Autostereoscopic Display Radial Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autostereoscopic displays face challenges in achieving uniform angular intensity and contrast uniformity, leading to pseudoscopic images, image blur, and reduced depth perception due to inadequate window performance and sensitivity to luminance variations as viewers move.
Innovation Solution
A spatial light modulator with radially symmetric liquid crystal alignment and a parallax element with geometric axes parallel to the pixel array, where each pixel's apertures have alignment features offset perpendicular to the geometric axes, ensuring consistent total intersection length for light rays across different viewing positions, thereby improving angular intensity and contrast uniformity without defocusing the optical elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional pixel configurations are used in autostereoscopic displays, then the display can operate, but angular intensity uniformity deteriorates leading to pseudoscopic images and reduced depth perception
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making each pixel contain multiple apertures with different geometries and liquid crystal alignment features. Specifically, some apertures have radially symmetric alignment features while others have different orientations, allowing each pixel to contribute differently to various viewing angles. This local differentiation within pixels enables improved angular intensity uniformity across the display while maintaining manufacturability.
2Manufacturing precision
If the parallax element is defocused to improve window performance, then angular intensity uniformity improves, but image sharpness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments each pixel into multiple apertures with distinct functions. Some apertures are optimized for specific viewing angles or functions, allowing the system to achieve angular intensity uniformity without requiring defocusing of the entire optical system. This segmentation enables sharp images to be maintained while improving window performance through the collective contribution of multiple specialized apertures per pixel.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple apertures per pixel are used to improve angular uniformity, then manufacturing complexity increases, but display performance improves
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple apertures and their associated liquid crystal alignment features within each pixel structure. By combining these elements at the pixel level rather than requiring separate components, the design achieves improved angular intensity uniformity while minimizing manufacturing complexity. The multiple apertures are integrated into the pixel substrate with aligned liquid crystal layers, creating a unified structure that performs multiple optical functions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enhances 3D image quality by reducing pseudoscopic images, blur, and flicker, allowing for increased depth perception and improved performance in both 3D and 2D modes, while relaxing manufacturing tolerances and reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
each pixel comprising at least one aperture that contains liquid crystal and has an alignment feature arranged to provide radially symmetric alignment of the molecules of the liquid crystal
Implementation Method 2
contains liquid crystal and has an alignment feature arranged to provide radially symmetric alignment of the molecules of the liquid crystal
Implementation Method 3
a parallax element comprising an array of optical elements arranged over the spatial light modulator to direct light from the pixels into different viewing windows
Data Source
AI summary
An autostereoscopic display apparatus includes a spatial light modulator in which alignment features such as bump features provide radially symmetric alignment of the molecules of the liquid crystal. A parallax element is arranged over the spatial light modulator to direct light from the pixels into different viewing windows. The apertures of the pixels are shaped such that, for each individual row of pixels, a notional line parallel to the geometric axes of the parallax elements has a total length of intersection with the pixels of the row, weighted for the intensity of light modulated by the alignment features, which is the same for all positions of the notional line. This improves angular intensity uniformity. The pixels may each include plural apertures, wherein the alignment features of the apertures of each individual pixel are offset from one another in a direction perpendicular to said geometric axes. This improves angular contrast uniformity.