Image projecting device and method
First Claim
1. An image projecting device comprising a light source system, a spatial light modulator (SLM) unit, and an image projection optics accommodated at the output side of the SLM unit, the device being characterized in at least one of the following:
- (i) said SLM unit includes a pixel array arrangement in the form of a multi-layer structure defining a pixel array assembly and at least one microlens assembly enclosed between two substrates, the microlens assembly including at least one microlens array accommodated proximate of the pixel array assembly at least upstream thereof with respect to a direction of propagation of light from the light source system towards the SLM unit, and operating to condense and focus incident light onto the pixel array;
(ii) said SLM unit including a pixel array assembly and a microlens assembly, the microlens assembly having first and second microlens arrays accommodated in a spaced-apart parallel relationship at least upstream of the pixel array assembly with respect to a direction of propagation of light from the light source system towards the SLM unit, the lenses of said second array located closer to the pixel array assembly being smaller or having different focal length than those of the first array, the lenslet assembly thereby condensing and focusing the incident light to impinge in form of a plurality of parallel light components onto a plurality of pixels, respectively;
(iii) the light source system comprises n light sources and a light converting means in optical path of light generated by the n light sources to thereby produce m light beams of different wavelength ranges, wherein m>
n;
(iv) the light source system comprises a multi-mode laser, thereby reducing a speckle effect in an integrated speckle pattern produced by the multiple modes, as compared to that of a single mode;
(v) the light source system comprises at least one highly polarized light source and a randomly polarized light source.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An image projecting device and method are presented. The device comprises a light source system, a spatial light modulator (SLM) unit, and an image projection optics accommodated at the output side of the SLM unit. The SLM unit may be reflective or transmissive. The SLM unit comprises an SLM pixel arrangement enclosed between two glass substrates. The pixel array arrangement is formed by a pixel array assembly and at least one microlens assembly. The microlens assembly includes at least one microlens array accommodated proximate of the pixel array assembly. The light source system may comprise n light sources and a light converting means in optical path of light generated by the n light sources, to thereby produce m light beams of different wavelength ranges, wherein m>n. The light source system may comprise a multi-mode laser, thereby reducing a speckle effect in an integrated speckle pattern produced by the multiple modes, as compared to that of a single mode.
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Citations
51 Claims
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1. An image projecting device comprising a light source system, a spatial light modulator (SLM) unit, and an image projection optics accommodated at the output side of the SLM unit, the device being characterized in at least one of the following:
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(i) said SLM unit includes a pixel array arrangement in the form of a multi-layer structure defining a pixel array assembly and at least one microlens assembly enclosed between two substrates, the microlens assembly including at least one microlens array accommodated proximate of the pixel array assembly at least upstream thereof with respect to a direction of propagation of light from the light source system towards the SLM unit, and operating to condense and focus incident light onto the pixel array;
(ii) said SLM unit including a pixel array assembly and a microlens assembly, the microlens assembly having first and second microlens arrays accommodated in a spaced-apart parallel relationship at least upstream of the pixel array assembly with respect to a direction of propagation of light from the light source system towards the SLM unit, the lenses of said second array located closer to the pixel array assembly being smaller or having different focal length than those of the first array, the lenslet assembly thereby condensing and focusing the incident light to impinge in form of a plurality of parallel light components onto a plurality of pixels, respectively;
(iii) the light source system comprises n light sources and a light converting means in optical path of light generated by the n light sources to thereby produce m light beams of different wavelength ranges, wherein m>
n;
(iv) the light source system comprises a multi-mode laser, thereby reducing a speckle effect in an integrated speckle pattern produced by the multiple modes, as compared to that of a single mode;
(v) the light source system comprises at least one highly polarized light source and a randomly polarized light source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 38, 39, 40)
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29. A method for projecting an image comprising:
- creating at least one incident light beam having a predetermined cross section corresponding to a size of an active surface of a spatial light modulator (SLM) unit defined by its pixel array assembly, and directing the incident light towards the pixel array assembly;
operating the pixel assembly with an imaging signal representative of an image to be projected, thereby causing modulation of the light passing through the pixel assembly;
passing the modulated light through an image projecting optics to a projecting surface;
the method comprising;
(a) passing said incident light beam, while propagating towards the pixel array assembly inside the SLM unit, and the modulated light, while propagating from the pixel array assembly inside the SLM unit, through at least one microlens array that condenses and focuses a plurality of light components of the incident light to the centers of a plurality of said pixels, respectively, and converts the condensed beams of the modulated light the pixel array assembly into substantially parallel beams;
(b) said incident light beam, propagating towards the pixel array assembly, passes through first and second microlens arrays accommodated in a spaced-apart parallel relationship, wherein the lenses of said second array located closer to the pixel array assembly are smaller or have different focal length than those of the first array, the incident light being thereby condensed and focused to impinge onto a plurality of pixels in form of a plurality of parallel light components, respectively;
(c) m light beams of different wavelength ranges are created by a light source system including n light sources and a light converting means in optical path of light generated by the n light sources, wherein m>
n;
(d) a speckle effect in a projected image is reduced by using a multi-mode laser for the creation of said at least one incident light beam. (e) a colored image is projected by creating the incident light beams of different wavelength ranges by at least one-highly polarized light source and a randomly-polarized light source. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
- creating at least one incident light beam having a predetermined cross section corresponding to a size of an active surface of a spatial light modulator (SLM) unit defined by its pixel array assembly, and directing the incident light towards the pixel array assembly;
- 48. A spatial light modulator (SLM) for use in an image projecting device, the SLM comprising two spaced-apart substrates enclosing therebetween a multi-layer structure configured to define a pixel array arrangement formed by a pixel array assembly and at least one microlens assembly at either side of the pixel assembly, the microlens assembly including at least one microlens array spaced from the pixel array assembly a predetermined distance to thereby condense and focus incident light such that substantially the entire incident light impinge onto an active pixel area of the pixel array assembly.
Specification