Quad view display system
Embodiments allow different viewers of a shared display to see different images. Images may have different combinations of polarization and time slices that correspond to filters in glasses worn by the viewers. The images viewed by each of the glasses may be based on the tracked position and orientation of the glasses, so that the images correspond to the user's viewpoint. Different images may be presented to left and right eyes for 3D stereoscopic viewing. The lenses of the glasses may have a filter that selects light of a specific polarization combined with a shutter that passes images during a specific time slice. The polarization filter may select circularly polarized images of a desired orientation and emit linearly polarized images. The shutter may use liquid crystals to twist the linearly polarized images during the desired time slice so that a final linear polarizer passes the image to the viewer.
1. A quad view display system comprising
a shared display that emits at least four images for each frame of a video stream, each image of said at least four images comprising an image polarization of light and an image time slice during which said image is emitted, wherein each image of said at least four images comprises a unique combination of image polarization and image time slice within said frame;
two or more eyeglasses, each worn by a corresponding user, each comprising a pair of lenses configured to be placed in front of said user's eyes when said user is viewing said shared display;
wherein
each lens of said pair of lenses of each eyeglasses of said two or more eyeglasses comprises
a polarization selecting filter at or proximal to a front end of said lens; and
a time slice selecting filter at or proximal to a back end of said lens;
an image of said at least four images must pass through said polarization selecting filter and said time slice selecting filter to reach a corresponding eye of said user behind said lens; and,
each lens of said pair of lenses of each eyeglasses of said two or more eyeglasses comprises a combination of lens polarization selected by said polarization selecting filter, and lens time slice selected by said time slice selecting filter, wherein said combination of lens polarization and lens time slice corresponds to an image polarization and image time slice of one of said at least four images;
a camera configured to capture camera images of said two or more eyeglasses; and,
an image analysis system coupled to said camera and configured to calculate a position and an orientation of each eyeglasses of said two or more eyeglasses from said camera images;
wherein
each lens of said pair of lenses or frames of each eyeglasses of said two or more eyeglasses further comprises a distinctive shape; and
said calculate a position and an orientation of each eyeglasses comprises
locate a two-dimensional projection of said distinctive shape in said camera images; and
calculate a three-dimensional position and orientation of said lens from said two-dimensional projection.
2. The quad view display system of claim 1 , wherein
said polarization selecting filter emits a linearly polarized image directed toward said time slice selecting filter; and,
said time slice selecting filter comprises
liquid crystals that are switchable into a twisted state and an untwisted state, wherein when said liquid crystals are in said twisted state they rotate an orientation of said linearly polarized image; and,
a linear polarizer configured to pass only linearly polarized images in a corresponding orientation.
3. The quad view display system of claim 1 , wherein said image polarization comprises circular or elliptical polarization.
4. The quad view display system of claim 3 , wherein said polarization selecting filter comprises a wave retarder.
5. The quad view display system of claim 1 , wherein
said at least four images for each frame of a video stream correspond to different viewpoints of a scene associated with said frame.
6. The quad view display system of claim 1 , wherein for each eyeglasses of said two or more eyeglasses
a left image transmitted through a left lens of said eyeglasses is a left eye view of a stereoscopic image pair transmitted from said shared display;
a right image transmitted through a right lens of said eyeglasses a right eye view of said stereoscopic image pair.
7. The quad view display system of claim 1 , wherein said shared display emits linearly polarized light, further comprising a wave plate that converts said linearly polarized light into circularly polarized or elliptically polarized light.
8. The quad view display system of claim 1 , wherein
said image analysis system is further configured to calculate a position and an orientation of each eye of each user associated with each eyeglasses of said two or more eyeglasses.
9. The quad view display system of claim 1 , wherein said distinctive shape is a circle.
10. The quad view display system of claim 1 , wherein
a left lens of an eyeglasses of said two or more eyeglasses comprises a visual appearance that differs from a visual appearance of a right lens of said eyeglasses;
said image analysis system is configured to recognize said left lens and said right lens based on said visual appearance of said left lens and said visual appearance of said right lens.
11. The quad view display system of claim 1 , wherein
each eyeglasses of said two or more eyeglasses comprises a visual appearance that differs from a visual appearance of each other eyeglasses of said two or more eyeglasses;
said image analysis system is configured to recognize each eyeglasses based on said visual appearance of said eyeglasses and said visual appearance of each other eyeglasses.
12. The quad view display system of claim 1 , wherein
said camera is a stereo camera;
said camera images comprise stereo images;
an image analysis system is further configured to analyze said stereo images to determine a distance to each eyeglasses of said two or more eyeglasses.
13. The quad view display system of claim 1 , wherein
said camera is a plenoptic camera;
said camera images comprise light field images;
an image analysis system is further configured to analyze said light field images to determine a distance to each eyeglasses of said two or more eyeglasses.
14. The quad view display system of claim 1 , wherein
each eyeglasses of said two or more eyeglasses further comprises a distance sensor that measures a distance from said eyeglasses to said shared display;
said distance sensor is configured to transmit said distance to said image analysis system;
said image analysis system is further configured to analyze said distance and said camera images to calculate said position and orientation of each eyeglasses of said two or more eyeglasses.
15. The quad view display system of claim 1 , wherein
said at least four images for each frame of a video stream correspond to different viewpoints of a scene associated with said frame;
said different viewpoints are calculated based on said position and orientation of each eyeglasses of said two or more eyeglasses.
16. The quad view display system of claim 8 , wherein
said at least four images for each frame of a video stream correspond to different viewpoints of a scene associated with said frame;
said different viewpoints are calculated based on said position and orientation of each eye of each user associated with each eyeglasses of said two or more eyeglasses.
17. The quad view display system of claim 16 , wherein
for each eyeglasses of said two or more eyeglasses
a left image transmitted through a left lens of said eyeglasses is a left eye view of a stereoscopic image pair transmitted from said shared display;
a right image transmitted through a right lens of said eyeglasses is a right eye view of said stereoscopic image pair;
said left eye view of said stereoscopic image pair is based on said position and orientation of said left eye of said user;
said right eye view of said stereoscopic image pair is based on said position and orientation of said right eye of said user.