Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8864304B2/en
Timestamp: 2018-12-17 13:27:17
Document Index: 740611

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 60', 'application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'art 2', 'art 400', 'art 800', 'art 800', 'art 1300', 'art 1700']

US8864304B2 - Continuous adjustable 3DEEPS filter spectacles for optimized 3DEEPS stereoscopic viewing and its control method and means - Google Patents
Continuous adjustable 3DEEPS filter spectacles for optimized 3DEEPS stereoscopic viewing and its control method and means Download PDF
US8864304B2
US8864304B2 US14155505 US201414155505A US8864304B2 US 8864304 B2 US8864304 B2 US 8864304B2 US 14155505 US14155505 US 14155505 US 201414155505 A US201414155505 A US 201414155505A US 8864304 B2 US8864304 B2 US 8864304B2
US14155505
US20140177050A1 (en )
Kenneth Martin Jacobs
Visual Effect Innovations LLC
H04N13/144—Processing image signals for flicker reduction
H04N13/327—Calibration thereof
H04N2013/0077—Colour aspects
H04N2213/002—Eyestrain reduction by processing stereoscopic signals or controlling stereoscopic devices
Significantly faster state transitioning time between the optimal optical density for viewing 2D Movies as 3D movies through Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles can be achieved by using multiple layers (multi-layer) of electronically controlled variable tint materials to fabricate the right and left lenses of the 3Deeps spectacles. The use of multi-layered lenses may result in as much as a 50% decrease in transition time between states. The invention also relates to Multi-Use Electronically Controlled Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles that house within a single spectacle frame several layers of optoelectronic material in which each layer of electronically controlled relates to a different method of viewing.
This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/746,393 flied Jan. 22, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,657,438, which is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/938,495, filed Nov. 3, 2010, now abandoned, which was a Divisional Application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/555,545, filed on Sep. 8, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,850,304, which in turn was a Continuation-in-part Application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/274,752, filed on Nov. 20, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,604,398 which is in turn a CIP Application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/928,152, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,508,485, flied on Oct. 30, 2007 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/372,723, filed on Mar. 10, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,522,257 which claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/664,369, filed on Mar. 23, 2005 and is a Continuation-in-part of the U.S. application Ser. No. 10/054,607, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,030,902, filed on Jan. 22, 2002, which in turn claims priority of U.S. Provisional application No. 60/263,498, filed on Jan. 23, 2001. The based applications, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/928,152 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/372,723, also claim priority of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/373,702, filed Mar. 10, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,405,801 which claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/661,847, filed on Mar. 15, 2005. The entire contents of each of the above Applications are being herein incorporated by reference for all purposes.
This invention relates to the field of motion pictures and to a system called 3 Deeps that will allow almost any motion picture filmed in 2D (single image) to be viewed with the visual effect of 3-dimensions when viewed through 3Deeps Filter Spectacles. More specifically, the invention relates to the use of multiple layers electronically controlled variable tint materials to fabricate the right and left lenses of the 3Deep Filter Spectacle to achieve faster transition times than may be achieved by the use of only a single layer.
This invention directs to Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter spectacles for viewing 2D movies as 3D movies. Previously, related patent applications for Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter spectacles have been disclosed that use electronically controlled variable tint materials for fabrication of the right and left lenses of the viewing spectacles. Generally, electronically controlled variable tint materials change the light transmission properties of the material in response to voltage applied across the material, and include but are not limited to electrochromic devices, suspended particle devices, and polymer dispersed liquid crystal devices. Such material provides precise electronic control over the amount of light transmission.
We note that ‘clear’ is a relative term and even ‘clear’ glass will block a small percentage of light transmission. A clear lens is then one that transmits almost all light through the material.
The problem addressed by the preferred embodiment of this invention is that of slow transition time when transitioning between different optical densities of the lenses of the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter spectacles. Optimal control of Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter spectacles is achieved by adjusting the right- and left-lenses to the optimal optical density synchronized to maximize the 3D effect of the Pulfrich illusion between frames of the motion picture with respect to the transition time properties of the electrochromic material. As an example, a movie that is shown on a 100 Hz digital TV may require as many as 100 different optical density controlled lens transitions per second to optimally synchronize to the speed and direction of lateral motion in the motion picture. Most often the transitions in synchronization to the movie are small minor adjustments to the optical density of the lens that can be accomplished in the allotted time. A problem arises when 3Deeps Filter spectacles are fabricated from electronically controlled variable tint materials that are incapable of the ‘fast’ transition times that are sometimes required as for instance between scene changes. While electronically controlled variable tint materials may be able to achieve fast transitions from one optical density state to another optical density state that are ‘near’ or ‘close’ to each other, it may be incapable of transition between optical density slates that are far apart. However, faster transition times using any electronically controlled variable tint material can be achieved by the simple expedient of using 2 of more layers—or multi-layers—of such material. Using multiple layers of material does result in a darker clear state, but the difference is minimal and barely perceptible, so the tradeoff between a slightly darker cleat state and faster transition time is considered and warranted.
Another problem relates to the ‘cycle life’ (number of clear-dark cycles before failure) of some optoelectronic materials that may be limited. The ‘cycle life’ may be increased by using multiple layers of optoelectronic materials since the electric potential applied to the material to achieve a target optical density will be for a shorter period of time.
Another problem addressed by an alternate embodiment of this invention is that different methods of 3D require distinct viewing spectacles. However, with electronically controlled viewing spectacles, a single viewing spectacle can be switch selectable for different optical effects. For instance, to view a 3D movie that uses the anaglyph method to achieve 3D stereoscopy requires use of a different pair of spectacles (red-blue lenses) than that used for 3Deeps viewing. Other preferred embodiments of the invention relate to multi-use of the spectacles. The use of multi-layers of electronically controlled variable tint materials where different layers relate to different viewing methods, allow a single spectacle to be selectable to achieve different optical effects. For instance, while one or more layers of electronically controlled variable tint materials may be used for Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter spectacles, another layer of materials may be used for anaglyph 3D spectacles. This would extend the use of a single pair spectacles so it can be selectively used for either Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter spectacles viewing of 2D filmed movies or for anaglyph viewing of 3D filmed movies. It would also allow switching within any motion picture between 2D and 3D for a specific method, and/or switching within any motion picture between different methods of 3D. Till now a 3D motion picture may have been filmed in its entirety as anaglyph. With this invention the motion picture could have been filmed in part 2D with the multi-layer specs then set by signalization to a clear-clear state, and another part of the motion picture could have been filmed in 3D anaglyph with the multi-layer spectacles then set by signalization to a red-blue state. In another embodiment the picture may be filmed in part in 21) and 3D anaglyph, and shown to viewers in 2D, 3D using 3Deeps spectacle, and 3D anaglyph with the spectacles set accordingly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Embodiment 1
An optical-density-continuous-adjustable Pulfrich Filter Spectacles for viewing a 2D video with 3D effects, comprising:
The optical-density-continuous-adjustable Pulfrich Filter Spectacles of Embodiment 1, wherein the control unit applies the same electric value to all optically adjustable layers in responding to a given optical density signal.
The optical-density-continuous-adjustable Pulfrich Filter Spectacles of Embodiment 1, wherein the control unit coordinately applies different electric value to individual optically adjustable layer in responding to a given optical density signal to achieve corresponding optical density for each lens.
The optical-density-continuous-adjustable Pulfrich Filter Spectacles of Embodiment 1, wherein the signal receiving unit is a wireless receiver.
The optical-density-continuous-adjustable Pulfrich Filter Spectacles of Embodiment 1, further comprising a control unit controlling the optical properties of one or more layers independent from the corresponding optical density signal to achieve additional functions.
The optical-density-continuous-adjustable Pulfrich Filter Spectacles of Embodiment 1, where the lenses further comprising one or more layers made from optical material not effected by an electric potential.
The optical-density-continuous-adjustable Pulfrich Filter Spectacles of Embodiment 1, wherein the lenses are made of a material having continuous optical density adjustable capacity, which is selected from a group consisting of: electrochromatic material, LCD, suspended particle device, and polarizable optical material.
The optical-density-continuous-adjustable Pulfrich Filter Spectacles of Embodiment 7, wherein the material is electrochromatic material and the control mechanism is based on electric voltages.
The optical-density-continuous-adjustable Pulfrich Filter Spectacles of Embodiment 1, wherein one of the layers is made of an electropolychromism device.
The optical-density-continuous-adjustable Pulfrich Filter Spectacles of Embodiment 1, wherein the material of each layer have different optical property.
The optical-density-continuous-adjustable Pulfrich Filter Spectacles of claim 1, wherein the control unit further comprise an overwriting switch selection for controlling optical properties of the lens.
The optical-density-continuous-adjustable Pulfrich Filter Spectacles of Embodiment 1, wherein the multi-layered lenses are in the form of clip-on lenses that readily fit over normal prescription lenses.
The optical-density-continuous-adjustable Pulfrich Filter Spectacles of Embodiment 1, wherein the control unit further comprise a default setting switch to compensate for the ambient light or the optical degradation of the optical material.
A method for controlling the Pulfrich Fiber Spectacles for viewing a 2D digital video in MPEG format with 3D effects, comprising:
extracting a motion estimation value associated with a frame in said video;
determining a luminance value for the frame based on said motion estimation value;
calculating all optical density value corresponding to said luminance value and motion estimation value for a lens;
transmitting said optical density values to the Pulfrich Filter Spectacles;
computing an electric value based on the transmitted optical density values that is used to control the Pulfrich Filter Spectacles.
Significantly faster state transitioning time between the optimal optical density for viewing 2D Movies as 3D movies through Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles can be achieved by using multiple layers (multi-layer) of electronically controlled variable tint materials to fabricate the right and left lenses of the 3Deeps spectacles. The use of multi-layered lenses may result in as much as a 50% decrease in transition time between states.
Spectacles for viewing 2D movies in 3D have been described previously in earlier related patent applications. The first version was called 3Deeps Filter Spectacles and the later improved spectacles were called Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles. Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles optimally adjust the optical density of electronically controllable variable tint left and right lenses in synchronization with a 2D movie so as to maximize the Pulfrich stereoscopic optical illusion. Numerous electronically controllable variable tint materials are well known, and have different operating characteristics. In particular, the lenses can change from a clear state to a controllable darker or transparent state in which only a percentage of visible light is allowed to pass—that is an operating characteristic curve of transmissivity (x-axis) versus transition time (y-axis) when a specified voltage potential is applied across the electronically controllable variable tint device.
The invention discloses the use of fabricating the lenses of the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filler Spectacles from stacked or multiple layers of electronically controllable variable tint devices. By this simple means the time to transition to any state is significantly reduced. In order to achieve such reduction the control unit of the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles must also be modified to drive voltage across multiple rather than just a single layer of optoelectronic lens material. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a specific optoelectronic material knows as electrochromics are used to fabricate the lenses. However, any optoelectronic material that electronically controls the transmission of light through the said material may be utilized.
FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the operation of the Control Unit of the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Fillet Spectacles.
FIG. 13 is a flow chart showing the operation of the Control Unit of the multi-use Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles with single—layered lenses.
FIG. 15 a shows a left lens of Multi-Use Electrically Controlled Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filler Spectacles fabricated from multiple layers of electrochromic materials.
There is a well-studied stereoscopic illusion called the Pulfrich illusion in which the illusion of 3D is invoked by differentially shading the left and right eye. Anyone watching TV through special viewing glasses can see the illusion. One way to construct the special Pulfrich viewing glasses is to take sunglasses and remove the left lens, so that the left eye views the TV screen unobstructed and the right eye views the TV screen through the darkened sunglass lens. With such Pulfrich viewing spectacles all screen motion from left-to-right will be in 3D. The illusion is based on basic eye mechanics—the shaded lens causes the eye to send the image to the brain later than unshaded eye. If the time difference is 1/10 second than on a 100 Hz digital TV the difference is 10 screen images, which is enough to produce a vivid illusion of 3D in the presence of moderate lateral motion. The image processing part of the brain puts the two disparate images together as depth. This is a pure optical illusion that has nothing to do with how a motion picture is filmed.
The Pulfrich illusion has been used for more than 50 years to produce 3D movies, using cardboard viewing spectacles with a clear left lens and dark transparent right lens. Pulfrich 3D motion pictures have been produced including such offerings as the 1971 feature length movie “l, Monster” Starring Christopher Lee as well as selected scenes from the 1997 second season finale of the network TV sitcom “Third Rock From The Sun”. However there is a problem in that the special Pulfrich viewing glasses impose severe constraints on both the movie and viewing venue.
More specifically, the problem then is that for any special viewing spectacles with lenses of a fixed optical density, the lighting, and speed and direction of screen motion have to be in exactly proper alignment to get an optimal 3D effect that is compatable to other 3D methods such as anaglyph (blue—red viewing spectacles). That conjunction of light and motion rarely happens so Pulfrich is not considered a viable approach to 3D movies or TV. Movies made for viewing using the Pulfrich illusion are best viewed in darkened venues, and if the same movie is viewed in a brightly lit venue the illusion is diminished or may even totally disappear.
Every movie ever made—without additional alteration or processing—could be viewed in 3D when wearing 3Deeps spectacles
A movie could be viewed simultaneously by viewers with or without 3Deeps spectacles, and
No changes are required to any broadcast standards, cinema formatting, viewing venue, or viewing monitors
It should be understood, that the natural view of the world that viewer's expect of cinema is 3-dimensional, and to any movie viewer with binocular vision, it is the screen flatness of 2D that is strange and unnatural. From the earliest days of motion pictures cincematographers have used light and lateral movement as cues to help the viewer translate 2D screen flatness into their binocular vision expectations. But light and lateral motion are precisely the factors that elicit the Pulfrich illusion, so when movies are produced, cinematographers and lighting specialists stress precisely the features that the 3Deeps systems can translate into the natural sense of depth that the viewer is expecting. That is to say, since the advent of moving pictures, filmmakers have been unknowingly preparing their movies for advantageous 3D viewing using 3Deeps spectacles.
A Second Solution—Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles
While each eye is stimulated by light continuously, there is a time delay called the retinal reaction time until the information is triggered and transmitted to the brain. Retinal reaction time is primarily dependent on the amount of light (brightness) that falls on the eye. For instance, in the presence of the bright light of a ‘Clear Sky at noon’ the retinal reaction time is about 100 milliseconds ( 1/10-th of a second) and the eye will trigger about every 100 milliseconds and send the image from the eye to the brain. In the presence of light from a ‘Clear Sky’ the retinal reaction time is slower—about 200 milliseconds. And in the presence of light that approximates a ‘Night sky with a full moon’ the retinal reaction time is slower still—almost 400 milliseconds. The darker is the illumination, the retinal reaction time become increasingly slower.
The second factor is simultaneity. The brain will take two eye images and put them together in a ‘simultaneous’ fashion to generate the image that we perceive. Thus in normal viewing, if both eyes see the same 2D image without any filtered obstruction, the brain gets two identical images and there is no information by which the brain may infer depth. However, if one eye is differently shaded, than the eyes send two different images to the brain, and the mind places them together and interprets the two different images as depth. These two factors, retinal reaction time, and simultaneity are the two factors that explain Pulfrich illusion.
If the scene being viewed is static with no moving object, then the ‘instant’ image of the unshaded eye and the ‘lagging image’ of the shaded eye will still see the same image and the retinal reaction delay and simultaneity factors will not provide any depth information. Thus, the Pulfrich illusion does not work in the absence of motion. But if the scene being viewed has horizontal motion (also called lateral motion) then the shaded eye will see an image that is ‘lagging’ the instant image. In this case the ‘lagging image’ caused by retinal reaction delay of the shaded eye, when juxtaposed with the ‘instant image’ perceived by the unshaded eye will, through the mechanism of simultaneity, be reconciled by the brain as a perception of depth. This is the Pulfrich illusion.
Well-researched retinal reaction curves describing this phenomenon are available and are used by the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles to select the optical density of the lens to maximize the Pulfrich illusion. This is done in the following exemplary manner. First we measure the ambient light optical density and use that with the retinal reaction curve to get the retinal delay for the eye viewing through the ‘clear’ lens. We then use the direction of lateral motion to determine which of the right and left lenses is clear (with the other lens the dark lens.) If the lateral motion is from the left-to-right direction on the screen then the ‘clear’ lens of the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles will be the left lens, and if the lateral motion is in the opposite direction then the ‘clear’ lens will be the right lens.
To set the optical density of the dark lens we now utilize the magnitude of the motion. As an example, if lateral motion of the major object in the frame is measured as moving at 0.25 inches per frame then it will take 10 frames to move 2.5 inches—the average inter-ocular distance. In this case the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles use the retinal reaction curve to determine an optical density setting for the darkened lens so the motion-direction eye will see a lugging image that is 10 frames behind that of the unshielded eye. If the TV screen has a refresh rate of 100 Hz then 10 frames is precisely 100 milliseconds, so if the ambient light is that of a ‘Clear Sky at noon’ with a retinal reaction time of 100 milliseconds, then we would set the dark lens to have an optical density of a ‘Clear Sky’ which corresponds to a retinal reaction time of 200 milliseconds. Depending upon the ambient illumination, the optical density of the dark lens can always be calculated and precisely determined from the retinal reaction curve and the objective function that maximizes the Pulfrich illusion.
There is a problem that many optoelectronic materials often do not change state instantaneously. While frame-to-frame display of a motion picture may be 100 Hz (100 frames a second or 10 milliseconds per frame) a typical optoelectronic material made from electrochromic material may have a ‘slow’ response time and take several seconds to change from a clear state to a much darker state. A second problem may relate to a limited ‘cycle life’ (number of clear-dark cycles) of some optoelectronic materials that may be limited. Both of these problems can be addressed by using multiple layers of optoelectronic material in fabricating the lenses of the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles, and this patent discloses how to implement such a solution. Both problems relate to the viewing spectacle side of the solution that implements the already independently calculated optical density that maximizes the 3D Pulfrich stereoscopic illusion.
Optoelectronic devices (or materials) that control the transmission of light through the device may be referred to as a variable tint device or variable tint material. Neutral variable tint devices reduce the transmission of light approximately equally along the entire spectrum of visible light and thus do not noticeably distort color. Other variable tint devices may allow transmission of light in a restricted spectrum of visible light and block light outside the restricted range, such as blue variable tint devices that allows the passage of light in the blue spectrum (λ˜490-450 nm). Devices that control properties of light other than the transmission of light through the medium will be referred to simply as optoelectronic devices.
“Anaglyph” refers to the red/blue (red/cyan or red/green) glasses that are used in comic books and in cereal packets etc. The glasses consist of nothing more than one piece of transparent blue plastic and one piece of transparent red plastic. These glasses are easy to manufacture aid have been around since the 1920s.
When the image is viewed through the glasses the red parts are seen by one eye and the other sees the green/blue parts. The visual cortex of the brain fuses this into perception of a three-dimensional scene or composition. This effect is fairly simple to do with photography, and extremely easy to do on a PC, and it can even be hand-drawn. The main limitation of this technique is that because the color is used in this way, the true color content of the image is usually lost and the resulting images are usually in black and white. As the colors compete for dominance they may appeal unstable and monochromatic. A few images can retain a resemblance to their original color content, but the photographer has to be very selective with color picture content.
Intru3D—Intel
Intel's Intru3D uses the ColorCode 3D method that is an update to the more familiar Anaglyph method of 3D stereoscopy. It is similar to the Anaglyph method of stereoscopy but rather thank make one image green/blue and the other image red, Intru3D records the two images as amber and blue. This provides generally truer color than typical Red/Blue anaglyphs, particularly where Red image components are concerned.
IMAX creates the illusion of 3-dimensional depth by recording the motion pictures on two separate rolls of film with two camera lenses to represent the left and right eyes. These lenses are separated by as interocular distance of about 2.5 in., the average distance between a human's eyes. By recording on two separate rolls of film for the left and right eyes, and then projecting them simultaneously, IMAX can create a 3-Dimensional illusion for viewers.
IMAX also uses another method—shutter glasses—for 3D viewing. This method of 3D projection involves the use of LCD shutter glasses that use similarly polarized lenses for both eyes. The left and right eye images are projected on the viewing screen in alternate frames. These LCD shutter glasses are synchronized to the projector. The projector displays the left and right images that are momentarily viewed by the appropriate eye by allowing that LCD lens to become transparent while the oilier remains opaque. That is when the left eye frame is projected on: the screen, the left lens of the shutter glasses becomes transparent and the right lens of the shutter glasses becomes opaque. When the next frame is projected on the screen—a frame for the right eye—the left lens becomes opaque and the right lens becomes transparent.
In both the IMAX 3D systems only the correct eye is allowed to view the correct image while the other eye is ‘blinded’. The ‘transparent’ state is actually quite dark, and occludes about 35% of the projected light to the viewing eye while the non-viewing eye is supposed to view no image at all.
Electrochromic devices change light transmission properties in response to voltage and thus allow control of the amount of light passing through the material. A burst of electricity is required for changing the Lint of the material, but once the change has been occurred, no electricity is needed for maintaining the particular shade that has been reached. Electrochromic materials provide visibility even in the darkened state, and thus preserves visible contact with the outside environment. It has been used in small-scale applications such as rearview mirrors. Electrochromic technology also finds use in indoor applications, for example, for protection of objects under the glass of museum display cases and picture frame glass from the damaging effects of the UV and visible wavelengths of artificial light. Recent advances in electrochromic materials pertaining to transition-metal hydride electrochromics have led to the development of reflective hydrides, which become reflective rather than absorbing, and thus switch states between transparent and mirror-like.
In polymer dispersed liquid crystal devices (PDLCs), liquid crystals are dissolved or dispersed into a liquid polymer followed by solidification or curing of the polymer. During the change of the polymer from a liquid to solid, the liquid crystals become incompatible with the solid polymer and form droplets throughout the solid polymer. The curing conditions affect the size of the droplets that in turn affect the final operating properties of the variable tint material. Typically, the liquid mix of polymer and liquid crystals is placed between two layers of glass or plastic that include a thin layer of a transparent, conductive material followed by curing of the polymer, thereby forming the basic sandwich structure of the smart window. This structure is in effect a capacitor. Electrodes from a power supply are attached to the transparent electrodes. With no applied voltage, the liquid crystals are randomly arranged in the droplets, resulting in scattering of light as it passes through the smart window assembly. This results in the translucent, “milky white” appearance. When a voltage is applied to the electrodes, the electric field formed between the two transparent electrodes on the glass cause the liquid crystals to align, thereby allowing light to pass through the droplets with very little scattering, resulting in a transparent state. The degree of transparency can be controlled by the applied voltage. This is possible because at lower voltages, only a few of the liquid crystals are able to be aligned completely in the electric field, so only a small portion of the light passes through while most of the light is scattered. As the voltage is increased, fewer liquid crystals remain out of alignment thus resulting in less light being scattered. It is also possible to control the amount of light and heat passing through when tints and special inner layers are used. Most of the devices offered today operate in on or off states only, even though the technology to provide for variable levels of transparency is easily applied. This technology has been used in interior and exterior settings for privacy control (for example conference rooms, intensive-care areas, bathroom/shower doors) and as a temporary projection screen. A new generation of switchable film and glass called 3G Switchable Film is available from Scienstry, using a non-linear technology to increase transparency, lower the required driving voltage and extend the lifetime.
A First Preferred Embodiment of the Invention
FIG. 1 is a perspective view 100 of the preferred embodiment of the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles. It is comprised of a frame 101 that is used as the housing for the lenses and control circuitry. Such frames are a well-known means by which lenses can be fixed before a person's eyes for viewing. On the frame 101 is battery device 104 to power all circuitry of the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles. Also, on the frame 101 is a receiver 102 labeled ‘Rx’ that is powered by the battery 104. The receiver 102 has apparatus to receive radio-frequency (RF) 110 waves with synchronization and control information used to control the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles. Such receivers are well known in the all of electronics. Also on the frame 101 is a control unit 103 powered by the battery 104 that transforms the continuing optical density signals into the electronic potentials used to control the optical density of each individual lens. Also on the frame 101 is an on/off switch 112 that controls whether the electronic circuits of the 3Deeps spectacles 101 receive power (on position) from the battery or not (power off). Other embodiments may replace RF communications with other communications means, including but not limited to infrared, or audio sound.
Two lenses are fixed in the frames—a right lens (from the movie viewer's vantage point) 105 and a left lens 106. In the preferred embodiment, each lens is made of all electrochromic material for which the optical density can be reliably and precisely controlled by the application of an electronic potential across the material. The lens has circuitry so that the control unit 103 can independently control the transmissivity of each lens. Other embodiment may use optoelectronic materials other than electrochromics. A second preferred embodiment of Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles using multi-layered lenses is disclosed starting in FIG. 5. A third preferred embodiment of Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps spectacles using single-layered lenses for a multi-use application is disclosed starting in FIG. 11. A fourth preferred embodiment of Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles using multi-layered lenses for a multi-use application is disclosed starting in FIG. 14.
For exemplary purposes, FIG. 1 shows the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles in just one of the three states that the lenses can take. FIG. 1 shows the right lens 105 darkened and the left lens 106 as clear with the clear lens allowing more light transmission than the darkened lens. This is the configuration to view a motion picture with a 3-dimensional effect in which the lateral motion in the motion picture is moving from left-to-right on the viewing screen. Other embodiments of the invention may have Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles that fit over regular prescription glasses in a manner similar to that in which snap-on or clip-on sunglasses are configured. In still another embodiment the lenses of the Continuous Adjustable 3 Deeps Filter Spectacles may also be ‘prescription lenses’ customized for the viewer vision impairments.
Also, while the preferred embodiment of the invention uses Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles that are wireless, other embodiments may use wired connections. What is required is that the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles can receive and respond to synchronization signals from the controller, and whether that is by wired or wireless means is immaterial to the invention. Earlier versions of 3Deeps Filter Spectacles (also called Pulfrich Filter Spectacles) have been previously described in co-pending patent applications and patents U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/274,752, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/928,152, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/372,723, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/372,702, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,030,902 and 7,218,339.
The lens state consisting of both left and the right lens darkened is not used by any of the 3Deeps spectacles. However, this lens state can be achieved by the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles, and may have uses in other embodiments of the invention. In the third preferred embodiment of the invention, this lens state is used to provide an alternate use for 3Deeps viewing spectacle—sunglasses. In that embodiment, ‘multi-use’ 3Deeps spectacles are switch selectable as either (Use 1) 3Deeps viewing spectacles using the 3 lens settings described in the preceding paragraph for 3Deeps viewing, or (Use 2) sunglasses using the left and right lens darkening to a pre-set optical density.
FIG. 2 a 200 shows a left lens 106 of Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles fabricated from n; single layer of electrochromic material. Its fabrication using electrochromic material is shown in adjoining FIG. 2 b.
FIG. 2 b 225 shows the cross-sectional detail of the electrochromic device of FIG. 2 a used for fabricating the electronically controlled variable tint material of the right and left lenses of the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles. The Figure shows a typical dual-polymer electrochromic device consisting of seven layers of material. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the right lens 105 and left lens 106 of the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles 100 are fabricated from such material. The first layer 201 of the electrochromic material 225 is a glass, plastic (or other clear insulating material.) The second layer 202 is a conducting layer, followed by a third layer 203 of polymer. The fourth layer 204 is an electrolytic layer that depending upon the electrochromic material may be a liquid or gel. This layer provides the ion transport whose direction is determined by the application of potential across the conducting layers. The fifth layer 205 is the complementary polymer layer, followed by a sixth layer 206 of conducting material. The last layer 207 of the electrochromic is another insulting layer of glass, plastic or other clear insulating material.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram 300 of the operation of the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles of FIG. 1. All circuits on the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles 101 are powered 301 by the Power Unit 104 (if the power on/off switch 112 is in the ‘on’ position), including the Control Unit 103, Signal Receiving Unit 102, the Left Lens 106, and the Right Lens 105. The control information 110 is received by the Signal Receiving Unit 102 and sent 302 to the Control Unit 103. The control unit 103 implements an algorithm that is specific for the lens materials used in the fabrication of the Right Lens 105 and the Left lens 106 of the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles, and controls the Left Lens 106 over a control circuit 303, and the Right Lens over a control circuit 305.
FIG. 4 is a flow chart 400 showing the operation of the Control Unit 103 of the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles of the first preferred embodiment. The input to the Control Unit 103 is the synchronization signal 302. The output is the control signal sent to the left lens 106 over the control left lens control circuit 303, and the control signal sent to the right lens 105 over the right lens control circuit 305. The synchronization signals 302 are received and stored by the ‘Read and Store 3Deeps Signal’ block 401 of the Control Unit 103 and stored in a LIFO (Last In First Out) memory stack 403. Control then passes to ‘Store and Manage Signal’ processing 405 that ‘pops’ the top of the stack (read the value and eliminates it from storage) and processes the synchronization signal by storing it in a ‘3Deeps Signal’ memory storage 407. Processing control then passes to ‘Parse and Store Left and Right OD’ in which the 3Deeps signal memory storage 407 is parsed and stored in the ‘Left OD’ value 411, and the ‘Right OD’ value 413. Processing then continues with the ‘Right Lens Control’ 417 in which the right lens value 413 is converted to an electronic signal 305 that controls the optical density of the right lens. Processing then continues with the ‘Left Lens Control’ 415 in which the left lens value 411 is converted to an electronic signal 303 that controls the optical density of the left lens. Processing in the Control Unit 103 then is passed back to the ‘Read and Store 3Deeps Signal’
It should be understood that different control circuits might be utilized by other embodiments. For instance other embodiments may have no need for LIFO signal store and management since control of the 3Deeps spectacles is in real-time and there is no need to switch the lenses to past setting. Also, better emphasize the logical operation of the control unit some functions have not been shown. For instance, the control unit may ‘cycle’ at a much faster rate then the received synchronization signals resulting in an ‘empty’ slack. The handling of such an empty stack state is not shown in the flow diagram but would be handled as well-known in the art by detecting that the stack is empty and passing control in the Control Unit 103 back to the ‘Read and Store 3Deeps Signal’ state 401 rather than passing control as shown in the flow diagram 400.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view 500 of the second preferred embodiment of the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles 550 with multi-layered lenses. The difference between FIG. 5 (multi-layered lens) and FIG. 1 (single layer lens) is in their respective right lens (505 of FIG. 5), left lens (506 of FIG. 5), and control unit (503 of FIG. 5). Like numbered items in FIG. 5 and FIG. 1 have the same function and definition. The lenses for the second preferred embodiment (505 and 506) are described in greater detail in FIGS. 6 a and 6 b, and the control unit for the second preferred embodiment is described in greater detail in FIG. 8.
FIG. 6 a 600 shows a left lens 506 of Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles fabricated from multiple layers of electrochromic material. Its fabrication using electrochromic material is shown in adjoining FIG. 6 b. Since only a single layer of insulating glass material will be required between the different layers of the multi-layered electrochromic lens, the drawing of the top layer is slightly different than that of FIG. 2 a to emphasize that only one layer of such insulating material is necessary. FIG. 6 a therefore shows the lens 106 as two layers where the first active layer 611 is separated by the second active layer 601 by an insulating layer 610. The first active layer 611 and the insulating layer 610 comprise the single layer lens 106 of FIG. 2 a.
FIG. 6 b 625 shows the cross-sectional details of the multiple layered electrochromic device of FIG. 6 a that is used for fabricating the electronically controlled variable tint material of the right and left lenses of the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles. The 7 layers of the electrochromic left lens 106 of FIG. 2 b are shown in FIG. 6 b as the 6 active layers 611, and the (seventh) insulating layer 201. Each layer is identical to their like numbered description accompanying FIG. 2 b. A second active layer 601 is included in the multi-layered electrochromic lens. In the second preferred embodiment of the invention, the second layer 601 of the lens is fabricated from identical electrochromic material as used to fabricate the first layer 611 of the left lens 506 so that each layer has the same Operating Characteristic curve 900 as shown in FIG. 9. The six layers of electrochromic material for the second layer are identical to their like numbered description accompanying FIG. 2 b. Other embodiments may use electrochromic material with different material so that the two layers have different Operating Characteristic curves. Also, other embodiments may have more than 2 layers.
The difference between FIG. 7 (multi-layered lens) and FIG. 3 (single layer lens) is in their respective right and left lenses, control units, and control circuits. For the right lens 505 and left lens 506, the lenses are fabricated from multiple layers of electrochromic material. In the second preferred embodiment of the invention these are the same as the lens fabrication shown in FIG. 6. The control unit for the multi-layered lens 503 must control multiple layers while the control unit for the single-layered lens 103 only need control a single layer electrochromic lens. In this second preferred embodiment of the invention, both layers of the multi-layered electrochromic lens are made of the same material with the same Operating Characteristic curve and both lenses have applied to them identical voltage across each layer. However, since there are multi-layers of material, it will be shown using the Operating Characteristic curve of FIGS. 9 and 10, that to achieve a target optical density for each lens, the control unit 503 will only need apply voltage to the multi-layers for less time than for the single layer. For the control circuits, the multi, lens control circuit need to apply voltage across multiple layered assemblies, not just a single lens assembly.
FIG. 8 is a flow chart 800 showing the operation of the Control Unit 503 of the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles 550 using a multiple layered electrochromic device for fabricating the electronically controlled variable tint material of the right lens 505 and left lens 506. This flow chart 800 is very similar to the flow chart of the control unit for the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles using a single layered electrochromic device of FIG. 4. The memory storage ‘LIFO Signal Stack’ 403, ‘3Deeps Signal’ 407, ‘Left OD’ 411, and ‘Right OD’ 413 are the same as previously described for FIG. 4. The processing modules ‘Read & Store 3Deeps Signal’ 401, ‘Store and Manage 3Deeps Signal’ 405, and ‘Parse and Store Left and Right OD’ 409 are the same as previously described for FIG. 4. The difference between FIG. 4 and FIG. 8 is in the ‘Left lens Multilayer’ circuitry 815 and the left lens 506 that the circuit controls, and in the ‘Right Lens Multilayer Control’ circuitry 817 and the right lens 505 that the circuit controls. In this multi-layer embodiment of the invention, the ‘Left Lens Multilayer’ circuitry 815 must control two layers of the electrochromic left lens 506, and the ‘Right Lens Multilayer’ circuitry 817 must control two layers of the electrochromic right lens 505. It will be shown later in FIGS. 9 and 10 that the target optical densities for the left lens 411 and the right lens 409 can be achieved more rapidly.
This approach has the same advantages as for single-layer Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles. The control information 110 is spectacle-agnostic; i.e. all spectacles receive the same transmitted control information. The control unit 503 on the spectacles performs a final view-spectacle-specific optimization, translating the control information into control signals specific to the multi-layered lens material used to fabricate the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles. Two viewers sitting side-by-side and watching the same video on a digital TV but wearing Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles that have lens material with totally different characteristics, will each see the movie with an illusion of 3D optimized for their spectacles. It also has the additional advantage that since a multi-layer lens is used, the transition lime between optical density states will be faster than the corresponding transition time for a single-layer lens.
The second preferred embodiment of the Optical Density Continuing Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles use electrochromic lenses. Additional detail about Electrochromism is now provided. Electrochromism is the phenomenon displayed by some chemicals of reversibly changing color when an electric potential is applied. Electrochromism has a history dating back to the nineteenth century and there are thousands of chemical systems that have already been identified electrochromic. A narrow definition limits electrochromic devices to chemical processes for which there is a ‘redox’ reaction that undergo an electron uptake ‘reduction’ or electron release when potential is applied and the reverse or ‘oxidation’ with a reverse potential. Most ‘redox’ processes are electrochromic and are candidate electrochromes and potential 3Deeps lenses. While the preferred embodiments of this invention use such narrowly defined electrochromic devices, any device for which the transmission of light may be controlled by an electronic potential may be utilized in the invention. For instance, Liquid Crystal Device (LCD) lenses may be used in the invention since they may be controlled by an electronic potential, even though they use a totally different mechanism to control the optical properties of the material. LCDs rely on an interference effect (block the transmission of light), while the narrow definition of electrochromic device is limited to materials that rely on a ‘redox’ reaction to change the color of the material. Either ‘redox’ or LCD material, or any material for which the transmission of light may be controlled by an electronic potential can be advantageously utilized in the invention.
There are many different families of chemicals that exhibit such properties—both organic and inorganic. These include but are not limited to polyaniline, viologens, polyoxotungstates's and tungsten oxide. Oxides of many transition metals are electrochromic including cerium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iridium, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, niobium, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, tantalum, titanium, tungsten, and vanadium. Within each family, different ‘mixtures’ of chemicals produce different properties that affect the color, transmissivity, and transition time. Some electrochromics may only affect ultraviolet light—not visible light—appearing clear to an observer since they do not affect visible light. Electrochromics have been the object of intense study for over 40 years, and have found their chief commercial success for use in ‘smart windows’ where they can reliably control the amount of light and heat allowed to pass through windows, and has also been used in the automobile industry to automatically tint rear-view mirrors in various lighting conditions.
Other embodiments of the inventions may advantageously use multiple-color electrochromic devices or materials that exhibit electropolychromism. Some electrochomic devices may take a whole series of different colors, each colored state generated at a characteristic applied potential. One example is methyl viologen, which has electron potential states that are correspondingly colorless, blue, and red-brown. Electrochromic viologens have been synthesized with as many as six different colors.
The operating characteristics of each formulation of any of the thousands of different electrochromic material will be different. Some of the operating characteristics that should be considered when selecting materials for 3Deeps lenses include; Response time (the time required to change from its clear to darkened state or vice versa); Power consumption; Memory effect (when power is off between write cycles there is no ‘redox’ process and the electrochromic material retains its optical properties); Coloration efficiency (the amount of electrochromic darkening formed by the charge); Cycle life (The number of write-erase cycles that can be performed before any noticeable degradation has occurred); and, write-erase efficiency (the fraction of the originally formed darkening that can be subsequently electro-cleared. For 3Deeps viewing spectacles this should be 100%).
The operating characteristics of each formulation of any of the 1000s of different electrochromic material will be different. FIG. 9 shows a typical Operating Characteristic curve relating transmissivity (% transmission of light) to transmission time when a potential of 2 volts is applied across the electrochromic device. Some electrochromic materials may take several seconds to change state from one optical density to another—others may be near instantaneous. For many electrochromic materials the color change is persistent and electric potential need only be applied to effect a change. For such ‘persistent’ optoelectronic materials, only an electronic on-off pulse is needed, while non-persistent materials require the application of a continuing electronic potential. Other materials may attain state under the presence of electric potential, but then slowly ‘leak’ and change back. These materials may require a maintenance potential to maintain state but one that is different from that to attain the optical density state.
FIG. 9 is a transition time curve 900 for a single layer of electrochromic material with transition time as a function of transmissivity when a potential of 2.0V is applied to the electrochromic material. It is for a ‘slow’ electrochromic material with transition lime 902 as a function of transmissivity 901 (or percent transmission of light). This transition time curve 900 has a ‘lightest’ state 906 with a transmissivity of 100% density (clear) and its darkest state 905 is 0% in which all light is blocked from passing through the electrochromic material. The electrochromic material cannot however attain either of the extreme values (0% or 100%) of transmissivity. The Operating Characteristic curve 903 shows a material that can attain about 99% transmissivity 904 (almost clear) and 10% transmissivity 915 (almost dark). The material can then take any optical density in between the blocking only 1% of the light (99% transmissivity) and blocking 90% of light (10% transmissivity) by the application of 2V for the proper length of time. If the material is in its clearest state 904, and, and a 2V potential is applied to the material, it will take about 1.8 seconds to change state and achieve its darkest state 915 or 10% transmissivity. This is shown on the transition time curve 903 of the Operating Characteristic of the material in FIG. 9.
As another example, if the material is in its clearest state 904, and the control signal 110 received on the frames receiving unit 102 indicates that the subject lens should change to an optical density associated with transmissivity of 70% 923, then the transition time curve 903 would be implemented by the control unit 103 to apply 2V potential to the lens for 1.35 seconds. A value of 70% 923 transmissivity intercepts the Operating Characteristic curve 903 at a point on the curve 921 that corresponds to a transition time 922 of 1.35 seconds. Once a potential of 2V has been applied for 1.35 seconds, no potential need further be applied since the electrochromic lens will ‘latch’ in the new state.
As an example, if the multi-layer material is in its clearest state 1015, and the control signal 110 received on the frames receiving unit 102 indicates that the subject lens should change to an optical density associated with transmissivity of 70% 923, then the transition time curve 1003 would be implemented by the control unit 503 to apply 2V potential to the lens for 0.75 seconds. A value of 70% 923 transmissivity intercepts the Operating Characteristic curve 1003 at a point on the curve 1011 that corresponds to a transition time 1012 of 0.75 seconds. Once a potential of 2V has been applied for 0.75 seconds, no potential need further be applied since the electrochromic lens will ‘latch’ in the new state.
It has previously been observed in this disclosure that—“The lens state consisting of both left and the right lens darkened is not used by any of the 3Deeps spectacles.” The third preferred embodiment of the invention uses this lens state that is not used by any of various 3Deeps spectacles previously described, and extends the first preferred embodiment (single layer Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles) so they may also be switch selectable to function as sunglasses.
In particular, a switch 1101 is added to the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filler Spectacles described in FIG. 1. In a first switch position the spectacles operate precisely as described in the first preferred embodiment. In a second switch position the spectacles operate as sunglasses. Toggling the switch changes the spectacles to operate with the switched characteristics. The lenses of the third preferred embodiment are single-layer, and are precisely the same as described in FIG. 2 a and FIG. 2 b. The control unit 103 of the first preferred embodiment is modified and presented as a new Control Unit 1103. This control unit takes as an additional input the position of the selection Switch 1101. If the Switch is positioned so the spectacles operate as Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles then the Control Unit controls the lenses of the spectacles in precisely the same fashion as previous described in FIG. 4. If the Switch is positioned so that the spectacles operate as sunglasses, then the Control Unit controls the lenses so that they both take the same pre-specified dark optical density and operate as ordinary sunglasses.
The third preferred embodiment uses lenses identical to the lenses used in the first preferred embodiment and described in FIG. 2 a and FIG. 2 b.
FIG. 12 is a block diagram 1200 of the operation of the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles 1150 of FIG. 11 using a single layered electrochromic device for fabricating the electronically controlled variable tint material of the right 105 and left lenses 106. All circuits on the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles 1150 are powered 301 by the battery 104, including the Control Unit 1103, Signal Receiving Unit 102, the Left Lens 106, and the Right Lens 105. The control information 110 is received by the Signal Receiving Unit 102 and sent 302 to the Control Unit 1103. The switch 1101 position is also powered 301 by the battery 104, and its position is output to the Control Unit 1103. The Control Unit 1103 implements an algorithm that is specific for the multi-use (Use 1. 3Deeps spectacles or Use 2: sunglasses) single-layered Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles, and controls the Left Lens 106 with a control circuit 1203, and the Right Lens 105 with a control circuit 1205.
FIG. 13 is a flow chart 1300 showing the operation of the Control Unit 1103 of the multi-use Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles 1150 with single-layered lenses. The switch position 1202 is input to the Control Unit 1103 and processing commences with ‘Switch 1 or Switch 2?’ 1370 that can parse the switch position and determine which position the Switch 1101 is in. If the Switch position is in the first position then the control processing 103 is used. This is the same as the control processing for the First Preferred Embodiment and is described in FIG. 4. Only the input and output to the control processing 103 is shown in FIG. 13—not the details of the processing that is the same as shown in FIG. 4. If the Switch position is in the second position then the control processing 1240 for sunglasses is used. Pre-selected Optical densities for the left lens 106 and right lens 105 are stored in the controller as the ‘left OD’ 1311 and the ‘Right OD’ 1313. First the ‘Right OD’ 1313 is read by the ‘Right Lens Control’ processing 1317 and an electronic signal is issued on circuit 1205 to change the Right Lens 105 to that associated Optical Density. Processing then passes to the ‘Left Lens Control’ 1315 that reads the pre-stored value ‘Left OD’ 1311 and an electronic signal is issued on circuit 1203 to change the Left Len 106 to that associated value.
This exemplary Control Unit 1103 has been purposely simplified for clarity and to show the principles of the control operation. It shows two separate control circuits—the first 103 for control of Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles, and the second 1240 for control of sunglasses. The Control Unit 1103 has two separate memory storages for the Left and Right optical densities. It should be understood that good engineering design would reuse as much circuitry as possible for two controlling functions of the Control Unit 1103. So for instance, another implementation of the Control Unit 1103 may only have a single memory storage for the Left and Right optical densities that are used by both the circuitry controlling the 3Deeps Filter Spectacles and the circuitry controlling the sunglasses.
In the second preferred embodiment of the invention the right and left lenses of the 3Deeps spectacles are fabricated from multiple layers of the same electrochromic material. In at fourth preferred embodiment of the invention, the lenses are fabricated from two layers with electrochromic devices that have different optical characteristics. In this fourth preferred embodiment of the invention the first layer of electrochromic uses the same material to fabricate the lenses as has previously been described—a neutral density filters that block the transmission of light approximately equally along the entire visible spectrum. The second layer uses electrochromic material that can be electronically controlled so the left lens is clear or can be set to allow transmission of light in the visible red spectrum and the right lens is clear or can be set to allow the transmission of light in the visible blue spectrum. The two layers of material are switch selectable so that either of the layers may be activated, but not both layers at the same time. These Multi-Use Electrically Controlled Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles thus are switch selectable so they can be used to watch 2D (single image viewed by right and left eyes) movies in 3D using the 3Deeps methodology or alternatively to watch specially made 3D movies (separate left and right images) formatted for anaglyph 3D viewing.
FIG. 14 is a perspective view 1400 of the fourth preferred embodiment of the Multi-Use Electrically Controlled Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles 1450. Like numbered items in FIG. 5 and FIG. 1 have the same function and definition. The primary difference between this embodiment and previous embodiments is in the use of different electrochromic devices for the layers of the lenses (described further in FIG. 15 a and FIG. 15 b), and in the Control Unit 1403 that controls the operation of the spectacles based on the position of the Switch 1101. The toggle switch 1101 allows either the first layer 411 of the multi-use 3Deeps spectacles 1450 to be activated (3Deeps method of viewing 3D) or it allows the second layer 1501 of the multi-use 3Deeps spectacles to be activated (anaglyph 3D viewing.) In this fourth preferred embodiment of the invention, only one layer may be activated at a time. Other embodiments; may allow more than one layer of material to be active at one time. The control unit 1403 has all the functionality of control unit 103 when the first layer is active. When the first layer is active both lenses of the second layer are set to their clear state. When the second layer of is activated the control unit 1403 will run a control program specific to the control of anaglyph 3D viewing. In particular when the second layer is activated for anaglyph viewing, both lenses of the first layer of material are set to their clear slate, and the left lens 1406 of the second layer is set to a red and the right lens 1405 of the second layer is set to blue. This state is maintained throughout the viewing of the anaglyph 3D movie and no additional switch of state is required of the control program as is the case with 3Deeps viewing. In this way the left lens is red and the right lens is blue as required for anaglyph 3D movies.
FIG. 15 a 1500 shows a left lens 1006 of Multi-Use Electrically Controlled Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles fabricated from multiple layers of electrochromic material. Its fabrication using electrochromic material is shown in adjoining FIG. 15 b. Since only a single layer of insulating glass material will be required between the different layers of the multi-layered electrochromic lens, the drawing of the top layer is slightly different than that of FIG. 2 a to emphasize that only one layer of such insulating material is necessary. FIG. 15 a therefore shows the lens 1006 as two layers where the first active layer 411 is separated by the second active layer 1501 by an insulating layer 410. The first active layer 411 and the insulating layer 410 comprise the single layer lens 106 of FIG. 2 a.
FIG. 15 b 1525 shows the cross-sectional details of the Multi-use electrochromic device of FIG. 15 a for fabricating the electronically controlled variable tint material of the right and left lenses of the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles using multiple layers of electrochromic material. The 7 layers of the electrochromic left lens 106 of FIG. 2 a are shown in FIG. 15 b as the 6 active layers 411, and the (seventh) insulating layer 201. Each layer is identical to their like numbered description accompanying FIG. 2 b. A second active layer 1501 is included in the multi-layered electrochromic lens. In this fourth preferred embodiment of the invention, the second layer 1501 of the lens is fabricated from electrochromic material that is totally different from the neutral density electrochromic material of the first layer. This second layer of electrochromic material will have its own Operating Characteristic curve and electronically control properties of light differently from that of the first layer.
In particular, FIG. 15 b shows the left lens 1406 of the Multi-Use Electrically Controlled Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles with a second layer of electrochromic material. The second layer is fabricated from electrochromic material that can be electronically controlled to allow the transmission of light in the clear or visible red spectrum. (A right lens that is not shown would be fabricated from electrochromic material that can be electronically controlled to allow the transmission of light in the clear or visible blue spectrum.) The second multi-layer of electrochromics of the multi-use lens is made from 6 layers of material. The top layer 1501 is made from an insulting layer of glass, plastic or other clear insulating material. This is followed by layer 1502 of a conducting layer, followed by a third layer 1603 of polymer. A fourth layer 1504 provides the ion transport whose direction is determined by the application of potential across the conducting layers. The fifth layer 1505 is the complementary polymer layer, and is then followed by another conducting layer 1506. The polymer layers 1503 and complimentary polymer layer 1505 provide the electronically controllable tinting of the lens as either clear or red. The right lens—not shown—would have polymer and complimentary polymer layers to provide electronically controllable tinting for the right lens as either clear or blue.
TABLE 1 shows the different types of Optoelectronic materials that may be used in the fabrication of Multi-Use Electrically Controlled Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles. The first column of the TABLE 1 is a numbering of the methods—but no preference is to attributed to the ordering. The ‘Method Number’ is used for reference in the disclosure. The second column of TABLE 1 labeled ‘Viewing Method’ and is the type of viewing that may be attained through the use of the associated optoelectronic device that is described in the third column of TABLE 1. The third column of TABLE 1 labeled ‘Optoelectronic Device’ is a brief description of the controllable optical characteristic necessary to achieve the associated viewing method.
No. Viewing Method OptoElectronic Device
1 3Deeps movies (2D Single or multi-layers variable
images viewed as 3D) tint device
2 Anaglyph 3D movies Right Lens Blue; Left Len Red
3 Intro3D 3D movies Right Lens Blue; Left Lens Amber
4 Optimum emissive colors Optimized to emissive colors of TV
5 Polarized Lenses 3D Right and left lenses at 90%
movies polarization device
6 Vision correction Near- or far-sightedness correction
7 Shutter glasses Rapid shuttering between clear and
8 Sunglasses Single layer variable tint device
9 Optical property of light Electro Optical control of a property
(or properties) of light
With respect to the Method No. 1 of the table, the use of an electrochromic optoelectronic device for viewing 3Deeps movies with a single-layer of variable tint lenses has been previously described in the first preferred embodiment of the invention, and the use of an electrochromic optoelectronic device for viewing 3Deeps movies with multilayers of variable tint lenses has been previously described in the second preferred embodiment of the invention. With respect to Method No. 2 of the table, the use of an electrochromic optoelectronic device for viewing anaglyph 3D movies (left lens red and right lens blue) with Multi-Use Electrically Controlled 3Deeps Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles has been previously described in the third preferred embodiment of the invention.
The Multi-Use Electrically Controlled 3Deeps Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles described may also replace the layers of materials described or add additional layers of materials (with corresponding changes to the manual switches of the spectacles and the control program) to achieve other methods of electronically assisted viewing spectacles. Such methods may include; Intru3D 3D movies (Method No. 3) with left lens amber and right lens blue; optoelectronic devices (Method No. 4) that are tuned to the optimum emissive colors of a TV phosphor; optoelectronic devices (Method No. 5) that allow viewing of 3D movies using polarized lenses in which the right and left lenses have polarizations that are perpendicular to each other; optoelectronic devices that provide prescription glasses that correct vision such as near- or far-sightedness (Method No. 6); optoelectronic devices that allow viewing of 3D movies by the shutter glass method (Method No. 7) in which there is rapid shuttering between a clear and totally dark state for one eye, while the other eye has corresponding states of totally dark and clear in synchronization with right and left images of the displayed motion picture. The spectacles have a layer (Method No. 8) that when activated provides sunglasses, Any other optical property of light that can be beneficially controlled by an optoelectronic device (Method No. 9) can be used as a layer of the Multi-Use Electrically Controlled 3Deeps Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles. In some embodiments of the invention several methods may be operable at the same time as when Vision correction optoelectronic (Method No. 6) is active at the same time as any of the methods for viewing 3D movies.
FIG. 17 is a flow chart 1700 showing the operation of the Control Unit 1403 of the Multi-Use Electrically Controlled Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles 1450 with multi-layered electrochromic lenses. The switch position 1202 is input to the Control Unit 1403. Processing commences with ‘Change both right and left lens of layer 1 and 2 to clear’ 1761 by switching both the right lens 1505 and left lens 1506 of the first electrochromic layer 411 and the second electrochromic layer 1501 to clear. Processing is then transferred to a control circuit ‘Switch 1 or Switch 2?’ 1763 that can parse the switch position and determine which position the Switch 1101 is in. If the Switch position is in the first position (3Deeps viewing) then a first control processing unit 103 is used to control the first layer 411 of the lenses of the Multi-Use Electrically Controlled Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles 1450. If the Switch position is in the second position (anaglyph viewing) then a second control processing unit 103 a that is similar to the control processing unit 103 shown in FIG. 4) is used to control the second layer 1501 of the lenses of the Multi-Use Electrically Controlled Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles 1450.
The two control processing units 103 and 103 a of the Control Unit 1403 are the same as the control processing unit for the First Preferred Embodiment and is described in FIG. 4. The first control processing unit controls the spectacles for 3Deeps viewing and the second control processing unit control the spectacles for anaglyph 3D viewing. Only the input and output to the control processing 103 is shown in FIG. 17—not the details of the processing that is the same as shown in FIG. 4.
This exemplary Control Unit 1403 has been purposely simplified for clarity and to show the principles of the control operation. It shows two separate control circuits 103 and 103 a—the first 103 control circuit for control of Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles (first layer 411), and the second 103 a control circuit for anaglyph 3D viewing (second layer 1501). FIG. 17 shows each circuit 103 and 103 a with its own circuits for control of the left lens 1406 and control of the right lens 1405. It should be understood that good engineering design would reuse as much circuitry as possible for two controlling functions of the Control Unit 1403.
Method Control
No. Viewing Method Code Control Information
1 3Deeps movies (2D images viewed Ctrl-1 Optical Density for left and right lens
as 3D)
2 Anaglyph 3D movies Ctrl-2 None
3 Intru3D 3D movies Ctrl-3 None
4 Optimum emissive colors of TV Ctrl-4 Real-time setting of optical density of
phosphors (for Methods 1, 2, 3) right and left lens
5 Polarized Lenses 3D movies Ctrl-5 None
6 Vision correction Ctrl-6 Real-time optical property of density
of right and left lens
7 Shutter glasses Ctrl-7 Shutter synchronization
8 Sunglasses Ctrl-8 Real-time setting of sunglass color of
right and left lens
9 Optical property of light Ctrl-9 Optical property of right and left lens
Control information for Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles has been previously shown in the related patent application Ser. No. 12/274,752. In that related disclosure no multi-layer or multi-use information was required of the spectacle control protocol since the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles had only a single-layer and a single-use. With Multi-Use Electrically Controlled Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles that are under remote control, a control code sequence may be transmitted to signal the Control Unit 1403—which layer of the multi-layered spectacles the controlling information references.
The first column of the TABLE 2 is a numbering of the methods—but no preference is to attributed to the ordering. The ‘Method Number’ is used for reference in the disclosure. The second column of TABLE 2 labeled ‘Viewing Method’ identities the viewing method. Columns 1 and 2 of TABLE 2 are the same as in the like labeled column of TABLE 1. The third column of TABLE 2 labeled ‘Control Code’ has the control code in the RF sequence that is utilized by the Control Unit 1403 to switch control to the associated lens. For instance, when the Multi-Use Electrically Controlled Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles of FIG. 10, receive a ‘Ctrl-2’ sequence it switch to control of the associated method—in this can ‘Anaglyph 3D movies’. Once the Multi-Use Electrically Controlled Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles have received a ‘Control Code’ sequence, all the control information that then follows will be interpreted to control the associated method. In the current example where a ‘Ctrl-2’ sequence is received switching the spectacles into ‘Anaglyph 3D’ mode, all follow-on control information received by the spectacles would be interpreted to as controlling the ‘Anaglyph 3D’ spectacle method and lens layer. Such follow-on control information references the ‘switched’ method until another control-code is received.
A description of the contents of the Follow-on control information associated with each of the viewing methods is indicated in column 4 of the table, labeled ‘Control Information’. When the Control Unit 1403 of the spectacles receive a ‘Ctrl-2’ sequence indicating it is to switch to anaglyph mode, the control unit 1403 changes the left lens 1406 to a red and the right lens 1405 to a blue color. The spectacles stay in this mode until another CTRL-code is received switching the spectacles to another method. Since the ‘Anaglyph’ method, activated by Control Code, ‘CTRL-2’ requires no further or follow-on controlling information, the entry for ‘Anaglyph in the ‘Control Information’ column is ‘None’ indicating that no further control information is required for the Anaglyph mode. Similarly, no additional control information is required for Intru3D 3D movies; and, Polarized lenses. Control Information is required for methods 3Deeps Movies; Optimum emissive colors of TV; Vision correction; shutter glasses; sunglasses; and, Optical Property of Light.
While the preferred embodiments have been described using electrochromic materials, other electro-optical (optoelectronics) material may be utilized. Any material for which the optical properties can be controlled by the application of a potential across the material may be advantageously used in, the invention.
In some embodiments of the invention, several different layers of multi-use-electronic materials may be switch selectable and active at the same time to achieve different optical effects. For instance electronically controllable vision correction may be combined with Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filtering to provide a single pair of viewing spectacles that both correct vision while at the same time providing optimal 3Deeps viewing of 2D motion pictures as 30 motion pictures.
Previous related patent applications (such as U.S. Pat. No. 7,508,485) have disclosed systems and methods by which a motion estimation value that characterizes movement in a frame of a 2D motion picture may be extracted from successive frames of the motion picture. The motion estimation value and a luminance value are used to calculate an optical density for the lens of the Pulfrich Filler spectacles and are transmitted to the Pulfrich Filter spectacles. The transmitted values are used to control the optical density of the lenses of the Pulfrich Filter spectacles. In still another embodiments of the invention, the motion estimation value is calculated from the motion estimation values that are part of the MPEG digital video compression standards.
In another embodiment of the invention, the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles may not respond to every synchronization signal. While some electrochromic materials may have been reported that have a cycle life of up to 50 million changes—and even higher values can be obtained—if the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles are made from a material with a shortened cycle life it may be necessary to also additionally consider and optimize for the operation of the spectacles for the cycle life. While the synchronization signals would still be broadcast for every frame, the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles may be set to only process and respond to some of those changes so as efficiently use cycle life. This make sense, as scenes that exhibit movement may be or, the order of 10-30 seconds long, or longer, and the same optical density setting will provide a near-optimal setting for the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles. To address cycle time then, the Continuous Adjustable 3Deeps Filter Spectacles may use a combination of ad-hoc rules such as (a) responding only to every nth synchronization event; (b) responding to only synchronization events with changes to the optical density of more than a pre-set percent; (c) responding to synchronization events in which there is a change to direction of motion; (d) responding to synchronization events in which there is a change in presence or absence of motion; (c) scene change, or (f) some other motion picture frame event.
1. An electrically controlled spectacle for viewing a video, comprising:
a spectacle frame;
optoelectronic lenses housed in the frame, the lenses comprising a left lens and a right lens, each of the lenses having a dark state and a light state, wherein the state of the left lens is independent of the state of the right lens;
a control unit housed in the frame, the control unit being adapted to control the state of the each of the lenses independently.
2. The spectacle of claim 1, wherein when viewing a video with the lens, the control unit controls both the left lens and the right lens to the dark state.
3. A method for viewing a video, the method comprising:
wearing the spectacles of claim 2; and
showing to the wearer a video having dissimilar bridge frames and similar image frames.
4. The electrically controlled spectacle of claim 1, wherein each of the optoelectronic lenses comprises a plurality of layers of optoelectronic material.
5. The electrically controlled spectacle of claim 4, wherein the control unit is further adapted to control the state of the each of the lenses based on a level of ambient light and a direction of motion on a screen being viewed.
6. The electrically controlled spectacle of claim 4, wherein the control unit is further adapted to:
cause the left lens to be in the light state and cause the right lens to be in the dark state, at a first time; and
cause the left lens to be in the dark state and cause the right lens to be in the light state, at a second time.
7. The electrically controlled spectacle of claim 6, wherein the control unit is further adapted to:
cause the left lens to be in the dark state and cause the right lens to be in the dark state, simultaneously, at a third time.
8. The electrically controlled spectacle of claim 4, wherein:
the left lens includes a first layer of optoelectronic material that comprises a neutral density electrochromic material and a second layer of optoelectronic material that comprises an electrochromic material adapted to allow transmission of light in a clear or visible red spectrum; and
the right lens includes a first layer of optoelectronic material that comprises a neutral density electrochromic material and a second layer of optoelectronic material that comprises an electrochromic material adapted to allow transmission of light, in a clear or visible blue spectrum.
9. An electrically controlled spectacle for viewing a video, comprising:
optoelectronic lenses housed in the frame, the lenses comprising a left lens and a right lens, each of the optoelectrical lenses having a dark state and a clear state, wherein the state lens is independent of the state of the right lens; and
a control unit housed in the frame, the control unit being adapted to control the state of each of the lenses independently such that when viewing a video the control unit places both the left lens and the right lens to a dark state.
10. A method for viewing a video, the method comprising:
wearing the electrically controlled spectacle of claim 9; and
showing the wearer a video having dissimilar bridge frames and similar image frames.
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Owner name: VISUAL EFFECT INNOVATIONS, LLC, TEXAS
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:JACOBS, KENNETH;KARPF, RONALD;REEL/FRAME:041136/0651
2018-03-09 FEPP
2018-04-17 IPR Aia trial proceeding filed before the patent and appeal board: inter partes review
Free format text: TRIAL NO: IPR2018-00773
Opponent name: SONY CORPORATION, SONY ELECTRONICS INC., SONY CORP