Front-projection screen with subsurface diffusion targets

• US 7,433,122 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: InFocus Corporation (Lap-Shun Hui, MBA)
• Inventors: Peterson, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Diane I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cruz, Magda
• Application Number:
  US10/987,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20060103930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 359/443, 359455-457, 359/741, 359/742, 359/459, 359/454
• US Class Current: 359/454
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/602 Lenticular screens G03B21/625 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method for a front-projection screen having a subsurface diffusion target are disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A front-projection screen comprising:

a first layer of the front-projection screen having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface having a first refractive element;

a first diffusion target at the second surface, adapted to provide diffuse reflection to at least a portion of first radiation that is incident upon the first refractive element within a range of incident angles; and

a first absorption target, adapted to absorb at least a portion of second radiation incident upon the first refractive element outside of the range of incident angles.

2. The front-projection screen of claim 1, wherein the first refractive element is selected from a group consisting of a lenslet, a lenticule, and a prism.

3. The front-projection screen of claim 1, wherein the first refractive element has a focal distance, and the first diffusion target is disposed at a distance from the first refractive element that is approximately equal to the focal distance.

4. The front-projection screen of claim 1, wherein the first absorption target comprises a portion of a contiguous absorption layer.

5. The front-projection screen of claim 1, wherein the first layer includes the first absorption target and the screen further comprises:

a diffusion layer, including the first diffusion target, coupled to the second surface.

6. The front-projection screen of claim 1, wherein the first surface of the first layer further comprises:

a first surface pattern including the first refractive element and one or more additional refractive elements.

7. The front-projection screen of claim 6, further comprising:

a diffusion target pattern including the first diffusion target and one or more additional diffusion targets; and

the refractive elements of the first surface pattern being adapted to receive the first radiation and to transmit portions of the first radiation to corresponding ones of the diffusion targets of the diffusion target pattern.

8. The front-projection screen of claim 7, further comprising:

an absorption target pattern including the first absorption target and one or more additional absorption targets; and

the refractive elements of the first surface pattern being adapted to receive the second radiation and to transmit portions of the second radiation to corresponding ones of the absorption targets of the absorption target pattern.

9. The front-projection screen of claim 6, wherein the first surface pattern is either a lenticular pattern or a rectangular array pattern.

10. The front-projection screen of claim 1, wherein the first diffusion target is white in color.

11. The front-projection screen of claim 1, wherein the first diffusion target is adapted to receive radiation having an emission energy imbalance, and to reflect radiation having at least a reduced emission energy imbalance.