Multi-mode color filter

• US 6,813,087 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2002
• Issued: 11/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Davis, Michael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): MAI, HUY KIM
• Application Number:
  US10/335,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20030151836A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 359/634, 359/887-891, 349/104, 349/106, 348/742, 348/743, 348/273, 348/276-280, 348/268-271
• US Class Current: 359/634
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/008 in the form of devices for effecting sequential colour changes, e.g. colour wheels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3114 by using a sequential colour filter producing one colour at a time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3117 by using a sequential colour filter producing two or more colours simultaneously, e.g. by creating scrolling colour bands

Abstract

A multi-mode color filter 400 having an inner hub region 402 used to mount the color filter 400 to a motor shaft. A first track 404 and a second track 406 of color filter segments arc formed on the color filter, as is an optional clear track 406. The first and second tracks each have a different set of color filters. One set of filters is chosen to improve image brightness, another set is selected to improve color saturation. Typically, the set of filters used to improve brightness includes one or more clear segments, while the set of filters selected to improve color saturation does not. Depending on the image being projected, the user or the display controller moves the color wheel to select a particular filter set.

Claims

1. A color filter comprising:

a center hub portion;

a first track comprised of a first plurality of color filters around a perimeter of said hub portion; and

a second track comprised of a second plurality of color filters around a perimeter of said first track;

one of said first plurality of color filters and said second plurality of color filters comprising a plurality of curved filter segments and one of said first plurality of color filters and second plurality of color filters comprising a plurality of radial filter segments.

2. The color filter of claim 1, at least one of said first plurality of color filters and said second plurality of color filters comprising:

primary color filters.

3. The color filter of claim 1, at least one of said first plurality of color filters and said second plurality of color filters comprising:

primary color filters and a clear filter.

4. The color filter of claim 1, comprising:

a clear track.

5. The color filter of claim 1, comprising:

a clear track adjacent said hub.

6. The color filter of claim 1, comprising:

a clear track adjacent said second track.

7. The color filter of claim 1, at least one of said color filters comprising:

a dichroic filter deposited on a substrate.

8. The color filter of claim 1, at least two of said color filters comprising:

dichroic filters deposited on a common substrate.

9. The color filter of claim 1, at least two of said color filters comprising:

dichroic filters deposited on a common transparent substrate.

10. The color filter of claim 1, at least two of said color filters comprising:

transparent dichroic filters.

11. The color filter of claim 1, at least two of said color filters comprising:

reflective dichroic filters.

12. A display system comprising:

a light source producing a beam of light;

a color filter receiving said beam of light and producing a filtered beam of light, said color filter comprising;

a center hub portion;

a first track comprised of a first plurality of color filters around a perimeter of said hub portion; and

a second track comprised of a second plurality of color filters around a perimeter of said first track, at least one of said first track and said second track comprising a plurality of radial color filters and at least one of said first track and said second track comprising curved color filters; and

a spatial light modulator receiving said filtered bean of light and selectively modulating said filtered beam of light in response to electronic image data.

13. The display system of claim 12, comprising:

a projection lens receiving said modulated light beam and focusing said modulated light beam on an image plane.

14. The display system of claim 12, at least one of said first plurality of color filters and said second plurality of color filters comprising:

primary color filters.

15. The display system of claim 12, at least one of said first plurality of color filters and said second plurality of color filters comprising:

primary color filter and a clear filter.

16. The display system of claim 12, comprising:

a clear track.

17. The display system of claim 12, comprising:

a clear track adjacent said hub.

18. The display system of claim 12, comprising:

a clear track adjacent said second track.

19. The display system of claim 12, at least one of said color filters comprising:

a dichroic filter deposited on a substrate.

20. The display system of claim 12, at least two of said color filters comprising:

dichroic filters deposited on a common substrate.

21. The display system of claim 12, at least two of said color filters comprising:

dichroic filters deposited on a common transparent substrate.

22. The display system of claim 12, at least two of said color filters comprising:

transparent dichroic filters.

23. The display system of claim 12, at least two of said color filters comprising:

reflective dichroic filters.

24. A method of producing a color image, comprising:

providing a beam of white light;

providing a color filter having first track comprised of a plurality of radial color filters and a second track comprised of a plurality of curved color filters;

moving said color filter to position one of said first and second tracks in said beam of light;

spinning said color filter to sequentially filter said beam of light;

selectively modulating said filtered beam of light in response to electronic image data; and

focusing said selectively modulated beam of light onto an image plane.

25. The method of claim 24, said providing a color filter having first and second tracks comprising:

providing a color filter having at least one track comprised of primary color filters.

26. The method of claim 24, said providing a color filter having first and second tracks comprising:

providing a color filter having at least one track comprised of primary color filters and a clear filter.

27. The method of claim 24, said providing a color filter having first and second tracks comprising:

providing a color filter having a first track, a second track, and a clear track.

28. A color filter comprising:

a center hub portion;

a first track comprised of a first plurality of color filters around a perimeter of said hub portion; and

a second track comprised of a second plurality of color filters around a perimeter of said fist track;

one of said first plurality of color filters and said second plurality of color filters comprising primary color filters and one of said first plurality of color filters and second plurality of color filters comprising primary colors and a clear segment; and

at least one of said first plurality of color filters and said second plurality of color filters comprising radial color filters.

29. The color filter of claim 28, at least one of said first plurality of color filters and said second plurality of color filters comprising:

curved color filters.

30. The color filter of claim 28, comprising:

a clear track.

31. A display system comprising:

a light source producing a beam of light;

a color filter receiving said beam of light and producing a filtered beam of light, said color filter comprising;

a center hub portion;

a first track comprised of a first plurality of color filters around a perimeter of said hub portion; and

a second track comprised of a second plurality of color filters around a perimeter of said first track, at least one of said first track and said second track comprising primary color filters and at least one of said first track and said second track comprising primary color filters and a clear segment; and

at least one of said first plurality of color filters and said second plurality of color filters comprising radial color filters; and

a spatial light modulator receiving said filtered beam of light and selectively modulating said filtered beam of light in response to electronic image data.

32. The display system of claim 31, comprising:

a projection lens receiving said modulated light beam and focusing said modulated light bean on an image plane.

33. The display system of claim 31, at least one of said first plurality of color filters and said second plurality of color filters comprising:

curved color filters.

34. A method of producing a color image, comprising:

providing a beam of white light;

providing a color filter having first track comprised of a plurality of radial color filters and a second track comprised of a plurality of curved color filters;

moving said color filter to position one of said first and second tracks in said beam of light;

spinning said color filter to sequentially filter said beam of light;

selectively modulating said filtered beam of light in response to electronic image data; and

focusing said selectively modulated beam of light onto an image plane.

35. The method of claim 34, said providing a color filter having first and second tracks comprising:

providing a color filter having at least one track comprised of primary color filter.

36. The method of claim 34, said providing a color filter having first and second tracks comprising:

providing a color filter having at least one track comprised of primary color filters and a clear filter.