Laser based display method and system

• US 8,427,590 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2010
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera SLD Laser Incorporated (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Soraa, Inc.
• Inventors: Raring, James W., Rudy, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Harold, Jefferey
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAIEM, SEAN N
• Application Number:
  US12/789,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20100302464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/744
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/2033 LED or laser light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/745 Control circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/7483 for colour television
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/74 Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7441 the modulator being an array of liquid crystal cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7475 Constructional details of television projection apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/31 Projection devices for colour picture display , e.g. using electronic spatial light modulators [ESLM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3129 scanning a light beam on the display screen scanning a light beam on a screen in displays other than projection devices G09G3/02; scanning systems in general G02B26/10; projectors using laser light sources in general H04N9/3161
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3132 using one-dimensional electronic spatial light modulators

Abstract

The present invention is directed to display technologies. More specifically, various embodiments of the present invention provide projection display systems where one or more laser diodes are used as light source for illustrating images. In one set of embodiments, the present invention provides projector systems that utilize blue and/or green laser fabricated using gallium nitride containing material. In another set of embodiments, the present invention provides projection systems having digital lighting processing engines illuminated by blue and/or green laser devices. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a 3D display system. There are other embodiments as well.

Claims

1. A projection apparatus comprising:

a housing having an aperture;

an input interface for receiving one or more frames of images;

a video processing module;

a laser source, the laser source including an edge emitting blue laser diode, an edge emitting green laser diode, and an edge emitting red laser diode, the blue laser diode and the green laser diode sharing a first mounting surface, the green laser diode having a wavelength of about 490 nm to 540 nm, the laser source being configured to produce a laser beam by combining outputs from the blue, green, and red laser diodes, wherein the blue laser diode and the green laser diode are fabricated using a gallium and nitrogen containing material;

a laser driver module coupled to the laser source, the laser driver module being configured to generate three drive currents based on a pixel from the one or more frames of images, each of the three drive currents being adapted to drive a laser diode;

a MEMS scanning module configured to project the laser beam to a specific location through the aperture;

an optical member provided within proximity of the laser source, the optical member being adapted to direct the laser beam to the MEMS scanning module; and

a power source electrically coupled to the laser source.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the MEMS scanning module comprises a flying mirror scanner.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the MEMS scanning module comprises a single mirror scanner.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the laser beam is polarized.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the blue laser diode operates in a single spatial mode.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the blue laser diode is characterized by a spectral width of about 0.8 nm to 2 nm.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the blue laser diode and the green laser diode are fabricated from a same GaN substrate.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the MEMS scanning module comprises one or more drive coils.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the optical member comprises a mirror.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the green laser diode characterized by a non-polar orientation.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the green laser diode is characterized by a semi-polar orientation.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the blue laser diode is characterized by a semi-polar orientation.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the blue laser diode is characterized by a non-polar orientation.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the red laser diode comprises GaAlInP material.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the laser source comprises a waveguide for combining outputs from the green and blue laser diodes.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the laser source comprises one or more dichroic filters.

26. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the green laser diode is characterized by a {20-21γ

} semi-polar orientation.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the green laser diode characterized by the semipolar {20-21} orientation comprises a stripe region characterized by a cavity orientation substantially in a projection of a c-direction.

28. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the green laser diode is characterized by a polar c-plane orientation.

29. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the blue laser diode is characterized by a polar c-plane orientation.

30. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the green laser diode, the blue laser diode, and the red laser diode are sharing a first mounting surface.

17. A projection apparatus comprising:

a housing having an aperture;

an input interface for receiving one or more frames of images;

a laser source, the laser source including an edge emitting blue laser diode, an edge emitting green laser diode, and an edge emitting red laser diode, the blue laser diode and the green laser diode sharing a first mounting surface, the green laser diode having a wavelength of about 490 nm to 540 nm, the laser source being configured to produce a laser beam by combining outputs from the blue, green, and red laser diodes, wherein the blue laser diode and the green laser diode are fabricated using a gallium and nitrogen containing material;

a digital light processing chip comprising a digital mirror device, the digital mirror device including a plurality of mirrors, each of the mirror corresponding to one or more pixels of the one or more frames of images; and

a power source electrically coupled to the laser source.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising a condensing lens.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising a projection lens.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the digital light processing chip comprises a buffer memory.

21. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the green laser diode is characterized by a non-polar orientation.

22. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the blue laser diode is characterized by a non-polar orientation.

23. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the green laser diode is characterized by a semi-polar orientation.

24. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the blue laser diode is characterized by a semi-polar orientation.

25. The apparatus of claim 17 comprising more than one digital mirror device.

38. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the green laser diode is characterized by a {20-21} semi-polar orientation.

39. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the green laser diode characterized by the semipolar {20-21} orientation comprises a stripe region characterized by a cavity orientation substantially in a projection of a c-direction.

40. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the green laser diode is characterized by a polar c-plane orientation.

41. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the blue laser diode is characterized by a polar c-plane orientation.

42. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the green laser diode, the blue laser diode, and the red laser diode are sharing a first mounting surface.

31. A projection apparatus comprising:

a housing having an aperture;

an input interface for receiving one or more frames of images;

a laser source, the laser source including an edge emitting blue laser diode, an edge emitting green laser diode, and an edge emitting red laser diode, the green laser diode having a wavelength of about 490 nm to 540 nm and characterized by a semipolar orientation, the laser source being configured to produce a laser beam by combining outputs from the blue, green, and red laser diodes, wherein the blue laser diode and the green laser diode are fabricated using a gallium and nitrogen containing material;

a laser driver module coupled to the laser source, the laser driver module being configured to generate three drive currents based on a pixel from the one or more frames of images, each of the three drive currents being adapted to drive a laser diode;

a MEMS scanning module configured to project the laser beam to a specific location through the aperture;

an optical member provided within proximity of the laser source, the optical member being adapted to direct the laser beam to the MEMS scanning module; and

a power source electrically coupled to the laser source.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the green laser diode is characterized by a {20-21} semi-polar orientation.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the green laser diode characterized by the semipolar {20-21} orientation comprises a stripe region characterized by a cavity orientation substantially in a projection of a c-direction.

34. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the blue laser diode is characterized by a nonpolar or semipolar orientation.

35. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the blue laser diode is characterized by a polar c-plane orientation.

36. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the green laser diode and the blue laser diode are sharing a first mounting surface.

37. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the green laser diode, the blue laser diode, and the red laser diode are sharing a first mounting surface.

43. A projection apparatus comprising:

a housing having an aperture;

an input interface for receiving one or more frames of images;

a laser source, the laser source including an edge emitting blue laser diode, an edge emitting green laser diode, and an edge emitting red laser diode, the green laser diode having a wavelength of about 490 nm to 540 nm and characterized by a semipolar orientation, the laser source being configured to produce a laser beam by combining outputs from the blue, green, and red laser diodes, wherein the blue laser diode and the green laser diode are fabricated using a gallium and nitrogen containing material;

a digital light processing chip comprising a digital mirror device, the digital mirror device including a plurality of mirrors, each of the mirror corresponding to one or more pixels of the one or more frames of images; and

a power source electrically coupled to the laser source.

44. The apparatus of claim 43 wherein the green laser diode is characterized by a {20-21} semi-polar orientation.

45. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the green laser diode characterized by the semipolar {20-21} orientation comprises a stripe region characterized by a cavity orientation substantially in a projection of a c-direction.

46. The apparatus of claim 43 wherein the blue laser diode is characterized by a nonpolar or semipolar orientation.

47. The apparatus of claim 43 wherein the blue laser diode is characterized by a polar c-plane orientation.

48. The apparatus of claim 43 wherein the green laser diode and the blue laser diode are sharing a first mounting surface.

49. The apparatus of claim 43 wherein the green laser diode, the blue laser diode, and the red laser diode are sharing a first mounting surface.

50. The apparatus of claim 46 wherein blue laser diode is characterized by a spectral width of about 0.5 nm to 2 nm.