LED polarizing optics for color illumination system and method of using same

• US 7,261,453 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2005
• Issued: 08/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jabil Circuit Incorporated (Jabil Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Jabil Circuit Incorporated (Jabil Inc.)
• Inventors: Morejon, Israel J., Zhai, Jinhui, Li, Haizhang, Pantalone, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke; Renee
• Assistant Examiner(s): APENTENG, JESSICA MCMILLAN
• Application Number:
  US11/158,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20060164857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 362/19, 362/555, 362/800, 353/31, 353/33, 353/94
• US Class Current: 362/555
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0994 Fibers, light pipes optical fibers per se G02B6/02
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/102 for generating a colour image from monochromatic image signal sources
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/145 having sequential partially reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/149 using crossed beamsplitting surfaces, e.g. cross-dichroic cubes or X-cubes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A light illumination apparatus and method for providing a light source includes light emitting diodes (LEDs) (101, 102, 103) and optical waveguides (104, 105, 106) associated with the light sources for guiding the light to the nonpolarized dichroic combiner (107). The dichroic combiner (107) combines the light from the wave guides into a single light source. Lenses (207, 208, 209) may also be used to focus light from the waveguides to the dichroic combiner (107). The invention provides an efficient approach to provide a single source of light using LEDs.

Claims

1. A light illumination engine comprising:

a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) light sources;

at least one optical waveguide associated with the plurality of LED light sources; and

a non-polarized dichroic combiner for combining light from the at least one optical waveguide into a single light source, the non-polarized dichroic combiner being optically coupled to the plurality of LED light sources through the at least one optical waveguide.

2. A light illumination engine as in claim 1, further comprising:

a lens for processing light from the at least one optical waveguide before entering the non-polarized dichroic combiner.

3. The light illumination engine of claim 1, wherein the at least one optical waveguide is structured to homogenize and collimate light emitted from the plurality of LED light sources.

4. A light illumination engine as in claim 3, wherein the at least one optical waveguide is a hollow light pipe.

5. A light illumination engine as in claim 3, wherein the at least one optical waveguide is a solid integrator rod.

6. A light illumination engine as in claim 3, wherein the light illumination engine is used in a television receiver.

7. A light illumination engine as in claim 1, wherein the non-polarized dichroic combiner is a cross-type combiner or a V-type combiner.

8. A light illumination engine as in claim 1, further comprising:

at least one prism for directing light from the at least one optical waveguide to the non-polarized dichroic combiner.

9. A light illumination engine as in claim 8, wherein the at least one prism is a 45-degree prism.

10. A polarized light illumination apparatus for projecting a full color image, comprising:

a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) light sources;

at least one tapered waveguide associated with each of the plurality of LED light sources;

a non-polarized dichroic combiner for combining rays from the LED light sources;

a polarizing beam splitter (PBS) for separating S and P polarizing light exiting from the non-polarized dichroic combiner;

a prism for forwarding the propagation direction of light from the PBS;

a polarization converter for rotating the polarization direction of an incoming polarized beam; and

wherein the at least one tapered waveguide processes the light from the plurality of LED light sources to the non-polarized dichroic combiner, wherein the at least one tapered waveguide is structured to collimate the light from the LED light source.

11. The polarized light illumination apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a lens attached to an exit surface of the at least one waveguide.

12. The polarized light illumination apparatus as in claim 10, wherein the plurality of LED light sources are comprised of LEDs having differing colors.

13. The polarized light illumination apparatus as in claim 10, wherein the at least one tapered waveguide homogenizes the light from the LED light source.

14. The polarized light illumination apparatus as in claim 10, wherein the at least one tapered waveguide shapes the light beam from the LED light source.

15. The polarized light illumination apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the at least one tapered waveguide is a hollow light pipe.

16. The polarized light illumination apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the at least one tapered waveguide is a solid integrator rod.

17. The polarized light illumination apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the dichroic combiner is a cross-type combiner.

18. The polarized light illumination apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the dichroic combiner is a V-type combiner.

19. The polarized light illumination apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the polarization converter is a half wave plate.

20. The polarized light illumination apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the polarization converter is a retro-reflective polarization rotator.

21. The polarized light illumination apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the polarization converter is a quarter wave plate attached to a reflective mirror.

22. The polarized light illumination apparatus as in claim 10, wherein polarized light illumination apparatus is used in a television receiver.

23. A polarized light illumination apparatus comprising:

at least one light emitting diode (LED) light source;

at least one optical waveguide associated with the at least one LED light source, the at least one optical waveguide structured to collimate light originating at the at least one LED light source, the at least one optical waveguide having an output interface for presenting collimated light;

a plurality of prisms optically coupled to the output interface of the at least one optical waveguide and operable to receive said collimated light; and

a polarizing cross dichroic combiner optically coupled to the plurality of prisms and operable to combine the collimated light from the plurality of prisms to provide a single polarized light source.

24. A polarized light illumination apparatus as in claim 23, further comprising:

at least one lens positioned to receive light from the at least one optical waveguide for shaping a light beam from the waveguide.

25. A polarized light illumination apparatus as in claim 23, wherein the at least one LED light source includes a plurality of different color LEDs.

26. The polarized light illumination apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the at least one optical waveguide is a tapered hollow light pipe.

27. The polarized light illumination apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the at least one tapered waveguide is a tapered solid integrator rod.

28. A polarized light illumination apparatus as in claim 23, wherein the illumination apparatus is used in a television receiver.

29. A method for providing light illumination comprising the steps of:

coupling light from at least one light emitting diode (LED) to an optical waveguide;

collimating light from the at least one LED using the optical waveguide and presenting said collimated light to a nonpolarized dichroic combiner; and

combining light from the optical waveguide through the non-polarized dichroic combiner to produce a single light beam.

30. A method for providing light illumination as in claim 29, further comprising the step of;

positioning a lens at one end of the optical waveguide for converging light exiting the waveguide.

31. A method for providing light illumination as in claim 29, wherein the non-polarized dichroic combiner is a cross-type combiner or a V-type combiner.

32. A method for providing light illumination as in claim 29, further comprising the step of:

positioning at least one prism at one end of the waveguide for orienting the light from the optical waveguide to the non-polarized dichroic combiner.

33. A method for providing light illumination as in claim 29, wherein the at least one optical waveguide is a tapered hollow light pipe.

34. A method for providing fight illumination as to claim 29, wherein the at least one optical waveguide is a tapered solid integrator rod.

35. A method for providing light illumination as in claim 29, wherein the illuminated light is used in a television monitor.