Viewing cone adjustment system

• US 20060238658A1
• Filed: 04/22/2005
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Dahlgren, Brett E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,665,381 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/745
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/64 Constructional details of receivers, e.g. cabinets or dust covers furniture aspects of television cabinets A47B81/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7408 Direct viewing projectors, e.g. an image displayed on a video CRT or LCD display being projected on a screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3141 Constructional details thereof details not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3191 Testing thereof testing of displays in general G09G3/006

Abstract

One embodiment of a viewing cone adjustment system includes a projection lens that defines a projection lens optical axis adjustably offset from a viewing screen optical axis, and an image source device that defines an image source optical axis adjustably offset from the projection lens optical axis.

Claims

1. A viewing cone adjustment system, comprising:

a projection lens that defines a projection lens optical axis adjustably offset from a viewing screen optical axis; and

an image source device that defines an image source optical axis adjustably offset from said projection lens optical axis.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a rear projection television viewing screen that defines said viewing screen optical axis.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a Fresnel screen that defines said viewing screen optical axis.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said image source comprises a modulator.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said modulator comprises an electronic micro-mirror device.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein adjustment of said projection lens optical axis from said viewing screen optical axis and adjustment of said image source optical axis from said projection lens optical axis adjusts a position of a viewing cone of a viewing screen.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said adjustment system is housed within a rear projection television.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said image source optical axis is adjusted with respect to said projection lens optical axis to center an image on a viewing screen.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising a motorized adjustment mechanism that adjusts said projection lens optical axis and said image source optical axis.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising a manual adjustment mechanism that adjusts said projection lens optical axis and said image source optical axis.

11. A rear projection television, comprising:

a viewing screen and defines a viewing screen optical axis;

a projection lens that defines a projection lens optical axis offset from said viewing screen optical axis; and

an image source device that defines an image source optical axis offset from said projection lens optical axis.

12. The television of claim 11 wherein said projection lens optical axis is fixedly offset from said viewing screen optical axis.

13. The television of claim 11 wherein said projection lens optical axis is adjustably offset from said viewing screen optical axis.

14. The television of claim 11 wherein said image source optical axis is fixedly offset from said projection lens optical axis.

15. The television of claim 11 wherein said image source optical axis is adjustably offset from said projection lens optical axis.

16. The television of claim 11 that defines a viewing cone axis offset from said viewing screen optical axis.

17. The television of claim 16 wherein said viewing cone axis is positioned upwardly of said viewing screen optical axis.

18. The television of claim 16 wherein said viewing cone axis is positioned downwardly of said viewing screen optical axis.

19. The television of claim 11 further comprising a motor that adjustably positions said projection lens optical axis.

20. The television of claim 11 further comprising a motor that adjustably positions said image source optical axis.

21. The television of claim 19 further comprising an adjustment control device positioned to be manipulated by a viewer, said adjustment control device adapted to control said motor.

22. The television of claim 20 further comprising an adjustment control device positioned to be manipulated by a viewer, said adjustment control device adapted to control said motor.

23. A display system, comprising:

a display screen that defines a display screen optical axis;

a projection lens set that defines a projection lens set optical axis unaligned with said display screen optical axis; and

a modulator that defines a modulator optical axis unaligned with said projection lens set optical axis.

24. The system of claim 23 further comprising a light source that projects light to said modulator.

25. The system of claim 23 further comprising a computer that controls said modulator.

26. A method of adjustably positioning a viewing cone of a display screen, comprising:

adjusting a position of a projection lens optical axis with respect to a display screen optical axis; and

adjusting a position of an image source optical axis with respect to said projection lens optical axis.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein positioning said projection lens optical axis downwardly of said display screen optical axis positions an axis of a viewing cone upwardly of said display screen optical axis.

28. An image display apparatus, comprising:

means for displaying an image, said means for displaying defining a first optical axis;

means for producing an image, said means for producing defining a second optical axis; and

means for projecting an image from said means for producing to said means for displaying, said means for projecting defining a third optical axis,

wherein said third optical axis is unaligned with said first optical axis and wherein said second optical axis is unaligned with said third optical axis.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising means for adjusting a position of said means for producing an image.