Two panel projection systems

• US 6,650,377 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2001
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RealD Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ColorLink, Incorporated (RealD Incorporated)
• Inventors: Robinson, Michael G., Sharp, Gary D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Robert H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHECHTER, ANDREW M
• Application Number:
  US09/779,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20020027619A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 349/5, 349/8, 349/9, 353/30, 353/34
• US Class Current: 349/9
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3111 for displaying the colours sequentially, e.g. by using sequentially activated light sources sequential projection in colour photography G03B33/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3126 for spatial light modulators in series

Abstract

An apparatus that includes a first panel that receives image information for a first color, a second panel that receives image information for a second color and a third color, a temporal modulator and polarizing unit that receives light that includes a first color light, a second color light, and a third color light, and passes either said first color light and said second color light or said first color light and said third color light, and a single beamsplitting and combining device for directing said first color light to said first panel and said second or third color light to said second panel.

Claims

1. A two-panel color modulation device comprising:

a beam splitting element;

an input polarization rotation element that rotates a first light spectrum'"'"'s polarization differently than a second light spectrum'"'"'s polarization;

a chromatic polarizer optically coupled to the beamsplitting element,

wherein the input polarization rotation element and the chromatic polarizer separate the polarization of the first light spectrum from the polarization of the second light spectrum such that the beam splitting element is operable to direct one of the first and second light spectrums in a first direction and is operable to direct the other of the first and second light spectrums in a second direction;

a first panel which is operable to receive the one of the first and second light spectrums directed in the first direction from the beam splitting element; and

a second panel which is operable to receive the other of the first and second light spectrums directed in the second direction from the beam splitting element,

wherein one of the first and second panels sequentially modulates one of the first and second spectrums.

2. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the chromatic polarizer is optically coupled to the input polarization rotation element and the beamsplitting element; and

wherein the chromatic polarizer is in contact with light of the first and second spectrum prior to input into the beamsplitting element.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the chromatic polarizer polarizes the second spectrum.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an output polarization rotation element that rotates a polarization of the first light spectrum differently than a polarization of the second light spectrum, and a dynamic filter that receives and modulates images from the output polarization rotation element.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second panels is a liquid crystal on silicon panel.

6. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the beam splitting element is a polarizing beam splitter;

wherein the first light spectrum is input into the polarizing beam splitter with a first polarization; and

wherein the second light spectrum is input into the polarizing beam splitter with a second polarization substantially orthogonal to the first polarization.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first spectrum having the first polarization and the second polarization are produced from a single polarized input beam.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first spectrum having the first polarization and the second spectrum having the second polarization are produced from the single polarized input beam by an input stack filter.

12. An apparatus according to claims 1, 9, or 11, further comprising a rotating color filter wheel.

13. An apparatus according to claims 1, 9, or 11, wherein the input polarization rotation element includes a polarization stack filter.

15. An apparatus according to claims 1, 9, 11, or 14, wherein

pixels of the second panel receive light of a first color in the first spectrum in a time sequential manner;

and

pixels of the second panel receive light of a second color in the second spectrum in a time sequential manner.

23. An apparatus according to claims 1, 9, 16, or 18, and further comprising a polarization stack filter that comprises a stack of birefringent layers and at least one active liquid crystal cell.

24. An apparatus according to claims 1, 9, 14, 16, or 18, wherein at least one of the first and second panels is a liquid crystal on silicon panel.

9. A two-panel color modulation device for modulating light comprising:

a beam splitting element;

an input polarization rotation element that rotates a first light spectrum'"'"'s polarization differently than a second light spectrum'"'"'s polarization, wherein the input polarization rotation element separates the polarization of the first light spectrum from the polarization of the second light spectrum such that the beam splitting element is operable to direct one of the first and second light spectrums in a first direction and is operable to direct the other of the first and second light spectrums in a second direction;

a first panel which is operable to receive the one of the first and second light spectrums directed in the first direction from the beam splitting element;

a second panel which is operable to receive the other of the first and second light spectrums directed in the second direction from the beam splitting element,

wherein one of the first and second panels sequentially modulates one of the first and second spectrums; and

an output stack filter that rotates light polarization such that light of the first and second spectrums have substantially the same polarization when combined into an image.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a neutral polarizer in contact with light of the first and second spectrums after output from the output stack filter.

11. A two-panel color modulation device for modulating light comprising:

a beam splitting element;

an input polarization rotation element that rotates a first light spectrum'"'"'s polarization differently than a second light spectrum'"'"'s polarization, wherein the input polarization rotation element separates the polarization of the first light spectrum from the polarization of the second light spectrum such that the beam splitting element is operable to direct one of the first and second light spectrums in a first direction and is operable to direct the other of the first and second light spectrums in a second direction;

a first panel which is operable to receive the one of the first and second light spectrums directed in the first direction from the beam splitting element;

a second panel which is operable to receive the other of the first and second light spectrums directed in the second direction from the beam splitting element,

wherein one of the first and second panels sequentially modulates one of the first and second spectrums; and

an output stack filter and a neutral polarizer, or

an output chromatic polarizer.

14. A two-panel color modulation device comprising:

a beam splitting element;

a polarization stack filter that comprises a stack of birefringent layers and at least one active liquid crystal cell;

an input polarization rotation element that rotates a first light spectrum'"'"'s polarization differently than a second light spectrum'"'"'s polarization, wherein the input polarization rotation element separates the polarization of the first light spectrum from the polarization of the second light spectrum such that the beam splitting element is operable to direct one of the first and second light spectrums in a first direction and is operable to direct the other of the first and second light spectrums in a second direction;

a first panel which is operable to receive the one of the first and second light spectrums directed in the first direction from the beam splitting element; and

a second panel which is operable to receive the other of the first and second light spectrums directed in the second direction from the beam splitting element,

wherein one of the first and second panels sequentially modulates one of the first and second spectrums.

22. An apparatus according to claims 9, 14, 16, or 18, and further comprising a chromatic polarizer optically coupled to the beam splitting element.

16. A two-panel color modulation device comprising:

a beam splitting element;

an input polarization rotation element that rotates a first light spectrum'"'"'s polarization differently than a second light spectrum'"'"'s polarization, wherein the input polarization rotation element separates the polarization of the first light spectrum from the polarization of the second light spectrum such that the beam splitting element is operable to direct one of the first and second light spectrums in a first direction and is operable to direct the other of the first and second light spectrums in a second direction;

a first panel which is operable to receive the one of the first and second light spectrums directed in the first direction from the beam splitting element;

a second panel which is operable to receive the other of the first and second light spectrums directed in the second direction from the beam splitting element,

wherein one of the first and second panels sequentially modulates one of the first and second spectrums; and

a dynamic filter that receives and modulates images from the first and second panels that have been combined by the beamsplitting element.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising an output polarization rotation element that rotates a polarization of the first light spectrum differently than a polarization of the second light spectrum, and another dynamic filter that receives and modulates images from the output polarization rotation element.

18. A two-panel color modulation device comprising:

a beam splitting element;

an input polarization rotation element that rotates a first light spectrum'"'"'s polarization differently than a second light spectrum'"'"'s polarization, wherein the input polarization rotation element separates the polarization of the first light spectrum from the polarization of the second light spectrum such that the beam splitting element is operable to direct one of the first and second light spectrums in a first direction and is operable to direct the other of the first and second light spectrums in a second direction;

a first panel which is operable to receive the one of the first and second light spectrums directed in the first direction from the beam splitting element;

a second panel which is operable to receive the other of the first and second light spectrums directed in the second direction from the beam splitting element, wherein one of the first and second panels sequentially modulates one of the first and second spectrums; and

a second input polarization rotation element;

a first filter and a second filter, the first filter being optically before the beamsplitting element and the second filter being optically after the beamsplitting element; and

a clean up polarizer after the beamsplitting element,

wherein at least one of the input polarization rotation element and the second input polarization rotation element is dynamic and provides polarization rotation to a portion one of the first and second spectrums, and

wherein the first and second filters rotate one of the first and second spectrums.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein

the input polarization rotation element rotates the polarization of blue light,

the second input polarization rotation element rotates the polarization of green light, and

the first and second filters rotate red light.

20. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the input polarization element and the second input polarization element are adjacent to each other.

21. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein another element is interposed between the input polarization element and the second input polarization element.

25. A sequential two-panel color modulation device comprising:

a beamsplitting element;

a first reflective panel which receives a first light spectrum from the beam splitting element;

a second reflective panel which receives a second light spectrum from the beam splitting element; and

an output polarization rotation element that rotates a polarization of the first light spectrum differently than a polarization of the second light spectrum,

wherein the first and second spectrums of light combined include three different primary colors,

wherein one of the first and second reflective panels sequentially modulates one of the first and second spectrums, and

wherein the output polarization rotation element substantially comports the polarization of the first light spectrum and the polarization of the second light spectrum.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the first and second panels manipulate light polarization to modulate pixel elements of the first and second reflective panels.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the first and second reflective panels are liquid crystal on silicon panels.

28. The apparatus of claim 25,

wherein the beamsplitting element is a polarizing beamsplitter;

wherein the first light spectrum is input into the polarizing beamsplitter with a first polarization; and

wherein the second light spectrum is input into the polarizing beamsplitter with a second polarization substantially orthogonal to the first polarization.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the first spectrum having the first polarization and the second spectrum having the second polarization are produced from a single polarized input beam.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the first spectrum having the first polarization and the second spectrum having the second polarization are produced from a single polarized input beam by an input stack filter.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising a chromatic polarizer optically coupled to the beamsplitting element.

32. The apparatus of claim 31,

wherein the chromatic polarizer is optically coupled to the output polarization rotation element and the beamsplitting element;

and

wherein the chromatic polarizer is in contact with light of the first and second spectrum input into the beamsplitting element.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the chromatic polarizer polarizes the second spectrum.

34. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a chromatic polarizer optically coupled to the beamsplitting element.

35. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the output polarization rotation element includes an output stack filter that rotates light polarization such that light of the first and second spectrums have substantially the same polarization when combined into an image.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising a neutral polarizer in contact with light of the first and second spectrums after output from the output stack filter.

37. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising either

an output stack filter and a neutral polarizer, or

an output chromatic polarizer.

38. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising a rotating color filter wheel.

39. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the output polarization rotation element includes a polarization stack filter.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the stack filter comprises a stack of birefringent layers and at least one active liquid crystal cell.

41. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein

pixels of the second reflective panel receive light of a first color in the first spectrum in a time sequential manner;

and

pixels of the second reflective panel receive light of a second color in the second spectrum in a time sequential manner.

42. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising a dynamic filter that receives and modulates images from the first and second reflecting panels that have been combined by the beamsplitting element.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising another dynamic filter that receives and modulates images from the output polarization rotation element.

44. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising another dynamic filter that receives and modulates images from the output polarization rotation element.

45. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

a second output polarization rotation element;

a first filter and a second filter, the first filter being optically before the beamsplitting element and the second filter being optically after the beamsplitting element; and

a clean up polarizer after the beamsplitting element,

wherein the input polarization rotation element and a second input polarization rotation element are dynamic and provide polarization rotation to a portion of the first spectrum, and

wherein said first and second filters rotate the second spectrum.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein

the input polarization rotation element rotates the polarization of blue light,

the second input polarization rotation element rotates the polarization of green light, and

the first and second filters rotate red light.

47. A sequential two-panel color modulation device comprising:

a beam splitting element;

a first reflective panel which receives a first light spectrum from the beam splitting element;

a second reflective panel which receives a second light spectrum from the beam splitting element; and

an input polarization rotation element and an output polarization rotation element that rotate a polarization of the first light spectrum differently than a polarization of the second light spectrum,

wherein the first and second spectrums of light combined include three different primary colors,

wherein one of the first and second reflective panels sequentially modulates one of the first and second spectrums,

wherein the input polarization rotation element separates the polarization of the first light spectrum from the polarization of the second light spectrum such that the beam splitting element directs one of the first and second light spectrums to the first reflective panel and directs the other of the first and second light spectrums to the second reflective panel, and

wherein the output polarization rotation element substantially comports the polarization of the first light spectrum and the polarization of the second light spectrum.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the first and second panels manipulate light polarization to modulate pixel elements of the first and second reflective panels.

49. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the first and second reflective panels are liquid crystal on silicon panels.

50. The apparatus of claim 47,

wherein the beamsplitting element is a polarizing beamsplitter;

wherein the first light spectrum is input into the polarizing beamsplitter with a first polarization; and

wherein the second light spectrum is input into the polarizing beamsplitter with a second polarization substantially orthogonal to the first polarization.

51. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the first spectrum having the first polarization and the second spectrum having the second polarization are produced from a single polarized input beam.

52. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the first spectrum having the first polarization and the second spectrum having the second polarization are produced from a single polarized input beam by an input stack filter.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, further comprising a chromatic polarizer optically coupled to the beamsplitting element.

54. The apparatus of claim 53,

wherein the chromatic polarizer is optically coupled to the input polarization rotation element and the beamsplitting element;

and

wherein the chromatic polarizer is in contact with light of the first and second spectrum prior to input into the beamsplitting element.

55. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the chromatic polarizer polarizes the second spectrum.

56. The apparatus of claim 51, further comprising a chromatic polarizer optically coupled to the beamsplitting element.

57. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the output polarization rotation element includes an output stack filter that rotates light polarization such that light of the first and second spectrums have substantially the same polarization when combined into an image.

58. The apparatus of claim 57, further comprising a neutral polarizer in contact with light of the first and second spectrums after output from the output stack filter.

59. The apparatus of claim 47, further comprising either

an output stack filter and a neutral polarizer, or

an output chromatic polarizer.

60. The apparatus of claim 47, further comprising a rotating color filter wheel.

61. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the input polarization rotation element includes a polarization stack filter.

62. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein the stack filter comprises a stack of birefringent layers and at least one active liquid crystal cell.

63. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein

pixels of the second reflective panel receive light of a first color in the first spectrum in a time sequential manner;

and

pixels of the second reflective panel receive light of a second color in the second spectrum in a time sequential manner.

64. The apparatus of claim 47, further comprising a dynamic filter that receives and modulates images from the first and second reflecting panels that have been combined by the beamsplitting element.

65. The apparatus of claim 64, further comprising another dynamic filter that receives and modulates images from the input polarization rotation element.

66. The apparatus of claim 47, further comprising another dynamic filter that receives and modulates images from the input polarization rotation element.

67. The apparatus of claim 47, further comprising:

a second input polarization rotation element;

a first filter and a second filter, the first filter being optically before the beamsplitting element and the second filter being optically after the beamsplitting element; and

a clean up polarizer after the beamsplitting element,

wherein the input polarization rotation element and a second input polarization rotation element are dynamic and provide polarization rotation to a portion of the first spectrum, and

wherein said first and second filters rotate the second spectrum.

68. The apparatus of claim 67, wherein

the input polarization rotation element rotates the polarization of blue light,

the second input polarization rotation element rotates the polarization of green light, and

the first and second filters rotate red light.

69. A method for projecting a full color display from a sequential two-panel color modulation device comprising:

splitting the input light beam into first and second light beams, the first light beam including the first light spectrum and the second light beam including the second light spectrum;

modulating the first light beam to form a first modulated light beam;

modulating the second light beam such that different portions of the second spectrum are sequential displayed to form a second modulated light beam;

rotating a polarization of the first modulated light beam and rotating a polarization of the second modulated light beam rotation element by different amounts such that rotated polarization of the first modulated light beam substantially comports to the rotated polarization of the second light beam.