Apparatus for image projection

• US 20030085867A1
• Filed: 11/06/2002
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kevotee, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kevotee, Inc.
• Inventors: Grabert, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,133,022 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0833 the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0283 Arrangement of drivers for different directions of scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/148 the light being detected by light detection means within each pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/002 to project the image of a two-dimensional display, such as an array of light emitting or modulating elements or a CRT
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/025 with scanning or deflecting the beams in two directions or dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2088 with use of a plurality of processors, each processor controlling a number of individual elements of the matrix
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/7466 Control circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7458 the modulator being an array of deformable mirrors, e.g. digital micromirror device [DMD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3132 using one-dimensional electronic spatial light modulators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3185 Geometric adjustment, e.g. keystone or convergence optical or mechanical adjustment of convergence H04N9/317; using scanning means H04N3/22; optical or mechanical adjustments of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14

Abstract

The invention is directed to a solid-state projection device incorporating a light source, modulator, and control circuitry on a single chip. For example, projection device may include several sets of VCSELs, each associated with a set of MEMs mirrors and coupled to a control circuitry. The device may also include various Pyrex layers for sealing and angling layers. The device may further include detectors associated with the light source. These detectors may be useful in determining the shape and location of the projection surface, building a gesture interface, and determining the operability of proxels. The invention is also directed to methods for using the device for manipulating the image, producing zoom, masking, reverse images, positioning, and keystone correction, among others. The invention may be used in projection display devices, portable display devices, heads-up displays, retinal displays, rear and front projection displays, and other display applications.

Claims

1. An apparatus for projecting an image, the apparatus comprising:

at least one substrate layer comprising a plurality of sets of electromagnetic energy source;

at least one substrate layer comprising a plurality of electromechanical mirrors, each of said plurality of electromechanical mirrors associated with a set of said plurality of sets of electromagnetic energy sources;

at least one substrate layer comprising a computational circuitry, said computational circuitry directing said plurality of sets of electromagnetic energy sources and said plurality of electromechanical mirrors; and

each substrate layer being integrated into a single unit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said plurality of sets of electromagnetic energy sources comprise VCSELS.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said plurality of sets of electromagnetic energy source comprise nanodots.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said sets of electromagnetic energy sources comprise a red electromagnetic energy source, a blue electromagnetic energy source, and a green electromagnetic energy source.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said sets of electromagnetic energy sources comprise an infrared electromagnetic energy source.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a substrate layer comprising a transparent wedge.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the transparent wedge is located between two substrate layers, at least one of said two substrate layers comprising electromechanical mirrors.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one transparent substrate layer superimposed on at least one substrate layer comprising electromechanical mirrors, sealing said at least one substrate layer comprising electromechanical mirrors.

9. An apparatus for projecting an image, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of electromagnetic energy sources, each of said plurality of electromagnetic energy sources producing electromagnetic energy at different wavelengths; and

at least one electromagnetic energy modulator coupled to and integrated with said plurality of electromagnetic energy sources, said plurality of electromagnetic energy sources directing electromagnetic energy to said at least one electromagnetic energy modulator for modulating said electromagnetic energy and projecting said modulated electromagnetic energy in a predetermined direction.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said plurality of electromagnetic energy sources comprises a red energy source, a green electromagnetic energy source, and a blue electromagnetic energy source.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said plurality of electromagnetic energy sources comprise nanodots.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said plurality of electromagnetic energy sources comprise VCSELs.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said plurality of electromagnetic energy sources comprise light emitting diodes.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said plurality of electromagnetic energy sources comprise microlasers.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said plurality of electromagnetic energy sources comprises an infrared emitter.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said at least one electromagnetic energy modulator comprises at least one electromechanical mirrors.

17. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a computational circuitry integrated with said plurality of electromagnetic energy sources and said at least one electromagnetic energy modulator, said compilation circuitry controlling said plurality of electromagnetic energy sources and said at least one electromagnetic energy modulator.

18. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

an electromagnetic energy detector integrated with said at least one electromagnetic energy modulator.

19. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said plurality of electromagnetic energy sources and said at least one electromagnetic energy modulator comprise a proxel unit, the apparatus further comprising:

a plurality of proxel units operative to produce a common image.

20. An apparatus for projecting an image, the apparatus comprising:

a source substrate layer comprising a plurality of sets of light sources, each set of light sources comprising a plurality of light sources, said plurality of light sources producing electromagnetic energy of differing wavelengths;

a first modulator substrate layer comprising a plurality of micro-electromechanical mirrors, each micro-electromechanical mirror in said plurality of micro-electromechanical mirrors being associated with a set in the plurality of sets of light sources;

a second modulator substrate layer comprising a plurality of micro-electromechanical mirrors, each micro-electromechanical mirror in said plurality of micro-electromechanical mirrors associated with a micro-electromechanical mirror associated with said first modulator substrate layer;

a circuitry substrate layer comprising control circuitry, the control circuitry communicatively coupled to said source substrate layer, the first modulator substrate layer, and the second modulator substrate layer; and

each substrate layer integrated into a single unit.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

at least one transparent layer sealing said first modulator substrate layer and said second modulator substrate layer.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

at least one transparent wedge located between said first modulator substrate layer and said second modulator substrate layer.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

a transparent wedge layer associated with said source substrate layer.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said differing wavelengths comprise wavelengths associated with red, blue, and green.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said differing wavelengths comprise wavelengths associated with infrared.

26. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

a plurality of electromagnetic energy detectors.

27. A method for producing an image, the method comprising:

interpreting data associated with the image to form a set of regional data;

uniquely associating each of the regional data with proxels, each proxel comprising at least one light source optically coupled to at least one light modulator; and

projecting light with the proxels in accordance with the regional data to form the image.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

sensing projection characteristics; and

adapting the interpreting of data in response to the projection characteristics.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the step of adapting induces a zoom effect of the image.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the step of adapting induces a masking about the image.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the step of adapting induces an aspect ratio change.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the step of adapting induces a keystone correction.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein the step of adapting comprises compensating for an inoperable proxel.

34. The method of claim 27, wherein the regional data is associated with at least one scan line.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of projecting comprises a forward and reverse scanning.

36. The method of claim 28, wherein the step of projecting comprises interleaving.