DISPLAY SYSTEM HAVING COHERENT AND INCOHERENT LIGHT SOURCES

• US 20110075055A1
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bilbrey, Brett
• Granted Patent: US 8,502,926 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/744
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/74 Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor

Abstract

Embodiments are disclosed that allow light display systems, such as projectors, to be manufactured having lower power consumption, reduced speckling, and/or that are less expensive than conventional light projectors. In some embodiments, may include an incoherent light source and a coherent light source operating in concert with one another to produce a combined light beam that has similar wavelength contributions from the incoherent and coherent light sources.

Claims

1. A system for displaying images comprising:

an incoherent light source; and

a coherent light source operating in concert with the incoherent light source to produce a combined beam of light, wherein the combined light beam includes similar wavelength contributions from the incoherent and coherent light sources.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the coherent light source emanates a narrower band of wavelengths as compared to the incoherent light source.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein an intensity level of the coherent light source is less than an intensity level of the incoherent light source.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a laser.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the intensity level of the incoherent light source is used as a reference point for the coherent light source.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the intensity level of the coherent light source is used to fine tune an overall intensity of the combined beam of light.

7. The system of claim 3, further comprising a light sensor.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the intensity level of the incoherent light source is used to calibrate the intensity level of the coherent light source.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the incoherent light source is driven by a chrominance portion of a video signal.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein the coherent light source is driven by a luminance portion of a video signal.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the display system is integrated in a laptop computer.

12. A method of calibrating an image display system, the method comprising the acts of:

providing an image to one or more display circuits;

setting a first intensity level for an incoherent light source;

determining if an intensity of the projected image equals a desired intensity level; and

in the event that the intensity of the projected image does not equal the desired intensity, setting a second intensity level for a coherent light source.

13. The method of claim 12, the method further comprising the act of determining if a combination of the first and second intensity levels equal the desired intensity level.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein in the event that the combination of the first and second intensity levels equal the desired intensity level, the method further comprising the act of saving the first and second intensity levels in the one or more display circuits.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein in the event that the combination of the first and second intensity levels do not equal the desired intensity level, the method further comprising the act of adjusting the second intensity level for the coherent source.

16. The method of claim 15, in the event that the combination of the first and second intensity levels equal the desired intensity level, the method further comprising the act of saving the first and second intensity levels in the one or more display circuits.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the coherent light source is a laser.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the incoherent light source is a light emitting diode.

19. A method of projecting an image comprising:

separating an image into first and second components;

projecting the first component using an incoherent light source; and

projecting the second component using a coherent light source, wherein the incoherent and the coherent sources concurrently generate similar wavelengths to render the image.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the coherent light source emanates a narrower band of wavelengths as compared to the incoherent light source.