Color image generation systems and applications

• US 5,802,222 A
• Filed: 10/03/1996
• Issued: 09/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: JENOPTIK LDT GmbH (Rheinmetall AG)
• Original Assignee: LDT GmbH Laser-Display-Technologie KG
• Inventors: Rasch, Andreas, Ruske, Jens-Peter, Rottschalk, Matthias, Groeber, Volker
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, John
• Application Number:
  US08/718,357
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 385/14, 385/45, 385/2, 385/3, 385/4, 385/5, 385/6, 385/7, 385/8, 385/9, 385/10, 385/907
• US Class Current: 385/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12164 Multiplexing; Demultiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/08 for controlling the direction of light in light guides G02B6/35
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0808 by means of one or more diffracting elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0816 by means of one or more reflecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0883 the refracting element being a prism
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/10 Scanning systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/25 using polarisation techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/12007 forming wavelength selective elements, e.g. multiplexer, demultiplexer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/125 Bends, branchings or intersections
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/42 Coupling light guides with opto-electronic elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4246 Bidirectionally operating package structures
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/23 for the control of the colour G02F1/03 - G02F1/21 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/3532 Arrangements of plural nonlinear devices for generating multi-colour light beams, e.g. arrangements of SHG, SFG, OPO devices for generating RGB light beams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3129 scanning a light beam on the display screen scanning a light beam on a screen in displays other than projection devices G09G3/02; scanning systems in general G02B26/10; projectors using laser light sources in general H04N9/3161

Abstract

Color image generation systems are disclosed for the reproduction of real or virtual, two-dimenional or three-dimensional, color, or monochrome images and their applications, in particular for television or video applications, and printing applications. Integrated-optical structures are used on a mount, in particular a substrate. An image is generated by deflecting color light beams generated into a viewing space, which deflection is effected in synchronism with color setting and intensity- or amplitude modulation of the light. All electronic and optical assemblies for color image generation may be integrated on a mount either monolithically or in hybrid fashion. The color generation system may be implemented as an encased module.

Claims

1. A color image generation comprising:

at least one light source for emitting light of at least one wavelength or one wavelength range;

at least one optical waveguide responsive to said light emitted by said light source;

at least one controllable modulation device;

means for beam shaping and beam deflection;

one control unit being coupled to said at least one controllable modulation device for controlling at least one of intensity- or amplitude modulation and color modulation of said light as well as to said means for beam shaping and beam deflection;

said means for beam shaping and beam deflection by which said at least one of intensity- or amplitude modulated and color modulated light is adapted to being deflected in at least one spatial direction using said control unit in synchronism with modulation control, and an image field are adapted to being written to in digital fashion or in an analog fashion;

wherein, between said at least one light source and said means for beam shaping and beam deflection, a mount is arranged on which at least one optical waveguide is mounted such that a minimum of one optical waveguide capable of transmitting efficiently the wavelengths or wavelength ranges according to a predetermined application injects intensity- or amplitude modulated and/or color modulated light into said means for beam shaping and beam deflection.

2. The color image generation according to claim 1, where, to generate a full color image, a minimum of two independently controllable modulation devices for intensity- or amplitude modulation and color modulation of the writing light beam are located in at least one of the following:

in a minimum of one light source;

between the minimum of one light source and the mount with the minimum of one optical waveguide;

on the mount with the minimum of one optical waveguide; and

between the mount with the minimum of one optical waveguide and the unit for beam shaping and beam deflection;

and where, from at least one modulation type selected from a group consisting of the following modulation types;

intensity- or amplitude modulation, phase modulation, polarization modulation in connection with a polarizer or a polarizing optical waveguide, and

color modulation;

at least two of the modulation types being used at least once or at least one of the modulation types being used at least twice, for providing a variant selected from the group of the following variants;

intensity- or amplitude modulation in the minimum of two light sources,

intensity- or amplitude modulation of at least one light source and color modulation in the minimum of one optical waveguide, color modulation of the light source, and intensity- or amplitude modulation in the minimum of one optical waveguide, intensity- or amplitude modulation in at least two optical waveguides, intensity- or amplitude modulation in at least one light source and in at least one optical waveguide connected to another light source, and

color modulation of the light source, and intensity- or amplitude modulation in the optical waveguide are possible, and wherein control of the devices for intensity- or amplitude modulation and/or color modulation is effected by any signal, in particular a television signal, a video signal, an audio signal, a computer-generated signal, or the signal of a measurement device.

3. The color image generation system according to claim 1, comprising:

at least two light sources by which the light components of different wavelengths or different wavelength ranges are adapted to be injected and efficiently transmitted into one optical waveguide belonging to one light source;

a minimum of two optical waveguides, where a passive coupling point or a controllable coupling point is located at the outputs of the optical waveguides;

said passive coupling point or said controllable coupling point being from which at least one optical waveguide is continued;

the continuing optical waveguide being from whose output intensity- or amplitude modulated, and color modulated, spatially combined light may be fed out;

with a minimum of three optical waveguides and said passive coupling point or said controllable coupling point providing a unit for the spatial combination of beams;

and the light component of each wavelength or each wavelength range, as controlled by the control unit, being capable of being modulated independently from each other in a predetermined fashion; and

wherein said means for beam shaping and beam deflection follows the continuing optical waveguide.

4. The color generation system according to claim 1, comprising:

one light source whose light of several discrete wavelength or several discrete wavelength ranges, or a wavelength range adapted to being injected into an optical waveguide capable of efficiently transmitting the wavelengths or wavelength ranges according to an application, and adapted to being effectively transmitted in said optical waveguide; and

said optical waveguide wherein the light may be intensity- or amplitude modulated, and/or color modulated, in an appropriate fashion as controlled by the control unit, and at the output of which waveguide intensity- or amplitude modulated and color modulated, light components may be fed out.

5. The color image generation system according to claim 1, where the minimum of one optical waveguide is a wideband waveguide, in particular a white light waveguide, and where said wideband waveguide is one selected from a group consisting of:

an integrated-optical wideband channel waveguide, in particular a white light channel waveguide;

a wideband optical fiber; and

a wideband quasi-waveguide.

6. The color image generation system according to claim 1, wherein said mount includes a bracket for a minimum of one wideband optical fiber.

7. The color image generation system according to claim 1, wherein said mount includes a bracket for a substrate where a minimum of one integrated-optical wideband channel waveguide is generated.

8. The color image generation system according to claim 1, wherein said mount includes a bracket for a substrate where a minimum of one quasi-waveguide, is generated.

9. The color image generation system according to claim 3, including a unit for the spatial combination of beams which comprises a combination of at least one of optical fibers of the same or different types and channel waveguides and quasi-waveguides.

10. The color image generation system according to claim 3, including:

three light sources, each emitting light of differing wavelengths or wavelength ranges to a unit for the spatial combination of beams;

wherein the light is adapted to being injected into one input each of three waveguides;

wherein the waveguides are combined at their outputs in at least one passive coupling point, or one controllable coupling point, with a further waveguide such that spatially combined light is adapted to being fed out at the output of the further waveguide, and further is passed to means for beam shaping and beam deflection and thus may be projected into space;

wherein the light components of each wavelength, or each wavelength range capable of being modulated independently of each other; and

wherein the beam shaping and beam deflection of the spatially combined light is achieved in at least one dimension of space synchronously with the control of the modulation for the corresponding light components of the three light sources.

11. The color image generation system according to claim 10, wherein the three light components, which individually are adapted to being injected into one waveguide, correspond to a color system with basic colors red, green and blue.

12. The color image generation system according to claim 1, wherein light components of the minimum of two wavelengths or wavelength ranges may each be injected as light pulses sequentially into one waveguide and can be spatially superimposed in the passive coupling point or in the controllable coupling point, and wherein the spatially combined light components can be controlled in the common waveguide by a modulation device in a pulsed cycle.

13. The color image generation system according to claim 4, wherein a device for intensity- or amplitude modulation and/or color modulation is arranged in the course of waveguide, and where the device for color modulation is a controllable filter, and the modulation device is coupled to said control unit, and the modulation of the intensity or amplitude of the light is achieved by a controllable light source.

14. The color image generation system according to claim 4, wherein a device for intensity- or amplitude modulation and/or color modulation is arranged in the course of waveguide, and where the device for color modulation is a controllable filter, and the modulation device is coupled to said control unit, and the modulation of the intensity or amplitude of the light is achieved by an intensity- or amplitude modulator arranged in the waveguide before or after the filter.

15. The color image generation system according to claim 4, wherein the color values of a mixed color are capable of being generated by spatial superimposition of individual image spots in time-multiplexed operation.

16. The color image generation system according to claim 4, wherein a color value of each image spot is directly set through the filter.

17. The color image generation system according to claim 4, wherein a waveguide is split at least once at a minimum of one passive coupling point, and light components of the same wavelength or of the same wavelength ranges is guided in each waveguide;

a filter and an intensity- or amplitude modulator are arranged as needed in each waveguide;

the light components guided in the waveguides are spatially combined in at least a further passive coupling point in a common waveguide;

and the intensity- or amplitude modulated, and color modulated, spatially combined light may be fed out at the output of the common waveguide.

18. The color image generation system according to claim 1, wherein either light of a wavelength may be injected into the waveguide, split into one or several passive coupling points and the light components guided in each waveguide, or

light of at least two wavelengths may be injected into at least two waveguides, where

in at least one of the waveguides a frequency converter is located by which higher harmonics of the basic frequency, sum or difference frequencies of the light may be generated, based on non-linear optical effects, and an intensity- or amplitude modulator is arranged as needed, and

the light components guided in waveguides are spatially combined in at least a further passive coupling point in a common waveguide, and wherein the system is adapted to feed out the intensity- or amplitude modulated, and color modulated, spatially combined light at the output of the common waveguide.

19. The color image generation system according to claim 5, wherein the waveguides, such as the wideband and white light waveguides, are single-mode.

20. The color image generation system according to claim 5, wherein the waveguides, such as the wideband and white light waveguides, are single-mode integrated-optical wideband channel waveguide.

21. The color image generation system according to claim 1, wherein, for the purposes of generating a real image, said means for beam shaping and beam deflection is capable of projecting intensity- or amplitude modulated, or color modulated, light as an image line or an image onto a photo-sensitive surface.

22. The color image generation system according to claim 1, wherein the construction of the individual assemblies, including

said control unit;

said at least one light source;

said minimum of one waveguide, said minimum of one modulation device for the light; and

said means for beam shaping and beam deflection is achieved by a technique selected from the group consisting of;

a) discrete construction;

b) several or all of these assemblies being implemented monolithically on a substrate material;

c) in a hybrid fashion, on the basis of several substrate materials; and

d) integrated as a module, the assemblies being enclosed in a casing with a light exit aperture, and with the control unit being contained in the module with electrical connections for the power supply, for the control signal, and for operating signals with respect to the color image parameters.

23. The color image generation system according to claim 1, in which one of a micro-lens, or an injection grating, or a conventional optical system, or a prism injection system, or an optical fiber, acting as an injection device are arranged between the minimum of one light source and the minimum of one waveguide.

24. The color image generation system according to claim 1, wherein, for the purposes of increasing the light transmission performance, several waveguides and the associated inputs and outputs as well as any intensity- or amplitude modulators and/or color modulators are connected in parallel.

25. The color image generation system according to claim 1, wherein, for the purposes of increasing the extinction ratio of the intensity- or amplitude modulation, and/or color modulation, the intensity- or amplitude modulators and/or color modulators are connected in series.