Display illumination system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A virtual image display system comprising:
- a non-emissive, reflective microdisplay which forms a source object;
an optical system which forms a magnified, virtual image of the source object from light reflected off the microdisplay;
a light source system which produces light to illuminate the microdisplay; and
an illumination system which forms at least two virtual light sources to illuminate the microdisplay.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A virtual image display system is provided which comprises a non-emissive, reflective microdisplay which forms a source object; an optical system which forms a magnified, virtual image of the source object from light reflected off the microdisplay; a light source system which produces light to illuminate the display system; and an illumination system which forms at least two virtual light sources to illuminate the display system.
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Citations
57 Claims
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1. A virtual image display system comprising:
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a non-emissive, reflective microdisplay which forms a source object;
an optical system which forms a magnified, virtual image of the source object from light reflected off the microdisplay;
a light source system which produces light to illuminate the microdisplay; and
an illumination system which forms at least two virtual light sources to illuminate the microdisplay. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A virtual image display system comprising:
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a non-emissive, reflective microdisplay which forms a source object;
an optical system which forms a magnified, virtual image of the source object from light reflected off the microdisplay;
a light source system which produces light to illuminate the display system; and
an illumination system which directs light from the light source system through the illumination system to the microdisplay such that the angles of incidence of light which illuminates the microdisplay varies across the microdisplay over an angular range that is greater than would be provided by the light source system if the light source svstem were to directly illuminate the microdisplay.
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15. A virtual image display system comprising:
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a non-emissive, reflective microdisplay which forms a source object;
an optical system which forms a magnified, virtual image of the source object from light reflected off the microdisplay;
a light source system which produces light to illuminate the microdisplay; and
an illumination system which directs light from the light source system through the illumination system to the microdisplay such that the angles of incidence of light which illuminates the microdisplay varies across the microdisplay over an angular range of at least 40 degrees. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A virtual image display system comprising:
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a non-emissive, reflective microdisplay which forms a source object;
an optical system which forms a magnified, virtual image of the source object from light reflected off the microdisplay;
a light source system which produces light to illuminate the microdisplay; and
an illumination system which directs light from the light source system through the illumination system to the microdisplay such that a first portion of the light incident on the microdisplay is approximately perpendicular to the microdisplay, a second portion of the light incident on the microdisplay is positively angularly displaced relative to the perpendicular to the microdisplay, and a third portion of the light incident on the microdisplay is negatively angularly displaced relative to the perpendicular to the microdisplay.
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20. A virtual image display system comprising:
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a non-emissive, reflective microdisplay which forms a source object;
an optical system which forms a magnified, virtual image of the source object from light reflected off the microdisplay;
a light source system which generates light to illuminate the microdisplay; and
an illumination system which includes an illumination body which transmits light from the light source system to the display system to illuminate the display system where a first portion of the light is internally reflected off one surface of the illumination body prior to illuminating the display system and a second portion of the light is internally reflected off two surfaces of the illumination body prior to illuminating the display system. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A virtual image display system comprising:
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a non-emissive, reflective microdisplay which forms a source object;
an optical system which forms a magnified, virtual image of the source object from light reflected off the microdisplay;
a light source system which generates light to illuminate the microdisplay; and
an illumination system which includes an illumination body which transmits light from the light source system to the microdisplay to illuminate the microdisplay, the light source system being positioned adjacent a first surface of the illumination body, the microdisplay being positioned adjacent a second surface of the illumination body, and the optical system being positioned adjacent a third surface of the illumination body, where a portion of the light from the light source traverses the illumination body by being internally reflected off the third surface of the illumination body. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An optical method comprising:
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directing a source object within a first optical element to a surface of the first optical element where the source object is internally reflected;
directing the source object to a beamsplitter which reflects the source object;
directing the source object to a second optical element which magnifies and reflects the source object to form a magnified virtual image of the source object; and
directing the magnififed virtual image throught the beamsplitter. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A compact virtual image display system comprising:
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a microdisplay for forming a source object;
an optic formed of an optically transparent material and including a surface positioned such that at least a portion of light forming the source object is totally internally reflected by the surface;
a reflective first magnification optic positioned such that the light totally internally reflected source object within the optic magnified and reflected as a magnified virtual image;
a light source; and
an illumination system which directs light from the light source to the microdisplay, the illumination system comprising a prism where at least a portion of light from the light source is internally reflected within the prism prior to exiting the prism and illuminating the microdisplay. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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38. A compact virtual image display system comprising:
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a microdisplay for forming a source object;
an optic formed of an optically transparent material and including a surface positioned such that at least a portion of light forming the source object is totally internally reflected by the surface; and
a reflective first magnification optic positioned such that the totally internally reflected source object within the optic is magnified and reflected as a magnified virtual image. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. An optical method comprising:
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directing a source object within a first optical element to a surface of the first optical element wherein the source object is internally reflected;
directing the source object within the first optical element to a surface of the first optical element which magnifies and reflects the source object to form a magnified virtual image of the source object; and
directing the magnified virtual image through the beamsplitter out of the first optical element. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A compact virtual image display system comprising:
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a microdisplay for forming a source object; and
a reflective first magnification optic including a first surface positioned such that at least a portion of light forming the source object thravels within the optic and is totally internally reflected by the first surface, and a second surface having a magnification and a reflection function which magnifies and reflects the totally internally reflected source object as a magnified virtual image. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A compact virtual image display system comprising:
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a microdisplay for forming a source object;
a reflective first magnification optic including a first surface positioned such that at least a portion of light forming the source object ravels within the optic and is totally internally reflected by the first surface, and a second surface having a magnification and a reflection funtion which magnifies and reflects the totally internally reflected source object as a magnified virtual image;
a light source; and
an illumination system which directs light from the light source to the microdisplay, the illumination system comprising a prism where at least a portion of light from the light source is internally reflected within the prism prior to exiting the prism and illuminating the microdisplay. - View Dependent Claims (57)
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Specification