Apparatus for providing autostereoscopic and dynamic images and method of manufacturing same

Claim 2

A light control material comprising: a transparent substrate having at least a top surface and a bottom surface; a layer of emulsion disposed on said top surface of said transparent substrate, said layer of emulsion having interleaved photographic images formed therein; light control optics having bright zones and dark zones formed therein, said light control optics bonded to, or formed in said bottom surface of said transparent substrate, said transparent substrate spacing said light control optics and said layer of emulsion a predetermined distance apart, said light control optics controlling the illumination of said interleaved photographic images such that an autostereoscopic or dynamic image is displayed.

Claim 3

A light control material according to claim 1 wherein said layer of emulsion is a layer of print-type emulsion.

Claim 4

A light control material according to claim 1 wherein said layer of emulsion is a layer of instant film emulsion.

Claim 5

A light control material according to claim 1 wherein said light control optics operate in a transmissive mode.

Claim 6

A light control material according to claim 4 wherein said bright zones have an arcuate shape and wherein said bright zones enhance the brightness of said interleaved photographic images over a range of viewing angles and wherein said arcuate shape controls said range of viewing angles.

Claim 7

A light control material according to claim 1 wherein said light control optics operate in a reflective mode and wherein at least said bright zones are covered with a reflective layer of metal, thereby providing illumination of said interleaved photographic images.

Claim 8

A light control material according to claim 6 wherein said bright zones have an arcuate shape and wherein said bright zones enhance the brightness of said interleaved photographic images over a range of viewing angles and wherein said arcuate shape controls said range of viewing angles.

Claim 9

A light control material according to claim 1 wherein said dark zones are comprised of light absorbing structures and wherein at least said dark zones are covered with a reflective layer of metal.

Claim 10

A light control material according to claim 1 wherein, said interleaved photographic images constitute image strips and wherein said bright zones and said image strips are substantially equal in width.

Claim 11

A light control material according to claim 9 wherein said autostereoscopic image has a field of view which can be altered by varying said width.

Claim 12

A light control material according to claim 1 wherein said light control optics have a constant period.

Claim 13

A light control material according to claim 1 wherein said substrate is a layer of polyester.

Claim 14

A light control material according to claim 1 wherein said light control optics are comprised of cured photopolymer.

Claim 15

A light control material according to claim 1 wherein said autostereoscopic image has a field of view which can be altered by varying said predetermined distance.

Claim 16

A light control material comprising: a transparent substrate having at least a top surface and a bottom surface; a layer of emulsion disposed on said top surface of said transparent substrate, said emulsion having interleaved photographic images formed therein, said interleaved photographic images constituting image strips; light control optics having bright zones and dark zones formed therein, wherein said bright zones and dark zones are arranged in a pattern which has a constant spatial frequency and wherein said bright zones and said image strips are substantially equal in width, and wherein said light control optics are bonded to or formed in said bottom surface of said transparent substrate, said transparent substrate spacing said light control optics and said layer of emulsion a predetermined distance apart, said light control optics controlling the illumination of said interleaved photographic images such that an autostereoscopic or dynamic image is displayed.

Claim 17

A light control material comprising: a transparent substrate having at least a top surface and a bottom surface; a layer of emulsion disposed on said top surface of said transparent substrate, said emulsion having interleaved photographic images formed therein, said interleaved photographic images constituting image strips; light control optics having bright zones and dark zones formed therein, wherein said bright zones and dark zones are arranged in a pattern which has a constant spatial frequency and wherein said bright zones and said image strips are substantially equal in width, and wherein said light control optics are bonded to or formed in said bottom surface of said transparent substrate, said transparent substrate spacing said light control optics and said layer of emulsion a predetermined distance apart, said light control optics controlling the illumination of said interleaved photographic images such that an autostereoscopic or dynamic image is displayed.

Claim 18

A light control material according to claim 15 wherein said layer of emulsion is a layer of print type emulsion.

Claim 19

A light control material according to claim 15 wherein said layer of emulsion is a layer of instant film.

Claim 20

A light control material according to claim 15 wherein said light control optics operate in a transmissive mode and wherein said dark zones are covered with a reflective layer of metal, thereby providing illumination of said interleaved photographic images.

Claim 21

A light control material according to claim 15 wherein said light control optics operate in a reflective mode.

Claim 22

A light control material according to claim 15 wherein said dark zones are constituted by light absorbing structures and wherein at least said dark zones are covered with a reflective layer of metal.

Claim 23

A light control material according to claim 15 wherein said light control optics are comprised of cured photopolymer.

Claim 24

A light control material according to claim 15 wherein said three-dimensional image has a field of view which can be altered by varying said predetermined distance.

Claim 25

A light control material according to claim 15 wherein said three-dimensional image has a field of view which can be altered by varying said width.

Claim 28

A method for creating a light control material for displaying an autostereoscopic image according to claim 24 wherein the step of generating said light control optics includes creating a light control optics master and generating an embossment from said master, said embossment constituting said light control optics.

Claim 29

A method for creating a light control material for displaying an autostereoscopic image according to claim 25 wherein said embossment is generated from said master by a soft embossing process.

Claim 30

A method for creating a light control material for displaying an autostereoscopic image according to claim 26 wherein the step of exposing said emulsion is accomplished by projecting a plurality of images simultaneously onto said emulsion through a lenticular screen, wherein said images are projected onto said emulsion from particular positions with respect to said emulsion and with respect to said lenticular screen and wherein said lenticular screen has focusing characteristics, and wherein the focusing characteristics in conjunction with the particular positions of exposure cause interleaved image strips to be produced in said emulsion when said emulsion is developed.

Claim 31

A method for creating a light control material for displaying an autostereoscopic image according to claim 26 wherein the step of exposing said emulsion includes the steps of exposing first selected areas in said emulsion to one of said plurality of images through a mask, masking said first selected areas in the emulsion such that they are protected from subsequent exposure, and exposing second selected areas in said emulsion to a different one of said plurality of images through said mask wherein said second selected areas do not include said first selected areas.

Claim 32

A light control material for displaying autostereoscopic or dynamic images formed of a series of image elements, said light control material comprising: a plurality of focusing elements; and light control optics having dark zones and bright zones, said dark zones and bright zones arranged in a predetermined pattern, and wherein there are a plurality of focusing elements associated with each image element of the series of image elements, and wherein said dark zones and bright zones cause light to be directed through all of the focusing elements associate with a particular image element in the same direction such that an autostereoscopic or dynamic image is provided, and wherein there are a plurality of said bright zones for each of said focusing elements and wherein each of said bright zones is separated by at least one of said dark zones.

Claim 33

A light control material for displaying autostereoscopic or dynamic images formed of a series of image elements, said light control material comprising: a plurality of focusing elements; and light control optics having dark zones and bright zones, said dark zones and bright zones arranged in a predetermined pattern, and wherein there are a plurality of focusing elements associated with each image element of the series of image elements, and wherein said dark zones and bright zones cause light to be directed through all of the focusing elements associate with a particular image element in the same direction such that an autostereoscopic or dynamic image is provided, and wherein there are a plurality of said bright zones for each of said focusing elements and wherein each of said bright zones is separated by at least one of said dark zones.

Claim 34

A light control material as described in claim 29, wherein the bright zones are comprised of a light transmissive material.

Claim 35

A light control material as described in claim 29, wherein the light control optics further include a reflective layer for reflecting light at the bright zones.

Claim 36

A light control material as described in claim 29, wherein the light control optics comprise a substrate and an opaque material on the substrate for forming the dark zones.

Claim 37

A light control material as described in claim 32, wherein the substrate is comprised of a reflective layer and the opaque material covers selected portions of the reflective layer thereby forming the bright zones at those portions of the reflective layer not covered by the opaque material.

Claim 38

A light control material as described in claim 32, wherein a defractive, holographic or diffusing pattern is applied to the bright zones.

Claim 39

A light control material as described in claim 32, Wherein the opaque material is selected from the group consisting of pigmented ink, a light absorbing optical structure or a light dispersing optical structure.

Claim 40

A light control material as described in claim 29, wherein the light control optics comprise a substrate and wherein the substrate is comprised of an opaque material.

Claim 41

A light control material as described in claim 29, wherein the focusing optics are selected from the group consisting of refractive optics, diffractive optics and mixed refractive and diffractive optics.