Light-source lamp unit, light-source device and projection-type display apparatus

• US 6,690,282 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2001
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Yajima, Akitaka, Haba, Shinji, Miyashita, Kiyoshi, Ushiyama, Tomiyoshi, Shinohara, Kazuto
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/772,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20010005172A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 340/638, 340/641, 340/643, 340/654, 340/815.41, 340/815.73, 340/815.74, 340/815.75, 340/332, 600/178, 600/323, 315/291, 315/292, 315/307, 315/360, 355/67, 355/68, 355/69, 382/167, 382/311
• US Class Current: 340/641
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/2053 Intensity control of illuminating light controlled by video signal processing H04N5/74 or H04N9/31
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3141 Constructional details thereof details not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/315 Modulator illumination systems general applications of lighting devices F21V; general optical systems G02B; lamp houses for projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3155 for controlling the light source light source control per se H05B35/00 – H05B47/00; control of an illumination source for displays in general G09G3/3406
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/36 Controlling
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/25 Circuit arrangements for protecting against overcurrent

Abstract

A light-source lamp unit includes a light-source lamp unit detachably mounted, and a CPU constituting a drive and controller for the light-source lamp unit. The CPU senses lamp information obtained by a lamp-information storing block in the light-source lamp unit, pertaining to a lamp power rating, lamp life and whether a lamp is new or not, and starts counting operation time when the lamp is lit. The CPU compares the lamp life sensed and the operation time count, and forces the lamp to extinguish when the life of the light-source lamp expires. Prior to this action, the CPU gives a warning display before the life expiration of the lamp by a fixed duration of time, to warn that lamp replacement is needed. Because the lamp-information storing block in the light-source lamp unit stores the information about the lamp type and characteristics of the lamp, the light-source device can properly drive the lamp to light it and determine the lamp life even when a light-source lamp unit of a different type is used.

Claims

1. A light-source apparatus comprising:

a light-source lamp unit including a light-source lamp and a lamp information storing device that stores lamp information about the light-source lamp;

a sensor that senses the lamp information obtained by the lamp-information storing device;

a memory that stores lamp information obtained by the sensor; and

a drive and control device that drives and controls the light-source lamp based on the lamp information sensed by the sensor.

2. The light-source apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the sensor senses information about a remaining life of the light-source lamp obtained by the lamp-information storing device; and

the light source apparatus further comprises;

a counter that counts an operation time of the light-source lamp; and

a remaining life updating device that updates information about the remaining life obtained by the lamp-information storing device based on an operation time count obtained by the counter,

wherein the drive and control device drives the light-source lamp to light the light-source lamp only when the updated remaining life updated by the remaining life updating device is not zero.

3. The light-source apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the sensor senses a life of the light-source lamp at a moment of a first use of the light-source lamp and an operation time count of the light-source lamp obtained by the lamp-information storing device; and

the light-source apparatus further comprises;

a counter that counts the operation time of the light-source lamp;

a comparing device that compares a sum of the operation time count sensed by the sensor and the operation time count obtained by the counter with the life of the light-source lamp; and

an updating device that updates the operation time count obtained by the lamp-information storing device to the sum,

wherein the drive and control device drives and controls the light-source lamp to light the light-source lamp only when the sum is less than the life.

4. The light-source apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the sensor senses a lamp power rating obtained by the lamp information storage device; and

the drive and control device drives the light-source lamp at the sensed lamp power rating.

5. The light-source apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

the sensor further senses information whether the light-source lamp is a new light-source lamp, the information being obtained from the lamp information storage device; and

the drive and control device comprises a luminance adjuster that adjusts the luminance of the light-source lamp when the light-source lamp is sensed as the new light-source lamp.

6. The light-source apparatus of claim 4, wherein

the sensor further senses information whether the light-source lamp is a new light-source lamp, the information being obtained from the lamp information storage device;

and

the light-source apparatus further comprises;

a lamp life memory device that stores a lamp life according to a type of the light-source lamp;

a counter that counts an operation time of the light-source lamp;

a time count memory that stores the operation time count counted by the counter according to the type of the light-source lamp; and

a first comparing device that compares the lamp life of the light-source lamp with the operation time count of the light-source lamp,

wherein the counter resets the operation time count of the light-source lamp stored in the time count memory when the light-source lamp is sensed as the new light-source lamp, and then starts counting, and wherein

the drive and control device drives the light-source lamp to light the light-source lamp at the sensed power rating of the light-source lamp only when the comparison result obtained by the first comparing device determines that the operation time count of the light-source lamp is less than the lamp life of the light-source lamp.

7. The light-source apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

a second comparing device that compares a set time that is less than the lamp life of the light-source lamp with the operation time count; and

a warning device that warns that the light-source lamp is close to an end of its life when the comparison result given by the second comparing device determines that the operation time count exceeds the set time.

8. The light-source apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a lamp unit mount for detachably mounting the light-source lamp unit, and

wherein the light-source lamp unit comprises a lamp housing that is assembled to the lamp unit mount.

9. The light-source apparatus of claim 8, wherein the lamp-information storing device stores information in a layout of a plurality of light reflective surfaces and non-reflective surfaces, and the sensor comprises photocouplers for optically sensing the light reflective surfaces and the non-reflective surfaces.

10. The light-source apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the memory stores a lamp power rating according to a type of light source lamp, and

the drive and control device retrieves the information about the lamp power rating corresponding to the type of sensed light source lamp and drives the light source lamp at the power rating.

11. A projector, comprising:

a light source apparatus including;

a light-source lamp;

a lamp information storing device that stores lamp information about the light-source lamp;

a sensor that senses lamp information obtained by the lamp information storing device;

a memory that stores lamp information obtained by the sensor; and

a drive and control device that drives and controls the light-source lamp based on the lamp information obtained by the sensor;

a modulator that modulates an output light beam emitted by the light-source device according to an image signal; and

a projection lens that projects the modulated light beam to a projection surface.

12. The projector of claim 11, further comprising a warning device that warns that a remaining life of the light-source lamp is less than a preset time,

wherein the warning device is a screen brightness adjusting device that reduces the brightness of a projected image projected by the projection lens by a predetermined level.

13. The projector of claim 12, further comprising:

a first lens plate having a plurality of lenses;

a second lens plate having a plurality of lenses; and

a light valve for modulating an output light beam from the second lens plate, and

the light-source apparatus further comprises;

a reflective mirror that reflects a divergent light beam from the light-source lamp to output a parallel light beam, the reflecting mirror having a reflective surface;

a lamp housing that supports the reflective mirror; and

an electrode lead that is led out of an end of an emission tube of the light-source lamp that is projected forward out of the reflective surface and is connected to an external connection terminal board which is positioned to a rear side of the reflective surface,

wherein the electrode lead is routed via the portion of the reflective mirror other than an effective reflective area of the reflective mirror, and

a portion of the electrode lead positioned on the side of the reflective surface is arranged along a groove of a lens of the plurality of lenses of one of the first and second lens plate.

14. The projector of claim 13, wherein the terminal board is supported at a position other than the reflective surface.

15. A method of controlling a light-source lamp, comprising:

storing lamp information pertaining to a light-source lamp in a storing device;

sensing the lamp information in the storing device;

driving the light-source lamp based on the lamp information stored in the storing device; and

controlling the light-source lamp based on the lamp information.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

storing at least one of a lamp power rating and a remaining life of the light-source lamp in the storing device; and

counting an operation time of the light-source lamp by a counter,

wherein the sensing senses the at least one of the lamp power rating and the remaining life, and wherein the driving and controlling are based on the at least one of the lamp power rating and the remaining life.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

comparing a sum of an operation time count sensed by the sensor and an operation time count obtained by the counter with a life of the light source lamp; and

driving and controlling the light source lamp only when the sum is less than the remaining life of the light source lamp.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining a remaining life of the light source lamp; and

driving and controlling the light-source lamp only when the remaining life of the light source lamp is not zero.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

resetting the operation time count of the light-source lamp when the light-source lamp is sensed as a new light-source lamp, and beginning counting; and

driving and controlling the light-source lamp only when the comparison result determines that the operation time count of the light source lamp is less than the life of the light-source lamp.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising warning that a remaining life of the light-source lamp is shorter than a preset time so that the driving and controlling are not performed.