An image display apparatus includes a display device configured to modulate light to form an image; a driver configured to drive the display device such that a position of the display device varies; a light transmitter configured to transmit the image formed by the display device to an observers eye and comprising a focusing member; and a processor configured to generate a light modulation signal and a driving signal according to image information and control the display device and the driver according to the light modulation signal and the driving signal, respectively.

A system and method for generating compact light-field displays through varying optical depths provides digital content in a more effective and efficient manner. The system includes a field-evolving cavity with a cavity exit pupil, a relay mechanism, and a system enclosure with an enclosure exit pupil. The field-evolving cavity modifies the light-field displays before outputting the light-field displays with the cavity exit pupil. More specifically, the field-evolving cavity includes at least one display panel, which initially generates the light-field displays, and at least one optical-tuning mechanism, which subsequently modifies the light-field displays to varying optical depths. The system enclosure houses the field-evolving cavity and the relay mechanism. The relay mechanism directs the light-field displays from the cavity exit pupil to the enclosure exit pupil, which outputs the light-field displays to a user.

A system includes an image realisation device for forming a source image and projection optics for rendering a display image on a display screen, wherein the display image is a virtual image corresponding to the source image. The projection optics have an optical axis, and the image realisation device includes a first image realisation surface at a first distance along the optical axis and a second image realisation surface at a second, different distance along the optical axis. The first and second image realisation surfaces overlap, and the first and second image realisation surfaces include multiple regions, each region switchable between a transparent state and an image realisation state such that the source image may be formed on a region of the first or second image realisation surface and projected through the projection optics to render the display image on the display screen at a first or second apparent depth.

A system includes an image realisation device for forming a source image and projection optics for rendering a display image on a display screen, wherein the display image is a virtual image corresponding to the source image. The projection optics have an optical axis, and the image realisation device includes a first image realisation surface at a first distance along the optical axis and a second image realisation surface at a second, different distance along the optical axis. The first and second image realisation surfaces overlap, and the first and second image realisation surfaces include multiple regions, each region switchable between a transparent state and an image realisation state such that the source image may be formed on a region of the first or second image realisation surface and projected through the projection optics to render the display image on the display screen at a first or second apparent depth.

A multifocal display device has a focus tunable lens, a controller, and a storage. The controller selectively tunes the focus of the lens to a plurality of focal planes of different index during a frame per A focal plane of lower index has a shorter focal distance. The storage stores a plurality of focal plane groups, each group including the plurality of focal planes in a different sequence. The controller selects a first group and tunes, during a first frame period, the focus of the lens to each one of the focal planes in the first group according to their sequence, and selects a second group from groups allowed by a selection rule, and tunes, during a second frame period, the focus of the lens to each one of the focal planes in the second group according to their sequence.

A multifocal display device has a focus tunable lens, a controller, and a storage. The controller selectively tunes the focus of the lens to a plurality of focal planes of different index during a frame per A focal plane of lower index has a shorter focal distance. The storage stores a plurality of focal plane groups, each group including the plurality of focal planes in a different sequence. The controller selects a first group and tunes, during a first frame period, the focus of the lens to each one of the focal planes in the first group according to their sequence, and selects a second group from groups allowed by a selection rule, and tunes, during a second frame period, the focus of the lens to each one of the focal planes in the second group according to their sequence.

The three-dimensional image display apparatus includes: a housing; a light source unit which is mounted in the housing, and emits light; a single light transfer unit which is disposed in the housing to face the light source unit, and refracts, diffracts, or reflects the light emitted from the light source unit; and an image display unit which forms, as an image, the light refracted, diffracted, or reflected by the light transfer unit.

Methods, apparatus, devices, and systems for three-dimensional (3D) displaying objects are provided. In one aspect, a method includes obtaining data including respective primitive data for primitives corresponding to an object, determining an electromagnetic (EM) field contribution to each element of a display for each of the primitives by calculating an EM field propagation from the primitive to the element, generating a sum of the EM field contributions from the primitives for each of the elements, transmitting to each of the elements a respective control signal for modulating at least one property of the element based on the sum of the EM field contributions, and transmitting a timing control signal to an illuminator to activate the illuminator to illuminate light on the display, such that the light is caused by the modulated elements of the display to form a volumetric light field corresponding to the object.

Methods, apparatus, devices, and systems for three-dimensional (3D) displaying objects are provided. In one aspect, a method includes obtaining data including respective primitive data for primitives corresponding to an object, determining an electromagnetic (EM) field contribution to each element of a display for each of the primitives by calculating an EM field propagation from the primitive to the element, generating a sum of the EM field contributions from the primitives for each of the elements, transmitting to each of the elements a respective control signal for modulating at least one property of the element based on the sum of the EM field contributions, and transmitting a timing control signal to an illuminator to activate the illuminator to illuminate light on the display, such that the light is caused by the modulated elements of the display to form a volumetric light field corresponding to the object.

In particular embodiments, a computing system may divide at least a portion of a physical space surrounding a user into a plurality of three-dimensional (3D) regions, wherein each of the 3D regions is associated with an area of a plurality of areas in a plane. The system may generate estimated locations of features of objects in the portion of the physical space. Based on the estimated locations, the system may determine an occupancy state of each of the plurality of 3D regions. Then based on the occupancy states of the plurality of 3D regions, the system may determine that one or more of the plurality of areas have respective airspaces that are likely unoccupied by objects.