Multi-directional Image Display via Curved Mirror Redirection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Consumer image displaying devices have limited viewing angles, restricting the immersive display experience, as standard projectors can only project images onto a single wall or a portion of a room, while wider view display systems are costly and complex.
Innovation Solution
A multi-directional image displaying device that projects images onto a distribution object, such as a curved mirror, to redirect light rays in multiple directions, providing an expansive viewing angle of at least 180 degrees from a compact device, allowing images to be displayed on multiple walls and surfaces around the room.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a standard consumer projector is used, then the device is compact and affordable, but the viewing angle is limited to 90 degrees and images can only be projected onto a single wall
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from single-wall projection to multi-wall projection by introducing a curved mirror that redirects light rays in multiple directions. This dimensional change allows the image to wrap around corners and display on multiple surfaces, effectively expanding the viewing space from a single plane to multiple planes without adding multiple projectors
Solution Approach 2:
The curved mirror serves as an intermediary element between the projector and the walls. It receives the projected image and redistributes it across multiple surfaces, enabling a single projector to achieve multi-directional display capability that would otherwise require multiple projectors and complex synchronization systems
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple projectors are used to achieve wide view display, then the viewing angle expands, but the device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of multiple projectors into a single projector system by using a curved mirror to distribute the image. Instead of requiring multiple projectors to cover different walls, one projector combined with the mirror achieves the same multi-directional coverage, reducing device complexity and cost while maintaining the wide viewing angle capability
3Ease of operation
If images are projected onto multiple walls, then the immersive display experience improves, but the setup becomes more complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The curved mirror acts as a mediator that simplifies the system architecture. Instead of requiring multiple projectors and complex synchronization mechanisms, the single mirror element handles the multi-directional image distribution, making the system easier to set up and operate while maintaining the immersive multi-wall display experience
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
The solution enables a more immersive user experience by providing a wide view display that surrounds the viewer, enhancing the display of movies, games, and presentations, and can be easily configured and set up in various environments without the need for multiple projectors.
Implementation Method 1
A distribution object, such as a curved mirror, that can effectively reposition light rays in multiple directions
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, devices, and systems are provided for displaying an image using a multi-directional image displaying device in a compact, configurable device having an expansive viewing angle. An image projector projects an image having a plurality of image pixels. A distribution object is aligned with the image projector. The distribution object is utilized to redirect the image pixels projected by the image projector onto one or more display surfaces. As such, in one embodiment, a wide view display of the first image that expands at least the width of a user field of view results from the spreading of the image pixels. A compact housing unit provides support for the image projector and the distribution object. In one embodiment, the multi-directional image displaying device can be adjusted to change the wide view display of the image.