Test Method 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 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, and   wherein an orientation of at least one of the liquid crystal shutters is held at a point of maximum light transmission until the control circuit closes the liquid crystal shutter, and   a test system comprising a signal transmitter, a signal receiver, and a test system control circuit adapted to open and close the first and second liquid crystal shutters at a rate that is visible to a viewer.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the signal transmitter does not receive a timing signal from a projector. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the signal transmitter emits an infrared signal. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the infrared signal comprises a series of pulses. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the signal transmitter emits an radio frequency signal. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the radio frequency signal comprises a series of pulses. 
     
     
         7 . 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,   transmitting a test signal towards the three dimensional viewing glasses,   receiving the test signal with a sensor on the three dimensional glasses, and   using a control circuit to open and close the first and second liquid crystal shutters as a result of the received test signal, wherein the liquid crystal shutters open and close at a rate that is observable to a viewer wearing the glasses.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the signal transmitter does not receive a timing signal from a projector. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the signal transmitter emits an infrared signal. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the infrared signal comprises a series of pulses. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the signal transmitter emits an radio frequency signal. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the radio frequency signal comprises a series of pulses. 
     
     
         13 . A computer program installed on a machine readable medium for providing a three dimensional video image using a pair of three dimensional viewing glasses comprising a first liquid crystal shutter and a second liquid crystal shutter, 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,   transmitting a test signal towards the three dimensional viewing glasses,   receiving the test signal with a sensor on the three dimensional glasses, and   using a control circuit to open and close the first and second liquid crystal shutters as a result of the received test signal, wherein the liquid crystal shutters open and close at a rate that is observable to a viewer wearing the glasses.   
     
     
         14 . The computer program of  claim 13 , wherein the signal transmitter does not receive a timing signal from a projector. 
     
     
         15 . The computer program of  claim 13 , wherein the signal transmitter emits an infrared signal. 
     
     
         16 . The computer program of  claim 15 , wherein the infrared signal comprises a series of pulses. 
     
     
         17 . The computer program of  claim 13 , wherein the signal transmitter emits an radio frequency signal. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program of  claim 17 , wherein the radio frequency signal comprises a series of pulses. 
     
     
         19 . 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 transmitting a test signal towards the three dimensional viewing glasses,   means for receiving the test signal with a sensor on the three dimensional glasses, and   means for using a control circuit to open and close the first and second liquid crystal shutters as a result of the test signal, wherein the liquid crystal shutters open and close at a rate that is observable to a viewer wearing the glasses.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the means for transmitting does not receive a timing signal from a projector. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the means for transmitting emits an infrared signal. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the infrared signal comprises a series of pulses. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the means for transmitting emits an radio frequency signal. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the radio frequency signal comprises a series of pulses. 
     
     
         25 . 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,   transmitting an infrared test signal towards the three dimensional viewing glasses,   receiving the infrared test signal with a sensor on the three dimensional glasses, and   using a control circuit to open and close the first and second liquid crystal shutters as a result of the received infrared test signal, wherein the liquid crystal shutters open and close at a rate that is observable to a viewer wearing the glasses,   wherein the signal transmitter does not receive a timing signal from a projector,   wherein the infrared signal comprises a series of pulses,   wherein the infrared signal comprises one or more data bits that are each preceded by at least one clock pulse, and   wherein the infrared signal comprises a synchronous serial data signal.