Patent Publication Number: US-2011058025-A1

Title: Left and right shutter control using visible light emitter

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Electronic displays are used for providing three-dimensional imagery that is viewed by way of special glasses worn by a user. Left and right shutters of the viewing glasses are individually opened and closed in accordance with image components depicted on the display. Laptop computers and other devices can thus be used for presenting three-dimensional videos and still images. 
     However, shutter synchronization signaling must be provided to the viewing glasses in order for the three-dimensional images to appear correctly. Providing for such synchronization signaling without the use of dedicated-purpose peripherals or direct wiring is desirable. The present teachings are directed to the foregoing concerns. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  depicts a diagrammatic view of a system according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  depicts a block diagram of a system according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a flow diagram depicting a method according to one embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Introduction 
     Means and methods for controlling a pair of three-dimensional (3D) viewing glasses are provided by the present teachings. Three-dimensional imagery is displayed on an electronic display or similar resource of a laptop computer or other device. A light-emitting device, which is integral to the laptop, is controlled to provide shutter synchronization signals to the pair of 3D viewing glasses. The light-emitting device can also be controlled to provide a user with status information for a camera or other feature of the laptop. Material and user time are conserved by using an existing, built-in resource of the laptop or electronic monitor rather than requiring an additional, special-purpose device. 
     In one embodiment, a method includes modulating a signal output from a visible-spectrum light-emitting device. The signal is modulated to control left and right shutters of a pair of three dimensional viewing glasses. The visible-spectrum light-emitting device is supported proximate to an electronic display. 
     In another embodiment, an apparatus includes an electronic display and a light-emitting device supported proximate to the electronic display. The light-emitting device is configured to provide an output in the visible spectrum. The apparatus also includes a controller configured to modulate output from the light-emitting device in synchronization with a displaying of left and right components of three-dimensional imagery on the electronic display. 
     In yet another embodiment, a controller is configured to modulate output from a visible spectrum light-emitting device in synchronization with a displaying of left and right components of three-dimensional imagery. 
     Illustrative System 
     Reference is now directed to  FIG. 1 , which depicts a diagrammatic view of a system  100 . The system  100  is illustrative and non-limiting with respect to the present teachings. Thus, other systems can be configured and/or operated in accordance with the present teachings. 
     The system  100  includes a laptop computer (laptop)  102 . The laptop  102  can be defined by any such device that includes resources according to the present teachings. The laptop  102  includes an electronic display  104  and a camera  106  fixedly supported proximate to the electronic display  104 . 
     The laptop  102  also includes a status light  108 . The status light (i.e., light emitter, or light-emitting device)  108  is controlled as described hereinafter and, in one mode of operation, is configured to indicate the operating status of the camera  106 . In one embodiment, the status light  108  is defined by a light emitting diode (LED) configured to emit light in the visible spectrum. 
     In one embodiment, the status light  108  is controlled to be on when the camera  106  is operating normally and off when the camera  106  is shut down. Other status indicating functions can also be performed by way of the status light  108 . The status light  108  is fixedly supported near a top edge  110  of the laptop  102 . The status light  108  is a built-in resource of the laptop  102  as originally provided by the laptop  102  manufacturer and is not considered a peripheral or “add-on” for purposes of the present teachings. 
     The system  100  also includes a pair of three-dimensional viewing glasses (glasses)  112 . The glasses  112  include a left shutter  114  and right shutter  116  that are independently open-able and closable. In one embodiment, the respective shutters  114  and  116  are defined by liquid crystal apertures or “windows” that can be rapidly and independently toggled between clear (i.e., open) and opaque (i.e., closed) conditions. The glasses  112  further include on-board circuitry and a power source (not shown, respectively) as required to perform normal operations of the respective shutters  114  and  116 . The glasses  112  generally operate as known to one having ordinary skill in the three-dimensional viewing arts, and further elaboration is not required for an understanding of the present teachings except as noted below. 
     Illustrative operation of the system  100  is as follows: The laptop  102  displays a three-dimensional image (3D or stereoscopic image)  118  in the electronic display  104 . Specifically, the image  118  is composed of a left component and a right component that are rapidly and alternately provided on the electronic display  104 . Thus, the left component alone is displayed, and then the right component alone is displayed, and then the left component alone, and so on. The immediate foregoing is true of either a still 3D image or a video progression of 3D images such as a movie or cartoon segment. 
     The status light  108  is controlled (i.e., modulated) so as to emit a synchronization signal  120 . The synchronization signal  120  is received by the glasses  112  and is used to synchronize the operations (i.e., opening and closing) of the left and right shutters  114  and  116  (respectively) during the displaying of the three-dimensional image  118 . In this way, a user of the three-dimensional viewing glasses  112  sees the image  118  as having three dimensional characteristics (i.e., height, width and depth). 
     In a general and non-limiting sense, the system  100  operates such that three-dimensional imagery can be viewed by a user wearing appropriate viewing glasses. The left shutter of the glasses is open and right shutter is closed during display of a left image component. The right shutter of the glasses is then open and left shutter is closed during display of right image component. Rapid toggling between the left and right component displays, and the corresponding opening and closing of the left and right shutters, is synchronized by way of a light beam signal in the human visible spectrum. 
     The light beam signal is emitted by a resource (e.g., an LED, etc.) that is inherent to the laptop computer, and a dedicated-purpose peripheral device is not required. As result, a user is not burdened with the cost or setup time required of such a peripheral. Additionally, a built-in feature of the laptop computer—namely, the camera status light—serves another function and provides additional value to the user. 
     First Illustrative Embodiment 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram depicting a system  200  according to an embodiment of the present teachings. The system  200  is illustrative and non-limiting in nature. As such, other systems are contemplated by the present teachings. The system  200  includes a computer  202  and a pair of three-dimensional viewing glasses  204 . 
     The computer  202  includes at least one processor  206 . The processor  206  is configured to control various normal operations of the computer  202  in accordance with a computer-readable program code. The computer  202  includes storage  208  that is configured to retrievably store computer-readable program code and data files as desired or required for normal operations of the computer  202 . Non-limiting examples of such storage  208  include magnetic storage media, optical storage media, read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), non-volatile storage memory, etc. Other suitable forms of computer-accessible storage can also be used. The storage  208  includes an image file  210  that corresponds to three-dimensional imagery (e.g., video, etc.) that can be displayed by the computer  202 . 
     The computer  202  also includes a display driver  212  and an electronic display  214 . The display driver  212  is configured to drive (operate, or control) the electronic display  214  in accordance with commands provided by the processor  206 . For non-limiting example, the processor  206  can access (i.e., read) the image file  210  within the storage  208  and provide corresponding command signals to the display driver  212  such that three-dimensional imagery is displayed on the electronic display  214 . The computer  202  also includes a camera  216  configured to provide digital data to the processor corresponding to light and images incident thereto. The processor  206  can, under proper program-code control, store the digital data in storage  208 , provide corresponding command signals to display those images on the electronic display  214 , or perform other suitable operations. 
     The computer  202  also includes an LED controller  218  and a status light (LED)  220 . The LED controller  218  is configured to receive control signals from the processor  206  and to drive (or modulate) a visible-spectrum output signal  222  from the LED  220  accordingly. In one embodiment, the LED  220  is mounted (i.e., fixedly supported) in a housing of the computer  202  proximate the electronic display  214 . Additionally, the LED  220  can be located over the electronic display  214  such that a favorable line-of-site orientation is achieved with respect to the three-dimensional viewing glasses  204 . 
     In one non-limiting operating scenario, the LED controller  218  is signaled to modulate the LED  220  according to the instantaneous state (i.e., left or right component) of a three-dimensional image presented on the electronic display  214 . In such a scenario, the LED  220  provides a modulated signal to the viewing glasses  204  so as to synchronize the open and closed condition of the left and right shutters (e.g.,  114  and  116 ), respectively. In another non-limiting operating scenario, the LED controller  218  is signaled by the processor  206  to turn the LED  220  on when the camera  216  is operating, and to turn the LED  220  off when the camera  216  is not operating. The LED controller  218  can also be used to drive the LED  220  in accordance with other operating states or functions of the computer  202 . 
     The LED controller  218  can be defined by any suitable electronic circuitry as needed to interface control signals from the processor  206  to the status light  220 . Such interface functions can include, without limitation, sample-and-latch, level shifting, voltage-to-current conversion, frequency- or phase-modulation, etc. In one embodiment, the LED controller  218  is defined by a processor or microcontroller configured to operating according to a computer-readable program code. In another embodiment, the LED controller  218  is defined by digital, analog or hybrid circuitry. In yet another embodiment, the LED controller  218  is defined by the processor  206  itself. Other suitable embodiments can also be used. One having ordinary skill in the electronic and related arts can appreciate that the LED controller  218  can be variously and suitably defined so that the LED  220  can be properly modulated according to processor  206  signaling. 
     First Illustrative Method 
       FIG. 3  is a flow diagram depicting a method according to one embodiment of the present teachings. The method of  FIG. 3  includes particular operations and order of execution. However, other methods including other operations, omitting one or more of the depicted operations, and/or proceeding in other orders of execution can also be used according to the present teachings. Thus, the method of  FIG. 3  is illustrative and non-limiting in nature. Reference is also made to  FIGS. 1-2  in the interest of understanding the method of  FIG. 3 . 
     At  300 , an electronic display is set to a blank condition. For purposes of illustration, it is assumed that an electronic display  214  is set to a blank state by way of processor  206  control. 
     At  302 , a signal is sent to a pair of three-dimensional viewing glasses so as to cause a left shutter to open and a right shutter to close. For purposes of the ongoing example, it is assumed that a status LED  220  is modulated to send a signal  222  to a pair of glasses  204 . The left window is made clear and the right window is made opaque in response to the signal  222 . 
     At  304 , a left component of a stereoscopic image is displayed on the electronic display. For purposes of the ongoing example, it is assumed that a left component of a three-dimensional image  118  is displayed on the electronic display  214 . This left component is displayed (dwells) for a suitable period of time. In one embodiment, the left component is displayed for two to four milliseconds. Other display times can also be used. 
     At  306 , an electronic display is set to a blank condition. For purposes of illustration, it is assumed that the electronic display  214  is set to a blank state by way of processor  206  control. 
     At  308 , a signal is sent to the pair of three-dimensional viewing glasses so as to cause a right shutter to open and a left shutter to close. For purposes of the example, it is assumed that the status LED  220  output signal  222  is modulated to cause the right window to be made clear and the left window to be made opaque. 
     At  310 , a right component of a stereoscopic image is displayed on the electronic display. For purposes of the ongoing example, it is assumed that the right component of a three-dimensional image  118  is displayed on the electronic display  214 . The right component is displayed (dwells) for a suitable period of time. In one embodiment, the left component is displayed for two to four milliseconds. Other display times can also be used. 
     At  312 , it is determined if the stereoscopic image display is complete. If the three-dimensional imagery has been fully displayed, then the method proceeds on to  314  where the process is ended. If the three-dimensional imagery has not yet been fully displayed, then the method proceeds back to  300  and the display of stereoscopic imagery (still or video, etc.) is continued. 
     In general, the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided would be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading the above description. The scope of the invention should be determined, not with reference to the above description, but should instead be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is anticipated and intended that future developments will occur in the arts discussed herein, and that the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In sum, it should be understood that the invention is capable of modification and variation and is limited only by the following claims.