Active matrix reflective image plane module and projection system

• US 5,108,172 A
• Filed: 09/24/1990
• Issued: 04/28/1992
• 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:
  US07/587,347
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 353/31, 353/34, 353/37, 353/66, 353/98, 353/64, 353/82, 353/84, 353/55, 353/99, 353/30, 350/334
• US Class Current: 353/31
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136277 formed on a semiconductor substrate, e.g. of silicon
• 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 improved active matrix reflective projection system utilizing a conventional wafer includes a reflective image plane module forming two focal images. The image plane module includes light directing and reflecting structures and a wafer based active matrix. A source of light is directed to the image plane module active matrix from a first image plane. The active matrix imparts information onto a light beam reflected therefrom. The 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 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 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 image plane module includes a mirror or mirror portion which directs the light or light component to the wafer based active matrix which reflects an encoded light beam therefrom and which projects the reflected light to be viewed.

Claims

1. A projector system, comprising:

at least one source of light;

means for directing light from said light source and forming a first image at a first image plane;

means for reflecting said light from said first image plane to at least one reflective imaging means including a wafer based active matrix for forming a reflected light beam and means for directing said reflected light beam and forming a second image at a second image plane adjacent said first image plane;

at least one means for projecting said reflected light beam for viewing; and

said first image plane reflecting means include a mirror and said second image plane is formed adjacent said mirror, substantially perpendicular to said first image plane and said mirror includes an aperture therein and said light beam second image plane if formed in or adjacent said aperture and passes therethrough to said projecting means.

2. The projector system as defined in claim 1 wherein said light directing means include a condensing lens for focusing said light onto said reflecting means.

3. The projector system as defined in claim 2 wherein said light directing means include color filter means for forming a single color light beam.

4. The projector system as defined in claim 2 including means adjacent said light source for passing said light therethrough while absorbing heat from said light beam.

5. The projector system as defined in claim 2 further including a mirror for directing said light from said condensing lens onto said reflecting means.

6. The projector system as defined in claim 1 wherein said reflective imaging means include a convex lens system for directing said light to said wafer based active matrix and said reflected light beam directing means include said convex lens system.

7. The projector system as defined in claim 1 including columnating light beam means located beyond said second image plane to columnate said reflected light beam and directing said reflected light beam to said projecting means.

8. The projector system as defined in claim 1 wherein said projecting means further include projecting lens means.

9. The projector system as defined in claim 1 including on reflective imaging means for each of a blue, green and red light component and means for forming and directing said components to said respective reflective imaging means for encoding and means for combining said encoded components and directing said combined components to said projecting means.

10. The projector system as defined in claim 8 wherein said means for combining include dichroic mirror means for at least two of said blue, green and red light components.

11. 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.

12. 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;

means for directing each of said light components to a first respective image plane and forming a first image at said image plane and means for reflecting said light component to its respective reflective imaging means;

means for directing each reflected light component and forming a second image at a second image plane adjacent said first image plane; and

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

13. The projector system as defined in claim 12 wherein said first image plane reflecting means include a mirror and said second image plane is formed adjacent said mirror, substantially perpendicular to said, first image plane.

14. The projector system as defined in claim 13 wherein said mirror includes an aperture therein and said light beam second image plane is formed in or adjacent said aperture and passes therethrough to said projecting means.

15. The projector system as defined in claim 12 wherein said light directing means include a condensing lens for focusing said light onto said reflecting means.

16. The projector system as defined in claim 15 wherein said light directing means include color filter means for forming a single color light beam.

17. The projector system as defined in claim 15 including means adjacent said light source for passing said light therethrough while absorbing heat from said light beam.

18. The projector system as defined in claim 15 further including a mirror for directing said light from said condensing lens onto said reflecting means.

19. The projector system as defined in claim 12 wherein said reflective imaging means include a convex lens system for directing said light to said wafer based active matrix and said reflected light beam directing means include said convex lens system.

20. The projector system as defined in claim 12 including columnating light beam means located beyond said second image plane to columnate said reflected light beam and directing said reflected light beam to said projecting means.

21. The projector system as defined in claim 12 wherein said projecting means further include projecting lens means.

22. The projector system as defined in claim 14 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. The projector system as defined in claim 14 including means for combining each encoded component into a single beam prior to projecting for viewing.

24. A reflective image plane module, comprising:

means for directing light directed thereto and forming a first image at a first image plane;

means for reflecting said light from said first image plane 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 reflecting light beam and means for directing said reflected light beam and forming a second image at a second image plane adjacent said first image plane; and

said reflective imaging means include a convex lens system for directing said light to said wafer based active matrix and said reflected light beam directing means include said convex lens system.

25. The module as defined in claim 24 wherein said first image plane reflecting means include a mirror and said second image plane is formed adjacent said mirror, substantially perpendicular to said first image plane.

26. The module as defined in claim 25 wherein said mirror includes an aperture therein and said light beam second image plane is formed in or adjacent said aperture and passes therethrough.

27. The module as defined in claim 24 wherein said light directing means include a condensing lens for focusing said light onto said reflecting means.

28. The module as defined in claim 27 wherein said light directing means include color filter means for forming a single color light beam.

29. The module as defined in claim 27 including means adjacent said light source for passing said light therethrough while absorbing heat from said light beam.

30. The module as defined in claim 27 further including a mirror for directing said light from said condensing lens onto said reflecting means.

31. The module as defined in claim 24 including columnating light beam means located beyond said second image plane to columnate said reflected light beam and directing said reflected light beam to said projecting means.

32. The module as defined in claim 24 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.

33. The module as defined in claim 24 including at least one means for projecting said reflected light beam for viewing.

34. The module as defined in claim 33 wherein said projecting means further include projecting lens means.