APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CREATING AND DISPLAYING PLANAR VIRTUAL IMAGES

摘要

A method and system for creating very thin displays producing virtual images (301, 312) based on extremely small "pinpoint" light sources (302). In an embodiment, a pinpoint light source (301) is used in a manner analogous to a pinhole lens to magnify and view a displayed image up close. In another embodiment, an array of pinpoint light sources with or without intervening lenses is used to illuminate a spatial light modulator (304) to produce an extremely thin virtual image display.