Method and apparatus for laser diode compensation

• US 7,711,018 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microvision, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Microvision, Inc.
• Inventors: Champion, Mark, Huang, Heng
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey; Minsun
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stafford; Patrick
• Application Number:
  US11/962,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20090161707A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 372/29.011
• US Class Current: 372/29.011
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0617 using memorised or pre-programmed laser characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/06812 by monitoring or fixing the threshold current or other specific points of the L-I or V-I characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0683 by monitoring the optical output parameters
• 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
• 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

Abstract

The luminance of a laser diode is a function of laser diode drive current. The luminance is also a function of other factors, such as age and temperature. A laser projection device includes laser diodes to generate light in response to a commanded luminance, and also includes photodiodes to provide a measured luminance. The commanded luminance and measured luminance are compared, and drive currents for the laser diodes are adjusted to compensate for changes in laser diode characteristics.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a laser diode having a nonlinear current to output luminance characteristic;

a look-up table to map desired luminance values to nominal laser diode current values, wherein the look-up table compensates for the nonlinear current to output luminance characteristic in the laser diode by combining a mapping component with the nonlinear current to output luminance characteristic of the laser diode to provide a substantially linear response between the desired luminance values and the nominal laser diode current values, wherein the mapping component is substantially an inverse of the nonlinear current to output luminance characteristic of the laser diode;

a multiplier coupled to multiply the nominal laser diode current values by a gain value; and

a feedback loop to measure actual output luminance and adjust the gain value, wherein the look-up table is operable to periodically output a desired luminance value corresponding to a periodic calibration pulse, wherein laser diode output for the calibration pulse does not represent brightness of successive pixels to be displayed, and wherein the feedback loop comprises circuitry to measure the actual output luminance of the calibration pulse.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the feedback loop comprises:

a photodiode to measure the actual output luminance; and

a comparator to compare the actual output luminance with an expected output luminance.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the expected output luminance corresponds to a calibration pulse.

4. A laser projector comprising:

a plurality of laser diodes;

a plurality of look-up tables to map desired luminance values to laser diode drive current values for each of the plurality of laser diodes, wherein the plurality of look-up tables compensate for a nonlinear current to output luminance characteristic in each of the plurality of laser diodes by combining a mapping component with the nonlinear current to output luminance characteristic of each of the respective laser diodes to provide a substantially linear response between the desired luminance values and the laser diode drive current values, wherein the mapping component is substantially an inverse of the nonlinear current to output luminance characteristic of the each of the respective laser diodes, wherein the plurality of look-up tables are operable to periodically output a desired luminance value corresponding to a periodic calibration pulse, and wherein laser diode output for the calibration pulse does not represent brightness of successive pixels to be displayed; and

a plurality of multiplier circuits coupled to adjust the laser diode drive current values to compensate for heating and aging effects.

5. The laser projector of claim 4 further comprising:

a plurality of photodiodes to measure actual output luminance from the plurality of laser diodes; and

a plurality of feedback circuits to influence operation of the plurality of multiplier circuits in response to the actual output luminance.

6. The laser projector of claim 4 wherein the plurality of feedback circuits include comparison circuits to produce gain values to provide to the plurality of multiplier circuits, the comparison circuits being responsive to expected luminance values and measured luminance values.

7. The laser projector of claim 6 wherein the expected luminance values and measured luminance values correspond to calibration pulses.

8. The laser projector of claim 4 wherein the plurality of laser diodes comprises a red laser diode, a green laser diode, and a blue laser diode.

9. A mobile device comprising:

a laser projector to project an image, the laser projector comprising;

a laser diode subject to heating based on video content;

a look-up table to map desired luminance values to nominal laser diode current values, wherein the look-up table compensates for a nonlinear current to output luminance characteristic in the laser diode by combining a mapping component with the nonlinear current to output luminance characteristic of the laser diode to provide a substantially linear response between the desired luminance values and the nominal laser diode current values, wherein the mapping component is substantially an inverse of the nonlinear current to output luminance characteristic of the laser diode;

a multiplier coupled to multiply the nominal laser diode current values by a gain value; and

a feedback loop to measure actual output luminance and adjust the gain value, wherein the look-up table is operable to periodically output a desired luminance value corresponding to a periodic calibration pulse, wherein laser diode output for the calibration pulse does not represent brightness of successive pixels to be displayed, and wherein the feedback loop comprises circuitry to measure the actual output luminance of the calibration pulse.

10. The mobile device of claim 9 further comprising a communications transceiver.

11. The mobile device of claim 10 wherein the feedback loop comprises:

a photodiode to measure the actual output luminance; and

a comparator to compare the actual output luminance with an expected output luminance.

12. The mobile device of claim 9 further comprising a memory card slot.

13. A laser projector comprising:

means for mapping desired luminance values to nominal laser diode drive current values, wherein the means for mapping compensates for a nonlinear current to output luminance characteristic in a laser diode by combining a mapping component with the nonlinear current to output luminance characteristic of the laser diode to provide a substantially linear response between the desired luminance values and the nominal laser diode drive current values, wherein the mapping component is substantially an inverse of the nonlinear current to output luminance characteristic of the laser diode;

means for multiplying the nominal laser diode drive current values with a gain value; and

means for modifying the gain value to compensate for changes in a laser diode characteristic, wherein the means for mapping is operable to periodically output a desired luminance value corresponding to a periodic calibration pulse, wherein laser diode output for the calibration pulse does not represent brightness of successive pixels to be displayed, and wherein the means for modifying the gain value comprises circuitry to measure the actual output luminance of the calibration pulse.

14. The laser projector of claim 13 further comprising means for periodically producing the calibration pulse.

15. The laser projector of claim 14 wherein the means for modifying the gain value comprises a comparator to compare a measured laser output luminance value with an expected laser output luminance value, where the measured and expected laser output luminance values correspond to the calibration pulse.

16. A method comprising:

mapping a desired luminance value to a nominal drive current value to drive a laser diode having a nonlinear characteristic, wherein the mapping compensates for the nonlinear characteristic in by combining a mapping component with the nonlinear characteristic to provide a substantially linear response between the desired luminance value and the nominal drive current value, wherein the mapping component is substantially an inverse of the nonlinear characteristic, wherein the mapping is operable to periodically output the desired luminance value corresponding to a periodic calibration pulse, wherein laser diode output for the calibration pulse does not represent brightness of successive pixels to be displayed;

multiplying the nominal drive current value by a gain value to adjust for variations in the nonlinear characteristic; and

driving the laser diode.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

measuring an output luminance of the laser diode; and

adjusting the gain value in response to the output luminance.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein adjusting the gain value in response to the output luminance comprises comparing the output luminance with an expected output luminance.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein mapping comprises indexing into a look-up table with the desired luminance value.