PROJECTOR USING INDEPENDENT MULTIPLE WAVELENGTH LIGHT SOURCES

• US 20090153752A1
• Filed: 12/14/2007
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IMAX Theatres International Limited (IMAX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: IMAX Theatres International Limited (IMAX Corporation)
• Inventors: Silverstein, Barry D.
• Application Number:
  US11/956,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20090153752A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/750
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1026 for use with reflective spatial light modulators
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/143 using macroscopically faceted or segmented reflective surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/145 having sequential partially reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/25 using polarisation techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/54 with projector
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 19/22 Double cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 30/00 Camera modules comprising integrated lens units and imaging units, specially adapted for being embedded in other devices, e.g. mobile phones or vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/334 using spectral multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/363 using image projection screens volumetric display H04N13/388
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3152 for shaping the light beam beam shaping per se G02B27/09
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3161 using laser light sources using laser beams scanning the display screen H04N9/3129
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3164 using multiple light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3197 using light modulating optical valves

Abstract

A digital image projector for increasing brightness includes a first light source; a second light source that is spectrally adjacent to the first light source; a dichroic beamsplitter disposed to direct light of both the first and second light source; a spatial light modulator that receives light from both the first and second light sources; and projection optics for delivering imaging light from the spatial light modulator.

Claims

1. A digital image projector for increasing brightness comprising:

(a) a first light source;

(b) a second light source that is spectrally adjacent to the first light source;

(c) a dichroic beamsplitter disposed to direct light of both the first and second light source;

(d) a spatial light modulator that receives light from both the first and second light sources; and

(e) projection optics for delivering imaging light from the spatial light modulator.

2. The digital projector as in claim 1 further comprising at least three color channels each having the first and second spectrally adjacent light sources.

3. The digital image projector as in claim 1, wherein each light source comprises at least one laser.

4. The digital image projector as in claim 1, wherein each light source comprises at least one laser array.

5. The digital image projector as in claim 1, wherein each light source comprises optically combined laser arrays.

6. The digital image projector as in claim 1, wherein the light sources are polarized.

7. The digital image projector as in claim 6, wherein polarization is maintained from the light source to the spatial light modulator

8. The digital projector as in claim 1, wherein the spatial light modulator is a Micro-Electro-Mechanical-System device.

9. The digital image projector as in claim 1, wherein the spatial light modulator is a polarization device.

10. A stereoscopic digital image projector system comprising:

(a) two separately controlled, spectrally adjacent light sources;

(b) a dichroic beamsplitter that combines light from the light sources into a single spatial area;

(c) a controller system to alternately provide illumination from each spectrally adjacent light source in conjunction with the corresponding image from the spatial light modulator;

(d) a spatial light modulator that receives the alternating illumination light;

(e) projection optics for delivering imaging light from the spatial light modulator to a projection area; and

(f) filter glasses for a viewer to selectively transmit one adjacent spectral band state to each eye, while rejecting the second adjacent spectral band.

11. The digital projector as in claim 10 further comprising at least three color channels each having the first and second spectrally adjacent light sources.

12. The digital image projector as in claim 10, wherein each light source comprises at least one laser.

13. The digital image projector as in claim 10, wherein the light sources are polarized.

14. The digital image projector as in claim 13, wherein polarization is maintained from the light source to the spatial light modulator

15. A stereoscopic digital image projector system comprising:

(a) two spectrally adjacent light sources;

(b) an optical shutter that alternately delivers the two spectrally adjacent light sources to a spatial area;

(c) a spatial light modulator that the two spectrally adjacent light sources;

(d) a controller system to alternately provide illumination from each spectrally adjacent light source by controlling the optical shutter in conjunction with the corresponding image from the spatial light modulator;

(e) projection optics for delivering imaging light from the spatial light modulator to a projection surface;

(f) filter glasses for the viewer to selectively transmit one adjacent spectral band state to each eye, while rejecting the second adjacent spectral band.

16. The digital projector as in claim 15 further comprising at least three color channels each having the first and second spectrally adjacent light sources.

17. The digital image projector as in claim 15, wherein each light source comprises at least one laser

18. The digital image projector as in claim 15, wherein each light source comprises at least one laser array.

19. The digital image projector as in claim 15, wherein each light source comprises optically combined laser arrays.

20. The digital image projector as in claim 15, wherein the light sources are polarized.

21. The digital image projector as in claim 20, wherein polarization is maintained from the light source to the spatial light modulator

22. The digital projector as in claim 15, wherein the spatial light modulator is a Mems device.

23. The digital image projector as in claim 15, wherein the spatial light modulator is a polarization device.

24. The digital image projector as in claim 15, wherein the optical shutter is fabricated from either a mechanical shutter, mirror/window mechanism, or selective dichroic mirrors.

25. The digital image projector as in claim 15 further comprising a mechanism for alternating between a dichroic beamsplitter and the optical shutter assembly depending upon whether the content is non-stereoscopic or stereoscopic.