Display with compensated light source drive

• US 7,473,888 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2006
• Issued: 01/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microvision, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Microvision, Inc.
• Inventors: Tegreene, Clarence T., Helsel, Mark P., Wine, David W., Barger, Jon D.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, QUE TAN
• Application Number:
  US11/600,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20070063134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 250/235, 250/208.1, 250/205, 250/216, 345 7- 9, 345/20, 345/23, 345/24, 359198-201, 359212-215, 438/52
• US Class Current: 250/235
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/011 comprising device for correcting geometrical aberrations, distortion
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/085 the reflecting means being moved or deformed by electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0858 the reflecting means being moved or deformed by piezoelectric means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/101 with both horizontal and vertical deflecting means, e.g. raster or XY scanners colour television using laser beams scanning a display screen H04N9/3129
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0149 characterised by mechanical features G02B27/0176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10633 by oscillation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0285 using tables for spatial correction of display data
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/041 Temperature compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/02 by tracing or scanning a light beam on a screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/74 Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3129 scanning a light beam on the display screen scanning a light beam on a screen in displays other than projection devices G09G3/02; scanning systems in general G02B26/10; projectors using laser light sources in general H04N9/3161

Abstract

A MEM s scanning device has a variable resonant frequency. In one embodiment, the MEMs device includes a torsion arm that supports an oscillatory body. In one embodiment, an array of removable masses are placed on an exposed portion of the oscillatory body and selectively removed to establish the resonant frequency. The material can be removed by laser ablation, etching, or other processing approaches. In another approach, a migratory material is placed on the torsion arm and selectively stimulated to migrate into the torsion arm, thereby changing the mechanical properties of the torsion arm. The changed mechanical properties in turn changes the resonant frequency of the torsion arm. In another approach, symmetrically distributed masses are removed or added in response to a measured resonant frequency to tune the resonant frequency to a desired resonant frequency. A display apparatus includes the scanning device and the scanning device scans about two or more axes, typically in a raster pattern. Various approaches to controlling the frequency responses of the scanning device are described, including active control of MEMs scanners and passive frequency tuning.

Claims

1. A scanned beam display comprising:

a digital controller operable to receive a pixel pattern and to generate a compensation pattern responsive to the pixel pattern, and further operable to transmit a variable digital modulation signal corresponding to the pixel pattern and the compensation pattern;

an optical source driver operable to receive the variable digital modulation signal and to transmit a variable drive signal corresponding to the variable digital modulation signal;

an optical source susceptible to variations in emitted optical intensity corresponding to variable heating corresponding to a variable drive signal, operable to receive the variable drive signal and to responsively emit a beam of light having a variable modulation pattern corresponding to the pixel pattern; and

a scan mirror aligned to receive the beam of light from the optical source and operable to scan the modulated beam of light across an area;

whereby a visible display of information corresponding to the pixel pattern is produced.

2. The scanned beam display of claim 1 wherein the optical source driver is integrated with the optical source.

3. The scanned beam display of claim 1 wherein the optical source driver is integrated with the digital controller.

4. The scanned beam display of claim 1 wherein the optical source comprises a laser.

5. The scanned beam display of claim 4 wherein the laser comprises a laser diode.

6. The scanned beam display of claim 1 wherein the scan mirror comprises a MEMS scan mirror.

7. The scanned beam display of claim 1 wherein at least one of the digital controller, the optical source driver, the optical source, and the scan mirror is housed separately from at least one other of the digital controller, the optical source driver, the optical source and the scan mirror.

8. The scanned beam display of claim 1 further comprising a housing adapted to being worn by a viewer.

9. The scanned beam display of claim 1 wherein the scanned beam display is operable to project the visible display of information onto a screen.

10. The scanned beam display of claim 1 wherein the digital controller is operable to generate a compensation pattern responsive to the pixel pattern by;

performing a table look-up responsive to the pixel pattern; and

reading out the compensation pattern from the table.

11. The scanned beam display of claim 1 wherein the digital controller further comprises:

an input buffer operable to receive the pixel pattern;

a digital processor operable to read the input buffer to retrieve at least a portion of the pixel pattern and further operable to generate and output the variable digital modulation signal; and

an output buffer operable to receive the variable digital modulation signal.