A liquid crystal shutter system for selecting fields of a field-sequential image, by transmitting the field-sequential image, with a synchronization signal, to one or more remote liquid crystal cell shutter assemblies. Each shutter assembly transmits selected fields of the field-sequential image in response to a drive signal, and includes a drive circuit for receiving the synchronization signal and generating each drive signal in response to the synchronization signal so that each drive signal h...

A polarel panel includes a sheet polarizer in intimate juxtaposition with a layer made up of regions of isotropic material interspersed with regions of liquid crystal material. In one embodiment, optical activity of the liquid crystal material rotates the electric vector of incoming linearly polarized light through 90.degree. in selected areas. In another embodiment, birefringence causes rotation of the electric vector of incoming linearly polarized light through 90.degree. in selected areas.

Paired movie cameras, each having synchronized movements and in phase shutters, are provided with focus and zoom optics of identical, but conventional and commercial manufacture. The paired lenses are first rotated relative to one another to obtain a coincidence between the centration vector for each lens for either zoom or focus. Once the centration vectors are aligned identically on a polar basis, mounting to the camera with provision for synchronous zoom between the respective cameras thereaf...

A parallax panoramagram has increased depth and sharpness when a sharpness filter is applied after interdigitation of multiple image portions. An optical path of wave train (204) (on-axis) and wave train (205) (off-axis) intersect a single lenticle (201). The lenticle has a focal length (208) and the on-axis (204) and off-axis (205) wave trains correspond to different stripes. These wave trains (204 and 205) comme to focus at points (206 and 207) respectively. The surface (202) has a cylindrical...

An achromatic liquid-crystal shutter with high dynamic range, good transmission, and high speed. The inventive shutter reduces the phenomenon of "ghosting" (image doubling) that typically occurs in conventional plano-stereoscopic CRT displays due to the low dynamic range of surface mode liquid crystal electro-optical shutters included within such displays. The inventive shutter reduces crosstalk, thus allowing comfortable fusion to take place. In one preferred embodiment, the inventive shutter s...

A stereoscopic display system unambiguously tags the perspective view for left and right video fields by encoding at least one of the video fields with a unique code, then detecting the code in order to drive shuttered eyewear in synchrony therewith.

A method and apparatus for time multiplexing and demultiplexing two channels of picture information within a standard video channel. The method is specifically designed for field sequential stereoscopic display applications, but may be used for non-stereoscopic applications where conservation of bandwidth is required. The technique is superior to prior art commercially available stereoplexing approaches, and increases vertical resolution while decreasing stair-stepping of diagonal lines. The dem...

A lenticular stereogram has an improved viewing zone for a specific viewing distance when an image print (207) having an optimum image column width is utilized. The optimum image column width is determined by observing a series of two color prints having variable image column widths mounted under a lenticular screen (206) through an imaging apparatus.

An electronic stereoscope displays field-sequential stereoscopic images on a display screen at a predetermined field rate. The images are viewed through left and right electro-optical shutters driven out of phase with each other and synchronously with the field rate. Left and right lenses are also provided in correspondence with the left and right shutters to accommodate and converge the user's eyes on the display screen.

A method and apparatus for optimizing viewing distance for a stereogram system. In a stereogram, an image is held in close juxtaposition with a lenticular screen. In the invention, a data store is used to store optimum pitch values for specified viewing distances. An interdigitation program then acts on the table values and creates a mapping of interdigitated views for each viewing distance. The user can then select or specify a desired viewing distance, and the optimum mapping of views is autom...