Low profile liquid crystal projector and method of using same
First Claim
1. A projector, comprising:
- low profile elongated housing means having a hollow interior;
high intensity light means mounted within a rear portion of said low profile housing means for illuminating a light path;
liquid crystal display means disposed within said hollow interior disposed forwardly of said light means along said path for forming a liquid crystal image;
optic means disposed within said hollow interior for defining the light path extending angularly through said liquid crystal display means offset by an angle λ
relative to the normal axis plane of said liquid crystal display means for helping to reduce image keystoning;
top output mirror means disposed above said low profile housing means for projecting reflectively said liquid crystal image onto a remote viewing surface without introducing any substantial image keystoning;
means for mounting said top output mirror means inclined angularly opposite of said liquid crystal display means for reflecting said liquid upwardly at angle θ
relative to the normal axis plane of said remote viewing surface; and
said angle λ and
said angle θ
being substantially equal, whereby the liquid crystal image formed by said liquid crystal display means is illuminated by the high intensity light means, reflected along a portion of said irregularly shaped light path and projected reflectively onto said remote viewing surface without any substantial image keystoning.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An liquid crystal unit, and a novel method of us to project a liquid crystal image with substantially no keystoning effects. A low profile projector optics arrangement directs high intensity light within the housing along an irregularly shaped light path extending angularly through an angularly inclined liquid crystal display panel offset by an angle λ relative to the normal axis plane of the display panel to help reduce image keystoning. An output mirror mounted above the housing is inclined angularly opposite to the liquid crystal display panel and cooperates with a lens set for projecting reflectively a liquid crystal image, formed by the display panel, onto a remote surface. The output mirror is mounted to reflect the liquid crystal image upwardly at an angle θ to the normal axis plane of the remote viewing surface, where the angle λ and the angle θ are substantially equal to help reduce image keystoning. The inventive method of using the liquid crystal projector includes, passing light along an irregularly shaped light path extending angularly through the liquid crystal panel offset by an angle λ relative to the normal axis plane of the display panel and projecting reflectively upwardly at an angle θ relative to the normal axis plane of the remote viewing surface, where the angle λ and the angle θ are substantially equal.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A projector, comprising:
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low profile elongated housing means having a hollow interior; high intensity light means mounted within a rear portion of said low profile housing means for illuminating a light path; liquid crystal display means disposed within said hollow interior disposed forwardly of said light means along said path for forming a liquid crystal image; optic means disposed within said hollow interior for defining the light path extending angularly through said liquid crystal display means offset by an angle λ
relative to the normal axis plane of said liquid crystal display means for helping to reduce image keystoning;top output mirror means disposed above said low profile housing means for projecting reflectively said liquid crystal image onto a remote viewing surface without introducing any substantial image keystoning; means for mounting said top output mirror means inclined angularly opposite of said liquid crystal display means for reflecting said liquid upwardly at angle θ
relative to the normal axis plane of said remote viewing surface; andsaid angle λ and
said angle θ
being substantially equal, whereby the liquid crystal image formed by said liquid crystal display means is illuminated by the high intensity light means, reflected along a portion of said irregularly shaped light path and projected reflectively onto said remote viewing surface without any substantial image keystoning. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of projecting a liquid crystal image onto a remote viewing surface, comprising:
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energizing liquid crystal display means to form a liquid crystal image, said liquid crystal display means being inclined angularly rearwardly within a low profile housing; generating high intensity light; directing the high intensity light along an irregularly shaped light path, said irregularly shaped light path extending angularly through said liquid crystal display means offset by an angle λ
relative to the normal axis plane of said liquid crystal display means for helping to reduce image keystoning;illuminating said liquid crystal image; and projecting reflectively the illuminated liquid crystal image onto a remote viewing surface; said liquid crystal image being projected reflectively upwardly at an angle θ
relative to the normal axis plane of said remote viewing surface; andsaid angle λ and
said angle θ
being substantially equal, whereby the liquid crystal image formed by said liquid crystal display means is illuminated by the high intensity light means, reflected along a portion of said irregularly shaped light path and projected reflectively onto said remote viewing surface without any substantial image keystoning. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A projector, comprising:
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low profile housing means having an upper wall member, a lower wall member, a front wall member, a rear wall member, and a pair of side wall members for defining a hollow interior; top output mirror means disposed above said image housing for projecting reflectively a liquid crystal onto a remote viewing surface without introducing any substantial keystoning; window means disposed within said upper wall member for defining an image passageway to enable said liquid crystal image to be reflected by said top output mirror means; high intensity lamp means mounted within said hollow interior for producing high intensity light; optic means disposed within said hollow interior for causing the high intensity light to be directed along an optical path within the hollow interior of said low profile housing and for enabling said liquid crystal image to be projected through said transparent window means into said top output mirror means; liquid crystal display means disposed within said hollow interior for producing said liquid crystal image; means for mounting said liquid crystal display means inclined angularly rearwardly between said upper wall member and said lower wall member and within said optical path; whereby the liquid crystal image produced by said liquid crystal display means is illuminated by the high intensity light, transmitted along a portion of said optical path via said optics means, and projected reflectively onto said remote viewing surface by said top output mirror means.
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35. A projector, comprising:
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low profile elongated housing means having an output window and a hollow interior with a given height; liquid crystal display means angularly disposed within a light path in said hollow interior for forming a liquid crystal image, said liquid crystal display means having another given height substantially greater than the first-mentioned given height; optic means disposed within said hollow interior for directing and reflecting light along said light path through said liquid crystal display means and said output window; and mirror means mounted on the exterior of said housing means adjacent to said output window for reflecting said liquid crystal image towards a remote viewing surface. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification