Active matrix reflective projection system

• US 5,022,750 A
• Filed: 08/11/1989
• Issued: 06/11/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RAF Electronics
• Original Assignee: RAF Electronics
• Inventors: Flasck, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dowling, William C.
• Application Number:
  US07/392,746
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 353/34, 353/33, 353/31, 353/30, 353/32, 353/82, 353/122, 353/37, 353/81, 353/84, 353/94, 350/96.15, 350/96.19, 350/96.18, 350/96.2, 350/286, 350/339 F, 350/333
• US Class Current: 349/10
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136277 formed on a semiconductor substrate, e.g. of silicon
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 33/06 by additive-colour projection apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/315 Modulator illumination systems general applications of lighting devices F21V; general optical systems G02B; lamp houses for projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/20

Abstract

An active matrix reflective projection system utilizing a conventional wafer includes a reflective image plane module. The reflective image plane module includes light directing and reflecting structures and a wafer based active matrix mated thereto. A source of light is directed to the reflective image plane module wherein the wafer based active matrix imparts information onto a light beam reflected therefrom. The reflective image plane module projects the reflected beam for viewing, such as through one or more lens. The active matrix reflective projection system can be a monochrome projector including a single reflective image plane module or can be a full color system including three reflective image plane modules. Each color reflective image plane module operates on a single color component, red, green or blue, which then are combined on a screen or before projecting on the screen to form the full color projection image. The wafer based active matrix includes a specular reflective back surface and an LC or similar type material formed thereon which is electronically altered to impart the information to the light beam reflected therefrom. The LC material preferably is a solid light modulating material having bodies of LC material suspended in the solid material. The reflective image plane module includes a prism or mirror which passes the light or light component through a first surface to the wafer based active matrix mated to a second surface and which projects the reflected light from the first surface to be viewed.

Claims

1. A projector system, comprising:

at least one source of light;

means for directing light from said light source to at least one reflective imaging means including a wafer based active matrix for forming a reflected light beam and for imparting information onto said reflected light beam;

said wafer being a non light transmissive single crystal wafer substrate with said active matrix formed on one surface of said wafer; and

at least one means for projecting said reflected light beam for viewing.

2. The projector system as defined in claim 1 wherein said reflective imaging means include a mirror with an aperture therein for directing said light through to said wafer based active matrix and said mirror forming at least a portion of said projecting means.

3. The projector system as defined in claim 2 wherein said projecting means further include projecting lens means.

4. The projector system as defined in claim 2 wherein said directing means include a lens system for columnating said light from said light source and focusing said light through said aperture.

5. The projector system as defined in claim 2 wherein said light source is mounted into said aperture for directing said light to said reflective imaging means.

6. The projector system as defined in claim 2 wherein said directing means include fiber optic light guide means coupling said light from said light source to said aperture.

7. The projector system as defined in claim 1 wherein said reflective imaging means include a prism with a light receiving projection forming said light directing means and said prism forming at least a portion of said projecting means.

8. The projector system as defined in claim 7 wherein said projecting means further include projecting lens means.

9. The projector system as defined in claim 7 wherein said directing means include a lens system for columnating said light from said light source and focusing said light through said projection.

10. The projector system as defined in claim 7 wherein said light source is mounted onto said projection.

11. The projector system as defined in claim 7 wherein said directing means include fiber optic light guide means coupling said light from said light source to said projection.

12. The projector system as defined in claim 7 wherein said projection has a light receiving surface shaped to direct said light.

13. The projector system as defined in claim 1 including one reflective imaging means for each of the blue, green and red light components and means for forming and directing said components to said respective reflective imaging means for encoding.

14. The projector system as defined in claim 13 wherein said light component forming means include two dichroic mirrors for forming and directing said three components.

15. The projector system as defined in claim 13 wherein said light component forming means include respective filters and respective fiber optic light guide means for forming and directing said three components.

16. The projector system as defined in claim 13 including means for combining each encoded component into a single beam prior to projecting for viewing.

17. The projector system as defined in claim 13 including separate projecting means for each encoded component.

18. The projector system as defined in claim 13 including a separate source of light for each of said reflective imaging means and filter means for forming each of said components from its respective light source.

19. The projector system as defined in claim 18 including means for combining each encoded component into a single beam prior to projecting for viewing.

20. The projector system as defined in claim 18 including separate projecting means for each encoded component.

21. The projector system as defined in claim 1 wherein said wafer based active matrix includes a color filter array for forming a reflected color light beam.

22. The projector system as defined in claim 1 including an LCD material formed on said active matrix, said LCD material formed from a solid light modulating material having bodies of LC material suspended therein.

23. A projector system, comprising:

a source of light;

means for forming separate blue, green and red light components from said source of light;

separate reflective imaging means for each said light component, each reflective imaging means including a wafer based active matrix for forming a reflected component light beam and for imparting information onto said reflected component light beam;

said wafer being a non light transmissive single crystal wafer substrate with said active matrix formed on one surface of said wafer;

means for directing each of said light components to its respective reflective imaging means; and

at least one means for projecting each of said reflected component light beams for viewing.

24. The projector system as defined in claim 23 wherein each said reflective imaging means include a mirror with an aperture therein for directing said light component through to said wafer based active matrix and said mirror forming at least a portion of said projecting means.

25. The projector system as defined in claim 24 wherein each said projecting means further include projecting lens means.

26. The projector system as defined in claim 24 wherein said directing means include a lens system for columnating each said light component from said light component forming means and focusing said light component through said aperture.

27. The projector system as defined in claim 24 wherein said light component forming means include respective filters, each said respective filter mounted into said aperture for focusing and directing each said light component to said reflective imaging means.

28. The projector system as defined in claim 24 wherein said directing means include fiber optic light guide means coupling each said light component from said respective light component forming means to said aperture.

29. The projector system as defined in claim 23 wherein each said reflective imaging means include a prism with a light receiving projection forming said light component directing means and said prism forming at least a portion of said projecting means.

30. The projector system as defined in claim 28 wherein each said projecting means further include projecting lens means.

31. The projector system as defined in claim 29 wherein said directing means include a lens system for columnating each said light component from said light forming means and focusing said light component through said projection.

32. The projector system as defined in claim 29 wherein said light component forming means include respective filters, each said respective filter mounted onto said projection.

33. The projector system as defined in claim 29 wherein said directing means include fiber optic light guide means coupling each said light component from said respective light component forming means to said projection.

34. The projector system as defined in claim 29 wherein each said projection has a light receiving surface shaped to direct said light component.

35. The projector system as defined in claim 23 wherein said light component forming means include two dichroic mirrors for forming and directing said three components.

36. The projector system as defined in claim 23 wherein said light component forming means include respective filters and respective fiber optic light guide means for forming and directing said three components.

37. The projector system as defined in claim 23 including means for combining each encoded component into a single beam prior to projecting for viewing.

38. The projector system as defined in claim 23 including separate projecting means for each encoded component.

39. The projector system as defined in claim 23 including an LCD material formed on said active matrix, said LCD material formed from a solid light modulating material having bodies of LC material suspended therein.

40. A projector system, comprising:

three sources of light and means for forming separate blue, green and red light components from said three sources of light;

separate reflective imaging means for each said light component, each reflective imaging means including a wafer based active matrix for forming a reflected component light beam and for forming a reflected component light beam and for imparting information onto said reflected component light beam;

said wafer being a non light transmissive single crystal wafer substrate with said active matrix formed on one surface of said wafer;

means for directing each of said light components to its respective reflective imaging means; and

at least one means for projecting each of said reflected component light beams for viewing.

41. The projector system as defined in claim 40 wherein each said reflective imaging means include a mirror with an aperture therein for directing said light component through to said wafer based active matrix and said mirror forming at least a portion of said projecting means.

42. The projector system as defined in claim 41 wherein each said projecting means further include projecting lens means.

43. The projector system as defined in claim 41 wherein said directing means include a lens system for columnating each said light component from each said light component forming means and focusing said light component through said aperture.

44. The projector system as defined in claim 41 wherein said light component forming means include respective filters and wherein each said light source is mounted with said respective filter into said aperture for directing each said light component to said reflective imaging means.

45. The projector system as defined in claim 41 wherein said directing means include fiber optic light guide means coupling each said light component from said respective light component forming means to said aperture.

46. The projector system as defined in claim 40 wherein each said reflective imaging means include a prism with a light receiving projection forming said light component directing means and said prism forming at least a portion of said projecting means.

47. The projector system as defined in claim 46 wherein each said projecting means further include projecting lens means.

48. The projector system as defined in claim 46 wherein said directing means include a lens system for columnating each said light component from said light forming means and focusing said light component through said projection.

49. The projector system as defined in claim 46 wherein said light component forming means include respective filters and wherein each said light source is mounted with said respective filter onto said projection.

50. The projector system as defined in claim 46 wherein said directing means include fiber optic light guide means coupling each said light component from said respective light component forming means to said projection.

51. The projector system as defined in claim 46 wherein each said projection has a light receiving surface shaped to direct said light component.

52. The projector system as defined in claim 40 wherein said light component forming means include respective filters and respective fiber optic light guide means for forming and directing said three components.

53. The projector system as defined in claim 40 including means for combining each encoded component into a single beam prior to projecting for viewing.

54. The projector system as defined in claim 40 including separate projecting means for each encoded component.

55. The projector system as defined in claim 40 including an LCD material formed on said active matrix, said LCD material formed from a solid light modulating material having bodies of LC material suspended therein.