Liquid crystal panel and projector using the same

• US 8,025,411 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2008
• Issued: 09/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Chu, Ching-Te, Hsu, Chien-Wen, Wang, Po-Lin, Chou, Yu-Shan
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps; Georgia Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Reilly-Diakun; Jori S
• Application Number:
  US12/110,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20090073329A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 353 30- 31, 353/38, 353/101, 349 61- 62, 349/95, 359665-666
• US Class Current: 353/38
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133526 Lenses, e.g. microlenses or Fresnel lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/18 adaptive optics, e.g. wavefront correction
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/28 focussing or defocussing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3105 for displaying all colours simultaneously, e.g. by using two or more electronic spatial light modulators simultaneous projection in colour photography G03B33/10; beam splitting or combining systems per se G02B27/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3152 for shaping the light beam beam shaping per se G02B27/09

Abstract

A liquid crystal panel includes a liquid crystal display element, a micro-lens array, an adjustable lens array, and a lens control unit electrically connected to the adjustable lens array. The liquid crystal display element has a light input surface and a light output surface opposite to the light input surface. The micro-lens array has a plurality of micro-lenses disposed on the light input surface of the liquid crystal display element). The adjustable lens array has a plurality of adjustable lenses disposed on the light output surface of the liquid crystal display element. The lens control unit is capable of controlling focal lengths of the plurality of adjustable lenses.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal panel comprising:

a liquid crystal display element comprising a light input surface and a light output surface opposite to the light input surface;

a micro-lens array comprising a plurality of micro-lenses disposed on the light input surface of the liquid crystal display element;

an adjustable lens array comprising a plurality of adjustable lenses disposed on the light output surface of the liquid crystal display element; and

a lens control unit electrically connected to the adjustable lenses for controlling focal lengths of the adjustable lenses.

2. The liquid crystal panel of claim 1, wherein the plurality of micro-lenses covers pixels of the liquid crystal display element in a one-to-one manner.

3. The liquid crystal panel of claim 2, wherein the plurality of adjustable lenses is located corresponding to the plurality of micro-lenses in a one-to-one manner.

4. The liquid crystal panel of claim 3, wherein the adjustable lenses are liquid lenses.

5. The liquid crystal panel of claim 3, wherein each of the adjustable lenses is liquid crystal lens with a tunable focal length.

6. The liquid crystal panel of claim 1, wherein the lens control unit controls degree of voltage applied to the adjustable lenses so as to adjust the focal lengths of the adjustable lenses.

7. A projector comprising:

a light source unit for emitting light;

a projection lens for projecting images on a screen; and

a liquid crystal panel comprising;

a liquid crystal display element with a light input surface and a light output surface;

a micro-lens array disposed on the light input surface;

an adjustable lens array disposed on the light output surface; and

a lens control unit electrically connected to the adjustable lenses for controlling focal length of the adjustable lens array;

wherein the liquid crystal display element, the micro-lens array and the adjustable lens array are so arranged that the light from the light source unit is first converged onto the light input surface of the liquid crystal display element by the micro-lens array, and the light entering the liquid crystal display element is modulated by the liquid crystal display element according to given image data before emitted from the light output surface;

then the light emitted from the light output surface is modulated by the adjustable lenses array via the focal length of the adjustable lenses array controlled by lens control unit so that the light emits from the adjustable lens array with an adjustable angular difference before entering the projection lens.

8. The projector of claim 7, wherein the adjustable lens array comprises a plurality of liquid lenses disposed on the light output surface of the liquid crystal display element.

9. The projector of claim 8, wherein the lens control unit controls degree of voltage applied to the liquid lenses so as to adjust the focal lengths of the liquid lenses.

10. The projector of claim 8, wherein the micro-lens array comprises a plurality of micro-lenses disposed on the light input surface, and the plurality of liquid lenses is located corresponding to the plurality of micro-lenses in a one-to-one manner.

11. A liquid crystal panel comprising:

a liquid crystal display element;

a micro-lens array comprising a plurality of micro-lenses; and

an adjustable lens array comprising a plurality of adjustable lenses, each of the plurality of adjustable lenses comprising a tunable focal length;

wherein the plurality of adjustable lenses cooperates with the plurality of micro-lenses in such a manner that light passing through the liquid crystal display element is modulated by the plurality of adjustable lenses and the plurality of micro-lenses so that the light emits from the liquid crystal panel with an adjustable angular difference.

12. The liquid crystal panel of claim 11, wherein the plurality of adjustable lenses cooperates with the plurality of micro-lenses in a one-to-one manner.

13. The liquid crystal panel of claim 11, wherein the liquid crystal display element comprises a light input surface and a light output surface opposite to the light input surface, and the adjustable lenses are disposed on the light output surface of the liquid crystal display element and the micro-lenses are disposed on the light input surface of the liquid crystal display element.

14. The liquid crystal panel of claim 11, further comprising a lens control unit electrically connected to the plurality of adjustable lenses for controlling focal lengths of the plurality of adjustable lenses.