A predetermined lighting pattern is projected on a surface to be illuminated and the lighting pattern is displaced on the surface to be illuminated. A laser beam generated by a laser light source is broadened by a magnifying lens so as to generate a divergent light. The divergent light is shaped by the collimation lens into a parallel illumination light, and the parallel illumination light is caused to be incident on an incident plane of a diffraction optical element which records a hologram image. A diffracted light from the diffraction optical element forms the lighting pattern as a hologram reconstructed image on the surface to be illuminated. By translating the collimation lens by a collimation-lens drive unit along a movement plane that is orthogonal to an optical axis of the laser beam, the lighting pattern can be displaced on the surface to be illuminated.

Projection displays include a highlight projector and a main projector. Highlights projected by the highlight projector boost luminance in highlight areas of a base image projected by the main projector. Various highlight projectors including steerable beams, holographic projectors and spatial light modulators are described.

A method of calibrating a picture generating unit. The method includes displaying a pattern corresponding to a picture on a spatial light modulator. The method further includes propagating light along a propagation axis wherein the light illuminates the spatial light modulator so as to spatially modulate the light. A first portion of the propagation axis passes through a first lens of the picture generating unit. The method also includes changing the position of the first portion of the propagation axis with respect to an optical axis of the first lens. The first portion of the propagation axis is substantially parallel to the optical axis of the first lens.

Provided is a lighting device capable of safely illuminating a region to be illuminated having a first direction while making its edge sharp. A lighting device illuminates a region to be illuminated extending in a first direction and extending in a second direction intersecting with the first direction. The lighting device includes a light source and a diffractive optical element having a first hologram component and a second hologram component both of which diffract light from the light source and direct the light to the region to be illuminated, wherein the diffracted light from the first hologram component illuminates the entire region of the region to be illuminated and the diffracted light from the second hologram component illuminates the entire region of the region to be illuminated.

This document presents an apparatus and method for creating and displaying a three dimensional CGI character performing signs and gestures that form a motion communication capability. The 3D CGI character is created as a digital construct that is displayed on a silhouette that has an outline of the character created. The top portion of the display silhouette is transparent. A holographic projector displays the 3D CGI character on the transparent portion of the display silhouette. The bottom half of the display silhouette is opaque and conceals the CPU and projector components. The entire silhouette performs as a communicator using a gesture-based communication protocol for presenting signs and gestures of a defined sign language while also speaking the phrases being communicated by the signs and gestures.

A system and method comprise a light source; a spatial light modulator including a substantially transparent material layer and a phase modulation layer; an imaging device configured to receive a light from the light source as reflected by the spatial light modulator, and to generate an image data; and a controller. The controller provides a phase-drive signal to the spatial light modulator and determines an attenuating wavefront of the substantially transparent material layer based on the image data.

Provided are an apparatus for displaying a holographic image and a method of controlling the apparatus. The apparatus for displaying the holographic image includes a controller, a light source, an optical system, a spatial light modulator, a filter, an electric optical scanner, a multi-channel projection optics, and a screen. The spatial light modulator modulates a light beam passing through the optical system according to a predetermined subframe sequence of holographic image frames, the filter performs spatial-angular filtering of the modulated light beam to exclude parasitic diffraction order components from the modulated light beam, and the electric optical scanner directs the modulated and filtered light beam towards a corresponding channel of the multi-channel projection optics and forms a plurality of viewing zones on a focal plane of a field lens provided in the screen.

This document presents an apparatus and method for creating and displaying a three dimensional CGI character performing signs and gestures that form a motion communication capability. The 3D CGI character is created as a digital construct that is displayed on a silhouette that has an outline of the character created. The top portion of the display silhouette is transparent. A holographic projector displays the 3D CGI character on the transparent portion of the display silhouette. The bottom half of the display silhouette is opaque and conceals the CPU and projector components. The entire silhouette performs as a communicator using a gesture-based communication protocol for presenting signs and gestures of a defined sign language while also speaking the phrases being communicated by the signs and gestures.

A method and system for reducing the effects of glare in a system comprising a picture generating unit, such as a holographic projector. The system may be a head-up display (HUD), which is configured to display a picture to a viewer, without requiring the user to look away from their usual viewpoint. The HUD system may be comprised within a vehicle. The glare in the system may be caused by light being incident on a surface comprising a screen or a window, through which the user looks at their usual viewpoint. The surface may comprise a windshield in a vehicle. The light that causes the glare may be ambient light. The method and system are provided for reducing the effects of glare in a system that comprises a waveguide in conjunction with the picture generating unit. The waveguide may be operable to act as an exit pupil expander.

A method and system for reducing the effects of glare in a system comprising a picture generating unit, such as a holographic projector. The system may be a head-up display (HUD), which is configured to display a picture to a viewer, without requiring the user to look away from their usual viewpoint. The HUD system may be comprised within a vehicle. The glare in the system may be caused by light being incident on a surface comprising a screen or a window, through which the user looks at their usual viewpoint. The surface may comprise a windshield in a vehicle. The light that causes the glare may be ambient light. The method and system are provided for reducing the effects of glare in a system that comprises a waveguide in conjunction with the picture generating unit. The waveguide may be operable to act as an exit pupil expander.