned to receive the portion of the combined image light from the beam splitter and through the transflector, and to direct the received light back through the transflector and subsequently through the beam splitter in a second channel to form the first and second relay image surfaces observable at respective relay positions.

145. An optical system according to claim 144, wherein the first and second relay image surfaces each have a depth profile that is substantially the same as the depth profile of the first and second image surfaces, respectively.

146. An optical system according to claim 144, wherein the beam splitter comprises a polarization beam splitter and the relay system comprises a quarter-wave delay between the transflector and the mirror system.

147. An optical system according to claim 143, wherein the relay system further comprises a mirror system, the mirror system comprising a plurality of mirrors, and wherein the combined image light is received from a first side of the transmissive reflector and directed in a first channel through the transmissive reflector to the mirror system, thereby forming first and second intermediate relay image surfaces on a second side of the transmissive reflector, and the mirror system is configured to reflect the combined image light back through the transmissive reflector within a second channel, thereby forming the first and second relay image surfaces observable at corresponding relay positions.

148. An optical system according to claim 147, wherein the mirror system includes a pair of mirrors.

149. An optical system according to claim 147, wherein the mirror system includes three or more mirrors.

150. An optical system according to claim 147, wherein the first and second relay image surfaces each have a depth profile that is substantially the same as the depth profile of the first and second image surfaces, respectively.

151. The optical system of claim 86, wherein the relay system comprises: a first relay subsystem positioned to receive light from the optical combining system; and a second relay subsystem, the second relay subsystem being configured to receive light relayed from the first relay subsystem, the second relay subsystem being configured to relay the first and second relay image surfaces from corresponding relay positions to form third and fourth relay image surfaces, respectively, at new relay positions in a new field of view.

152. An optical system according to claim 151, wherein the first relay subsystem includes a first transflector and the second relay subsystem includes a second transflector, wherein the first and second transflectors are positioned in first and second parallel planes and aligned so that the first and second relay image surfaces are located at a relay position between the first and second transflectors.

153. An optical system according to claim 151, wherein the second image source comprises a real-world object that emits or reflects light, and the second image surface comprises a surface of the real-world object having a first depth profile, wherein the second relayed image surface at the relay position has a second depth profile different from the first depth profile, and wherein the fourth relayed image surface at the new relay position has a third depth profile substantially the same as the first depth profile.

154. An optical system according to claim 86, wherein the relay system includes a beam splitter and a reflector, and the beam splitter is positioned to receive the combined image light from the optical combination system and direct a portion of the received combined image light in an approach direction toward the reflector.

155. An optical system according to claim 154, wherein the beam splitter is oriented at a 45 degree angle relative to a display screen plane of one of the first and second image sources and the reflector is oriented orthogonally relative to the display screen plane.

156. An optical system according to claim 154, wherein the beam splitter is oriented at a 45 degree angle relative to a display screen plane of one of the first and second image sources and the reflector, and the reflector is oriented opposite to the display screen plane.

157. An optical system according to claim 154, wherein the beam splitter comprises a polarization beam splitter.

158. An optical system according to claim 157, wherein the relay system further includes a quarter-wave delay device arranged between the polarization beam splitter and the reflector.

159. An optical system according to claim 154, wherein the reflector comprises an array of corner reflector micromirrors.

160. An optical system according to claim 154, wherein the reflector and the beam splitter are aligned so that light directed from the beam splitter along an approach direction toward the reflector is reflected from the reflector along a return direction opposite to the approach direction, wherein the light along the return direction is directed toward the relay position.

161. An optical system according to claim 154, wherein the relay system includes an additional reflector and the beam splitter is configured to direct another portion of the received combined image light toward the additional reflector along an additional approach direction.

162. An optical system according to claim 161, wherein the beam splitter includes a polarization beam splitter and the relay system further includes a quarter-wave delay device arranged between the polarization beam splitter and the additional reflector.

163. An optical system according to claim 161, wherein the additional reflector and the beam splitter are aligned so that light directed from the beam splitter toward the additional reflector in the additional approach direction is reflected from the additional reflector in an additional return direction opposite to the additional approach direction.

164. A relay system according to claim 163, wherein light reflected from the additional reflector in the additional return direction is directed by the beam splitter toward the relay position.

165. An optical system according to claim 86, wherein the relay system includes a beam splitter and a mirror, and the beam splitter is positioned to receive the combined image light from the optical combining system and direct a portion of the received combined image light in an approach direction toward the mirror.

166. An optical system according to claim 165, wherein the mirror comprises a curved surface or a Fresnel mirror.

167. An optical system according to claim 165, wherein the beam splitter is oriented at a 45 degree angle relative to a display screen plane of one of the first and second image sources and the mirror, and the mirror is oriented orthogonally relative to the display screen plane.

168. The optical system of claim 165, wherein the beam splitter is oriented at a 45 degree angle relative to a display screen plane of one of the first and second image sources and the mirror, and the mirror is oriented opposite to the display screen plane.

169. An optical system according to claim 165, wherein the beam splitter comprises a polarization beam splitter.

170. The optical system of claim 169, wherein the relay system further comprises a quarter-wave retarder disposed between the polarization beam splitter and the mirror.

171. An optical system according to claim 165, wherein the mirror and the beam splitter are aligned so that light directed from the beam splitter along an approach direction toward the mirror is reflected from the mirror along a return direction substantially opposite to the approach direction, wherein light along the return direction is directed toward the relay position.

172. An optical system according to claim 165, wherein the relay system includes an additional mirror and the beam splitter is configured to direct another portion of the received combined image light toward the additional mirror in an additional approach direction.

173. An optical system according to claim 172, wherein the beam splitter includes a polarization beam splitter and the first relay subsystem further includes a quarter-wave delay device arranged between the polarization beam splitter and the additional mirror.

174. An optical system according to claim 172, wherein the additional mirror and the beam splitter are aligned so that light directed from the beam splitter along the additional approach direction toward the additional mirror is reflected from the additional mirror along an additional return direction opposite to the additional approach direction.

175. A relay system according to claim 174, wherein light reflected from an additional reflector in the additional return direction is directed by the beam splitter toward the relay position.

176. An optical system according to claim 86, wherein the relay system includes a transmissive reflector in a first plane and a reflector in a second plane, wherein the first plane is substantially parallel to the second plane.

177. An optical system according to claim 176, wherein the reflector comprises a reflective polarizer or a semi-transparent mirror.

178. An optical system according to claim 176, wherein a portion of the combined image light from the optical combination system is directed through the transmissive reflector in a first forward channel along an approach direction and is reflected from the reflector back to the transmissive reflector in a first return channel along a return direction opposite to the approach direction.

179. An optical system according to claim 178, wherein light in the first return channel is reflected by the transmissive reflector in a second forward channel along the approach direction and is directed through the reflector toward the relay position.

180. An optical system according to claim 178, wherein the reflector includes a reflective polarizer that reflects light in a first polarization state and transmits light in a second polarization state orthogonal to the first polarization state, and wherein a first quarter-wave retarder having an optical axis in a first direction is placed between the reflector and the transmissive reflector, and a second quarter-wave retarder having an optical axis in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction is placed on the opposite side of the transmissive reflector.

181. An optical system according to claim 180, wherein the combined image light is polarized in a first linear polarization state after passing through the first and second quarter-wave retarders and the transmission reflector in a first forward channel; wherein the combined image light having the first linear polarization state is reflected from the reflective polarizer; wherein after passing through the first quarter-wave retarder in the first return channel, reflecting from the transmission reflector and passing through the first quarter-wave retarder in the second forward channel, the polarization state of the combined image light is then rotated from the first linear polarization state to the second linear polarization state, whereby the combined image light of the second polarization state passes through the reflective polarizer.

182. The optical system of claim 86, wherein the relay system comprises one or more lenses having a common optical axis aligned to receive the combined light.

183. The optical system of claim 182, wherein the one or more lenses comprise a convex lens, a concave lens, a positive Fresnel lens, a negative Fresnel lens, a lens implemented by a metamaterial, a lens comprising a design calculated by computational methods, or a lens made of a negative refractive index material.

184. An optical system according to claim 182, wherein the one or more lenses focus divergent light from the first image source into converging light at the relay location.

185. An optical system according to claim 182, wherein the one or more lenses focus divergent light from the second image source into light that converges near the relay location.

186. An optical system according to claim 182, wherein the one or more lenses focus divergent light from the first or second image source into light that converges at a virtual point on a side of the relay system opposite to the first or second image surface.

187. An optical system according to claim 86, wherein the relay system is configured to relay light received from the optical combination system along a relay optical path defining a first field of view; wherein the optical system also includes a first additional relay system, which is configured to relay light from at least one third image source along a relay optical path defining a second field of view; and wherein the relay system and the first additional relay system are aligned so that the first and second fields of view are combined to define a combined field of view.

188. The optical system of claim 187, wherein the optical system further comprises: A first additional optical combination system, wherein the first additional optical combination system comprises: a first input interface of the first additional optical combining system, the first input interface being configured to receive light from the third image source; and a second input interface of a second additional optical combining system, the second input interface being configured to receive light from a fourth image source; wherein the first additional relay system is configured to receive combined image light from the first additional optical combining system and to relay the received light to a first additional relay location; and A first additional shading system, wherein the first additional shading system is optically located before at least one of the first and second input interfaces of the first additional optical combination system, and the first additional shading system is configured to shading a portion of at least one of the third and fourth image surfaces formed by light from the third and fourth image sources, respectively.

189. An optical system according to claim 187, wherein the optical system further comprises a second additional relay system configured to relay light from at least one additional image source along a relay optical path defining a third field of view; and wherein the relay system is aligned with the first and second additional relay systems so that the first, second and third fields of view are combined to define the combined field of view.

190. The optical system of claim 86, further comprising an ambient light suppression system configured to reduce an amount of ambient light entering the optical system.

191. The optical system of claim 190, wherein the ambient light suppression system comprises a housing that partially surrounds the relay system and a window that includes a polarizing filter.

192. An optical system according to claim 191, wherein the polarization filter is capable of blocking ambient light having a first polarization state.

193. The optical system of claim 192, wherein the ambient light has the first polarization state and is provided by a light source comprising a polarization output filter configured to allow light of the first polarization state to pass therethrough.

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