Systems and Methods for Displaying an Image or Video on a Retro-Reflective Screen

Abstract

A display system comprises a projector combined with a retro reflective screen and a viewer distance from the projector such that the observation angle is less than approximately 2-3 degrees. The brightness of the image on the screen for the proposed display system is increased by a factor of ˜100-500× as compared to traditional display systems with for an equivalent power/intensity light source.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A display system, comprising:
 a retro-reflective screen configured to reflect incident light along a direction that is substantially anti-parallel to the direction of propagation of said incident light; and   a projector for projecting light characterizing an image or video onto said retro-reflective screen without the passage of light through a beam splitter.   
     
     
         2 . The display system of  claim 1 , wherein said retro-reflective screen reflects incident light from said projector to a viewer without the passage of light through a beam splitter. 
     
     
         3 . The display system of  claim 1 , wherein said retro-reflective screen reflects incident light from said projector to a viewer at an observation angle that is less than about 3°. 
     
     
         4 . The display system of  claim 1 , wherein said projector is mountable on a body of a viewer. 
     
     
         5 . The display system of  claim 4 , wherein said projector is mountable on a head of a viewer. 
     
     
         6 . The display system of  claim 1 , wherein said retro-reflective screen comprises truncated corner cube reflectors. 
     
     
         7 . The display system of  claim 1 , further comprising a sound system for providing sound to complement said image or video. 
     
     
         8 . The display system of  claim 1 , wherein said image or video is three-dimensional. 
     
     
         9 . A method for projecting an image or video, comprising:
 (a) directing projected light from a projector to a retro-reflective screen in optical communication with said projector, wherein said projected light characterizes an image or video, and wherein said retro-reflective screen is configured to reflect incident light along a direction that is substantially anti-parallel to the direction of propagation of said incident light; and   (b) presenting light reflected from said retro-reflective screen to a viewer that is adjacent to said projector, wherein said viewer is at an observation angle less than about 3° at a distance of at least about 2 feet from the retro-reflective screen.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said retro-reflective screen reflects incident light from said projector to said viewer without the passage of light through a beam splitter. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said observation angle is less than about 2°. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said projector is mounted on the body of the viewer. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said projector is mounted on a head of the viewer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said retro-reflective screen comprises truncated corner cube reflectors. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising providing said viewer with sound to complement said image or video. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said image or video is three-dimensional. 
     
     
         17 . A method for determining an edge of a retro-reflective screen, comprising:
 (a) directing projected light from a projector to a retro-reflective screen in optical communication with said projector while moving one or both of said projector and said retro-reflective screen in relation to one another such that said projected light scans at least a portion of said retro-reflective screen; and   (b) measuring, with the aid of a photo detector adjacent to said projector, reflected light from said retro-reflective screen upon directing said projected light of (a) to said retro-reflective screen,   (c) determining, with the aid of a computer processor, an edge portion of said retro-reflective screen based upon a decrease in intensity of said reflected light by a factor of at least about 2.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said retro-reflective screen reflects incident light from said projector to said photo detector without the passage of light through a beam splitter. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said retro-reflective screen reflects incident light from said projector to said photo detector at an observation angle that is less than about 3°. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said retro-reflective screen reflects incident light from said projector to said photo detector at an observation angle that is less than about 2°. 
     
     
         21 . A method for displaying an image or video, comprising:
 (a) directing projected light from a projector to a retro-reflective screen in optical communication with said projector while moving one or both of said projector and said retro-reflective screen in relation to one another such that said projected light scans at least a portion of said retro-reflective screen;   (b) measuring, with the aid of a photo detector adjacent to said projector, reflected light from said retro-reflective screen upon directing said projected light of (a) to said retro-reflective screen; and   (c) adjusting the intensity of said projected light in response to the intensity of said reflected light measured in (b).   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the intensity of said projected light is adjusted upon comparing, with the aid of a computer processor, the intensity of said reflected light against one or more set-point intensities. 
     
     
         23 . A display system comprising a retro-reflective screen in optical communication with a projector, wherein said display system does not have a beam splitter. 
     
     
         24 . The display system of  claim 23 , wherein said display system is configured to provide an observation angle less than about 3° at a distance of at least about 2 feet from the retro-reflective screen. 
     
     
         25 . A method for projecting an image or video, comprising directing projected light from a projector to a retro-reflective screen in optical communication with said projector, wherein upon said directing, said projected light is reflected at an observation angle less than about 3° at a distance of at least about 2 feet from the retro-reflective screen. 
     
     
         26 . A method for determining a viewing direction and/or orientation of a viewer in relation to a viewing screen, comprising:
 (a) directing infrared light from an infrared light source to said viewing screen having a retro-reflective portion and one or more infrared light-blocking portions;   (b) measuring, with the aid of a photo detector adjacent to said infrared light source, reflected infrared light from said viewing screen upon directing said infrared light to said retro-reflective screen in (a); and   (c) correlating, with the aid of a computer processor, (i) a factor of at least about 2 decrease in intensity of said reflected infrared light with the transition of a viewing direction and/or orientation of said viewer from said retro-reflective portion to at least a subset of said one or more infrared blocking portions, and (ii) a factor of at least about 2 increase in intensity of said reflected infrared light with the transition of a viewing direction and/or orientation of said viewer from said one or more infrared light-blocking portions to said retro-reflective portion.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said one or more infrared light-blocking portions circumscribe said retro-reflective portion. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said retro-reflective screen reflects incident light from said projector to said photo detector without the passage of light through a beam splitter. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said retro-reflective screen reflects incident light from said projector to said photo detector at an observation angle that is less than about 3°. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said retro-reflective screen reflects incident light from said projector to said photo detector at an observation angle that is less than about 2°. 
     
     
         31 . A method for providing three-dimensional viewing, comprising:
 projecting light from a first projector and second projector onto a retro-reflective screen, the first projector adapted to rest adjacent to a left eye of a viewer and the second projector adapted to rest adjacent to a right eye of the viewer, wherein light from each of said first projector and second projector is at least partially reflected from said retro-reflective screen, wherein:   (i) reflected light, upon projection from said first projector, has a higher intensity when viewed with the left eye of the viewer than the right eye of the viewer, and   (ii) reflected light, upon projection from said second projector, has a higher intensity when viewed with the right eye of the viewer than the left eye of the viewer.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said light comprises information relating to an image or video, wherein said image of video, as projected from said first projector, is digitally shifted in relation to said image or video as projected from said second projector, or vice versa. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising viewing the retro-reflective screen without the use of glasses.