Single cell liquid crystal shutter glasses
The invention is a stereoscopic shutter system having a single liquid crystal (LC) cell. The system may have flexible substrates or non-flexible substrates. The system requires only two electrical conductors to shutter both eyes. The system uses twisted nematic liquid crystal, ferro-electric liquid crystal, pi-cell technology, or other similar shuttering technologies. The system includes only one LC cell, a single large laminated linearly polarizing filter P 1 , and two smaller linear polarizing analyzers oriented in the P 1 and P 2 states. The shutters may be bent into a one-dimensional curved shape about the vertical or horizontal axis.
1. A stereoscopic shutter system comprising:
only one LC cell composed of one or more flexible substrates, said one LC cell switchable with a single switching voltage;
a first single laminated linearly polarizing filter with polarization axis P 1 disposed on one surface of said one LC cell; and
an additional pair of linear polarizing filters oriented in the P 1 and P 2 states disposed on an opposing surface of said one LC cell, said P 1 and P 2 being orthogonal to each other, said pair of linear polarizing filters disposed so that Pl is in line with a user's first eye end P 2 is in line with a user's second eye.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein
a first portion of said pair having its polarization axis parallel to P 1 and located in line with a user's first eye;
a second portion of said pair having a polarization axis P 2 , wherein the P 2 axis is perpendicular to P 1 and located in line with a user's second eye.
3. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
means for controlling an Off and On state of said LC cell.
4. The system of claim 3 wherein only two conductors are required to shutter both eyes.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein said LC cell comprises twisted nematic liquid crystal.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein said LC cell comprises ferro-electric liquid crystal.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein said LC cell comprises pi-cell technology.
8. The system of claim 2 wherein said shutter is bent into a one-dimensional curved shape about the vertical or horizontal axis.