Nevin A Bryant

US Patent:

7490941, Feb 17, 2009

Filed:

Aug 30, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/216803

Inventors:

Frederick Mintz - Chatsworth CA, US
Tien-Hsin Chao - Valencia CA, US
Nevin Bryant - La Canada CA, US
Peter Tsou - Pasadena CA, US

Assignee:

California Institute of Technology - Pasadena CA

International Classification:

G03B 21/00
G03B 21/28
G03H 1/00
G03H 1/26
G02B 5/32
G02F 1/135

US Classification:

353 7, 353 33, 353 81, 353 50, 353122, 359 14, 359 15, 359 23, 349 30

Abstract:

The present invention relates to a three-dimensional (3D) hologram display system. The 3D hologram display system includes a projector device for projecting an image upon a display medium to form a 3D hologram. The 3D hologram is formed such that a viewer can view the holographic image from multiple angles up to 360 degrees. Multiple display media are described, namely a spinning diffusive screen, a circular diffuser screen, and an aerogel. The spinning diffusive screen utilizes spatial light modulators to control the image such that the 3D image is displayed on the rotating screen in a time-multiplexing manner. The circular diffuser screen includes multiple, simultaneously-operated projectors to project the image onto the circular diffuser screen from a plurality of locations, thereby forming the 3D image. The aerogel can use the projection device described as applicable to either the spinning diffusive screen or the circular diffuser screen.

US Patent:

61951846, Feb 27, 2001

Filed:

Jun 19, 1999

Appl. No.:

9/336542

Inventors:

Tien-Hsin Chao - Valencia CA
Frederick W. Mintz - Canoga Park CA
Peter Tsou - La Canada CA
Nevin A. Bryant - La Canada CA

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Washington DC

International Classification:

G03H 122
G03H 126
G03H 130
G03H 108

US Classification:

359 32

Abstract:

A real-time, dynamic, free space-virtual reality, 3-D image display system which is enabled by using a unique form of Aerogel as the primary display media. A preferred embodiment of this system comprises a 3-D mosaic topographic map which is displayed by fusing four projected hologram images. In this embodiment, 4 holographic images are projected from 4 separate holograms. Each holographic image subtends a quadrant of the 4. pi. solid angle. By fusing these four holographic images, a static 3-D image such as a featured terrain map would be visible for 360 degrees in the horizontal plane and 180 degrees in the vertical plane. An input, either acquired by 3-D image sensor or generated by computer animation, is first converted into a 2-D computer generated hologram (CGH). This CGH is then downloaded into large liquid crystal (LC) panel. A laser projector illuminates the CGH-filled LC panel and generates and displays a real 3-D image in the Aerogel matrix.