LED-based high efficiency illumination systems for use in projection systems
First Claim
1. An etendue folding illumination system for illuminating a target etendue comprising:
- a folded collimator/concentrator having an input aperture defining an input aperture area, and an output aperture, the folded collimator/concentrator also having a reflective inner surface and an output aperture stop defining an output clear aperture at least partially surrounded by a reflective aperture stop;
at least part of the input aperture area being coupled to a light source having a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) dies of one or multiple colors providing light flux into the folded collimator/concentrator, at least part of the area of the input aperture being reflective;
the output clear aperture having collimation angle, area and aspect ratio characteristics matching corresponding parameters of the target etendue.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The dilemma encountered in most projection systems of having the etendue of the LED-based light source used often being much larger than the etendue of the imager used, causes such systems to have poor throughput efficiency. The etendue folding illumination systems of this invention being comprised of at least one folded collimator/concentrator having coupled into its input aperture an LED-based light source and having an output aperture characteristics that match the target etendue, overcome this dilemma by folding the light source etendue to match the target etendue of the projection system imager while efficiently conserving the flux generated by the light source.
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Citations
58 Claims
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1. An etendue folding illumination system for illuminating a target etendue comprising:
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a folded collimator/concentrator having an input aperture defining an input aperture area, and an output aperture, the folded collimator/concentrator also having a reflective inner surface and an output aperture stop defining an output clear aperture at least partially surrounded by a reflective aperture stop; at least part of the input aperture area being coupled to a light source having a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) dies of one or multiple colors providing light flux into the folded collimator/concentrator, at least part of the area of the input aperture being reflective; the output clear aperture having collimation angle, area and aspect ratio characteristics matching corresponding parameters of the target etendue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An etendue folding illumination system for illuminating a target comprising:
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two folded collimator/concentrators, each having an input aperture defining an input aperture area, and an output aperture, the folded collimator/concentrators each also having a reflective inner surface and an output aperture stop defining an output clear aperture at least partially surrounded by a reflective aperture stop; at least part of the input aperture areas being coupled to light sources collectively having a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) dies of multiple colors providing light flux into the folded collimator/concentrators, at least part of the area of the input aperture of each of the collimator/concentrators being reflective; a light combining assembly configured to couple light flux output of the two folded collimator/concentrators into an output aperture of the etendue folding illumination system; the first folded collimator/concentrator having either air gap or index matched coupled onto its input aperture a light source having a plurality of green LED dies, and the second folded collimator/concentrator having either air gap or index matched coupled onto its input aperture a light source that is comprised of plurality of red and blue LED dies, and each of the two folded collimator/concentrators having an output clear aperture whose collimation angle, area and aspect ratio characteristics match the corresponding parameters of the target etendue. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An etendue folding illumination system for illuminating a target comprising:
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three folded collimator/concentrators, each having an input aperture defining an input aperture area, and an output aperture, the folded collimator/concentrators each also having a reflective inner surface and an output aperture stop defining an output clear aperture at least partially surrounded by a reflective aperture stop; a light combining assembly configured to couple the light flux output of the three folded collimator/concentrators into an output aperture of the etendue folding illumination system; the first folded collimator/concentrator having either air gap or index matched coupled onto its input aperture a light source comprising at least one green LED die; the second folded collimator/concentrator having either air gap or index matched coupled onto its input aperture a light source comprising at least one red LED die; the third folded collimator/concentrator having either air gap or index matched coupled onto its input aperture a light source comprising at least one blue LED die; at least part of the area of the input aperture of each of the three the collimator/concentrators being reflective; the first folded collimator/concentrator having an output clear aperture whose collimation angle, area and aspect ratio characteristics match the corresponding parameters of the target etendue. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An etendue folding illumination system for illuminating a target comprising:
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four folded collimator/concentrators arranged in a tiled configuration and having their heights extended and conjoined to form a combining stem having a single conjoined reflective output aperture stop, each folded collimator/concentrator having an input aperture defining an input aperture area, the folded collimator/concentrators each also having a reflective inner surface and a reflective output aperture stop incorporating an output clear aperture; each of the folded collimator/concentrators having either air gap or index matched coupled onto its input aperture a light source comprising a plurality of LED dies of the same or multiple colors, at least part of the area of the input aperture of each of the four collimator/concentrators being reflective; the conjoined reflective aperture stop incorporating an output clear aperture that is substantially centered within the conjoined reflective aperture stop and having collimation angle, area and aspect ratio characteristics that match the corresponding parameters of the target etendue. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. An etendue folding illumination system comprising:
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a folded collimator/concentrator having an input aperture defining an input aperture area, and an output aperture, the folded collimator/concentrator also having a reflective inner surface and an output aperture stop defining an output clear aperture at least partially surrounded by a reflective aperture stop; at least part of the input aperture area being coupled to a light source having a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) dies of one or multiple colors providing light flux into the folded collimator/concentrator, at least part of the area of the input aperture being reflective; the output clear aperture having collimation angle, collimation axis, area and aspect ratio characteristics matching corresponding parameters of the target etendue. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A etendue folding illumination system comprising:
a folded collimator/concentrator having either air gap or index matched coupled onto its input aperture a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) dies of one or multiple colors, and a reflective output aperture stop incorporating an output clear aperture whose collimation angle, area and aspect ratio characteristics match the corresponding parameters of a target etendue, at least part of the area of the input aperture being reflective. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
Specification