Patent ID: 8279268

Claim:
An aerial projection system, comprising: a housing; a video source, mounted in a first portion of said housing for generating a three-dimensional image, comprising a display panel having a plurality of individually controllable pixels with low transmissivity between pixels and a backlight for generating light to form an aerial image; controller means for controlling said video source to achieve a background color of zero red, zero green and zero blue when forming an image on a portion of said video display device; a beam splitter mounted in said housing in optical alignment with said video source; a plastic spherical mirror, mounted in a second portion of said housing in optical alignment with said beam splitter such that a portion of light from said video source is directed to said plastic spherical mirror, the plastic spherical mirror comprising: a plastic part, comprising a mirror surface supported by a plurality of wall structures onto an edge of a mirror edge, wherein the mirror surface comprises a sphericity and an optical grade finish: a thin layer comprised of a reflective metal coating deposited onto the mirror surface of the plastic part; a protective overcoat formed onto the mirror surface; and a polarizer, aligned parallel to said beam splitter, in said second portion of said housing so that said portion of light is transmitted out of said housing to form said aerial image.