Light from an image displayed on a display screen (10) is transmitted to an observer's eye (11) by way of a dynamic optical element (12) (such as a spatial light modulator or an electrically switchable holographic composite) which acts as a lens. Emitters (17) on the display screen (10) emit infrared radiation which is projected by the dynamic lens (12) as a broad wash onto the eye (11). Infrared radiation reflected back from the eye (11) is focused by the dynamic lens (12) onto detectors (18) also provided on the display screen (10). The detectors (18) are thus able to sense the direction of eye gaze, and the dynamic lens (12) is controlled in dependence on this to create an area of high resolution in an area of interest centred on the direction of gaze, which is moved to follow the eye gaze as its direction alters. Other than in the area of interest, the dynamic lens (12) has a relatively low resolution.

Method of and apparatus for viewing an image

Light in the visible spectrum is modulated using an array of modulation elements, and control circuitry connected to the array for controlling each of the modulation elements independently, each of the modulation elements having a surface which is caused to exhibit a predetermined impedance characteristic to particular frequencies of light. The amplitude of light delivered by each of the modulation elements is controlled independently by pulse code modulation. Each modulation element has a deformable portion held under tensile stress, and the control circuitry controls the deformation of the deformable portion. Each deformable element has a deformation mechanism and an optical portion, the deformation mechanism and the optical portion independently imparting to the element respectively a controlled deformation characteristic and a controlled modulation characteristic. The deformable modulation element may be a non-metal. The elements are made by forming a sandwich of two layers and a sacrificial layer between them, the sacrificial layer having a thickness related to the final cavity dimension, and using water or an oxygen based plasma to remove the sacrificial layer.

Method and device for modulating light

A front light guide panel including a plurality of embedded surface features is provided. The front light panel is configured to deliver uniform illumination from an artificial light source disposed at one side of the font light panel to an array of display elements located behind the front light guide while allowing for the option of illumination from ambient lighting transmitted through the light guide panel. The surface embedded surface relief features create air pockets within the light guide panel. Light incident on the side surface of the light guide propagates though the light guide until it strikes an air/light material guide interface at one on the air pockets. The light is then turned by total internal reflection through a large angle such that it exits an output face disposed in front of the array of display elements.

Dual film light guide for illuminating displays

A spatial light modulator comprises an integrated optical compensation structure, e.g., an optical compensation structure arranged between a substrate and a plurality of individually addressable light-modulating elements, or an optical compensation structure located on the opposite side of the light-modulating elements from the substrate. The individually addressable light-modulating elements are configured to modulate light transmitted through or reflected from the transparent substrate. Methods for making such spatial light modulators involve fabricating an optical compensation structure over a substrate and fabricating a plurality of individually addressable light-modulating elements over the optical compensation structure. The optical compensation structure may be a passive optical compensation structure. The optical compensation structure may include one or more of a supplemental frontlighting source, a diffuser, a black mask, a diffractive optical element, a color filter, an anti-reflective layer, a structure that scatters light, a microlens array, and a holographic film.

Spatial light modulator with integrated optical compensation structure

Various devices and methods of lighting a display are disclosed. In one embodiment, for example, a display device includes a transmissive display configured to be illuminated through a back surface and a reflective display configured to be illuminated through a front surface. A light source is disposed with respect to the back of the transmissive display to illuminate the transmissive display through the back surface. A light pipe is disposed with respect to the light source to receive light from the light source and is configured to propagate the light such that this light provides front illumination of the reflective display.

Methods and devices for lighting displays

The invention relates to a spatial light modulator device comprising a photo-refractive crystal addressed by means of a write light beam and a read light beam. The crystal is placed in the cavity of an interferometer system having a transmittivity-optical path length characteristic of steep slope so as to give rise to a dynamic range of maximum transmittivity variation for minimum variation in the refractive index or optical path length of the photo-refractive crystal. The device is applicable to conoscopic holography systems of large dynamic range and to pattern recognition in real time.

Spatial light modulator device and a conoscopic holography system of large dynamic range including such a modulator device

L'invention concerne un dispositif spatial de lumiere comportant un cristal photo-refractif adresse au moyen d'un faisceau lumineux d'ecriture (fe) et d'un faisceau lumineux de lecture (fl). Le cristal (1) est place dans la cavite d'un systeme interferometrique (2) presentant une caracteristique transmitivite-chemin optique de pente elevee de facon a induire une dynamique de variation maximale de la transmitivite pour une variation minimale d'indice de refraction ou du chemin optique du cristal photo-refractif. Application aux dispositifs d'holographie conoscopique a grande dynamique et a la reconnaissance de formes en temps reel.

Dispositif modulateur spatial de lumière et système d'holographie conoscopique à grande dynamique comportant un tel dispositif modulateur

L'invention concerne un dispositif spatial de lumiere comportant un cristal photo-refractif adresse au moyen d'un faisceau lumineux d'ecriture (fe) et d'un faisceau lumineux de lecture (fl). The invention relates to a spatial light device comprising a photorefractive crystal addressed by means of a writing light beam (FE) and a reading light beam (fl). Le cristal (1) est place dans la cavite d'un systeme interferometrique (2) presentant une caracteristique transmitivite-chemin optique de pente elevee de facon a induire une dynamique de variation maximale de la transmitivite pour une variation minimale d'indice de refraction ou du chemin optique du cristal photo-refractif. The crystal (1) is placed in the cavity of an interferometer system (2) having a transmittivity-optical path of high slope characteristic so as to induce a dynamic range of maximum variation in the transmittivity for minimum variation in the refractive index or the optical path of photorefractive crystal. Application aux dispositifs d'holographie conoscopique a grande dynamique et a la reconnaissance de formes en temps reel. Application to devices conoscopic holography high dynamics and pattern recognition in real time.

Aharon Agranat

Papers

Spatial light modulator device and a conoscopic holography system of large dynamic range including such a modulator device

Dispositif modulateur spatial de lumière et système d'holographie conoscopique à grande dynamique comportant un tel dispositif modulateur

Spatial light modulator device and wide dynamic conoscopic holography apparatus using the same