United States Patent m
Young
[54] SIMULATION DISPLAY SYSTEM
[75] Inventor: C. Gilbert Young, Winter Park, Fla.
[73] Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation,
Bethesda, Md.
[21] Appl. No.: 334,265
[22] Filed: Nov. 3,1994
[51] Int. CI.6 H04N 13/00
[52] U.S. CI 348/36; 434/44; 359/631;
359/453; 348/776; 348/39; 348/121
[58] Field of Search 348/36,39, 42,
348/51-56, 115, 121, 123, 124, 776, 778, 779; 359/631-633, 453-459; H04N 13/00
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IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINII11 llllllli'll 1:1111111111
US005566370A
[ii] Patent Number: 5,566,370 [45] Date of Patent: Oct. 15, 1996
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OTHER PUBLICATIONS
Bob Peterson, "Big Picture LCD's", Computers & Electronics, Aug. 1984, pp. 49-51.
Gordon Graff, "Liquid Crystals", High Technology, May 1984, pp. 55-59, 62-66 and 68.
T. J. Scheffer, "Direct-Multiplexed Liquid Crystal Displays", Tektronix Laboratories, Tektronix Inc., Publication Date Unknown.
Primary Examiner—-Tommy P. Chin
Assistant Examiner—Vu Le
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Dellett and Walters
[57] ABSTRACT
A compact display system simulates a panoramic view to an observer located at a central viewing station. A toric mirror, comprising a compressed portion of a sphere, has a concave reflective surface disposed in surrounding relation to the given viewing station while a spherical rear projection screen which receives projected image light on its inner surface presents a panoramic image to the toric mirror from its outer surface. A plurality of projectors are disposed tangentially above the upper periphery of the rear projection screen and project associated portions of the light image onto the inside of the screen via fold mirrors. Each projector includes a high intensity CRT and a color shutter.
17 Claims, 7 Drawing Sheets