Optical display systems and methods

• US 20070115556A1
• Filed: 10/03/2006
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Luminus Devices Incorporated (Sanan Optoelectronics Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Luminus Devices Incorporated (Sanan Optoelectronics Company Limited)
• Inventors: Lidorikis, Elefterios, Graff, John, Erchak, Alexei
• Granted Patent: US 7,535,645 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/634
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/204 using secondary light emission, e.g. luminescence or fluorescence using different colours G03B33/00; if related to video signals H04N9/3197
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01004 Beryllium [Be]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01012 Magnesium [Mg]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01019 Potassium [K]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0102 Calcium [Ca]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01021 Scandium [Sc]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01025 Manganese [Mn]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01063 Europium [Eu]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01078 Platinum [Pt]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01322 Eutectic Alloys, i.e. obtained by a liquid transforming into two solid phases
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12041 LED
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0083 Periodic patterns for optical field-shaping in or on the semiconductor body or semiconductor body package, e.g. photonic bandgap structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/10 with a light reflecting structure, e.g. semiconductor Bragg reflector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/20 with a particular shape, e.g. curved or truncated substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3129 scanning a light beam on the display screen scanning a light beam on a screen in displays other than projection devices G09G3/02; scanning systems in general G02B26/10; projectors using laser light sources in general H04N9/3161
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/315 Modulator illumination systems general applications of lighting devices F21V; general optical systems G02B; lamp houses for projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/20
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

Optical display systems and methods are disclosed.

Claims

1. An optical display system, comprising:

a microdisplay;

a light emitting device; and

at least one optical component disposed along an optical path from the microdisplay to the light emitting device,

wherein the microdisplay, the light emitting device and the optical component are positioned so that, during use, an image plane of the system does not coincide with a surface of the microdisplay illuminated by light emitted by the light emitting device.

2. The optical display system of claim 1, wherein the light emitting device is a non-lambertian light emitting device.

3. The optical display system of claim 1, wherein the light emitting device is a photonic lattice light emitting device.

4. The optical display system of claim 1, wherein the light emitting device includes a multi-layer stack of materials including a light generating region, and a first layer supported by the light generating region, a surface of the first layer being configured so that the light generated by the light generating region can emerge from the light emitting device via the surface of the first layer.

5. The optical display system of claim 4, wherein the surface of the first layer has a dielectric function that varies spatially according to a pattern, and the pattern has an ideal lattice constant and a detuning parameter with a value greater than zero.

6. The optical display system of claim 4, wherein the surface of the first layer has a dielectric function that varies spatially according to a nonperiodic pattern.

7. The optical display system of claim 4, wherein the surface of the first layer has a dielectric function that varies spatially according to a complex periodic pattern.

8. The optical display system of claim 1, wherein, during use, a distribution of light intensity at the image plane is less uniform than a distribution of light intensity at the surface of the microdisplay illuminated by light emitted by the light emitting device.

9. The optical display system of claim 1, wherein there is a first distance between a image plane of the lens and a surface of the microdisplay upon which light emitted by the light emitting device impinges during use, a second distance between a surface of the light emitting device that emits light during use and the image plane of the lens, and an absolute value of a ratio of the first distance to the second distance is from about 0.00001 to about 1.

10. The optical display system of claim 1 wherein the at least one optical component is a lens.

11. The optical display system of claim 1, wherein the light emitting device is selected from the group consisting of light emitting diodes, lasers, optical amplifiers, and combinations thereof.

12. The optical display system of claim 1, wherein the light emitting device comprises a light emitting diode.

13. The optical display system of claim 1, wherein the light emitting device is selected from the group consisting of OLEDs, flat surface-emitting LEDs, HBLEDs, and combinations thereof.

14. The optical display system of claim 1, wherein the optical display system is configured to be used in a rear projector.

15. The optical display system of claim 1, wherein the optical display system is configured to be used in a rear projection television.

16. The optical display system of claim 1, wherein the optical display system is configured to be used in a front projector.

17. The optical display system of claim 1, wherein the optical display system is configured to be used in a home theatre system.

18. The optical display system of claim 1, wherein the optical display system is configured to be used in a portable projector.