Two-source illumination system
First Claim
1. A two-source illumination system comprising:
- (a) a DMD (deformable micromirror device) having a planar array reflective deflection elements, and an axis normal to the plane of the array, the elements being deflectable to a first position in response to a first drive voltage, and being deflectable to a second position in response to a second drive voltage;
(b) voltage drive means for causing the elements to cycle periodically between the first and second positions;
(c) a first illumination source in a first off-axis position for illuminating the DMD when the elements are in the first position;
(d) a second illumination source in a second off-axis position for illuminating the DMD when the elements are in the second position; and
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(e) means for alternately illuminating the sources synchronously with the drive means so that the first source is on when the elements are in the first position and the second source is on when the elements are in the second position,whereby illumination reflected from the DMD is a combination of illumination from both sources.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A two-source illumination system includes a reflective array of elements deflectable to first and second positions in response to a drive voltage, and two sources pointed at the array from different angles, so that upon cycling the elements rapidly back and forth between the two positions, and alternately cycling the sources between on and off conditions synchronously with the cycling of the reflective array, light from both sources is (alternately) reflected back along an axis normal to the array. This arrangement allows driving the sources at a higher power level, resulting in a higher total light output from the system than would be possible with a single source driven constantly at a lower power level.
92 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A two-source illumination system comprising:
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(a) a DMD (deformable micromirror device) having a planar array reflective deflection elements, and an axis normal to the plane of the array, the elements being deflectable to a first position in response to a first drive voltage, and being deflectable to a second position in response to a second drive voltage; (b) voltage drive means for causing the elements to cycle periodically between the first and second positions; (c) a first illumination source in a first off-axis position for illuminating the DMD when the elements are in the first position; (d) a second illumination source in a second off-axis position for illuminating the DMD when the elements are in the second position; and
;(e) means for alternately illuminating the sources synchronously with the drive means so that the first source is on when the elements are in the first position and the second source is on when the elements are in the second position, whereby illumination reflected from the DMD is a combination of illumination from both sources. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12)
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10. A DMD comprising a two dimensional array (10) of reflective deflection elements (40), a pair of deflection electrodes (A, B) associated with each deflection element (40), and a matrix of row and column electrodes associated with the deflection electrodes (A, B), characterized in that one electrode (A) of each pair of deflection electrodes is directly connected to a row electrode, the other electrode (B) of each pair of deflection electrodes is directly connected to a column electrode, the row electrodes are interconnected, and the column electrodes are interconnected, so that upon application of a drive voltage to the row electrodes or to the column electrodes, all of the deflection elements of the array are deflected to a first or second deflection position, respectively;
- and the deflection elements are held at a bias potential or grounded.
Specification