Patent ID: 7938540

Claim:
An apparatus for projecting or displaying three dimensional (3D) images to a viewer, comprising: a projector array comprising a plurality of projectors each receiving an input image and projecting an image based on the input image; a beam splitter with first and second surface, wherein the projected images strike the first surface and a portion is transmitted through the beam splitter; a screen with a retroreflective surface positioned in the path of the projected images, wherein the transmitted portion is reflected back toward the beam splitter with a gain in brightness to strike and be reflected from the second surface; and a viewing zone positioned proximate to a set of focal points for images reflected from the second surface of the beam splitter, wherein a 3D image is perceivable to a viewer that positions his eyes at a viewing location proximate to the viewing zone, wherein the projector array comprises at least one row of the projectors, wherein the projectors are arranged in the row with a separation distance between each pair of adjacent lenses of the projectors of less than about 70 millimeters, and wherein the image input provided to the projectors in the row correspond to a number of points of view, the points of view being spaced apart from each other and the number of projectors being equal to the number of the points of view.