IP Library Granted Patent US 9,958,695
Granted Patent B2
US 9,958,695 · App. 14/103,002 · Granted May 1, 2018

System and methods for using modified driving waveforms to inhibit acoustic noise during driving of a liquid crystal polarization rotator

Inventors: Dmytro Yu Reznikov (Sunnyvale, CA); Mark F. Flynn (San Jose, CA); Chun Wun Yeung (Cupertino, CA)
Assignee: zSpace, Inc.
G02B27/26H04N13/0434H04N13/0497
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,958,695
App. No.
14/103,002
Granted
May 1, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

In some embodiments, a system and/or method may operate a liquid crystal device. The method may include increasing a voltage provided to a driven level to a liquid crystal addressable element of the liquid crystal device. Said increasing may be performed over a time period greater than 1 ms. The liquid crystal addressable element may be in a driven state at the driven level. The method may include reducing the provided voltage to a relaxed level. The liquid crystal addressable element may be in a relaxed state at the relaxed level. Said increasing the voltage over the time period to the driven level may result in a reduced acoustical noise associated with the provided voltage. In some embodiments, the liquid crystal device may include a three-dimensional (3D) display.

Claims (30)

1. A method for operating a liquid crystal device, comprising:

increasing a voltage provided to a driven level to a liquid crystal addressable element of the liquid crystal device, wherein said increasing is performed over a time period greater than 1 ms, and wherein the liquid crystal addressable element is in a driven state at the driven level; and

reducing the provided voltage to a relaxed level, wherein the liquid crystal addressable element is in a relaxed state at the relaxed level;

wherein said increasing the voltage over the time period to the driven level results in a reduced acoustical noise associated with the provided voltage.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid crystal addressable element comprises a polarization rotator.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid crystal addressable element comprises a polarization rotator based on a twisted nematic liquid crystal effect.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid crystal device comprises a three-dimensional (3D) display.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time period is greater than 2 ms, greater than 3 ms or greater than 4 ms.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising reducing the provided voltage from the driven state to the relaxed state according to a step function.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time period is less than a second time period, and wherein the second time period comprises the time required to reduce the voltage to the relaxed level such that the liquid crystal addressable element is in the relaxed state.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said increasing the provided voltage over the time period provides for a substantially equivalent performance relative to providing voltage using a standard square waveform.

9. A system for operating a liquid crystal device, comprising:

a liquid crystal device comprising a liquid crystal addressable element;

a voltage source which increases, during use, a voltage provided to a driven level to the liquid crystal addressable element of the liquid crystal device, wherein said increase is performed over a time period greater than 1 ms, and wherein the liquid crystal addressable element is in a driven state at the driven level; and

wherein the voltage source reduces, during use, the provided voltage to a relaxed level, wherein the liquid crystal addressable element is in a relaxed state at the relaxed level; and

wherein said increase of the voltage over the time period to the driven level results in a reduced acoustical noise associated with the provided voltage.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the liquid crystal addressable element comprises a polarization rotator.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the liquid crystal addressable element comprises a polarization rotator based on a twisted nematic liquid crystal effect.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the liquid crystal device comprises a three-dimensional (3D) display.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the time period is greater than 2 ms, greater than 3 ms or greater than 4 ms.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the voltage source reduces, during use, the provided voltage from the driven state to the relaxed state according to a step function.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the time period is less than a second time period, and wherein the second time period comprises the time required to reduce the voltage to the relaxed level such that the liquid crystal addressable element is in the relaxed state.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein increasing the provided voltage over the time period provides for a substantially equivalent performance relative to providing voltage using a standard square waveform.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing program instructions executable to perform:

increasing a voltage provided to a driven level to a liquid crystal addressable element of the liquid crystal device, wherein said increasing is performed over a time period greater than 1 ms, and wherein the liquid crystal addressable element is in a driven state at the driven level; and

reducing the provided voltage to a relaxed level, wherein the liquid crystal addressable element is in a relaxed state at the relaxed level;

wherein said increasing the voltage over the time period to the driven level results in a reduced acoustical noise associated with the provided voltage.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the time period is greater than 2 ms, greater than 3 ms or greater than 4 ms.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , further comprising reducing the provided voltage from the driven state to the relaxed state according to a step function.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein said increasing the provided voltage over the time period provides for a substantially equivalent performance relative to providing voltage using a standard square waveform.

Assignments (7)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 14, 2025
From: ZSPACE, INC.
To: 3I, L.P.
Reel/Frame 070826/0887 →
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 6, 2023
From: EAST WEST BANK
To: ZSPACE, INC.
Reel/Frame 062640/0162 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 17, 2021
From: ZPACE, INC.
To: EAST WEST BANK
Reel/Frame 057651/0222 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2019
From: ZSPACE, INC.
To: BSPACE INVESTMENTS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 049259/0533 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 8, 2019
From: RUNWAY GROWTH CREDIT FUND INC.
To: ZSPACE, INC. (F/K/A INFINITE Z, INC.)
Reel/Frame 049113/0898 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 2, 2018
From: ZSPACE, INC. (F/K/A INFINITE Z, INC.)
To: RUNWAY GROWTH CREDIT FUND INC.
Reel/Frame 044985/0721 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 11, 2013
From: REZNIKOV, DMYTRO YU; FLYNN, MARK F.; YEUNG, CHUN WUN
To: ZSPACE, INC.
Reel/Frame 031759/0420 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150160491A1 · Jun 11, 2015