Retroreflective display systems configured to display images using shaped light profile

Abstract

The disclosed technology generally relates to displays, and more particularly to display screens configured to display images having a shaped light profile. A display screen comprises a retroreflective display medium configured to display an image by retroreflectively reflecting incident light from a light source. The display screen additionally comprises a light profile shaping medium interposed between the retroreflective display medium and the light source. The light profile shaping medium is configured to shape an intensity distribution of light reflected from the retroreflective display medium prior to displaying the image to a viewer.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A retroreflective display screen configured to display an image, the display screen comprising:
 a retroreflective layer configured to retroreflectively reflect light incident thereon from a projector; and   a light profile shaping medium interposed between the retroreflective layer and the projector,   wherein the light profile shaping medium is configured such that light that is retro-reflected by the retroreflective layer and subsequently passed through the light profile shaping medium has an intensity distribution that is elongated in a first lateral direction parallel to a major surface of the display screen.   
     
     
         3 . The retroreflective display screen of  claim 2 , wherein the light profile shaping medium comprises a light diffusing layer comprising a plurality of protrusions protruding in a direction perpendicular to the major surface of the display screen. 
     
     
         4 . The retroreflective display screen of  claim 3 , wherein the protrusions are preferentially elongated in the first lateral direction. 
     
     
         5 . The retroreflective display screen of  claim 1 , wherein the intensity distribution has a ratio between a first full width at half maximum (FWHM) measured in the first lateral direction and a second FWHM measured in a second lateral direction orthogonal to the first lateral direction that is greater than about 2. 
     
     
         6 . The retroreflective display screen of  claim 5 , wherein the first lateral direction is a horizontal direction parallel to a ground, wherein the intensity distribution is elongated such that the display screen is configured to display the image from a single projector to a plurality of viewers positioned adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction. 
     
     
         7 . The retroreflective display screen of  claim 2 , wherein the light profile shaping medium is further configured such that light that is retro-reflected by the retroreflective layer and subsequently passed through the light profile shaping medium has an intensity distribution that is split in the first lateral direction or a second lateral direction different from the first lateral direction. 
     
     
         8 . The retroreflective display screen of  claim 2 , wherein the retroreflective layer comprises a plurality of bead-based retroreflective elements. 
     
     
         9 . A retroreflective display screen configured to display an image, the display screen comprising:
 a retroreflective layer configured to retroreflectively reflect light incident thereon from a projector; and   a light profile shaping medium interposed between the retroreflective display layer and the projector and configured to pass therethrough light that is retro-reflected by the retroreflective layer, wherein the light profile shaping medium comprises a plurality of light shaping elements configured to elongate or split an intensity distribution of the light passing therethough in one or more lateral directions.   
     
     
         10 . The retroreflective display screen of  claim 9 , wherein the light shaping elements comprise one or both of a plurality of protrusions configured to elongate the intensity distribution and a prismatic structure configured to split the intensity distribution into a plurality of distributions. 
     
     
         11 . The retroreflective display screen of  claim 10 , wherein the light shaping elements comprise the protrusions that are preferentially elongated in a horizontal direction parallel to a ground. 
     
     
         12 . The retroreflective display screen of  claim 11 , wherein the intensity distribution has a ratio between a first full width at half maximum (FWHM) measured in the horizontal direction and a second FWHM measured in a vertical direction orthogonal to the horizontal direction that is greater than about 2. 
     
     
         13 . The retroreflective display screen of  claim 12 , wherein the intensity distribution is elongated sufficiently in a horizontal direction such that the display screen is configured to display the image from a single projector to a plurality of viewers positioned adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction. 
     
     
         14 . The retroreflective display screen of  claim 10 , wherein the light profile shaping elements comprise the prismatic structure, and wherein the light profile shaping medium is further configured such that light that is retro-reflected by the retroreflective layer and subsequently passed through the light profile shaping medium has an intensity distribution that is split in the vertical direction. 
     
     
         15 . The retroreflective display screen of  claim 10 , wherein the light profile shaping medium comprises the prismatic structure on a first side and the protrusions on a second side opposite the first side. 
     
     
         16 . The retroreflective display screen of  claim 9 , wherein the retroreflective layer comprises a plurality of bead-based retroreflective elements. 
     
     
         17 . A retroreflective display screen configured to display an image, the display screen comprising:
 a retroreflective layer configured to retroreflectively reflect light incident thereon from a projector; and   a light profile shaping medium interposed between the retroreflective display medium and the projector,   wherein the display screen is configured such that light from a single projector that that is retro-reflected by the retroreflective layer and subsequently passed through the light profile shaping medium has an intensity distribution that is adapted for simultaneous viewing by multiple viewers.   
     
     
         18 . The retroreflective display screen of  claim 17 , wherein the light profile shaping medium comprises a light diffusing layer comprising a plurality of protrusions protruding in a direction perpendicular to a major surface of the display screen and are preferentially elongated in a horizontal direction. 
     
     
         19 . The retroreflective display screen of  claim 17 , wherein the intensity distribution has a ratio between a first full width at half maximum (FWHM) measured in the horizontal direction and a second FWHM measured in a vertical direction orthogonal to the horizontal direction that is greater than about 2. 
     
     
         20 . The retroreflective display screen of  claim 17 , further comprising a non-retroreflective secondary display layer that is interposed between the retroreflective display layer and the light profile shaping medium and configured to display a secondary image having a content that is independent from a content provided by the projector. 
     
     
         21 . The retroreflective display screen of  claim 17 , wherein the retroreflective layer comprises a plurality of bead-based retroreflective elements.