Projector with total cross total internal reflection (TIR) prisms
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A projector comprising:
- at least first and second micro-displays;
at least first and second cross total internal reflection (TIR) prisms respectively optically coupled to the at least first and second micro-displays, each of the at least first and second cross total internal reflection prisms having first and second total internal reflection interfaces; and
a combiner optically coupled to the at least first and second cross total internal reflection prisms;
wherein each of the at least first and second cross TIR prisms are respectively configured for receiving light at a first direction and configured to reflect the received light from the respective first TIR interface to the respective first and second micro-displays, andwherein each of the at least first and second micro-displays and at least first and second cross TIR prisms are configured to direct ON light through the respective first and second TIR interfaces to the combiner, and to direct OFF light from the respective second TIR interfaces at a second direction substantially the same as the first direction to a beam dump.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A projector has at least first and second micro-displays and at least first and second cross total internal reflection prisms respectively optically coupled to the at least first and second micro-displays. Each of the at least first and second cross total internal reflection prisms has first and second total internal reflection interfaces. A combiner is optically coupled to the at least first and second cross total internal reflection prisms.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A projector comprising:
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at least first and second micro-displays; at least first and second cross total internal reflection (TIR) prisms respectively optically coupled to the at least first and second micro-displays, each of the at least first and second cross total internal reflection prisms having first and second total internal reflection interfaces; and a combiner optically coupled to the at least first and second cross total internal reflection prisms; wherein each of the at least first and second cross TIR prisms are respectively configured for receiving light at a first direction and configured to reflect the received light from the respective first TIR interface to the respective first and second micro-displays, and wherein each of the at least first and second micro-displays and at least first and second cross TIR prisms are configured to direct ON light through the respective first and second TIR interfaces to the combiner, and to direct OFF light from the respective second TIR interfaces at a second direction substantially the same as the first direction to a beam dump. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A projector comprising:
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at least first and second micro-displays having at least one mirror configured to have an ON state and an OFF state for reflecting light; at least one beam dump; at least first and second cross total internal reflection prisms respectively optically coupled to the at least first and second micro-displays and the at least one beam dump, each of the at least first and second cross total internal reflection prisms having first and second total internal reflection interfaces wherein light reflected from the at least first and second micro-displays in the OFF state is directed to the at least one beam dump; a combiner optically coupled to the at least first and second cross total internal reflection prisms; a turning mirror located between at least one of the at least first and second cross total internal reflection prisms and the combiner; and a first lens disposed between the turning mirror and the at least one of the at least first and second cross total internal reflection prisms, and a second lens disposed between the turning mirror and the combiner.
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8. A projector comprising:
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at least first and second micro-displays having at least one mirror configured to have an ON state and an OFF state for reflecting light; at least one beam dump; at least first and second cross total internal reflection prisms respectively optically coupled to the at least first and second micro-displays and the at least one beam dump, each of the at least first and second cross total internal reflection prisms having first and second total internal reflection interfaces;
wherein light reflected from the at least first and second micro-displays in the OFF state is directed to the at least one beam dump anda combiner optically coupled to the at least first and second cross total internal reflection prisms; and one or more lenses disposed between at least one of the at least first and second cross total internal reflection prisms and the combiner.
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9. A projector comprising:
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a plurality of micro-displays each configured to receive a different colored light; a plurality of cross total internal reflection (TIR) prisms optically coupled one-to-one to the micro-displays, each of the cross total internal reflection prisms having first and second total internal reflection interfaces; a tricolor x-cube prism optically coupled to each of the cross total internal reflection prisms; and a beam dump; wherein each of the plurality of cross TIR prisms are respectively configured for receiving the different colored light at a first direction and configured to reflect the received different colored light from the respective first TIR interface to the respective micro-display, and wherein each of the plurality of micro-displays and the plurality of cross TIR prisms are configured to direct ON light through the respective first and second TIR interfaces to the tricolor x-cube prism, and to direct OFF light from the respective second TIR interfaces at a second direction substantially the same as the first direction to the beam dump. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A projector comprising:
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a plurality of micro-displays each configured to receive a different colored light and to reflect light in an OFF state and an ON state; at least one beam dump; a plurality of cross total internal reflection prisms optically coupled one-to-one to the micro-displays and the at least one beam dump, each of the cross total internal reflection prisms having first and second total internal reflection interfaces wherein light reflected from the plurality of micro-displays in the OFF state is directed to the at least one beam dump; and a tricolor x-cube prism optically coupled to each of the cross total internal reflection prisms; a turning mirror located between at least one of the cross total internal reflection prisms and the tricolor x-cube prism; and a first lens disposed between the turning mirror and the at least one of the cross total internal reflection prisms and a second lens disposed between the turning mirror and the tricolor x-cube prism.
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14. A projector comprising:
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a plurality micro-displays having at least one mirror configured to have an ON state and an OFF state for reflecting light, each micro-display configured to receive a different colored light; at least one beam dump; a plurality of cross total internal reflection prisms optically coupled one-to-one to the micro-displays and at least one beam dump, each of the cross total internal reflection prisms having first and second total internal reflection interfaces wherein light reflected from the plurality of micro-displays in the OFF state is directed to the at least one beam dump; and a tricolor x-cube prism optically coupled to each of the cross total internal reflection prisms; and one or more lenses disposed between at least one of the cross total internal reflection prisms and the tricolor x-cube prism.
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15. A method of operating a projector, comprising:
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reflecting light of a first color received from a first direction off a first cross total internal reflection prism and onto a first micro-display; reflecting light of a second color received from the first direction off a second cross total internal reflection prism and onto a second micro-display; reflecting a first portion of the light of the first color off the first micro-display to a combiner, and reflecting a second portion of the light of the first color to the first cross total internal reflection prism and off to a second direction substantially the same as the first direction; and reflecting a first portion of the light of the second color off the second micro-display to the combiner, and reflection a second portion of the light of the second color to the second cross total internal reflection prism and off to the second direction. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of operating a projector, comprising:
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reflecting light of a first color off a first cross total internal reflection prism and onto a first micro-display to create an ON state and OFF state; reflecting light of a second color off a second cross total internal reflection prism and onto a second micro-display to create an ON state and OFF state; reflecting the light in the ON state of the first color off the first micro-display to a combiner and in the OFF state from the first cross internal reflection prism to a first beam dump; reflecting the light in the ON state of the second color off the second micro-display to the combiner and in the OFF state from the second cross internal reflection prism to a second beam dump; and wherein reflecting the light of the first color off the first micro-display to the combiner comprises; reflecting the light of the first color from the first micro-display to a first lens; refracting the light of the first color through the first lens; sending the light of the first color refracted by the first lens to a second lens; refracting the light of the first color refracted by the first lens through the second lens; and sending the light of the first color refracted by the first and second lenses to the combiner. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A method of operating a projector, comprising:
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reflecting light of a first color received from a first direction off a first total internal reflection interface of a first cross total internal reflection prism and onto a first micro-display; reflecting light of a second color received from the first direction off a first total internal reflection interface of a second cross total internal reflection prism and onto a second micro-display; reflecting the light of the first color off the first micro-display to a combiner when the first micro display is in an ON state; reflecting the light of the second color off the second micro-display to the combiner when the second micro display is in an ON state; reflecting the light of the first color off the first micro-display to a second total internal reflection interface of the first cross total internal reflection prism and reflecting the light of the first color off the second total internal reflection interface of the first cross total internal reflection prism in a second direction substantially the same as the first direction to a first beam dump when the first micro display is in an OFF state; and reflecting the light of the second color off the second micro-display to a second total internal reflection interface of the second cross total internal reflection prism and reflecting the light of the second color off the second total internal reflection interface of the second cross total internal reflection prism in the second direction to a second beam dump when the second micro display is in an OFF state. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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Specification