Clear Mode for 3D Glasses

Abstract

A viewing system for viewing video displays having the appearance of a three dimensional image.

1 . A system for providing three dimensional video images, comprising:
 a pair of glasses comprising a first lens having a first liquid crystal shutter and a second lens having a second liquid crystal shutter, the liquid crystal shutters each having a liquid crystal and an opening time of less than one millisecond,   a control circuit that alternately opens the first and second liquid crystal shutters,   wherein the liquid crystal orientation is held at a point of maximum light transmission until the control circuit closes the shutter, and   signal receiver operably coupled to the control circuit, wherein the control circuit is adapted to   activate the signal receiver at a first predetermined time interval,   determine if the signal receiver is receiving a valid signal,   deactivate the signal receiver if the signal receiver does not receive the valid signal within a second predetermined time interval, and   alternately open and close the first and second shutters at an interval corresponding to the valid signal if the signal receiver does receive the valid signal.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first period of time comprises at least two seconds. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second period of time comprises no more than 100 milliseconds. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein both of the liquid crystal shutters remain either open or closed until the signal receiver receives the valid signal. 
     
     
         5 . A method for providing a three dimensional video image, the method comprising:
 having a pair of three dimensional viewing glasses comprising a first liquid crystal shutter and a second liquid crystal shutter,   opening the first liquid crystal shutter in less than one millisecond,   holding the first liquid crystal shutter at a point of maximum light transmission for a first period of time,   closing the first liquid crystal shutter and then opening the second liquid crystal shutter in less than one millisecond,   holding the second liquid crystal shutter at a point of maximum light transmission for a second period of time,   wherein the first period of time corresponds to the presentation of an image for a first eye of a viewer and the second period of time corresponds to the presentation of an image for a second eye of a viewer,   activating a signal receiver at a first predetermined time interval,   determining if the signal receiver is receiving a valid signal from a signal transmitter,   deactivating the signal receiver if the signal receiver does not receive the valid signal from the signal transmitter within a second period of time, and   opening and closing the first and second shutters at an interval corresponding to the valid signal if the signal receiver does receive the valid signal from the signal transmitter.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first period of time comprises at least two seconds. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the second period of time comprises no more than 100 milliseconds. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein both of the liquid crystal shutters remain either open or closed until the signal receiver receives a valid signal from the signal transmitter. 
     
     
         9 . A system for providing three dimensional video images, comprising:
 a pair of glasses comprising a first lens having a first liquid crystal shutter and a second lens having a second liquid crystal shutter, the liquid crystal shutters having a liquid crystal and an opening time of less than one millisecond,   a control circuit that can alternately open the first and second liquid crystal shutters,   wherein the liquid crystal orientation is held at a point of maximum light transmission until the control circuit closes the shutter,   and wherein the control circuit is adapted to hold both the first liquid crystal shutter and the second liquid crystal shutter open.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the control circuit holds the first liquid crystal shutter and the second liquid crystal shutter open until the control circuit detects a synchronization signal. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein a voltage applied to the first and second liquid crystal shutters alternates between positive and negative. 
     
     
         12 . A method for providing a three dimensional video image, the method comprising:
 having a pair of three dimensional viewing glasses comprising a first liquid crystal shutter and a second liquid crystal shutter,   wherein the first liquid crystal shutter can open in less than one millisecond,   wherein the second liquid crystal shutter can open in less than one millisecond, and   opening and closing the first and second liquid crystal shutters at a rate that makes the first and second liquid crystal shutters appear to be clear lenses to a user.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising opening and closing the first and second liquid crystal shutters at a rate that makes the liquid crystal shutters appear to be clear lenses to the user until detecting a valid synchronization signal. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising applying a voltage to the first and second liquid crystal shutters that alternates between positive and negative until detecting a valid synchronization signal. 
     
     
         15 . A computer program installed on a machine readable medium for providing a three dimensional video image to a user of 3D glasses having first and second liquid crystal viewing shutters, the computer program comprising:
 opening the first liquid crystal shutter in less than one millisecond,   holding the first liquid crystal shutter at a point of maximum light transmission for a first period of time,   closing the first liquid crystal shutter and then opening the second liquid crystal shutter in less than one millisecond,   holding the second liquid crystal shutter at a point of maximum light transmission for a second period of time,   wherein the first period of time corresponds to the presentation of an image for a first eye of a viewer and the second period of time corresponds to the presentation of an image for a second eye of a viewer,   activating a signal receiver at a first predetermined time interval,   determining if the signal receiver is receiving a valid signal from the signal transmitter,   deactivating the signal receiver if the signal receiver does not receive the valid signal from the signal transmitter within a second period of time, and   opening and closing the first and second shutters at an interval corresponding to the valid signal if the signal receiver does receive the valid signal from the signal transmitter.   
     
     
         16 . The computer program of  claim 15 , wherein the first period of time comprises at least two seconds. 
     
     
         17 . The computer program of  claim 15 , wherein the second period of time comprises no more than 100 milliseconds. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second liquid crystal shutters remain open until the signal receiver receives the valid signal from the signal transmitter. 
     
     
         19 . A computer program installed on a machine readable medium for providing a three dimensional video image to a user of 3D glasses having first and second liquid crystal viewing shutters, the computer program comprising:
 wherein the first liquid crystal shutter can open in less than one millisecond,   wherein the second liquid crystal shutter can open in less than one millisecond, and   opening and closing the first and second liquid crystal shutters at a rate that makes the liquid crystal shutters appear to be clear lenses.   
     
     
         20 . The computer program of  claim 19 , further comprising holding the first and second liquid crystal shutters open until detecting a valid synchronization signal. 
     
     
         21 . The computer program of  claim 19 , further comprising applying a voltage to the first and second liquid crystal shutters that alternates between positive and negative until detecting a valid synchronization signal. 
     
     
         22 . A system for providing a three dimensional video image, the method comprising:
 means for having a pair of three dimensional viewing glasses comprising, a first liquid crystal shutter and a second liquid crystal shutter,   means for opening the first liquid crystal shutter in less than one millisecond,   means for holding the first liquid crystal shutter at a point of maximum light transmission for a first period of time,   means for closing the first liquid crystal shutter and then opening the second liquid crystal shutter in less than one millisecond,   means for holding the second liquid crystal shutter at a point of maximum light transmission for a second period of time,   wherein the first period of time corresponds to the presentation of an image for a first eye of a viewer and the second period of time corresponds to the presentation of an image for a second eye of a viewer,   means for activating a signal receiver at a first predetermined time interval,   means for determining if the signal receiver is receiving a valid signal from the signal transmitter,   means for deactivating the signal receiver if the signal receiver does not receive the valid signal from the signal transmitter within a second period of time, and   means for opening and closing the first and second shutters at an interval corresponding to the valid signal if the signal receiver does receive the valid signal from the signal transmitter.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the first period of time comprises at least two seconds. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the second period of time comprises no more than 100 milliseconds. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the first and second liquid crystal shutters remain open until the signal receiver receives a valid signal from the signal transmitter.