Projector

• US 8,016,425 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2008
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Ito, Yoshitaka
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, JOHN R
• Application Number:
  US12/020,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20080180640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,324 Days
• Field of Search: 353/31, 353/84, 353/122, 353/34, 348/742, 348/743, 348/751
• US Class Current: 353/31
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/008 in the form of devices for effecting sequential colour changes, e.g. colour wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1006 for splitting or combining different wavelengths G02B27/1086, G02B27/141 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/141 using dichroic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/005 Projectors using an electronic spatial light modulator but not peculiar thereto
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/14 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 33/08 Sequential recording or projection G03B33/02, G03B33/04, G03B33/06 take precedence

Abstract

A projector includes: a light source which emits light containing visible light and infrared light; a light time division unit which divides light emitted from the light source into one or more visible lights having different wavelength ranges and one or more infrared lights having different wavelength ranges in a time-division manner; a light modulation element which time-sequentially modulates the plural lights separated by the light time division unit and having different wavelength ranges; and a projection unit which projects and displays the light modulated by the light modulation element on a projection-receiving surface. A plurality of images containing a visible image produced by the one or more visible lights and an infrared image produced by the one or more infrared lights are displayed on the same projection receiving surface.

Claims

1. A projector, comprising:

a light source which emits light containing visible light and infrared light;

a light time division unit which divides light emitted from the light source into one or more visible lights having different wavelength ranges and one or more infrared lights having different wavelength ranges in a time-division manner;

a plurality of light modulation elements, which time-sequentially modulate the plural lights separated by the light time division unit and having different wavelength ranges; and

a projection unit which projects and displays the light modulated by the light modulation elements on a projection-receiving surface,

wherein a plurality of images containing a visible image produced by the one or more visible lights and an infrared image produced by the one or more infrared lights are displayed on a same projection receiving surface, one of the light modulation elements is an infrared light modulation element, which modulates the infrared light;

a remaining light modulation element is a visible light modulation element, which modulates the visible light; and

both the visible light modulation element and the infrared light modulation element have the same image display range size and resolution.

11. The projector according to claim 1, wherein the light modulation element has any one of a transmission type liquid crystal light valve, a reflection type liquid crystal light valve, and a small mirror array element.

12. The projector according to claim 1, further comprising a function of displaying a marker which indicates the display condition of the infrared light on the projection receiving surface.

13. The projector according to claim 1, further comprising an indicator which indicates the display condition of the infrared light on the main body of the projector.

2. A projector, comprising:

a plurality of light sources having a first light source which emits light containing visible light and a second light source which emits light containing infrared light;

a light time division unit which divides light emitted from at least either the first light source or the second light source into plural lights having different wavelength ranges in a time-division manner;

a source light combining unit which spatially combines light emitted from the first light source and light emitted from the second light as combined light;

a plurality of light modulation elements, which modulate the light combined by the source light combining unit; and

a projection unit which projects and displays the light modulated by the light modulation elements on a projection-receiving surface,

wherein a plurality of images containing a visible image produced by the light containing visible light and an infrared image produced by the light containing infrared light are displayed on a same regions of the projection receiving surface,

one of the light modulation elements is an infrared light modulation element, which modulates the infrared light;

a remaining light modulation element is a visible light modulation element, which modulates the visible light; and

both the visible light modulation element and the infrared light modulation element have the same image display range size and resolution.

3. A projector, comprising:

a plurality of light sources which have a first light source for emitting light containing visible light and a second light source for emitting light containing infrared light such that lights can be time-sequentially emitted from the respective light sources;

a plurality of light modulation elements, which time-sequentially modulate the plural lights time-sequentially emitted from the first light source and the second light source; and

a projection unit which projects and displays the light modulated by the light modulation elements on a projection-receiving surface,

wherein a plurality of images containing a visible image produced by the light containing visible light and an infrared image produced by the light containing infrared light are displayed on a same region of the projection receiving surface,

one of the plural light modulation elements is a light modulation element for infrared light, which modulates the infrared light;

a remaining light modulation element of the plural light modulation elements is a light modulation element for visible light, which modulates the visible light; and

both the light modulation element for infrared light and the light modulation element for visible light have the same image display range size and resolution.

4. A projector, comprising:

a light source which emits light containing visible light and infrared light;

a light time division unit which divides light from the light source into plural lights containing one or more visible lights having different wavelength ranges and one or more infrared lights having different wavelength ranges in a time division manner;

a light space division unit which divides light from the light source into plural lights containing one or more visible lights having different wavelength ranges and one or more infrared lights having different wavelength ranges in a space division manner;

a plurality of light modulation elements each of which is provided on the corresponding one of the optical paths of the lights divided by the light space division unit to time-sequentially modulate the plural lights divided by the light time division unit;

a modulation light combining unit which spatially combines the plural lights modulated by the plural light modulation elements into one combined light; and

a projection unit which projects and displays the light combined by the modulation light combining unit on a projection receiving surface,

wherein a plurality of images containing a visible image produced by the one or more visible lights and an infrared image produced by the one or more infrared lights are displayed on the same projection receiving surface.

7. The projector according to claim 4, wherein:

one of the plural light modulation elements is a light modulation element for infrared light which modulates the infrared light; and

the remaining light modulation element of the plural light modulation elements is a light modulation element for visible light which modulates the visible light.

8. The projector according to claim 7, wherein both the light modulation element for infrared light and the light modulation element for visible light have the same image display range size and resolution.

9. The projector according to claim 7, wherein the distance between the light modulation element for visible light and the projection unit is different from the distance between the light modulation element for infrared light and the projection unit.

10. The projector according to claim 7, wherein:

the light modulation element for infrared light has a liquid crystal light valve; and

a polarizing element provided on the liquid crystal light valve is a light reflection type polarizing element or a light absorbing type polarizing element containing metal.

5. A projector, comprising:

a plurality of light sources which have a first light source for emitting light containing visible light and a second light source for emitting light containing infrared light;

a light time division unit which divides light from at least either the first light source or the second light source into plural lights having different wavelength ranges in a time division manner;

a plurality of light modulation elements each of which is provided on the corresponding one of the optical paths of the lights emitted from the first light source and the second light source to time-sequentially modulate the plural lights divided by the light time division unit;

a modulation light combining unit which spatially combines the plural lights modulated by the plural light modulation elements into one combined light; and

a projection unit which projects and displays the light combined by the modulation light combining unit on a projection receiving surface,

wherein a plurality of images containing a visible image produced by the light containing visible light and an infrared image produced by the light containing infrared light are displayed on a same projection receiving surface,

one of the plural light modulation elements is a light modulation element for infrared light, which modulates the infrared light;

a remaining light modulation element of the plural light modulation elements is a light modulation element for visible light, which modulates the visible light; and

both the light modulation element for infrared light and the light modulation element for visible light have the same image display range size and resolution.

6. A projector, comprising:

a plurality of light sources which have a first light source for emitting light containing visible light and a second light source for emitting light containing infrared light such that the lights are time-sequentially emitted from the respective light sources;

a plurality of light modulation elements which have a first light modulation element for time-sequentially modulating a part of plural lights time-sequentially emitted from the first light source and the second light source, and a second light modulation element for time-sequentially modulating the remaining part of the plural lights;

a modulation light combining unit which spatially combines the plural lights modulated by the plural light modulation elements into one combined light; and

a projection unit which projects and displays the light combined by the modulation light combining unit on a projection receiving surface,

wherein a plurality of images containing a visible image produced by the light containing visible light and an infrared image produced by the light containing infrared light are displayed on the same projection receiving surface,

one of the plural light modulation elements is a light modulation element for infrared light, which modulates the infrared light;

a remaining light modulation element of the plural light modulation elements is a light modulation element for visible light, which modulates the visible light; and

both the light modulation element for infrared light and the light modulation element for visible light have the same image display range size and resolution.