Lenticular Lens Gradient Index for Autostereoscopic Displays

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Solution Overview

Problem

Autostereoscopic display devices suffer from image distortion, banding, and increased cross-talk at large viewing angles due to field curvature and refractive index differences in conventional lenticular lenses, leading to reduced 3D impression and increased pixel overlap.

Innovation Solution

An optical arrangement with a lens mode featuring an array of lenticular lens elements having a specific refractive index difference and curvature, optimized to ensure perpendicular ray incidence, reducing field curvature and enhancing image quality by minimizing footprint size and overlap at various viewing angles.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional lenticular lenses are used in autostereoscopic display devices, then the device can provide 3D display functionality, but image distortion and banding occur at large viewing angles due to field curvature

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidimage distortion

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the refractive index profile of the lenticular lens. Specifically, it uses a gradient refractive index distribution where the refractive index varies from the center to the edge of the lens, with higher index at the center and lower index at the edges. This parameter modification corrects field curvature and reduces image distortion at large viewing angles while maintaining 3D display functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs composite material principles by combining multiple optical layers with different refractive indices. The lenticular lens structure integrates a substrate layer, a gradient index layer, and a lenticular surface layer, where each layer contributes different optical properties to collectively reduce distortion and eliminate banding effects

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If conventional lenticular lenses are used, then 3D display is achieved, but cross-talk increases and 3D impression deteriorates at large viewing angles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improve3D impressionVSAvoidcross-talk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The gradient refractive index parameter distribution in the lenticular lens controls the optical path of light rays differently across the lens aperture. This parameter variation ensures that rays from different pixel columns are directed to appropriate viewing angles with minimal overlap, reducing cross-talk between adjacent views and maintaining clear 3D separation even at large viewing angles

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by making different regions of the lenticular lens have different refractive indices. The central region has a higher refractive index to focus rays for normal viewing angles, while the peripheral regions have lower refractive indices to properly direct rays at oblique angles. This spatial variation in optical properties reduces cross-talk by ensuring each viewing angle receives light primarily from its corresponding pixel column

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If conventional lenticular lenses with high refractive index difference are used, then lens effectiveness is improved, but manufacturability constraints increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelens effectivenessVSAvoidmanufacturability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the refractive index parameter distribution from a conventional uniform high-index design to a gradient distribution. This parameter change maintains lens effectiveness for 3D display by preserving sufficient refractive index variation, while the gradual transition in the gradient profile simplifies manufacturing compared to achieving sharp interfaces required by conventional high-contrast designs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 significantly reduces image distortion, banding, and cross-talk, allowing for improved 3D image quality and increased viewing angles with reduced manufacturability constraints, while maintaining low reflectance and robustness.

Implementation Method 1

The lenticular sheet 9 comprises an array of semi-cylindrical lenticular lens elements 11... The lenticular lens elements 11 act as a light output directing means to provide different images, or views, from the display panel 3 to the eyes of a user positioned in front of the display device 1

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRefraction: Refraction

Data Source

PatentUS10429659B2Optical arrangement and an autostereoscopic display device incorporating the same

Publication Date: 2019.10.01 LEIA INC

AI summary

An optical arrangement having at least a lens mode in which the optical arrangement is a lens arrangement having an array (9) of lenticular lenses (11) each of which has a particular lens surface shape such that, when tracing rays through a lenticular lens after they have entered one side of the lenticular lens, there exists at least one ray that hits the lenticular lens surface perpendicularly. This arrangement gives reduced banding and loss of intensity at steep angles when used in an autostereoscopic display.