Laser projection display and illumination device with MEMS scanning mirror for indoor and outdoor applications

• US 7,252,394 B1
• Filed: 03/10/2004
• Issued: 08/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Numicro Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Numicro Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Fu, Yee-Chung
• Primary Examiner(s): Dowling; William C.
• Application Number:
  US10/723,400
• Time in Patent Office: 1,245 Days
• Field of Search: 353/31, 353/34, 353/37, 353/98, 353/99, 353/201, 348/790, 348/791, 348/792, 348/795, 348/800, 348/801, 348/802, 348/96, 348/97, 348/98, 348/99, 348/110, 348/112, 359/70, 359/202, 359/212, 359/215, 359/223, 359/225, 359/226, 359/213, 362/800, 362/812, 358/505, 358/509, 358/510, 358/513, 358/474, 358/475, 358/480, 358/481, 358/482, 358/494
• US Class Current: 353/98
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/101 with both horizontal and vertical deflecting means, e.g. raster or XY scanners colour television using laser beams scanning a display screen H04N9/3129
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/28 Reflectors in projection beam in illumination beam G03B21/2066
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3129 scanning a light beam on the display screen scanning a light beam on a screen in displays other than projection devices G09G3/02; scanning systems in general G02B26/10; projectors using laser light sources in general H04N9/3161
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/812 Signs

Abstract

A projection display system includes a light source emitting a light beam, and a reflecting mirror system for scanning the light beam over an image to illuminate the image. The light source can be solid state such as a laser diode. The reflecting mirror system can be one or more MEMS scanning mirrors that rotate to raster scan the light beam over the image. The image can be an advertisement located on a wall, a screen, a sign, or a billboard. The image can also be a semi-transparent image that is projected onto a medium to produce a larger image.

Claims

1. A projection illumination system, comprising:

a solid state light source unit emitting at least one light beam; and

a reflecting mirror unit for raster scanning the light beam over an image, wherein;

the image is an existing image on a medium selected from the group consisting of a wall, a screen, a sign, and a billboard; and

said raster scanning comprises moving the light beam along horizontal and vertical directions at a sufficient refresh rate that allows a human viewer to see an entire image without flicker.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the solid state light source unit comprises at least one solid state light source selected from the group consisting of semiconductor edge emitting laser diodes (LD), vertical cavity surface emitting laser diodes (VCSEL), diode pumped solid state frequency doubled (DPSSFD) lasers, and light emitting diodes (LED) for desired color.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the reflecting mirror unit is selected from the group consisting of:

a bi-directional micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) scanning mirror;

a first MEMS scanning mirror rotating about a horizontal axis and a second MEMS scanning mirror rotating about a vertical axis; and

at least one galvanometer mirror manufactured by mechanical processes.

4. A projection illumination system, comprising:

a solid state light source unit emitting at least one light beam; and

a reflecting mirror unit for raster scanning the light beam over an image, wherein;

the image is an existing image on a semi-transparent material so the image can be viewed on both sides; and

said raster scanning comprises moving the light beam along horizontal and vertical directions at a sufficient refresh rate that allows a viewer to see an entire image without flicker.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the solid state light source unit comprises at least one solid state light source selected from the group consisting of semiconductor edge emitting laser diodes (LD), vertical cavity surface emitting laser diodes (VCSEL), diode pumped solid state frequency doubled (DPSSFD) lasers, and light emitting diodes (LED) for desired color.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the reflecting mirror unit is selected from the group consisting of:

a bi-directional micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) scanning mirror;

a first MEMS scanning mirror rotating about a horizontal axis and a second MEMS scanning mirror rotating about a vertical axis; and

at least one galvanometer mirror manufactured by mechanical processes.

7. A projection illumination system, comprising:

a solid state light source unit emitting at least one light beam; and

a reflecting mirror unit for raster scanning the light beam over an image, wherein;

the image is an existing semi-transparent image; and

said raster scanning comprises moving the light beam along horizontal and vertical directions to project the image onto a medium to create a larger image at a sufficient refresh rate that allows a viewer to see an entire image without flicker.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the projection illumination system comprises one of an overhead projector and a slide machine.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the solid state light source unit comprises at least one solid state light source selected from the group consisting of semiconductor edge emitting laser diodes (LD), vertical cavity surface emitting laser diodes (VCSEL), diode pumped solid state frequency doubled (DPSSFD) lasers, and light emitting diodes (LED) for desired color.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the reflecting mirror unit is selected from the group consisting of:

a bi-directional micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) scanning mirror;

a first MEMS scanning mirror rotating about a horizontal axis and a second MEMS scanning mirror rotating about a vertical axis; and

at least one galvanometer mirror manufactured by mechanical processes.

11. A projection illumination system, comprising:

a first solid state light source unit emitting at least a first light beam;

a first reflecting mirror unit for scanning the first light beam over an image to illuminate the image;

a second solid state light source unit emitting at least a second light beam;

a second reflecting mirror unit for scanning the second light beam over the image to illuminate the image;

wherein;

the first reflecting mirror unit illuminates a first portion of the image while the second reflecting mirror unit illuminates a second portion of the image;

the image is an existing image on a medium selected from the group consisting of a wall, a screen, a sign, and a billboard; and

the first and the second light beams are raster scanned at a sufficient refresh rate that allows a viewer to see an entire image without flicker.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first and the second solid state light source units comprise at least one solid state light source selected from the group consisting of semiconductor edge emitting laser diodes (LD), vertical cavity surface emitting laser diodes (VCSEL), diode pumped solid state frequency doubled (DPSSFD) lasers, and light emitting diodes (LED) for desired color.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first and the second reflecting mirror units are selected from the group consisting of:

a bi-directional micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) scanning mirror;

a first MEMS scanning mirror rotating about a horizontal axis and a second MEMS scanning mirror rotating about a vertical axis; and

at least one galvanometer mirror manufactured by mechanical processes.