Image display device

• US 7,303,288 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2005
• Issued: 12/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Ito, Yoshitaka, Miyazawa, Yasunaga, Takeda, Takashi, Kojima, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): BLACKMAN, ROCHELLE ANN J
• Application Number:
  US11/246,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20060114422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 353/94, 353/29, 353/30, 353/31, 353/34, 353/37, 353/82, 353/98, 353/99, 353/102, 353/122, 353/85, 353/97, 348/739, 348/742, 348/744, 348/750, 348/758, 348/759, 348/801, 349/5, 349/7, 349/8, 349/64, 349/65, 359/618, 359/619, 359/623, 359/599, 362/612, 362/551, 362/555, 362/561, 362/227, 362/231, 362/235, 362/246, 362/251, 362/800, 362/558, 385/33, 385/133, 385/901, 385/34
• US Class Current: 353/94
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/2053 Intensity control of illuminating light controlled by video signal processing H04N5/74 or H04N9/31
• 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

Aspects of the invention can provide an image display device that can include light sources provided, respectively, for regions obtained by dividing an image forming region of an electro-optic modulator into plural regions to irradiate corresponding regions, and a light source control portion that performs lighting control on the light sources. The light source control portion can perform the lighting control on the light sources for the respective region independently in sync with writing of image data to the electro-optic modulator, and the lighting control can be performed in such a manner that the light source corresponding to at least one region among the plural regions is kept unlit in a writing period for a screenful of image data.

Claims

1. An image display device, comprising:

light sources provided, respectively, for regions obtained by dividing an image forming region of an electro-optic modulator into plural regions to irradiate corresponding regions;

a light source control portion that performs lighting control on the light sources; and

the light source control portion performing the lighting control on the light sources for the respective regions independently in sync with writing of image data to the electro-optic modulator, and the lighting control being performed in such a manner that the light source corresponding to at least one region among the plural regions is kept unlit in a writing period for a screenful of image data wherein;

when the light source for each region includes more than one light source, the light source control portion performing the lighting control on more than one light source to enhance homogeneity of illuminance within each region.

2. The image display device according to claim 1,

the light sources being solid-state light sources.

3. The image display device according to claim 1,

the lighting control performed in such a manner that the light source corresponding to at least one region among the plural regions is kept unlit being lighting control under which the light sources for the respective regions are kept lit in turn for a specific time.

4. The image display device according to claim 1,

the lighting control performed in such a manner that only the light source corresponding to at least one region among the plural regions is kept unlit being lighting control under which, for a region in which the image data is being written, the light source corresponding to the region is lit with a specific time of delay from image data writing timing of the region.

5. The image display device according to claim 1,

the light source control portion performing the lighting control on the light sources for the respective regions to enhance homogeneity of illuminance across all the regions.

6. The image display device according to claim 5,

the lighting control performed to enhance homogeneity of illuminance across all the regions being lighting control under which illuminance of other regions is matched with illuminance of a region having lower illuminance.

7. The image display device according to claim 1,

the lighting control performed to enhance homogeneity of illuminance within each region being lighting control under which illuminance of other portions is matched with illuminance of a portion having lower illuminance within each region.

8. The image display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a diffusing plate that is provided between the light source for each region of the electro-optic light modulator and the region.

9. The image display device according to claim 8,

the diffusing plate provided for each region having a diffusing capability such that lights from the light source are diffused at different degrees on a surface thereof.

10. The image display device according to claim 9,

the diffusing capability being a diffusing capability such that lights from the light source are diffused more at and in the vicinity of a center than on and in the vicinity of an edge of the region.

11. The image display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an image data display control portion that is capable of controlling pixel values of the image data; and

the image data display control portion performing control of the pixel values in such a manner that a difference between illuminance on and in the vicinity of a boundary of each region and illuminance at and in the vicinity of a center of the region is lessened.

12. An image display device, comprising:

light sources provided, respectively, for regions obtained by dividing an image forming region of an electro-optic modulator into plural regions to irradiate corresponding regions;

a light source control portion that performs lighting control on the light sources;

the light source control portion performing the lighting control on the light sources for the respective regions independently in sync with writing of image data to the electro-optic modulator, and the lighting control being performed in such a manner that the light source corresponding to at least one region among the plural regions is kept unlit in a writing period for a screenful of image data;

a diffusing plate that is provided between the light source for each region of the electro-optic light modulator and the region; and

a light shielding plate that is provided between the diffusing plate provided for each region and the light source for the region, so that lights from the light sources corresponding to the other regions are shielded.

13. The image display device according to claim 12,

the lighting control performed in such a manner that the light source corresponding to at least one region among the plural regions is kept unlit being lighting control under which the light sources for the respective regions are kept lit in turn for a specific time.

14. The image display device according to claim 12,

the lighting control performed in such a manner that only the light source corresponding to at least one region among the plural regions is kept unlit being lighting control under which, for a region in which the image data is being written, the light source corresponding to the region is lit with a specific time of delay from image data writing timing of the region.

15. The image display device according to claim 12, further comprising:

an image data display control portion that is capable of controlling pixel values of the image data; and

the image data display control portion performing control of the pixel values in such a manner that a difference between illuminance on and in the vicinity of a boundary of each region and illuminance at and in the vicinity of a center of the region is lessened.

16. An image display device, comprising:

light sources provided, respectively, for regions obtained by dividing an image forming region of an electro-optic modulator into plural regions to irradiate corresponding regions;

a light source control portion that performs lighting control on the light sources;

the light source control portion performing the lighting control on the light sources for the respective regions independently in sync with writing of image data to the electro-optic modulator, and the lighting control being performed in such a manner that the light source corresponding to at least one region among the plural regions is kept unlit in a writing period for a screenful of image data; and

a rod integrator that is provided for each region between the light source for each region of the electro-optic modulator and the region.

17. The image display device according to claim 16,

the rod integrator for each region including plural rod integrators aligned in line in the region.

18. The image display device according to claim 17,

each of the plural rod integrators having at least one of a square cross section and a cross section of a shape close to a square.

19. The image display device according to claim 16,

the lighting control performed in such a manner that the light source corresponding to at least one region among the plural regions is kept unlit being lighting control under which the light sources for the respective regions are kept lit in turn for a specific time.

20. The image display device according to claim 16,

the lighting control performed in such a manner that only the light source corresponding to at least one region among the plural regions is kept unlit being lighting control under which, for a region in which the image data is being written, the light source corresponding to the region is lit with a specific time of delay from image data writing timing of the region.