Projection-receiving surface that functions in ambient light

• US 7,239,445 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2004
• Issued: 07/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Merlin Technology Limited Liability Company
• Original Assignee: Merlin Technology Limited Liability Company
• Inventors: Pouslen, Peter D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey; W. B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cruz; Magda
• Application Number:
  US10/961,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20050128583A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 359/449, 359/459, 359/443, 359/455, 359/359
• US Class Current: 359/459
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/602 Lenticular screens G03B21/625 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention is a broadband projection-receiving surface that can function as a projection screen. This surface can, even in strong ambient light, provide high gain, prevent glare and speckle, provide high contrast, preserve of gray-scale linearity, provide a uniformity of brightness, provide rapid angular cut-off, preserve polarization, and provide the ability to function over a large spectral range. These achievements result from a production method that utilizes purposeful partitioning of the material processes used in sub-wavelength morphology (finish) from the processes used to make super-wavelength morphology (figure).

Claims

1. A projection-receiving surface, comprising:

a single sheet formed into a plurality of catenoid-like mirrorlettes having edge regions between said mirrorlettes, wherein the ratio of the surface area of said edge regions to the total area of said mirrorlettes is at least approximately 1;

100.

2. The projection-receiving surface of claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of catenoid-like mirrorlettes comprises a figure, wherein said figure of each of said mirrorlettes is substantially equivalent.

3. The projection-receiving surface of claim 1 having an in-viewer-volume scattering ratio of less than approximately 0.05 per steradian.

4. The projection-receiving surface of claim 1 having a gray-scale linearity metric of greater than 0.75 in indirect sunlight.

5. The projection-receiving surface of claim 1, wherein the surface area of all of said edge regions is about the same.

6. The projection-receiving surface of claim 1, wherein the surface area of at least one of said edge regions differs from the surface area of the remaining ones of said edge regions.

7. The projection-receiving surface of claim 1, wherein all of said mirrorlettes have the same geometry.

8. The projection-receiving surface of claim 1, wherein the geometry of at least one of said mirrorlettes differs from the geometry of the remaining ones of said mirrorlettes.

9. A wide-spectrum projection receiving surface, comprising:

a single sheet formed into a plurality of catenoid mirrorlettes to achieve an angular cut-off rate that is greater than 10%, said sheet having a first side and a second side;

a coating on one of said first side and said second side;

wherein said surface reflects infrared and ultraviolet light images.

10. A projection receiving surface, comprising:

a single sheet formed into a plurality of catenoid mirrorlettes to achieve an angular cut-off rate that is greater than 10%, said sheet having a first side and a second side;

a coating on one of said first side and said second side;

wherein said surface is capable of reflecting multiple images projected onto the same spot to different fields of view.

11. A projection-receiving surface, comprising:

a single sheet formed into a plurality of catenoid-like mirrorlettes having an angular cut-off rate of at least approximately 10%.

12. The projection-receiving surface of claim 11 wherein said angular cut-off rate is approximately 99% per degree.

13. The projection-receiving surface of claim 11 wherein said angular cut-off rate comprises a vertical angular cut-off rate and a horizontal angular cut-off rate, such that said vertical angular cut-off rate is not equal to said horizontal angular cut-off rate.

14. A projection-receiving surface, comprising:

a single sheet formed into a plurality of catenoid-like mirrorlettes having edge regions between said mirrorlettes, wherein said edge regions have a width between about one ten thousandth and about two ten thousandth of an inch.

15. The projection-receiving surface of claim 14, wherein the surface area of all of said edge regions is about the same.

16. The projection-receiving surface of claim 14, wherein the surface area of at least one of said edge regions differs from the surface area of the remaining ones of said edge regions.

17. The projection-receiving suiface of claim 14, wherein all of said mirrorlettes have the same geometry.

18. The projection-receiving surface of claim 14, wherein the geometry of at least one of said mirrorlettes differs from the geometry of the remaining ones of said mirrorlettes.