Stereo projection using polarized solid state light sources
First Claim
1. A stereoscopic digital image projector comprising:
- a) a plurality of light modulation assemblies, each comprising;
at least one solid-state light source energizable to provide illumination having a first polarization axis;
a polarization rotator disposed in the path of the polarized illumination from the solid-state light source(s) and actuable to controllably rotate the polarization axis from the solid-state light source(s) to a second polarized axis; and
a micro-electromechanical spatial light modulator in the path of the polarized illumination and energizable to modulate the polarized illumination to form a first modulated light from illumination of the first polarization state and to form a second modulated light from illumination of the second polarization state;
b) a synchronizing means to temporally control the polarization rotation to match the appropriate image data on the spatial light modulator; and
c) projection optics for directing the first and second modulated light toward a display surface.
18 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A stereoscopic digital image projector includes (a) a plurality of light modulation assemblies, each comprising: (i) at least one solid-state light source energizable to provide illumination having a first polarization axis; (ii) a polarization rotator disposed in the path of the polarized illumination from the solid-state light source(s) and actuable to controllably rotate the polarization axis from the solid-state light source(s) to a second polarized axis; (iii) a micro-electromechanical spatial light modulator in the path of the polarized illumination and energizable to modulate the polarized illumination to form a first modulated light from illumination of the first polarization state and to form a second modulated light from illumination of the second polarization state; and (b) a synchronizing means to temporally control the polarization rotation to match the appropriate image data on the spatial light modulator; and (c) projection optics for directing the first and second modulated light toward a display surface.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A stereoscopic digital image projector comprising:
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a) a plurality of light modulation assemblies, each comprising; at least one solid-state light source energizable to provide illumination having a first polarization axis; a polarization rotator disposed in the path of the polarized illumination from the solid-state light source(s) and actuable to controllably rotate the polarization axis from the solid-state light source(s) to a second polarized axis; and a micro-electromechanical spatial light modulator in the path of the polarized illumination and energizable to modulate the polarized illumination to form a first modulated light from illumination of the first polarization state and to form a second modulated light from illumination of the second polarization state; b) a synchronizing means to temporally control the polarization rotation to match the appropriate image data on the spatial light modulator; and c) projection optics for directing the first and second modulated light toward a display surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A stereoscopic digital image projector comprising:
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a) a plurality of light modulation assemblies, each comprising; a first solid-state light source energizable to provide illumination having a first polarization axis; a second solid-state light source energizable to provide illumination having a second polarization axis orthogonal to the first polarization axis; a rotating element disposed in the path of the polarized illumination from both first and second solid-state light sources and actuable to controllably and alternatively direct the light from the first and second solid-state light sources along an optical axis as two temporally alternating orthogonal polarized states of illumination; and a micro-electromechanical spatial light modulator in the path of the polarized illumination and energizable to modulate the polarized illumination to form a first modulated light from illumination of the first polarization axis and to form a second modulated light from illumination of the second polarization axis; b) a synchronizing means to temporally control the polarization rotation to match the appropriate image data on the spatial light modulator; and c) projection optics for directing the first and second modulated light toward a display surface. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A stereoscopic digital image projector comprising:
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a) a plurality of light modulation assemblies, each comprising; a first solid-state light source energizable to provide illumination having a first polarization axis; a second solid-state light source energizable to provide illumination having a second polarization axis orthogonal to the first polarization axis; a rotating element disposed in the path of the polarized illumination from both first and second solid-state light sources to alternately deliver polarized light from one solid state light source to the illumination section a retardation means to rotate the other orthogonally polarized solid-state light source such that its polarization state is matched to the polarization state delivered to the illumination section; a redirecting means for delivering this newly matched polarized light to combine at the illumination section; an optical integration means for mixing the light of the two solid state light sources without depolarization; and a micro-electromechanical spatial light modulator in the path of the polarized illumination and energizable to modulate the polarized illumination to form a first modulated light from illumination of the first polarization axis and to form a second modulated light from illumination of the second polarization axis; b) a synchronizing means to temporally control the polarization rotation to match the appropriate image data on the spatial light modulator; and c) projection optics for directing the first and second modulated light toward a display surface. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A stereoscopic digital image projector comprising:
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a) a plurality of light modulation assemblies, each comprising; a first solid-state light source energizable to provide illumination having a first polarization axis; a second solid-state light source energizable to provide illumination having a second polarization axis orthogonal to the first polarization axis; an alternating polarization conversion means to alternately rotate the first or second solid-state light source to the matching polarization state of the other source; a delivery means for delivering single polarization state light combined from both solid-state light sources as a single illumination source a preferred orientation to minimize polarization change on a spatial light modulator; and a spatial light modulator in the path of the polarized illumination and energizable to modulate the polarized illumination to form a first modulated light from illumination of the first polarization axis and to form a second modulated light from illumination of the second polarization axis; b) a synchronizing means to temporally control the polarization rotation to match the appropriate image data on the spatial light modulator; and c) projection optics for directing the first and second modulated light toward a display surface. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A stereoscopic digital image projector comprising:
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a) a plurality of light modulation assemblies, each comprising; at least one solid-state light source energizable to provide illumination having a first polarization axis; at least one narrow band polarization rotator disposed in the path of the polarized illumination from the solid-state light source(s) and to controllably rotate the polarization axis from the solid-state light source(s) to a second polarized axis in sequence with image data provided to each modulator; and a spatial light modulator in the path of the polarized illumination and energizable to modulate the polarized illumination to form a first modulated light from illumination of the first polarization axis and to form a second modulated light from illumination of the second polarization axis; and b) projection optics for directing the first and second modulated light toward a display surface. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification