Micro-mirror based display device having an improved light source

• US 20070241340A1
• Filed: 04/17/2006
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Spatial Photonics Incorporated (Himax Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Spatial Photonics Incorporated (Himax Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pan, Shaoher
• Application Number:
  US11/405,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20070241340A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/79
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/2033 LED or laser light sources
• 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

Abstract

A display device includes one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) configured to emit light and a spatial light modulator comprising one or more tiltable micro mirrors each configured to receive the light emitted from the one or more LEDs and reflect the emitted light in two or more directions.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) configured to emit light; and

a spatial light modulator comprising one or more tiltable micro mirrors each configured to receive the light emitted from the one or more LEDs and reflect the emitted light in two or more directions.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein the one or more LEDs are disposed in a two-dimensional array.

3. The display device of claim 1, wherein the one or more tiltable micro mirrors can be tilted to two or more orientations reflect the emitted light in the two or more directions.

4. The display device of claim 1, wherein the one or more LEDs comprise LEDs capable of emitting lights of different colors.

5. The display device of claim 4, wherein the one or more LEDs include a red-light emitting LED, a green-light emitting LED, and a blue-light emitting LED.

6. The display device of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more optical fiber configured to guide the light emitted from the one or more LEDs to the one or more micro mirrors.

7. The display device of claim 6, further comprising:

a bundle of optical fibers each configured to guide the light emitted from one or the one or more LEDs to the one or more micro mirrors.

8. The display device of claim 6, further comprising:

a single optical fiber configured to guide the light emitted from the one or more LEDs to the one or more micro mirrors.

9. The display device of claim 6, wherein at least one end of the optical fiber is coated with an anti-IR and/or anti-UV coating.

10. The display device of claim 6, wherein at least one of the optical fiber includes a first end and a second end having a smaller diameter than the diameter of the first end.

11. The display device of claim 10, wherein the light emitted from the array of LEDs is received by the first end of the optical fiber and exits at the second end of the optical fiber.

12. The display device of claim 1, further comprising:

a prism configured to receive the light emitted by the array of LEDs and reflect the light to the one or more micro mirrors.

13. The display device of claim 1, wherein the spatial light modulator comprises

a micro mirror having a mirror plate comprising a reflective upper surface, a lower surface, and a cavity having an opening on the lower surface;

and

a substrate comprising an upper surface, a hinge support post in connection with the upper surface, and a hinge component in connection with the hinge support post and the mirror plate, wherein the hinge component extends into the cavity to facilitate a rotation of the mirror plate.

14. A display device, comprising:

one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) configured to emit light;

a spatial light modulator comprising one or more tiltable micro mirrors each configured to receive the light emitted from the one or more LEDs at two or more orientations to reflect the emitted light in two or more directions; and

one or more optical fibers configured to guide the light emitted from the one or more LEDs to the one or more micro mirrors.

15. The display device of claim 14, wherein the one or more LEDs are disposed in a two-dimensional array.

16. The display device of claim 14, wherein the one or more LEDs include LEDs capable of emitting lights of different colors.

17. The display device of claim 16, wherein the one or more LEDs include a red-light emitting LED, a green-light emitting LED, and a blue-light emitting LED.

18. The display device of claim 14, further comprising:

a bundle of optical fibers each configured to guide the light emitted from one or the one or more LEDs to the one or more micro mirrors.

19. The display device of claim 14, further comprising:

a single optical fiber configured to guide the light emitted from the one or more LEDs to the one or more micro mirrors.

20. The display device of claim 14, wherein at least one of the optical fiber includes a first end and a second end having a smaller diameter than the diameter of the first end.

21. The display device of claim 20, wherein the light emitted from the array of LEDs is received by the first end of the optical fiber and exits at the second end of the optical fiber.

22. The display device of claim 14, wherein the spatial light modulator comprises

a micro mirror having a mirror plate comprising a reflective upper surface, a lower surface, and a cavity having an opening on the lower surface;

and

a substrate comprising an upper surface, a hinge support post in connection with the upper surface, and a hinge component in connection with the hinge support post and the mirror plate, wherein the hinge component extends into the cavity to facilitate a rotation of the mirror plate.

23. A display device, comprising:

a two-dimensional array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) each configured to emit light;

a spatial light modulator comprising a two-dimensional array of tiltable micro mirrors each configured to receive the light emitted from the LEDs at two or more orientations to reflect the emitted light in two or more directions; and

one or more optical fibers configured to guide the light emitted from the LEDs to the two-dimensional array of tiltable micro mirrors.