Light-emitting diode (LED) illumination system for a digital micro-mirror device (DMD) and method of providing same
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A light illumination system for projecting a color image comprising:
- a first, second and third light emitting diode (LED) illumination assembly each operable to generate a different monochromatic color light beam;
a non-polarized dichroic combiner for combining non-polarized light inputs from each different color light beam into a common light path;
at least one tapered optical waveguide for colliminating, homogenizing and shaping light from each of the first, second and third LED illumination assembly to the non-polarized dichroic combiner such that an input of the tapered optical waveguide has less cross-sectional area than its output;
a digital micro-mirror display (DMD) panel; and
a condenser lens system for directing light from the dichroic combiner to the DMD panel.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A light illumination system for projecting a color image to a digital micro-mirror display (DMD) panel includes a light-emitting diode (LED) illumination assembly (101, 102, 103), a dichroic combiner (107) for providing a single light source and a condenser lens system (FIGS. 20-23) for directing light from the single light source to the DMD panel. The invention provides a cost effective and efficient system for providing a non-polarized uniform light source to a DMD panel.
-
Citations
26 Claims
-
1. A light illumination system for projecting a color image comprising:
-
a first, second and third light emitting diode (LED) illumination assembly each operable to generate a different monochromatic color light beam; a non-polarized dichroic combiner for combining non-polarized light inputs from each different color light beam into a common light path; at least one tapered optical waveguide for colliminating, homogenizing and shaping light from each of the first, second and third LED illumination assembly to the non-polarized dichroic combiner such that an input of the tapered optical waveguide has less cross-sectional area than its output; a digital micro-mirror display (DMD) panel; and a condenser lens system for directing light from the dichroic combiner to the DMD panel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A light emitting diode (LED) illumination system comprising:
-
a substantially red, substantially green and substantially blue monochromatic LED light source; at least one tapered optical waveguide for colliminating, homogenizing and shaping the light from the substantially red, substantially green and substantially blue LED light sources such that an input of the tapered optical waveguide has less cross-sectional area than its output; a non-polarized dichroic combiner for combining at least two non-polarized light inputs from the at least one optical waveguide into a single light source; and a projection system for projecting the single light source onto a digital micro-mirror device (DMD) display panel. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A method for projecting a color image comprising the steps of:
-
coupling first, second and third light beams each having a substantially different color from a respective light emitting diode (LED) to a non-polarized dichroic combiner; combining non-polarized light from the first, second and third light beams into a common light path using the non-polarized dichroic combiner; guiding light from the common light path through a condenser lens system; and directing light from the condenser lens system to a digital micro-mirror display (DMD) panel. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
Specification