Optical projection system and method of use

• US 7,959,307 B1
• Filed: 11/23/2009
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Elumenati, LLC
• Original Assignee: The Elumenati, LLC
• Inventors: Hooker, Clayton C., McConville, David M., Colucci, D'nardo
• Primary Examiner(s): Ko; Tony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Reilly-Diakun; Jori S
• Application Number:
  US12/624,299
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 353/30, 353 69- 70, 353/77, 353/79, 353121-122, 434284-296, 359/435, 359/451, 359/641, 359/664, 359/708, 359713-717
• US Class Current: 353/121
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/147 Optical correction of image distortions, e.g. keystone
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/00 Panoramic or wide-screen photography; Photographing extended surfaces, e.g. for surveying; Photographing internal surfaces, e.g. of pipe
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 27/00 Planetaria; Globes

Abstract

Embodiments include a light engine to generate pixels and a number of lenses positioned to receive pixels from the light engine and to project the pixels on to a field with a higher angular pixel density at an edge of the field than at a center of the field. A method according to embodiments includes generating pixels in a light engine, receiving the pixels from the light engine in a plurality of lenses, and projecting the pixels through the plurality of lenses on to a field with a higher angular pixel density at an edge of the field than at a center of the field.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

projecting pixels through a plurality of lenses in to a field having a sweep angle of greater than 135 degrees with an angular pixel density that is greater than or equal to about 1.3 times more dense at an edge of the field than an angular pixel density at a center of the field.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein projecting pixels through a plurality of lenses further comprises projecting pixels through the plurality of lenses in to the field having a sweep angle of greater than 135 degrees with an angular pixel density at an edge of the field that is about 1.45 times more dense than an angular pixel density at a center of the field.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein projecting pixels through a plurality of lenses further comprises projecting pixels through the plurality of lenses in to the field having a sweep angle of greater than 135 degrees with an angular pixel density at a location between a center of the field and an edge of the field that is greater than or equal to about 1.12 times more dense than an angular pixel density at the center of the field, the location being about eighty percent of a distance from the center of the field to the edge of the field.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating the pixels in a light engine; and

receiving the pixels from the light engine in the plurality of lenses.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein projecting pixels through a plurality of lenses further comprises projecting the pixels through an aspheric surface.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein projecting pixels through a plurality of lenses further comprises projecting the pixels through a plurality of aspheric surfaces.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein projecting the pixels through the plurality of lenses further comprises projecting the pixels through a plurality of spherical surfaces.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a light engine to generate pixels; and

a plurality of lenses positioned to receive pixels from the light engine and to project the pixels in to a field having a sweep angle of greater than 135 degrees with an angular pixel density that is greater than or equal to about 1.3 times more dense at an edge of the field than an angular pixel density at a center of the field.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the plurality of lenses are positioned to project the pixels in to the field having a sweep angle of greater than 135 degrees with an angular pixel density that is about 1.45 times more dense at an edge of the field than an angular pixel density at a center of the field.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the plurality of lenses are positioned to project the pixels in to the field having a sweep angle of greater than 135 degrees with an angular pixel density at a location between a center of the field and an edge of the field that is greater than or equal to about 1.12 times more dense than an angular pixel density at the center of the field, the location being about eighty percent of a distance from the center of the field to the edge of the field.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the plurality of lenses comprise a plurality of meniscus lenses.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the plurality of lenses comprise:

a plurality of spherical surfaces; and

an aspheric surface.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the aspheric surface comprises a diffractive optical element.

13. A system comprising:

a surface; and

a projection system to project an image onto the surface, the projection system including;

a light engine to generate pixels; and

a plurality of lenses positioned to receive pixels from the light engine and to project the pixels over a field of view greater than 135 degrees having an angular pixel density that is greater than or equal to about 1.3 times more dense at an edge of the field of view than an angular pixel density at a center of the field of view on to the surface.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the surface comprises a truncated spherical surface truncated by two planes.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the surface has a sweep angle of less than 180 degrees.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the projection system is located a distance from a geometric center of the surface.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the plurality of lenses are positioned to project the pixels over the field of view greater than 135 degrees having an angular pixel density that is about 1.45 times more dense at an edge of the field of view than an angular pixel density at a center of the field of view.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising a sound system with speakers to project voice and music into a space under the surface.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein the plurality of lenses are positioned to project the pixels over the field of view greater than 135 degrees having an angular pixel density at a location between a center of the field of view and an edge of the field of view that is about 1.21 times more dense than an angular pixel density at the center of the field of view, the location being about eighty percent of a distance from the center of the field of view to the edge of the field of view.