PIXEL-SHIFTING PROJECTION LENS ASSEMBLY TO PROVIDE OPTICAL INTERLACING FOR INCREASED ADDRESSABILITY

• US 20050134805A1
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Conner, Arlie R., Kingsley, Gary B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,182,463 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 353/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3188 Scale or resolution adjustment scaling in general G06T3/40; resolution modifying circuits for displays in general G09G5/391

Abstract

A projection display system includes a projection lens assembly that has multiple projection lens elements that are configured to receive light imparted with display information by a pixelated display device. The projection lens elements project the light toward a display screen. A pixel-shifting element is included within the projection lens assembly to cyclically shift between at least two positions within the projection lens assembly to form at a display screen at least two interlaced arrays of pixels. An electromechanical transducer is coupled to the pixel-shifting element to impart on it the cyclic shifting between positions.

Claims

1. A projection display system, comprising:

a pixelated display device;

an illumination system that directs illumination light to the pixelated display device for display information to be imparted on the light; and

a projection lens assembly that receives the light with imparted display information from the pixelated display device for projecting the light toward a display screen, the projection lens assembly including a pixel-shifting element that cyclically shifts between at least two positions within the projections lens assembly to form at the display screen at least two interlaced arrays of pixels, the pixel-shifting element including a fold mirror positioned within the projection lens assembly and in which the cyclic shifting of the pixel-shifting element includes cyclic tilting of the fold mirror.

2. The projection display system of claim 1 in which the pixel-shifting element cyclically shifts between two positions that provide a vertical offset between two interlaced arrays of pixels.

3. The projection display system of claim 1 in which the pixel-shifting element cyclically shifts between four positions to form at the display screen four interlaced arrays of pixels.

4. The projection display system of claim 1 in which the display device is operated in a field-sequential manner with red, green, and blue color sub-fields and the pixel-shifting element cyclically shifts between the at least two positions during blue color sub-fields.

8. The projection display system of claim 1 in which the pixel-shifting element includes a lens element that has at least one curved surface and is positioned within the projection lens assembly and in which the cyclic shifting of the pixel-shifting element includes cyclic translation of the lens element.

9. The projection display system of claim 1 in which the pixel-shifting element is cyclically shifted by an electro-mechanical transducer.

10. The projection display system of claim 9 in which the electro-mechanical transducer includes a piezoelectric transducer.

11. The projection display system of claim 9 in which the electro-mechanical transducer does not include a piezoelectric transducer.

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

12. A projection lens assembly for a projection display system, comprising:

multiple projection lens elements; and

a pixel-shifting element having a wedge that is positioned between projection lens elements of the projection lens assembly and that cyclically shifts between at least two positions within the projection lens assembly.

13. The projection lens assembly of claim 12 in which the pixel-shifting element cyclically shifts between two vertically offset positions.

14. The projection lens assembly of claim 12 in which the pixel-shifting element cyclically shifts between four positions.

15. The projection lens assembly of claim 12 in which the wedge includes a configurable wedge positioned within the projection lens assembly and in which the cyclic shifting of the pixel-shifting element includes tilting of the wedge into first and second configurations.

16. The projection lens assembly of claim 12 in which the wedge includes a transparent wedge positioned within the projection lens assembly and in which the cyclic shifting of the pixel-shifting element includes rotation about an axis extending through the wedge.

17. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

19. A projection display system, comprising:

a pixelated display device having an array of adjacent picture elements;

an illumination system that directs illumination light to the pixelated display device for display information to be imparted on the light; and

a projection lens assembly that receives the light with imparted display information from the pixelated display device for projecting the light toward a display screen, the projection lens assembly including a pixel-shifting wedge element that cyclically provides shifting of the light with imparted display information to form at the display screen at least two interlaced arrays of pixels.

20. The projection display system of claim 19 in which the pixel-shifting wedge element cyclically tilts between first and second configurations.

21. The projection display system of claim 19 in which the illumination system includes first and second illumination sources that alternately direct illumination along first and second optical axes, and in which the pixel-shifting wedge element includes first and second end-to-end fixed wedge elements that are aligned with the first and second optical axes.

22. A projection display system, comprising:

a pixelated display device;

an illumination system that directs illumination light to the pixelated display device for display information to be imparted on the light in a field-sequential manner, the illumination light including successive red, green, and blue color sub-fields; and

a projection lens assembly positioned to receive light imparted with display information by the pixelated display device to project the light toward a display screen; and

a pixel-shifting element that cyclically shifts between at least two positions only during blue color sub-fields and not during other color sub-fields to form at a display screen at least interlaced arrays of pixels.

23. The projection display system of claim 22 in which the pixel-shifting element is positioned within the projection lens assembly.

24. The projection display system of claim 22 in which the pixel-shifting element includes a transparent wedge positioned within the projection lens assembly and in which the cyclic shifting of the pixel-shifting element includes tilting of the wedge between first and second positions.

25. A projection display system, comprising:

a pixelated display device;

an illumination system that directs illumination light to the pixelated display device for display information to be imparted on the light;

a projection lens assembly that receives the light with imparted display information from the pixelated display device for projecting the light toward a display screen; and

a pixel-shifting element that cyclically shifts with non-rotational translation between at least two positions to form at the display screen at least two interlaced arrays of pixels, the pixel-shifting element including a fold mirror that has a planar surface and is positioned between the illumination system and the display screen and in which the non-rotational translation occurs in a direction transverse to the plane of the fold mirror.

26. The projection display system of claim 25 in which the light passes through the projection lens assembly generally in a first direction and the pixel-shifting element includes one of plural lens elements included in the projections lens assembly, the non-rotational translation occurring in a direction transverse to the first direction.

27. (canceled)