Patent ID: 6834961
Filing Date: 2004-12-28
Classification: G02B,H04N

Abstract:
An autostereoscopic optical apparatus for viewing a stereoscopic virtual image comprising a left image to be viewed by an observer at a left viewing pupil and a right image to be viewed by the observer at a right viewing pupil, the apparatus comprising:(a) a left image generation system for forming a left curved intermediate image comprising: (i) a left curved mirror having a left mirror center of curvature; (ii) a left beamsplitter disposed between a vertex of said left curved mirror and said left mirror center of curvature; (iii) a left image source for providing light to said left curved mirror, said left curved mirror cooperating with said left beamsplitter to form a left intermediate image of said left image source, said left intermediate image having a left image center of curvature; (iv) a left ball lens segment, centered about said left image center of curvature, for forming said left curved intermediate image from said left intermediate image of said left image source; (b) a right image generation system for forming a right curved intermediate image comprising: (i) a right curved mirror having a right mirror center of curvature; (ii) a right beamsplitter disposed between a vertex of said right curved mirror and said right mirror center of curvature; (iii) a right image source for providing light to said right curved mirror, said right curved mirror cooperating with said right beamsplitter to form a right intermediate image of said right image source, said right intermediate image having a right image center of curvature; (iv) a right ball lens segment, centered about said right image center of curvature, for forming said right curved intermediate image from said right intermediate image of said right image source; (c) a ball lens imaging curved mirror having a focal surface and having a center of curvature, said center of curvature placed substantially optically midway between said left ball lens segment and said right ball lens segment, wherein said left curved intermediate image from said left image generation system and said right curved intermediate image from said right image generations system lie substantially on said focal surface; (d) a third beamsplitter disposed between said focal surface and said center of curvature of said ball lens imaging curved mirror, said ball lens imaging curved mirror and said third beamsplitter cooperating to form, at the left viewing pupil: (i) a real image of said left ball lens segment; and (ii) a virtual image of said left curved intermediate image; said ball lens imaging curved mirror and said third beamsplitter further cooperating to form, at the right viewing pupil: (i) a real image of said right ball lens segment; and (ii) a virtual image of said right curved intermediate image.