3-D patent application submitted by Cupertino's Apple!

Post by **Silversurfer** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 7:25 am

Gizmodo.com reported this very interesting story yesterday 20th of March 2008. His Apple moving into 3-D projector technology territory? You decide after reading the article.

Here's an unexpected patent from Apple: a system for projecting 3D images. Sure, we've seen 3D panels from Sharp and 3D projectors that require glasses, but this is a projector setup that requires no glasses. And this makes sense for Apple why?
Really, it makes zero sense for any consumer products. Apple doesn't sell projectors, let alone projectors like this that require three objects placed precisely around a room. If they're really planning on some big crazy 3D computer display, they're looking very far ahead with this one. You aren't getting a Mac Pro 3D anytime soon. Sorry.
Perhaps it could be for some really fancy 3D display in stores? You know, letting you fiddle around with some crazy 3D interface? That would certainly help bring people in (like they needed help anyways).
Or, as I like to imagine, it's for the next generation of Stevenotes. Eventually, Jobs will kick the bucket like all other mere mortals. Rather than hire a successor before his death, instead keynotes will be performed by a holographic version of Jobs. Every Apple product for the next 50 years can be introduced on stage by a sprightly, turtlenecked image of Steve, expertly controlled backstage by his minions.
Or, you know, they're just patent squatting. You be the judge. [MacNN]

Full patent image at the article URL below, I still do not know how to insert an image into my topics?

Article:
http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full ... ome-reason

What do you guys think?

Silversurfer

Post by **wuhlei** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 8:11 am

depends on how solid or good the picture is.

Post by **cirk2** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 9:39 am

Hmm ok lets try to interpret the image:

The Top left Corner is clear, an PC renders the images, like it is doing now, but it seems to factor the data given from point 134 and 130 in.
Ok lets continue... The Projector rig have a Image Splitter, so the Images from the PC might be transfered in Pageflipping or Interlanced.
Then the Subimages get "Modulated" with data from the Signal Processor, wich seems to be analysing the Data getted from the Light Sensor and the "3D imager".
What are these two parts? "Light Sensor" seems to be clear, A Sensor sensing Light, maybe colors. And for what? maybe to regulate the brightnes to an optimal value...
And the "3D imager"?

I think this part is the real Trick inside it... If the position on the image is right, it seems to be arround 45° displaced from the Projection screen and behind the viewer. What the hell is this thing doing? It doesn't semm to Project something, maybe it is an kind of cammera that is sensing the position of the viewers head and then the pictures get displayed in relation to that position, like shown here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd3-eiid-Uw
That would explain the Feedback line to the PC.

An another idear is that the whole unit is the projector version of an "Auto 3d" display, an 3D screen that Func without any Glasses, like http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/notag/sharp- ... -28519.php
Then The "3D imager" may doing some tricks withe the screen do divide the picture to the two eyes...

What do you think?
At all tehe Projector Won't be cheap, maybe it will only be sold to non-consumer, lets hope not...

Post by **Silversurfer** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 9:54 am

Wow , you seem to have a good grasp of these things, are you a technician of some sort? I was opened someone like yourself would make a comment to start the ball rolling review techie types. There seems to be so much 3-D news in the mainstream blogging and RSS feeds(see my other thread posted today in the news section), could something big be happening in Hollywood and the IT industry for 3-D in 2008? let’s hope so.

PS. How did you insert the image into the post?

Thanks Silversurfer

Post by **Okta** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 5:01 pm

Apple getting its claws into anything. Bad news.

Post by **cirk2** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 4:50 am

Silversurfer wrote:Wow , you seem to have a good grasp of these things, are you a technician of some sort?

Not at al I'm just an aprentice in Mechatronics, I just have interpreted, what I've seen.

Silversurfer wrote: I was opened someone like yourself would make a comment to start the ball rolling review techie types. There seems to be so much 3-D news in the mainstream blogging and RSS feeds(see my other thread posted today in the news section), could something big be happening in Hollywood and the IT industry for 3-D in 2008? let’s hope so.

Say it so: The first quarter of the year isn't fully passed so there is enought time to let something happen.
And there wasn't so munch things roling in 2007 as there are now. (The iz3D was the biggest, some Nvidia Betas, may the VR920). Maybe some top manager had a look on S-3D and reconized, that this is a new Market with no "King of the Hill" like the CPU Market (Intel) or the GPUs (AMD/ATI and Nvidia). Lets hope the best. Maybe something BIG will happen.

Silversurfer wrote: PS. How did you insert the image into the post?

Under the Subject line are a bounch of buttunf, Klich the one with "IMG" on it, then appears in you post something like [+img+] (without the pluses). Then you post the direct link to the image ( http://cache.gizmodo.com/assets/resourc ... e3d-lg.jpg ) and then you click again on the "img" button. Then the image is inside.

Post by **decoril** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 5:00 pm

Maybe here is the explanation to the strange rig:
http://www.unwiredview.com/2008/04/17/a ... d-display/

Post by **LukePC1** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 6:00 am

I think having such light glasses working as a HMD are nice. But, Can you bend an optical (glas fiber) cable good/often? I think it's highly sensible to all sorts of ... violence - and very expencive, since it's from Apple...

But I like the Idea and if it's not too much effort and the resolution is good this might be Technology of ... the day after tomorrow

Post by **decoril** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 12:08 pm

Yes, i too am worried about being apple the patent holder on this; this will be an absolutely low cost technology. including picoproyectors (that are going to be default hardware on mobile phones by 2009), but i bet apple is going to multiply the price for the consumer market nothing under 20x times the not mass production cost of a single unit :S it is apple, and it is "high tech", well, we will see.

Post by **LukePC1** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 12:39 pm

I'm not shure, if it will be that easy. The main-Problem might be to get a high resolution. I don't know exactly, how to do that... Or how to fit it all through the small 'cable'...

But maybe if they use DLP technology - direct the light to the right spot with mirrors

You might be right. This could become quite cheap - at least after some time...