SPATIALLY OFFSET MULTI-IMAGER-PANEL ARCHITECTURE FOR PROJECTING AN IMAGE

• US 20080088800A1
• Filed: 10/11/2007
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Miradia Inc. (Walsin Lihwa Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Miradia Inc. (Walsin Lihwa Corporation)
• Inventors: Miller, Gregory, BELLIS, Matthew, Chen, Dongmin
• Granted Patent: US 8,096,665 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 353/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/008 using micromirror devices
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/208 Homogenising, shaping of the illumination light
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3147 Multi-projection systems displays in general H04N9/12; video walls G06F3/1446, G09G2300/026

Abstract

A high-resolution image is generated using multiple spatially offset lower-resolution digital micro-mirror device (DMD) panels. Multiple lower-resolution subframe signals for controlling the spatial light modulators are generated from a high-resolution image signal using a resolution reduction and interpolation algorithm. The spatial light modulators under control of the subframe signals are illuminated by a light source and light beams reflected from the spatial light modulators are combined and directed onto a screen for display.

Claims

1. A method of displaying an image, comprising:

receiving a digital image signal having a first resolution;

creating a first and a second subframe image from the digital image signal, wherein each of the first and second subframe images have a second resolution; and

projecting the first subframe image and the second subframe image substantially simultaneously onto a focal plane,

wherein the second subframe image is spatially offset from the first subframe image by an offset distance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the first and the second subframe image comprises generating a first subframe image from a first subframe signal and generating a second subframe image from a second subframe signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first subframe image and the second subframe image are formed using a resolution reduction and interpolation algorithm.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second subframe images are each comprised of a plurality of pixels and the offset distance is less than the width of a pixel.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second resolution is less than the first resolution.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein creating a first and a second subframe image comprises:

creating the first subframe image using a first spatial light modulator; and

creating the second subframe image using a second spatial light modulator.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein creating the first and the second subframe images comprises illuminating a first and a second MEMS micro-mirror array with an LED-based or laser-based light source and reflecting at least a portion of the light delivered from the LED-based or laser-based light source.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the offset distance is substantially equal to a width of the first subframe image.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first subframe image is projected onto a first portion of a focal plane and the second subframe image is projected onto a second portion of a focal plane, wherein the first portion of the focal plane and the second portion of the focal plane do not substantially overlap.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein substantial overlap comprises having more than about 10% of the surface area of the first subframe image overlap with the second subframe image.

11. A method of displaying an image, comprising:

receiving a digital image signal;

creating a first and a second subframe image from the digital image signal; and

projecting the first subframe image and the second subframe image substantially simultaneously onto a focal plane,

wherein the second subframe image is spatially offset from the first subframe image by an offset distance, and the first subframe image and the second subframe image do not substantially overlap.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the digital image signal has a first resolution and the combined resolution of the first and second subframe images is greater than the first resolution.

13. A system for displaying an image, comprising:

an image processing unit adapted to define a first subframe signal and a second subframe signal from a digital image source and to transmit the first subframe signal to a first imager assembly and the second subframe signal to a second imager assembly;

a first imager assembly configured to convert a first subframe signal to a first subframe image that is delivered to a focal plane; and

a second imager assembly configured to convert a second subframe signal to a second subframe image that is delivered to the focal plane substantially simultaneously with the first subframe, wherein the second subframe image is offset from the first subframe image by an offset distance.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the image processing unit is further adapted to define the second subframe signal as being offset from the first subframe signal by the offset distance.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the components of the first imager assembly and the components of the second imager assembly are fixed and spatially offset to project the second subframe image the offset distance from the first subframe image on the focal plane.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the image processing unit is configured with a resolution reduction and interpolation algorithm for defining the first subframe signal and the second subframe signal.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a light source, wherein the first imager assembly comprises a first micro-mirror array panel positioned to be illuminated by the light source and configured to generate the first subframe image, and the second imager assembly comprises a second micro-mirror array panel positioned to be illuminated by the light source and configured to generate the second subframe image.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising a light source, wherein the first imager assembly comprises a first high-temperature polysilicon transmissive panel positioned to be illuminated by the light source and configured to generate the first subframe image, and the second imager assembly comprises a second high-temperature polysilicon transmissive panel positioned to be illuminated by the light source and configured to generate the second subframe image.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the image is a color image and the light source comprises an LED-based light source.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the first and second subframe signals each have a lower spatial resolution than the digital image source.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the first and second subframe images are each comprised of a plurality of pixels and the offset distance is less than the width of a pixel.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the offset distance is substantially equal to a width of the first subframe image.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the first imager assembly is further configured to provide the first subframe image that is delivered to the focal plane and the second first imager assembly is further configured to provide the second subframe image that is delivered to the focal plane, wherein the first subframe image and the second subframe image do not substantially overlap.

24. A system for generating an image from digital image signals for display on a screen, comprising:

an illumination system for generating a light beam;

a processing unit configured to receive the digital image signals and programmed to generate at least first and second control signals from the digital image signals;

a first spatial light modulator that operates under control of the first control signals generated by the processing unit and reflects a portion of the light beam towards a screen for display; and

a second spatial light modulator that operates under control of the second control signals generated by the processing unit and reflects a portion of the light towards a screen for display.