Trained Metasurface Display for 360-Degree Projection and Depth Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing display devices using diffractive optical elements and conventional metasurfaces face challenges in efficiently projecting light 360 degrees and extracting depth information due to limitations in diffraction efficiency and pattern projection, especially at angles greater than 70 degrees, which hinders effective three-dimensional imaging.
Innovation Solution
A display device incorporating a light control module with a trained metasurface and multiple fisheye cameras, along with a processor that models light propagation, renders virtual images, and extracts depth information using a depth extraction network, enabling 360-degree light projection and three-dimensional imaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a diffractive optical element is used to project light, then light can be projected with specific patterns, but diffraction efficiency decreases when light angle increases to 70 degrees or more
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of light control from diffractive optical elements to a trained metasurface. The metasurface uses sub-wavelength structures with specific geometric shapes and orientations to control light propagation, enabling efficient 360-degree light projection without the diffraction efficiency loss that occurs with conventional DOE at high angles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the conventional diffractive optical element system with a metasurface-based system. The metasurface uses nanoscale structural features rather than macroscopic diffraction grating structures, allowing for precise control of light at all angles including 360 degrees without the inherent efficiency losses of traditional diffraction mechanisms.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional metasurface is used to project light 360 degrees, then light can be projected forward and backward, but the projected light pattern is limited to a dot pattern and depth information extraction is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using metasurface structures with specific geometric shapes (circles, squares, triangles) and orientations at different locations. Each local region of the metasurface is designed with particular structural characteristics that encode spatial and depth information, enabling the system to distinguish between different depths and objects in the 360-degree projected scene.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces another dimension of information encoding by projecting structured light patterns with varying geometric shapes and orientations. This adds dimensional complexity to the light patterns, enabling the camera system to capture and process depth information from the 360-degree projected scenes through analysis of the structured light geometry.
3Ease of manufacture
If pixel size of diffractive optical element is made larger than light wavelength, then manufacturing is easier, but diffraction efficiency decreases at high projection angles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent fundamentally changes the scaling parameter from micrometer-scale pixels (easy to manufacture) to sub-wavelength nanoscale structures. This parameter change enables the metasurface to achieve high diffraction efficiency at all projection angles while maintaining manufacturability through established nanofabrication techniques like electron beam lithography and self-assembly methods.
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 provides an end-to-end framework for efficient 360-degree light projection and 3D imaging, optimizing optical elements and image processing algorithms, and accurately extracting depth information for 360-degree scenes, applicable to fields like 3D imaging, holographic display, LiDAR, VR, and AR display.
Implementation Method 1
The metasurface may project light forward 180 degrees when using a transmission direction. The metasurface may project light forward and backward 360 degrees when using a transmission direction and a reflection direction. The conventional metasurface used a higher-order diffraction coefficient to project light 180 degrees.
Implementation Method 2
The diffractive optical element may adjust a phase delay value of incident light according to an incident position of light. The metasurface manufactured through a nano process and having a pixel having a size smaller than the wavelength of light has been used.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a display device that projects light 360 degrees and performs three-dimensional (3D) imaging through a trained metasurface, and a controlling method of the display device. The display device includes a light control module including a camera module including a metasurface and a plurality of fisheye cameras, and a processor for controlling the light control module, wherein the processor is configured to model light propagating from the metasurface, render a virtual image when an image of a virtual space into which the propagated light is projected is captured by the camera module, and obtain depth information of the rendered virtual image by using a depth extraction network.