Parallax Shutter Barrier For Temporally Interlaced Autostereoscopic Three Dimensional (3D) Display Apparatus

1 . An apparatus, comprising:

an array of display elements; and

a plurality of parallax barrier shutters, each parallax barrier shutter corresponding to one of the display elements and configured to be driven into a first state in which an angular distribution of light passing the parallax barrier shutter from the corresponding display element is weighted towards a first side of the apparatus or a second state in which the angular distribution of light passing the parallax barrier shutter from the corresponding display element is weighted towards a second side of the apparatus opposite the first side.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the display elements have electromechanical structures that are substantially identical to electromechanical structures of the parallax barrier shutters.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the display elements have structures that are substantially different from structures of the parallax barrier shutters.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the parallax barrier shutters includes an electromechanical system (EMS) shutter.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising a controller that is configured to cause the EMS shutter of a respective parallax barrier shutter to be driven into the first state by causing a first voltage to be applied to a first actuator coupled to the parallax barrier shutter and to be driven into the second state by causing a second voltage to be applied to a second actuator coupled to the parallax barrier shutter.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a controller that is configured to drive, at a first time, a parallax barrier shutter of the plurality of parallax barrier shutters to the first state in conjunction with providing a corresponding display element image data corresponding to a first eye image and to drive, at a second time, the parallax barrier shutter to the second state in conjunction with providing the corresponding display element image data corresponding to a second eye image.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of parallax barrier shutters are coupled to a common voltage source such that, at a first time, all of the plurality of parallax barrier shutters are driven to the first state in conjunction with providing the display elements image data corresponding to a first eye image and at a second time, all of the plurality of parallax barrier shutters are driven to the second state in conjunction with providing the display elements image data corresponding to a second eye image.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to independently drive a first set of the parallax barrier shutters to the first state in conjunction with providing a corresponding set of display elements image data corresponding to a portion of a first eye image and to independently drive a second set of the parallax barrier shutters to the second state in conjunction with providing a corresponding set of display elements image data corresponding to a portion of a second eye image.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a rear substrate positioned between a backlight and the parallax barrier shutters, the rear substrate having a light blocking layer, which defines a plurality of rear apertures, each of the rear apertures corresponding to one of the parallax barrier shutters; wherein

the parallax barrier shutters further includes light blocking portions, which overlap a first side of the corresponding rear apertures when the parallax barrier shutters are in a first state and overlap a second side opposite the first side of the corresponding rear apertures when the parallax barrier shutters are in a second state.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the light blocking portions of the parallax barrier shutters overlap the first side of the corresponding rear apertures by a predetermined distance when the parallax barrier shutters are in the first state; and wherein the light blocking portions of the parallax barrier shutters overlap the second side of the corresponding rear apertures by the same predetermined distance when the parallax barrier shutters are in the second state.

11 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the display elements are formed on the rear substrate and the parallax barrier shutters are formed on a front substrate supported over the rear substrate.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the display elements are formed on a modulator substrate supported over a rear substrate that is positioned between a backlight and the modulator substrate and having rear apertures formed thereon; and

wherein the parallax barrier shutters are formed on a front substrate supported over the modulator substrate.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the parallax barrier shutters are coated with a layer of anti-reflective coating.

14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the parallax barrier shutters include light blocking portions and parallax barrier shutters apertures formed therethrough; wherein the light blocking portions of a first parallax barrier shutter extend from the parallax barrier shutter aperture of the first parallax barrier shutter to about half the distance between the first parallax barrier shutter aperture and a second parallax barrier shutter aperture of a neighboring parallax barrier shutter.

15 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a display;

a processor that is configured to communicate with the display, the processor being configured to process image data; and

a memory device that is configured to communicate with the processor.

16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising:

a driver circuit configured to send at least one signal to the display; and wherein

the controller further configured to send at least a portion of the image data to the driver circuit.

17 . The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising:

an image source module configured to send the image data to the processor, wherein the image source module comprises at least one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter.

18 . The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising:

an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate the input data to the processor.

19 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the display elements include electromechanical system (EMS) display elements.

20 . The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising:

a first substrate configured to support the array of display elements; and

a second substrate separated from the first substrate.

21 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the first substrate, the second substrate and the display elements comprises the light absorbing structure.

22 . An apparatus, comprising:

an array of display elements; and

means for limiting the angular distribution of light corresponding to one of the display elements and configured to be driven into a first state in which an angular distribution of light passing the means for limiting the angular distribution of light from the corresponding display element is weighted towards a first side of the apparatus or a second state in which the angular distribution of light passing the means for limiting the angular distribution of light from the corresponding display element is weighted towards a second side of the apparatus opposite the first side.

23 . The apparatus of claim 22 , further comprising means for driving the means for limiting the angular distribution of light into the first state by causing a first voltage to be applied to a first actuation means coupled to the means for limiting the angular distribution of light and for driving the means for limiting the angular distribution of light into the second state by causing a second voltage to be applied to a second actuation means coupled to the means for limiting the angular distribution of light.

24 . The apparatus of claim 22 , further comprising means for driving, at a first time, the means for limiting the angular distribution of light to the first state in conjunction with providing a corresponding display element image data corresponding to a first eye image and for driving, at a second time, the means for limiting the angular distribution of light to the second state in conjunction with providing the corresponding display element image data corresponding to a second eye image.

25 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein means for limiting the angular distribution of light is coupled to a common voltage source such that, at a first time, the means for limiting the angular distribution of light are driven to the first state in conjunction with providing the display elements image data corresponding to a first eye image and at a second time, the means for limiting the angular distribution of light are driven to the second state in conjunction with providing the display elements image data corresponding to a second eye image.

26 . The apparatus of claim 22 , further comprising means for independently driving a first set of the means for limiting the angular distribution of light to the first state in conjunction with providing a corresponding set of display elements image data corresponding to a portion of a first eye image and for independently driving a second set of the means for limiting the angular distribution of light to the second state in conjunction with providing a corresponding set of display elements image data corresponding to a portion of a second eye image.