Image projection system and method

• US 8,104,901 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2007
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sung-Hoon Kwon
• Original Assignee: Sung-Hoon Kwon
• Inventors: Kwon, Sung-Hoon
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): NAPHAS, RENEE D
• Application Number:
  US12/375,936
• Publication Number:
  US 20090195709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,666 Days
• Field of Search: 345/87, 353/30, 353/31, 353/37, 353/84, 353/122, 359/237, 359/239, 359/277, 359/292, 359/298, 359/316
• US Class Current: 353/84
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3111 for displaying the colours sequentially, e.g. by using sequentially activated light sources sequential projection in colour photography G03B33/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3114 by using a sequential colour filter producing one colour at a time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3132 using one-dimensional electronic spatial light modulators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3173 wherein the projection device is specially adapted for enhanced portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3188 Scale or resolution adjustment scaling in general G06T3/40; resolution modifying circuits for displays in general G09G5/391

Abstract

Provided are an image projection system and method, the image projection system including: a light source for providing illumination light; an illumination optics for receiving and illuminating the illumination light; a Spatial Light Modulator (SLM) having 2 rows of modulation devices formed to be offset from each other, each of the modulation devices modulating the light illuminated from the illumination optics; a frame scanner for scanning the modulated light from the SLM onto a screen to thereby generate a two-dimensional (2D) image corresponding to one frame on the screen; and a projection optics for projecting and focusing the modulated light transmitted from the frame scanner onto the screen.

Claims

1. An image projection system, comprising:

a light source for providing light;

illumination optics for re-directing the light from the light source;

a spatial light modulator including two rows of modulation devices formed to be offset from each other, each of the modulation devices modulating light re-directed from the illumination optics;

a frame scanner for scanning the modulated light from the spatial light modulator onto a screen to thereby generate a two-dimensional image corresponding to a single frame on the screen; and

projection optics for projecting and focusing the modulated light transmitted from the frame scanner onto the screen,

wherein a first plurality of pixels in a first row on the screen are illuminated by light modulated by a first row of modulation devices among the two rows of modulation devices, and a second plurality of pixels in the first row on the screen are illuminated by light modulated by a second row of modulation devices among the two rows of modulation devices.

2. The image projection system of claim 1, wherein the spatial light modulator is formed on a single die.

3. An image projection method, comprising the steps of:

(a) illuminating light on a spatial light modulator including two rows of modulation devices formed to be offset from each other;

(b) controlling the modulation devices for modulating the illuminated light; and

(c) scanning the modulated light onto a screen to thereby generate a two-dimensional image corresponding to a single frame on the screen,

wherein in step (c), a first plurality of pixels in a first row on the screen are illuminated by light modulated by a first row of modulation devices among the two rows of modulation devices, and a second plurality of pixels in the first row on the screen are illuminated by light modulated by a second row of modulation devices among the two rows of modulation devices.