System for imaging of light-sensitive media

• US 6,049,317 A
• Filed: 03/01/1995
• Issued: 04/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Thompson, E. Earle, DeMond, Thomas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): BRIER, JEFFERY A
• Application Number:
  US08/397,514
• Time in Patent Office: 1,868 Days
• Field of Search: 345/85, 345/89, 345/147, 348/771
• US Class Current: 345/85
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/50 the image being built up from image elements distributed over a 3D volume, e.g. voxels
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/54 the 3D volume being generated by moving a 2D surface, e.g. by vibrating or rotating the 2D surface
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/18 involving the use of optical projection means, e.g. projection of images on clouds projection apparatus per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0809 Several active elements per pixel in active matrix panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0842 forming a memory circuit, e.g. a dynamic memory with one capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0847 being a dynamic memory without any storage capacitor, i.e. with use of parasitic capacitances as storage elements
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/346 based on modulation of the reflection angle, e.g. micromirrors micromirrors devices per se G02B26/0833
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/189 Recording image signals; Reproducing recorded image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/194 Transmission of image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/275 from 3D object models, e.g. computer-generated stereoscopic image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/286 having separate monoscopic and stereoscopic modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/324 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/363 using image projection screens volumetric display H04N13/388
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/365 using digital micromirror devices [DMD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/39 the picture elements emitting light at places where a pair of light beams intersect in a transparent material
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/393 the volume being generated by a moving, e.g. vibrating or rotating, surface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/395 with depth sampling, i.e. the volume being constructed from a stack or sequence of 2D image planes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/597 specially adapted for multi-view video sequence encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/7466 : Control circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7458 : the modulator being an array of deformable mirrors, e.g. digital micromirror device [DMD]
• 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

A digitized video system having a processor and a video memory. The processor converts a stream of digital information to extract the information in a format to be usable with a moving display surface. A spatial light modulator is connected to a video memory connected to the processor to display the information on a moving display surface.

Claims

1. A method for producing an image onto a moving light-sensitive medium comprising the steps of:

positioning a spatial light modulator having a plurality of individually controlled switchable elements between the medium and the light source; and

forming each individual pixel by activating said switchable elements such that each individual pixel is formed by a plurality of said switchable elements and the intensity of each said pixel is controlled by the amount of time said switchable elements are in an ON state.

2. Apparatus for exposing an image onto a moving light-sensitive medium comprising

a light source;

a plurality of switchable elements disposed between said light source and said light-sensitive medium, and arranged in sub-arrays comprising a predetermined number of switchable elements; and

activation circuitry connected to said switchable elements operable to controllably activate said each said switchable element individually according to received image data wherein pixels of said image are formed from a plurality of switchable elements, the intensity of said pixel being determined by the amount of time said elements are in an ON state.