LED multiplexer and recycler and micro-projector incorporating the Same
First Claim
1. A light multiplexer and recycler, comprising:
- a LED layer comprising a plurality of LEDs, each emitting a light output;
an optics layer having an input end and an output end, said input end of said optics layer being coupled to said plurality of LEDs for multiplexing light output from said plurality of LEDs; and
an aperture layer coupled to said output end of said optics layer and having a transmissive opening for transmitting a portion of the multiplexed light output to provide a single light output and a reflective surface for reflecting remaining portion of the multiplexed light toward said input end of said optics layer, thereby recycling the remaining portion of the multiplexed light back to said plurality of LEDs to increase the brightness of the light output of said plurality of LEDs.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A micro-projector comprises an LED layer, a light pipe coupled to the LED, a LCOS panel, a projection lens, a PBS, an aperture layer coupled to the output end of the light pipe which has a transmissive opening for transmitting a portion of the light output and a reflective surface for reflecting the remaining portion of the light output toward the input end of the light pipe. Thus, the remaining portion of the light output is recycled back to the LED to increase the brightness of the light output of the LED. The micro-projector also comprises a reflective polarizer disposed between the light pipe and the aperture layer for transmitting the light output of a predetermined polarization and reflecting other polarization of the light output, thereby recycling unused polarization of the light output back to the LED to increase the brightness of the light output of the LED.
177 Citations
68 Claims
-
1. A light multiplexer and recycler, comprising:
-
a LED layer comprising a plurality of LEDs, each emitting a light output; an optics layer having an input end and an output end, said input end of said optics layer being coupled to said plurality of LEDs for multiplexing light output from said plurality of LEDs; and an aperture layer coupled to said output end of said optics layer and having a transmissive opening for transmitting a portion of the multiplexed light output to provide a single light output and a reflective surface for reflecting remaining portion of the multiplexed light toward said input end of said optics layer, thereby recycling the remaining portion of the multiplexed light back to said plurality of LEDs to increase the brightness of the light output of said plurality of LEDs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A micro-projector, comprising:
-
a LED layer comprising a LED emitting a light output; a light pipe having an input end and an output end, said input end of said light pipe being coupled to LED; an aperture layer coupled to said output end of said light pipe and having a transmissive opening for transmitting a portion of the light output and a reflective surface for reflecting remaining portion of the light output toward said input end of said light pipe, thereby recycling the remaining portion of the light output back to said LED to increase the brightness of the light output of said LED; a reflective polarizer disposed between said light pipe and said aperture layer for transmitting said light output of a predetermined polarization and reflecting other polarization of said light output, thereby recycling unused polarization of said light output back to said LED to increase the brightness of said light output of said LED; a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) panel for receiving and reflecting said light output of a predetermined polarization, wherein size of said transmissive opening substantially matches size of said LCOS panel such that a face of said PBS coupling said LCOS panel is larger than said LCOS panel; and a projection lens for capturing said light output of said predetermined polarization from said LCOS panel to project an image. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A micro-projector, comprising:
-
a LED layer comprising a LED emitting a light output; a light pipe having an input end and an output end, said input end of said light pipe being coupled to LED; a polarization beam splitter (PBS) with all surfaces polished to provide total internal reflection such that said PBS acts as a waveguide, said PBS being coupled to said output end of said light pipe and having a transmissive opening, wherein a face of said PBS coupling said light pipe has a size substantially equal to said output end of said light pipe; a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) panel for receiving and reflecting said light output of a predetermined polarization, wherein size of said transmissive opening substantially matches size of said LCOS panel such that a face of said PBS coupling said LCOS panel is larger than said LCOS panel; and a projection lens coupled to a face of said PBS for capturing said light output of said predetermined polarization from said LCOS panel to project an image; and wherein all faces of said PBS has a reflective coating except said face coupled said projection lens and said transmissive opening to transmit a portion of said light output through said transmissive opening, and reflect and recycle remaining portion of said light output back to said LED to increase the brightness of the light output of said LED. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
-
-
42. A micro-projector, comprising:
-
a LED layer comprising a LED emitting a light output; a light pipe having an input end and an output end, said input end of said light pipe being coupled to LED; a total internal reflection (TIR) cube prism comprising first and second triangular prisms, all faces of said first and second triangular prisms are polished to form a waveguide; a digital mirror device (DMD) comprising a plurality of tiltable mirrors coupled to a face of said first triangular prism of said TIR cube prism to provide an imaging area, said face of said first triangular prism being larger than said imaging area and rays of said light output incident on said DMD; a reflecting structure covering said face of said triangular prism outside said imaging area to reflect and recycle rays of said light output incident on said reflecting structure remaining portion of said light output back to said LED to increase the brightness of the light output of said LED; and a projection lens coupled to a face of said second triangular prism for capturing said rays of light reflected from said DMD to project an image when said tiltable mirrors of said DMD is turned on. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
-
-
53. A light multiplexer and recycler, comprising:
-
a light generating layer for emitting rays of light when excited by a light source and having a reflective surface; a light pipe having an input end and an output end, said input end of said light pipe being coupled to said light generating layer for multiplexing said rays of light from said light generating layer to provide a light output; and an aperture layer coupled to said output end of said light pipe and having a transmissive opening for transmitting a portion of said light output and a reflective surface for reflecting remaining portion of said light output toward said light generating layer which reflects and recycles said remaining portion of light output back towards said transmissive opening. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
-
Specification