3-D Color Synthesis Displays and Methods

• US 20090141488A1
• Filed: 04/03/2006
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation (Dolby Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Silverstein, Louis D., Penn, Cecil W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,038,316 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/231
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0452 Details of colour pixel setup, e.g. pixel composed of a red, a blue and two green components
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/003 to produce spatial visual effects
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2003 Display of colours specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/22 using controlled light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/36 using liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3126 for spatial light modulators in series
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3138 using arrays of modulated light sources electroluminescent display devices G09G3/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3182 Colour adjustment, e.g. white balance, shading or gamut white balance per se H04N9/73; control of amplitude of colour signals H04N9/68; colour control circuits for displays in general G09G5/02, G09G3/2003, G09G3/3607
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/351 comprising more than three subpixels, e.g. red-green-blue-white [RGBW]

Abstract

Color displays superpose a two color image component with a monochrome image component to yield full color images. Each image component may be generated by controlling an array of light sources. In some embodiments the monochrome image component is provided by a backlight and the two color component is provided by an array of sub-pixels of two types.

Claims

1. A color display comprising:

a first plane comprising an array of individually-addressable first light emitters, the first light emitters each capable of emitting light having a first spectral power distribution;

a second plane comprising an array of individually-addressable second light emitters and individually-addressable third light emitters, the second light emitters each capable of emitting light having a second spectral power distribution and the third light emitters each capable of emitting light having a third spectral power distribution, the second plane being substantially adjacent to and parallel to the first plane;

wherein the first, second and third spectral power distributions are different from one another and wherein either the second plane is substantially transparent to light emitted by the first plane or the first plane is substantially transparent to light emitted by the second plane.

2. A color display according to claim 1 wherein each of the first light emitters is aligned to illuminate a plurality of light emitters of the second plane.

3. A color display according to claim 2 wherein each of the first light emitters is aligned to illuminate one of the second light emitters and one of the third light emitters.

4. A color display according to claim 1, wherein the second light emitters each comprise a second light source capable of emitting light comprising a plurality of spectral components and a second filter, the second filter passing light from the first light emitter, passing at least a first one of the spectral components of the second light source and blocking at least a second one of the spectral components of the second light source.

5. A color display according to claim 4 wherein the third light emitters each comprise a third light source capable of emitting light comprising a plurality of spectral components and a third filter, the third filter passing light from the first light emitter and passing at least a first one of the spectral components of the third light source and blocking at least a second one of the spectral components of the third light source.

6. A color display according to claim 5 wherein the second filter has a transmission characteristic that substantially blocks the first one of the spectral components of the third light source.

7. A color display according to claim 6 wherein the third filter has a transmission characteristic that substantially blocks the first one of the spectral components of the second light source.

8. A color display according to claim 5 wherein the second light sources emit light having a spectral power distribution substantially the same as a spectral power distribution of the third light sources.

9. A color display according to claim 8 wherein the second and third light sources each emit yellow light.

10. A color display according to claim 9 wherein the second filter is a cyan filter and the third filter is a magenta filter.

12. A color display according to claim 8 wherein the second and third light sources each emit magenta light.

13. A color display according to claim 12 wherein the second filter is a cyan filter and the third filter is a yellow filter.

15. A color display according to claim 8 wherein the second and third light sources each emit cyan light.

16. A color display according to claim 15 wherein the second filter is a yellow filter and the third filter is a magenta filter.

18. A color display according to claim 5 wherein the second and third filters each comprise an individually-addressable light valve element.

20. A color display according to claim 5 comprising a plane comprising an array of individually-addressable light valves, each of the light valves aligned with one or more of the second and third light emitters of the second plane.

21. A color display according to claim 1 wherein the spectral power distribution of the first light emitters is biased toward shorter wavelengths as compared to spectral power distributions of the second or third light emitters.

22. A color display according to claim 1 wherein the spectral power distribution of the first light emitters is primarily made up of wavelengths between wavelengths of the spectral power distributions of the second or third light emitters.

23. A color display according to claim 1 wherein the spectral power distribution of the first light emitters is biased toward long wavelengths as compared to spectral power distributions of the second or third light emitters.

25. A color display according to claim 1 wherein the first, second and third light emitters each emit a different one of blue light, green light and red light.

30. A color display according to claim 1 wherein the first plane comprises a backlight comprising a plurality of discrete light emitters.

34. A color display according to claim 1 wherein the second and third light emitters are arranged in a mosaic made up of alternating stripes of the second and third light emitters extending across one dimension of the display.

35. A color display according to claim 1 wherein the second and third light emitters are arranged in a mosaic made up of a checkerboard pattern of second and third emitters.

36. A color display according to claim 1 wherein the display serves as both an illumination source and an image-forming source in a projection optical system.

11. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

26. to 29. (canceled)

31. to 33. (canceled)

37. (canceled)

38. A color display comprising:

a first light modulator comprising a matrix of individually-addressable first and second light emitters, the first and second light emitters respectively being capable of emitting light having first and second spectral power distributions to yield a first image component;

a second light modulator comprising an array of individually-addressable sub-pixels each capable of emitting light having a third spectral power distribution different from the first and second spectral power distributions to yield a second image component;

wherein the first light modulator is substantially transparent to the second image component and the first and second light modulators are arranged to permit the second image component to pass through all or part of the first light modulator to become superposed with the first image component to yield a color image.

39. A color display according to claim 38 wherein the sub-pixels of the second light modulator each emit blue light when actuated.

40. A method for displaying full color images, the method comprising:

controlling pixels of a first light modulator to generate a first image component comprising a pattern of light issuing from the first light modulator;

controlling sub-pixels of a second light modulator to generate a second image component comprising a pattern of light issuing from the second light modulator; and

,

allowing the light of the second image component to pass through the first light modulator to be superposed with the light of the first image component;

wherein one of the first and second image components comprises a monochrome image component and the other one of the first and second image components comprises at least two colors.

41. A method according to claim 40 wherein the second image component is the monochrome image component.

42. A method according to claim 40 wherein the light of the second image component is primarily blue light.

43. A method according to claim 42 wherein the first image component has a spatial resolution that is greater than a spatial resolution of the second image component.

44. A method according to claim 42 comprising refreshing the first image component at a first rate and refreshing the second image component at a second rate that is lower than the first rate.

45. A method according to claim 44 wherein the second rate does not exceed ½

of the first rate.