Spatially offset multi-imager-panel architecture for projecting an image

• US 8,096,665 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2007
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Miradia Inc. (Walsin Lihwa Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Miradia Inc. (Walsin Lihwa Corporation)
• Inventors: Bellis, Matthew William, Chen, Dongmin, Miller, Gregory Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOWDHURY, SULTAN U.
• Application Number:
  US11/871,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20080088800A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,559 Days
• Field of Search: 353/20, 353/30, 353/31, 353/69, 353/85, 353/94, 353/70, 353/98, 353/99, 353/101, 353/121, 353/122, 345/67, 345/87, 345/88, 345/89, 345/98, 345/99, 345/94, 345/96, 345/100, 345/147, 345/148, 345/149, 345/208, 345/210, 345629-641, 345 11- 13, 345/699, 345/3.2, 345/3.3, 345/3.4, 348/778, 348/779, 348/780, 348/798, 348/800, 348/801, 348/802, 348/803
• US Class Current: 353/121
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/008 using micromirror devices
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/208 Homogenising, shaping of the illumination light
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3147 Multi-projection systems displays in general H04N9/12; video walls G06F3/1446, G09G2300/026

Abstract

A high-resolution image is generated using multiple spatially offset lower-resolution digital micro-mirror device (DMD) panels. Multiple lower-resolution subframe signals for controlling the spatial light modulators are generated from a high-resolution image signal using a resolution reduction and interpolation algorithm. The spatial light modulators under control of the subframe signals are illuminated by a light source and light beams reflected from the spatial light modulators are combined and directed onto a screen for display.

Claims

1. A method of displaying an image, comprising:

receiving a digital image signal having a first resolution;

creating a first and a second subframe image from the digital image signal, wherein the first and second subframe images each have a second resolution and are of the same color; and

projecting the first subframe image and the second subframe image substantially simultaneously onto a focal plane,

wherein the second subframe image is spatially offset from the first subframe image by an offset distance that is substantially equal to a width of the first subframe image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the first and the second subframe images comprises generating a first subframe image from a first subframe signal and generating a second subframe image from a second subframe signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first subframe image and the second subframe image are formed using a resolution reduction and interpolation algorithm.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second resolution is less than the first resolution.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein creating a first and a second subframe image comprises:

creating the first subframe image using a first spatial light modulator; and

creating the second subframe image using a second spatial light modulator.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein creating the first and the second subframe images comprises illuminating a first and a second MEMS micro-mirror array with an LED-based or laser-based light source and reflecting at least a portion of the light delivered from the LED-based or laser-based light source.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first subframe image is projected onto a first portion of a focal plane and the second subframe image is projected onto a second portion of a focal plane, wherein no more than 10% of the surface area of the first subframe image overlaps with the second subframe image.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the single-color image frame is a primary-color image frame.

8. A method of displaying an image, comprising:

receiving a digital image signal;

creating a first and a second subframe image from the digital image signal; and

projecting the first subframe image and the second subframe image substantially simultaneously onto a focal plane,

wherein the second subframe image is spatially offset from the first subframe image by an offset distance, and no more than 10% of the surface area of the first subframe image overlaps with the second subframe image.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the digital image signal has a first resolution and the combined resolution of the first and second subframe images is greater than the first resolution.

10. A system for displaying an image, comprising:

an image processing unit adapted to define a first subframe signal and a second subframe signal from a digital image source and to transmit the first subframe signal to a first imager assembly and the second subframe signal to a second imager assembly;

a first imager assembly configured to convert a first subframe signal to a first subframe image that is delivered to a focal plane; and

a second imager assembly configured to convert a second subframe signal to a second subframe image that is delivered to the focal plane substantially simultaneously with the first subframe, wherein the second subframe image is offset from the first subframe image by an offset distance that is substantially equal to a width of the first subframe image and is of the same color as the first subframe image.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the image processing unit is further adapted to define the second subframe signal as being offset from the first subframe signal by the offset distance.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the components of the first imager assembly and the components of the second imager assembly are fixed and spatially offset to project the second subframe image the offset distance from the first subframe image on the focal plane.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the image processing unit is configured with a resolution reduction and interpolation algorithm for defining the first subframe signal and the second subframe signal.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a light source, wherein the first imager assembly comprises a first micro-mirror array panel positioned to be illuminated by the light source and configured to generate the first subframe image, and the second imager assembly comprises a second micro-mirror array panel positioned to be illuminated by the light source and configured to generate the second subframe image.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising a light source, wherein the first imager assembly comprises a first high-temperature polysilicon transmissive panel positioned to be illuminated by the light source and configured to generate the first subframe image, and the second imager assembly comprises a second high-temperature polysilicon transmissive panel positioned to be illuminated by the light source and configured to generate the second subframe image.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the first and second subframe signals each have a lower spatial resolution than the digital image source.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the first imager assembly is further configured to provide the first subframe image that is delivered to the focal plane and the second imager assembly is further configured to provide the second subframe image that is delivered to the focal plane, wherein no more than 10% of the surface area of the first subframe image overlaps with the second subframe image.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein no more than 10% of the surface area of the first subframe image overlaps with the second subframe image.