Motorola Corporation

Motorola Mobility LLC

General Instrument Corporation

Kevin W Jelley

George Thomas Valliath

Alan G Chen

Robert Benjamin Akins

Rachid M Alameh

Mark J Johnson

Bruce C Eastmond

Zili Li

Jeffrey S King

Ruei-Sung Lin

William M Beckenbaugh

King F Lee

Bruce A Augustine

James E Crenshaw

Iwona Turlik

William F Hoffman

Zhiyuan Li

Bei Tang

Edward G Myszka

Pankaj B Desai

Michael S Thiems

Lori Vaughn

Gerardo M Mari-Roca

George T Vallaith

A system and an apparatus for improving image quality of an object in video telephony are described. The apparatus comprises an image detection unit, an image alignment unit and an image fusion unit. A near infrared light source in the image detection unit illuminates the object, such that the object is front illuminated. An image sensor alongside the near infrared light source generates a near infrared image and a visible image. An image alignment unit aligns the near infrared image and the visible image. An image fusion unit fuses the aligned near infrared image and aligned visible image pair to form a composite image of the object. The composite image of the object has improved image quality, image detail, and a reduction in shadows.

Apparatus and system for improving image quality

A videotelephony system has an electronically controllable camera with a field of view, a visual token disposed within the field of view, and a camera controller. The camera controller is configured to detect the visual token and reconfigure the field of view relative to a detected position of the visual token.

System and method of videotelephony with detection of a visual token in the videotelephony image for electronic control of the field of view

A photodiode structure () includes a first plurality of co-located light band detectors that generate analog detector signals, a first multiplexing circuit () coupled to the first plurality of analog detector signals, which sequentially generates each of the first plurality of analog detector signals at a first multiplexed output (), a second multiplexing circuit () coupled to a first plurality of reference signals, which sequentially generates at a second multiplexed output () each of the first plurality of reference signals in synchronism with the first multiplexed output (); and a single digital pixel sensor circuit () having inputs coupled to the first and second multiplexed outputs, which sequentially generates a series of digital outputs based on the first and second multiplexed outputs ().

Multicolor light sensing pixel structure

Displays such as liquid crystal displays (), organic light emitting diode displays, and touch sensitive displays () are stacked with one or more solar cells () such that light passing through the displays will illuminate the light receiving active surface of the solar cells (). No reflector or polarizer need be used when the liquid crystal display () uses cholesteric or polymer dispersed liquid crystals. When using supertwist nematic or twisted nematic liquid crystals, a reflector () can be used that comprises a selective color reflector. The resultant display/solar cell can be utilized in combination with a device such as a wireless communications device () with the solar cell () providing electricity to the display (), the wireless communications device (), or both. A mask () can be used to occlude surface features on the solar cell () as appropriate to provide a substantially uniformly colored appearance.

Display and solar cell device

An apparatus, system and method for telepresence communications at a virtual location between two or more participants at multiple locations (). First perspective data descriptive of the perspective of the virtual location environment experienced by a first participant at a first location and feature data extracted from features of a second participant at a second location () are processed to generate a first virtual representation of the second participant in the virtual environment from the perspective of the first participant (). Likewise, second perspective data descriptive of the perspective of the virtual location environment experienced by the second participant and feature data extracted from features of the first participant () are processed to generate a second virtual representation of the first participant in the virtual environment from the perspective of the second participant (). The first and second virtual representations are rendered and then displayed to the first and second participants, respectively (). The first and second virtual representations are updated and redisplayed to the participants upon a change in one or more of the perspective data and extracted feature data from which they are generated (). The apparatus, system and method are scalable to two or more participants.

Method, system and apparatus for telepresence communications

A ridged reflector (,) for use in an optical display (,) comprises a polymeric layer (,) having a ridged surface (,) and an opposite surface (,) opposite the ridged surface (,). The ridged surface (,) includes a series of ridges (,). Each of said ridges (,) has a first face (,) and a second face (,) intersecting the first face (,). The first face (,) is oriented at a first angle (,) relative to a plane parallel to the opposite surface (,). A reflective metallic layer (,) overlies at least the first faces (,) of the polymeric layer (,). The first angle (,) is adapted to reflect and biasedly focus light obliquely intercepting the first face (,) into a radiation pattern about a normal axis (,) extending orthogonally from the opposite surface (,). The first face (,) may be curved to tailor a shape of the radiation pattern.

Ridged reflector for an optical display having a curved and a planar facet for each ridge

A ridged reflector (,) permits operation of an optical display device (,) in ambient light, which may be supplemented by artificial back-lighting. The ridged reflector (,) for use in an optical display (,) includes a transparent polymeric layer (,) having a ridged surface (,). The ridged surface (,) includes a series of ridges (,). Each of the ridges (,) has a first face (,) and a second face (,) preferably intersecting the first face (,). A reflective layer (,) overlies the first face (,) of each of the ridges (,). The second face,(,) is generally light-transmissive and substantially free of a reflective layer (,). The ridged surface (,) has an opposite surface (,) opposite the ridged surface (,). The second face (,) of each of said ridges (,) allows optical communication with the opposite surface (,) for optional back-lighting of the optical display device.

Ridged reflector having optically transmissive properties for an optical display device

The display device includes an optical cell having a cell front with at least one cell region being capable of an optically transmissive mode and an optically nontransmissive mode with reference to the cell front. The optical cell contains an optically active material responsive to an applied electrical field such that optical properties of the material are controllably changeable. A reflector may be optically coupled to the cell. A prismatic film including a prismatic surface is optically coupled to the optical cell. The prismatic surface preferably comprises a series of prisms. The prisms have first faces and second faces intersecting the first faces. The first faces are oriented to refract light obliquely intercepting the first faces and the second faces are oriented to minimize refractive, reflective, and optical interactions of the light with the second faces. The prismatic film, the cell, and the reflector optically cooperate such that light entering a display at an incident angle is emitted from the display at an exiting angle distinct from the incident angle for viewing of the display.

Optical display device having prismatic film for enhanced viewing

A flat panel display (12) includes a backplate (14) and a faceplate (16) attached to the backplate (14) defining a vacuum enclosure (18) therebetween. A spacer (46, 62, 64, 78, 80, 90) is positioned between the backplate (14) and the faceplate (16). The spacer geometry is anti-symmetrical and non-integral with respect to an array of electron emitters (30, 48, 76) on a cathode plate (22) overlying the backplate (14). The spacers have a curved surface (52, 78, 82) that is characterized by a radius r, or by a length d.sub.3 of a unit shape having bend angles .alpha. and .beta., whereas the electron emitter arrays are characterized by orthogonally arranged rows (32) and columns (34). The anti-symmetrical and non-integral relationship between the spacers (46, 62, 64, 78, 80, 90) and the electron emitters reduces the number of electron emitters and pixels (49, 77, 86) that are occluded by the spacers. Additionally, the anti-symmetrical and non-integral relationship permits the spacers (46, 62, 64, 78, 80, 90) to be randomly distributed between the backplate (14) and the faceplate (16) of the flat panel display (12). A spacer processing method includes the step of cutting ribbons from a thin spacer sheet, placing the ribbons into cavities within a mold, and heating the mold to below the annealing point of the spacer material.

Flat panel display having a random spacer arrangement

A liquid crystal display device (10) includes a front polarizer (12), a liquid crystal cell (14), a retardation film (16), a back polarizer (18), and a reflective holographic optical element (20). Diffuse ambient light illuminates the front polarizer (12), which polarizes the ambient light and transmits the polarized light to the liquid crystal cell (14). The liquid crystal cell (14) receives the polarized light and transmits polarized light derived from the incident polarized light to the retardation film (16). The retardation film (16) receives the polarized light and transmits polarized light, including light within a selected spectral band. The back polarizer (18) receives the polarized light from the retardation film (16) and selectively transmits polarized light derived from the incident polarized light. The reflective holographic optical element (20) receives polarized light from the back polarizer (18) and redirects the polarized light toward the back polarizer (18), wherein the light has an effective spectral band that includes light in the selected spectral band.

Holographic reflective color liquid crystal display device

A liquid crystal display device (10) for forming a display includes a liquid crystal panel (12), a switchable holographic optical element (14), and a reflective holographic optical element (16). Ambient light illuminates a front polarizer (18), which polarizes the ambient light and transmits the polarized light to the liquid crystal cell (20). The liquid crystal cell (20) receives the polarized light and transmits polarized light derived from the incident polarized light to a back polarizer (22). The back polarizer (22) polarizes the light and transmits the light to the switchable holographic optical element (14). While in a first mode, the switchable holographic optical element (14) redirects the light back toward the liquid crystal panel (12) within a first viewing cone (34) to form the display. In a second mode, the switchable holographic optical element (14) is transparent and transmits the light to the reflective holographic optical element (16). The reflective holographic optical element (16) redirects the light back toward the liquid crystal panel (12) in a second viewing cone (36) to form the display. The second viewing cone (36) is preferably narrower than the first viewing cone (34), which increases the intensity of the light within the second viewing cone (36).

Liquid crystal display device including multiple ambient light

A liquid crystal display device (30) that is illuminatable by diffuse ambient light comprises a liquid crystal panel (32) and a reflective holographic optical element (34). Diffuse ambient light illuminating the front side (36) of the liquid crystal panel and traversing the liquid crystal panel is received at a reflection site (66) and is redirected with a reflection pattern (68) to retraverse the liquid crystal panel to form a bright pixel for a display. By concentrating diffuse light within a preferential reflection pattern, the reflective holographic optical element provides enhanced brightness for viewing the display under ambient light conditions. In one aspect, the reflective holographic optical element is a transflector (158, 208) and is combined with an internal light source (170, 220) for illuminating the display using either reflected ambient light or backlighting.

Liquid crystal display device comprising reflective holographic

A display device comprises a polymer dispersed liquid crystal film that includes one or more translucent regions and one or more transparent regions. The back side of the polymer dispersed liquid crystal film is illuminated by collimated light. The front side of the polymer dispersed liquid crystal film is optically coupled to an asymmetric optical diffuser. The asymmetric optical diffuser comprises a plurality of light paths that transmit collimated light emanating through a transparent region of the film, but excludes diffuse light emanating from a translucent region. A preferred asymmetric optical diffuser comprises glass microspheres in a black matrix. In this manner, the asymmetric diffuser substantially improves contrast between a transparent region and a translucent region of a display.

Polymer dispersed liquid crystal display device with asymmetric optical

A display device (10) includes a display panel, such as a liquid crystal panel (12), in combination with a reflective holographic optical element (14) that redirects ambient light for illuminating the display. The light redirected by the holographic element is limited to a predetermined spectral band. Fluorescent film (16) is included for absorbing light outside the spectral band of the holographic element and re-emitting light within the spectral band to increase the light redirected by the holographic element and thus increase the apparent brightness of the display.

Display device comprising fluorescent enhanced reflective holographic

A light diffuser (100) for illuminating a display (304) comprises a rectangular light distributor (108) which is coupled to a light director (208) located along an edge normal to a major axis (110) of the light distributor (108). The light director (208) directs light received from a lamp (14) into the light distributor (108). The light distributor (108) has a polished, planar top surface (210) and a bottom surface (112) comprising a predetermined serration pattern oriented normal to the major axis (110) of the rectangular light distributor (108). The predetermined serration pattern comprises a plurality of grooves (116, 118, 120) having a predetermined pitch gradient corresponding thereto. The plurality of grooves (116, 118, 120) further have roughened surfaces for diffusing light impinging thereon toward the polished, planar top surface (210) of the light distributor (108). The light impinging on the polished, planar top surface (210) at less than a critical angle is coupled through the polished, planar top surface (210 ) to uniformly illuminate the display (304).

Growing community of inventors

Lagrange Park, IL, United States of America

Kevin W Jelley