Selectable color adjustment for image display

• US 7,283,181 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2003
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Allen, William J., Howard, Peter Guy, Dixon, Brian S, Pate, Michael A
• Primary Examiner(s): Yenke; Brian P.
• Application Number:
  US10/388,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20030227577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,677 Days
• Field of Search: 348/602, 348742-744, 348759-760, 353/84
• US Class Current: 348/744
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/008 in the form of devices for effecting sequential colour changes, e.g. colour wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/005 Projectors using an electronic spatial light modulator but not peculiar thereto
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/14 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/2053 Intensity control of illuminating light controlled by video signal processing H04N5/74 or H04N9/31
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 33/12 using beam-splitting or beam-combining systems, e.g. dichroic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3114 by using a sequential colour filter producing one colour at a time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3155 for controlling the light source light source control per se H05B35/00 – H05B47/00; control of an illumination source for displays in general G09G3/3406
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3182 Colour adjustment, e.g. white balance, shading or gamut white balance per se H04N9/73; control of amplitude of colour signals H04N9/68; colour control circuits for displays in general G09G5/02, G09G3/2003, G09G3/3607
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/73 Colour balance circuits, e.g. white balance circuits or colour temperature control camera processing pipelines for colour balance H04N23/88

Abstract

A display system is configured to produce a color image formed of a plurality of differently colored images and may include at least one light source that directs light along an optical path, and at least one filter having a given optical filter characteristic. The display system may be selectively operable in a first state in which the optical path does not pass through a first filter during production of the plurality of differently colored images to form a color image having a first optical characteristic, and in a second state in which the optical path passes through the first filter during production of the plurality of differently colored images to form a color image having a second optical characteristic different than the first optical characteristic.

Claims

1. A display system comprising:

at least one light source that directs light along an optical path;

at least one filter wheel having a given optical filter characteristic; and

a second filter wheel capable of at least one of rotating about a rotational axis distinct from a rotational axis of the first filter wheel or rotating independently of the first filter wheel;

the display system being configured to produce a multi-color composite image formed of a plurality of differently colored component images, and to be selectively operable in a first state in which the entirety of the optical path does not pass through a first filter wheel and entirety of the optical path passes through the second filter wheel during production of the plurality of differently colored component images to form a multi-color composite image having a first optical characteristic, and in a second state in which the entirety of the optical path passes through the first filter wheel during production of the plurality of differently colored component images to form a multi-color composite image having a second optical characteristic different than the first optical characteristic.

2. The display system of claim 1, wherein the display system is further configured to produce at least one of the differently colored component images in a first manner related to the first optical characteristic when the display system is operating in the first state, and in a second manner related to the second optical characteristic when the display system is operating in the second state, the second manner being different than the first manner.

3. The display system of claim 2, wherein the light source is a colored light source configured to produce differently colored light and the display system further comprises a light modulator configured to modulate the colored light in a first manner forming the differently colored component images when the display system is operating in the first state and configured to modulate the colored light in a second manner different than the first manner when the display system is operating in the second state.

4. The display system of claim 2, wherein the light source produces light based on a level of energy applied to the light source, and the display system is further configured to apply energy to the light source in a first manner when the display system is operating in the first state and apply energy to the light source in a second manner different than the first manner when the display system is operating in the second state.

5. The display system of claim 2, wherein the display system is further configured to produce an indication of the operating state, and to produce the differently colored component images in the manner corresponding to the indication of the operating state.

6. The display system of claim 5, further configured to produce the indication of the operating state in response to the positions of the optical path and filter wheel relative to each other.

7. The display system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of filters, with each filter having an associated optical filter characteristic, and wherein the optical path passes through a plurality of filters in the second state.

8. The display system of claim 7 wherein each of the filters and the optical path are relatively movable between a first position in which the optical path does not pass through the filter and in a second position in which the optical path passes through the filter.

9. The display system of claim 8, further comprising an identifier configured to identify a display condition, the display system further configured to move a plurality of filters relative to the optical path in response to the identified display condition.

10. The display system of claim 9, wherein the identifier comprises at least one of a selectable-gamut selector, an ambient-light sensor, an image-content analyzer, and a display-appearance analyzer.

11. The display system of claim 1, further comprising an identifier configured to identify a display condition, the display system further configured to change the state of operation in response to an identified display condition.

12. The display system of claim 11, wherein the identifier comprises at least one of a selectable-gamut selector, an ambient-light sensor, an image-content analyzer, and a display-appearance analyzer.

13. The display system of claim 1, wherein the display system is configured to change state by at least one of moving the optical path relative to the light source, and moving the at least one filter wheel relative to the optical path.

14. The display system of claim 1, wherein the display system further comprises a carrier configured to support at least one of the filter wheel and an element configured to change the direction of the optical path, the carrier and the element each being movable between a first position in which the display system is operating in the first state, and a second position in which the display system is operating in the second state.

15. The display system of claim 14, wherein the carrier is manipulatable by a user.

16. The display system of claim 15, wherein the display system is further configured to produce an indication of the position of the carrier, and to produce the differently colored images based on the indicated operating state.

17. A method comprising:

directing light along an optical path; and

producing a multi-color composite image formed of a plurality of differently colored composite images by selectively operating in a selected one of a first state and a second state during production of the multi-color composite image;

wherein in the first state light is directed along an optical path entirely spaced from a first filter wheel and entirely passing through a second filter wheel to produce a multi-color composite image having a first optical characteristic, and in the second state light is directed along an optical path entirely passing through the first filter wheel to produce a multi-color composite image having a second optical characteristic different than the first optical characteristic;

wherein the second filter wheel is capable of at least one of independent rotation relative to the first filter wheel and rotation about a rotational axis distinct from a rotational axis of the first filter wheel.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising producing at least one of the differently colored composite images in a first manner related to the first optical characteristic when the display system is operating in the first state, and in a second manner related to the second optical characteristic when the display system is operating in the second state, the second manner being different than the first manner.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein directing includes directing differently colored light along the optical path, and modulating the colored light in a first manner forming the colored composite images when the display system is operating in the first state and modulating the colored light in a second manner different than the first manner when the display system is operating in the second state.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising producing light based on a level of energy applied to the light source, and applying energy to the light source in a first manner during operating in the first state and applying energy to the light source in a second manner different than the first manner when operating in the second state.

21. The method of claim 18, further producing an indication of the operating state, and wherein producing the differently colored images includes producing the differently colored composite images in the manner corresponding to the indication of the operating state.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein producing an indication further comprises producing the indication of the operating state in response to the positions of the optical path and filter wheel relative to each other.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein operating includes selectively operating in the second state in which light is directed along the optical path which passes through a plurality of filters in the second state, with each filter having an associated optical filter characteristic.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising moving each of the plurality of filters from a first position in which the optical path does not pass through the filter to a second position in which the optical path passes through the filter.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising identifying a display condition, and moving a plurality of filters relative to the optical path in response to the identified display condition.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein identifying comprises at least one of selecting a gamut, sensing ambient light, analyzing image content, and analyzing display appearance.

27. The method of claim 17, further comprising identifying a display condition, and moving a plurality of filters relative to the optical path in response to the identified display condition.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein identifying comprises at least one of selecting a gamut, sensing ambient light, analyzing image content, and analyzing display appearance.

29. The method of claim 17, further comprising changing the operating state by moving at least one of the optical path and the filter wheel relative to the light source.

30. The method of claim 17, wherein moving comprises manually moving at least one of the optical path and the filter wheel.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising producing an indication of the relative position of the filter wheel and the optical path, and producing the differently colored images based on the indication.

32. A display system comprising:

means for directing light along an optical path;

a first color wheel with a given optical filter characteristic; and

a second filter wheel capable of at least one of rotating about a rotational axis distinct from a rotational axis of the first filter wheel or rotating independently of the first filter wheel;

means for producing a multi-color composite image formed of a plurality of differently colored component images by selectively operating in a first state in which light is directed along an optical path entirely spaced from the first color wheel to produce a multi-color composite image having a first optical characteristic, and in a second state in which light is directed along an optical path entirely passing through the first color wheel to produce a multi-color composite image having a second optical characteristic different than the first optical characteristic, wherein the entirety of the optical path passes through the second filter wheel during production of the plurality of differently colored component images to form the multi-color composite image having the first optical characteristic.

33. The display system of claim 32, wherein the producing means is further for producing at least one of the differently colored component images in a first manner related to the first optical characteristic when the display system is operating in the first state, and in a second manner related to the second optical characteristic when the display system is operating in the second state, the second manner being different than the first manner.

34. The display system of claim 33, wherein the directing means includes means for directing differently colored light along the optical path, and the producing means includes means for modulating the colored light in a first manner forming the colored component images when the display system is operating in the first state and for modulating the colored light in a second manner different than the first manner when the display system is operating in the second state.

35. The display system of claim 33, wherein the directing means includes means for producing light based on a level of energy applied, and the image-producing means includes means for applying energy to the light-producing means in a first manner during operating in the first state and applying energy to the light-producing means in a second manner different than the first manner when operating in the second state.

36. The display system of claim 33, further comprising means for producing an indication of the operating state, and wherein the means for producing the differently colored component images includes producing the differently colored images in the manner corresponding to the indication of the operating state.

37. The display system of claim 36, wherein the means for producing an indication further comprises producing the indication of the operating state in response to the positions of the optical path and color wheel relative to each other.

38. The display system of claim 32, wherein the producing means is further for directing light through a plurality of filtering means when operating in the second state, with each filter having an associated optical filter characteristic.

39. The display system of claim 38, wherein the producing means further comprises means for moving each of the plurality of filters from a first position in which the optical path does not pass through the filter to a second position in which the optical path passes through the filter.

40. The display system of claim 39, wherein the producing means further comprises means for identifying a display condition, and means for moving a plurality of filters relative to the optical path in response to the identified display condition.

41. The display system of claim 40, wherein the identifying means comprises at least one of means for selecting a gamut, means for sensing ambient light, means for analyzing image content, and means for analyzing display appearance.

42. The display system of claim 32 further comprising means for identifying a display condition, and the producing means includes means for moving a plurality of filters relative to the optical path in response to the identified display condition.

43. The display system of claim 42, wherein the identifying means comprises at least one of means for selecting a gamut, means for sensing ambient light, means for analyzing image content, and means for analyzing display appearance.

44. The display system of claim 32, wherein the producing means further comprises means for changing the operating state by moving at least one of the optical path and the filter relative to the light source.

45. The display system of claim 32, wherein the producing means further comprises means for manually moving at least one of the optical path and the color wheel.

46. The display system of claim 45, further comprising means for producing an indication of the relative position of the color wheel and the optical path, and the producing means further for producing the differently colored images based on the indication.