Synchronized stereoscopic system

Claim 1

A stereoscopic system adapted to provide stereoscopic images on a common screen which are viewable by observers at random positions within a prescribed viewing area, comprising: A. means sequentially to project on said common screen left and right images of a scene to produce a presentation in which left and right images of a scene are shown alternately for equal time periods. B. means coupled to said projection mans to generate sync signals which indicate the points in time at which the images alternately appear, C. means to generate a high-frequency carrier and to modulate said high-frequency carrier with said sync signals and to radiate said modulated carried within said viewing area, and D. portable viewing stations borne by said observers in said area to observe the common screen, each station including a shuttering spectacle having left and right eye elements that open and close alternately, receiver means to intercept said carrier to extract the sync signals therefrom, and motor means to control the action of the spectacle in accordance with said sync signals to cause said elements to operate at a rate and phase in accordance with the screen presentation, whereby viewing of the images in coordinated with the shuttering action to provide depth perception, said spectacle having a fixed shutter section constituted by left and right eye openings having transparent panes therein, with spaced vertical stripes thereon and a movable shutter section with vertical stripes thereon which allow for light transmission when aligned with the stripes of the fixed section and block transmission when the stripes are aligned with the spaces of the fixed section, said fixed and movable shutter sections being close to the eyes of the observer wearing the spectacle and the stripes on the sections being relatively narrow whereby the eyes are reciprocation to focus on or resolve the stripes, said motor means being operatively coupled to said movable section to effect reciprocation thereof and alternately to block transmission through the right and left eye openings.