Laser based display method and system

• US 8,773,598 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2012
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera SLD Laser Incorporated (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Soraa Laser Diode, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Raring, James W., Rudy, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Harold, Jefferey
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAIEM, SEAN N
• Application Number:
  US13/678,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20130314614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 600 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 system comprising:

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

one or more LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) chips;

a plurality of edge emitting laser diodes configured to emit laser light onto the one or more LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) chips, the plurality of edge emitting laser diodes including a first edge emitting laser diode, the first edge emitting laser diode being characterized by a non-polar or semi-polar orientation formed on a gallium and nitrogen containing material; and

a power source electrically coupled to the plurality of edge emitting laser diodes, wherein the plurality of edge emitting laser diodes comprises a red laser diode, a green laser diode, and a blue laser diode.

2. The projection system of claim 1 further comprising a condensing lens coupled to the plurality of edge emitting laser diodes.

3. The projection system of claim 1 further comprising a projection lens coupled to the plurality of edge emitting laser diodes and the one or more LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) chips.

4. The projection system of claim 1 wherein the first edge emitting laser diode is the green laser diode, a second edge emitting laser diode is the blue laser diode, and a third edge emitting laser diode is the red laser diode, wherein the first edge emitting laser diode, the second edge emitting laser diode, and the third edge emitting laser diode share a first mounting surface.

5. The projection system of claim 1 wherein the first edge emitting laser diode is characterized by a {20-21} orientation.

6. The projection system of claim 1 wherein the first edge emitting laser diode is the green laser diode and is characterized by the semi-polar orientation.

7. The projection system of claim 1 wherein the first edge emitting laser diode is the blue laser diode and is characterized by the semi-polar orientation.

8. The projection system of claim 1 wherein the first edge emitting laser diode is the blue laser diode and is characterized by the non-polar orientation.

9. The projection system of claim 1 wherein one or more of the plurality of edge emitting laser diodes is characterized by a spectral width of about 0.5 nm to 2 nm.

10. The projection system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of edge emitting laser diodes is a laser source coupled to one or more dichroic filters.

11. A projection system comprising:

an interface for receiving images or video signal;

one or more LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) chips;

a plurality of edge emitting laser diodes configured to emit laser light onto the one or more LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) chips, the plurality of edge emitting laser diodes including a first edge emitting green laser diode, a second edge emitting blue laser diode, and a third edge emitting red laser diode;

the first edge emitting green laser diode being operable in the 490-540 nm wavelength range and characterized by a {20-21} semi-polar orientation;

the first edge emitting green laser diode comprising a stripe region characterized by a cavity orientation substantially in a projection of a c-direction; and

a power source electrically coupled to the plurality of edge emitting laser diodes.

12. A projection system comprising:

an interface for receiving images or video signal;

one or more LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) chips;

a plurality of edge emitting laser diodes configured to emit laser light onto the one or more LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) chips, the plurality of edge emitting laser diodes including a first edge emitting green laser diode, a second edge emitting blue laser diode, and a third edge emitting red laser diode;

the first edge emitting green laser diode, the second edge emitting blue laser diode, and the third edge emitting red laser diode sharing a first mounting surface, the first edge emitting 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 first edge emitting green laser diode, the second edge emitting blue laser diode, and the third edge emitting red laser diodes; and

a power source electrically coupled to the plurality of laser diodes.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the first edge emitting green laser diode is characterized by a semipolar {20-21} orientation.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the first edge emitting 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.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the first edge emitting green laser diode is characterized by a c-plane orientation.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the second edge emitting blue laser diode is operable in the 430-480 nm wavelength range and is characterized by a c-plane orientation.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the second edge emitting blue laser diode is operable in the 430-480 nm wavelength range and is characterized by a nonpolar or semipolar orientation.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein the third edge emitting red laser diode is comprised of GaAlInP material.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein one or more of the plurality of edge emitting laser diodes is characterized by a spectral width of about 0.5 nm to 2 nm.