Illumination unit, projecting engine and method for generating illumination light

• US 7,035,015 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2004
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Deutschland GmbH (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony International Europe Gmbh (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Teijido, Juan Manuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Sugarman, Scott J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HASAN, MOHAMMED A
• Application Number:
  US10/889,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20050099698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 359/649, 359/618, 359/634, 362/19, 353/20, 353/31, 353/34, 353/37, 348/744
• US Class Current: 359/649
• 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

Abstract

It is proposed to provide in an illumination unit (10) a light combining section (15) being adapted for receiving and combining first and second primary illumination light (L11, L12) or a derivative thereof and a light collecting, integrating and redirecting section (20) being adapted for receiving, collecting, integrating and redirecting first and second primary illumination light (L11, L12) or a derivative thereof, wherein said light combining section (15) and said light collecting, integrating and redirecting section (20) are at least partly arranged in a spatially mingled manner with respect to each other. Thereby from said first and second primary illumination light (L11, L12) collected, integrated and redirected combined primary illumination light (CL1) can be obtained and emitted as secondary illumination light (L2) having controlled spectral properties and an essentially uniformized spatial intensity distribution.

Claims

1. An illumination for a projection engine comprising:

at least a first light source device and a second light source device being adapted for generating and for emitting first and second primary illumination light, respectively, said first and second primary illumination light having at least in part essentially complementary spectra with respect to each other;

a light combining area, section, portion, or device being adapted for receiving and combining or superposing said first and second primary illumination light or parts or derivates thereof; and

a light collecting, intergrating redirecting area, section, portion, or unit being adapted for receiving, collecting, integrating, and redirecting said first and second primary illumination light or parts or derivates thereof,

wherein said light combining area, section, portion, or device and said light collecting, integrating, and redirecting area, section, portion, or unit or parts thereof are formed and/or arranged in a spatially mingled, mixed up, integrated, and/or overlapping manner with respect to each other,

thereby being adapted for cooperating and for obtaining from said first and second primary illumination light and for emitting collected, integrated, and redirected combined primary illumination light as secondary illumination light having controlled spectral properties and an essentially uniformized spatial intensity distribution.

2. The illumination unit according to claim 1,

wherein said light collecting, integrating, and redirecting area, section, portion, or unit comprises at least one of integrator rod, solid rod, hollow rod, or light pipe as a light integrating device made of an optically transparent material.

3. The illumination according to claim 1,

wherein said light collecting, integrating, and redirecting area, section, portion, or unit comprises at least one hollow tube device as a light integrating device having reflecting or mirrored inner walls or side walls.

4. The illumination unit according to claim 1,

wherein said light collecting, integrating, and redirecting area, section, portion, or unit comprises at least one fly-eye lens system as a light-integrating device.

5. The illumination unit according to claim 2,

wherein said light integrating device has a substantially square-shaped, substantially rectangular, substantially hexagonal, or substantially equilateral triangular cross-section.

6. The illumination unit according to claim 1,

wherein said first light source device and/or said second light source device includes a single or a plurality of discharge lamps.

7. The illumination unit according to claim 1,

wherein said first light source device and/or said second light source device includes a single or a plurality of solid state light source device.

8. The illumination unit according claim 7,

wherein said solid state light source device includes a single or a plurality of solid state light sources.

9. The illumination unit according to claim 8,

wherein said sold state light source includes an array of solid state light sources.

10. The illumination unit according to claim 7,

wherein said solid state light source includes a single or a plurality of light emitting diodes, and/or

wherein said solid state light source includes a single or a plurality of laser diodes.

11. The illumination unit according to claim 7,

wherein said solid state light source includes a single or a plurality of edge-emitting light emitting diodes.

12. The illumination unit according to claim 7,

wherein said solid state light source includes a single or a plurality of vertical cavity surface emitting laser devices.

13. The illumination unit according to claim 7,

wherein said solid state light source or includes a single or a plurality of resonant cavity light emitting diodes.

14. The illumination unit according to claim 1,

wherein said light combining area, section, portion, or device comprises spectral selective reflection element, or an arrangement of a plurality of spectral selective reflection elements.

15. The illumination unit according to claim 14,

wherein said spectral selective reflection element, or said arrangement of said plurality of spectral selective reflection elements is arranged within said integrator rod, solid rod, hollow rod, or light pipe as said light integrating device and/or

wherein said spectral selective reflection element, or said arrangement of said plurality of spectral selective reflection elements is arranged within and/or surrounded by said fly-eye lens system.

16. A projection engine with an illumination unit, the illumination unit comprising:

at least a first light source device and a second light source device being adapted for generating and for emitting first and second primary illumination light, respectively, said first and second primary illumination light having at least in part essentially complementary spectra with respect to each other;

a light combining area, section, portion, or device being adapted for receiving and combining or superposing said first and second primary illumination light or parts or derivates thereof; and

a light collecting, integrating, and redirecting area, section, portion, or unit being adapted for receiving, collecting, integrating, and redirecting said first and second primary illumination light or parts or derivates thereof,

wherein said light combining area, section, portion, or device and said light collecting, integrating, and redirecting area, section, portion, or unit or a parts thereof are formed and/or arranged in a spatially mingled, mixed up, integrated, and/or overlapping manner with respect to each other,

thereby being adapted for cooperating and for obtaining from said first and second primary illumination light and for emitting collected, integrated, and redirected combined primary illumination light as secondary illumination light having controlled spectral properties and an essentially uniformized spatial intensity distribution.

17. A method for generating and providing illumination light in a projection engine, comprising:

generating first and second primary illumination light having at least in part essentially complementary spectra;

with respect to each other;

combining said first and second primary illumination lights or parts or derivates thereof; and

collecting, integrating, and redirecting said first and second primary illumination lights or parts or derivates thereof,

wherein the processes of combining said first and second primary illumination lights or parts or derivates thereof and of collecting, integrating, and redirecting said first and second primary illumination lights or parts or derivates thereof are performed in a spatially and/or temporally mingled, mixed up, integrated, and/or overlapping manner with respect to each other,

thereby obtaining and outputting collected, integrated, and redirected combined primary illumination light as secondary illumination light having controlled spectral properties and an essentially uniformized intensity distribution.