Forming spectral filters

Abstract

A lens bears a plurality of roll-coated layers to pass, to one eye of a viewer, a first image, in a first band of wavelengths, that is appropriate for 3D viewing of a stereoscopic image.

1 . An apparatus comprising 
 a lens bearing a plurality of roll-coated layers to pass, to one eye of a viewer, a first image, in a first band of wavelengths, that is appropriate for 3D viewing of a stereoscopic image.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  in which the lens comprises layers adhered to a substrate in a roll-coating process and having optical properties and thicknesses such that the combination of the layers transmits light within the first band of wavelengths and does not transmit light within a second band of wavelengths.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  in which the optical properties and thicknesses of the layers are such that the combination of the layers transmits light with a third and fourth band of wavelengths and does not transmit light within a fifth and sixth band of wavelengths.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  also comprising 
 a second lens bearing a roll-coated layer to pass, to a second eye of a viewer, a second image, in a second band of wavelengths, that is complementary to the first image for 3D viewing of the stereoscopic image.    
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  in which 
 the first band of wavelengths comprises a band of wavelengths around 435 nm.    
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 2  in which 
 the first band of wavelengths comprises a band of wavelengths around 435 nm, and    the second band of wavelengths comprises a band of wavelengths around 475 nm.    
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 3  in which 
 the first band of wavelengths comprises a band of wavelengths around 435 nm,    the second band of wavelengths comprises a band of wavelengths around 475 nm,    the third band of wavelengths comprises a band of wavelengths around 510 nm,    the fourth band of wavelengths comprises a band of wavelengths around 610 nm,    the fifth band of wavelengths comprises a band of wavelengths around 550 nm, and    the sixth band of wavelengths comprises a band of wavelengths around 660 nm.    
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  in which the lens comprises 
 a substrate sheet having curvature,    the roll-coated layer having a generally uniform thickness normal to the sheet at points along the curvature,    the curvature being such that when the lens is positioned near a person's face, points along a surface of the lens, in one plane, are a relatively uniform distance from the eye of the viewer.    
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  in which the lens comprises 
 a substrate sheet having curvature,    the roll-coated layer having a generally uniform thickness normal to the sheet at points along the curvature,    the curvature having a radius of curvature such that when the lens is positioned near a person's face, the radius is approximately equal to the distance between the coating and the center of the eye.    
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  in which 
 the radius of curvature is between about ½ inch and 4 inches.    
   
   
       11 . A set of glasses comprising 
 a frame to hold two lenses,    a first lens including a roll-coated filter to pass light in a first set of bands of wavelengths and reflect light in a second set of bands of wavelengths, and    a second lens including a roll-coated filter to pass light in a portion of the second set of bands of wavelengths and reflect light in a portion of the first set of wavelengths.    
   
   
       12 . An apparatus comprising 
 glasses to view a stereoscopic image, the glasses comprising    a first lens bearing a roll-coated optical layer to pass, to one eye of a viewer, a first image that is appropriate for 3D viewing of the stereoscopic image, and    a second lens bearing a roll-coated optical layer to pass, to a second eye of a viewer, a second image that is complementary to the first image for 3D viewing of the stereoscopic image.    
   
   
       13 . Glasses, to view a 3D frame or video presentation, comprising 
 a supporting structure, and    a pair of curved lenses, each lens bearing layers having a substantially constant thickness normal to a surface of the lens, the layers configured to filter images of the presentation projected in two non-overlapping bands of wavelengths of light as they are viewed through the lenses, to produce a 3D impression for a viewer    the lenses each having a radius of curvature between about ½ inch and 4 inches.    
   
   
       14 . An apparatus comprising 
 a first lens including roll-coated layers of materials selected to transmit light having a first set of wavelengths, and    a second lens including roll-coated layers of materials selected to transmit light having a second set of wavelengths.    
   
   
       15 . An apparatus comprising 
 a lens to pass, to one eye of a viewer, a first image, in a first wavelength, that is appropriate for 3D viewing of a stereoscopic image    the lens having a curvature such that when the apparatus is positioned near the viewer's face, points along the surfaces of the lens, in at least one plane, are a relatively uniform distance from the viewer's eye.    
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  also comprising 
 a second lens to pass, to a second eye of the viewer, a second image, in a second wavelength, that is complementary to the first image for 3D viewing of the stereoscopic image,    the second lens having a curvature such that when the apparatus is positioned near the viewer's face, points along the surfaces of the lens, in one plane, are a relatively uniform distance from the viewer's second eye.    
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 15  in which the lens comprises a substrate sheet and a layer having stress, in which the curvature of the lens is a result of the stress.  
   
   
       18 . An apparatus comprising 
 a lens to pass, to one eye of a viewer, a first image, in a first band of wavelengths, that is appropriate for 3D viewing of a stereoscopic image    the lens having a curvature with a radius of curvature such that when the apparatus is positioned near the viewer's face, the radius is approximately equal to the distance between the coating and the center of the eye.    
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  also comprising 
 a second lens to pass, to a second eye of the viewer, a second image, in a second wavelength, that is complementary to the first image for 3D viewing of the stereoscopic image,    the second lens having a curvature with a radius of curvature such that when the apparatus is positioned near the viewer's face, the radius equals the distance between the coating and the center of the second eye.    
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 18  in which the lens comprises a substrate sheet and a layer having a stress, in which the curvature of the lens is a result of the stress.  
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 18  in which the radius of curvature is between about ½ inch and 4 inches.  
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 19  in which the first and second lenses are arranged so that when worn by a viewer while viewing a projection on a domed screen, light from any point on the dome passes through each lens at an angle of incidence near perpendicular to the surface of the lens.  
   
   
       23 . A method comprising 
 roll-coating alternating layers of at least a first and second material having different optical properties onto a substrate,    roll-coating alternating layers of at least the first and second materials onto a second substrate,    thicknesses of the layers having been selected so that in combination, 
 the layers on the first substrate will transmit light having a first set of wavelengths and not transmit light having a second set of wavelengths, and  
 the layers on the second substrate will transmit light having the second set of wavelengths and not transmit light having the first set of wavelengths,  
   removing a portion of each of the first and second coated substrates, and    assembling the portions into a frame configured to position the portions, one near each eye of a wearer when the frame is worn on the head of the wearer.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23  in which the first material is Silicon Dioxide (SiO 2 ).  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23  in which the second material is Niobium Pentoxide (Nb 2 O 5 ), Titanium Dioxide (TiO 2 ) or Tantalum Pentoxide (Ta 2 O 5 ).  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23  in which a property of at least one layers has been selected so that the combination of the layers has a stress, in which the stress causes the substrate to exhibit a curvature.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 23  in which the curvature is selected such that when the substrate is placed in the vicinity of a human eye the substrate maintains a uniform distance, in at least one plane, from the eye.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 23  in which the curvature is selected such that when the substrate is placed in the vicinity of a human eye, a radius of curvature equals the distance between the coating and the center of the eye.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 23  also comprising 
 cutting a first piece from the first coated substrate to form a first lens,    cutting a second piece from the second coated substrate to form a second lens, and arranging the first and second lenses to form a set of glasses.