Video projector system

• US 8,872,985 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2013
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Red.com, LLC (Nikon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red.com, LLC (Nikon Corporation)
• Inventors: Jannard, James H., English, Stuart J., Prior, Gregory Alan, Sandberg, Edmund, Newham, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Harold, Jefferey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rahman, Mustafizur
• Application Number:
  US13/861,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20130300948A1
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 348/756, 348/757, 348/761, 348/744, 348/760, 348/779, 348/792, 348/674, 348/230.1, 348/759, 353/85, 353/31, 353/20, 353/34, 353/37, 353/8, 353/84, 353/88, 353/89, 353/94, 353/57, 353/98, 353/102, 353/121, 359/437, 359/443, 359/649
• US Class Current: 348/756
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/123 Multibeam scanners, e.g. using multiple light sources or beam splitters
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/48 Laser speckle optics
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/25 using polarisation techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0005 the light guides being of the fibre type G02B6/0003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/06 the relative position of the fibres being the same at both ends, e.g. for transporting images
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/00 Projectors or projection-type viewers; Accessories therefor devices for changing pictures G03B23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/005 Projectors using an electronic spatial light modulator but not peculiar thereto
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/206 Control of light source other than position or intensity
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 33/00 Colour photography, other than mere exposure or projection of a colour film printing apparatus G03B27/00; stereoscopic colour photography G03B35/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/005 Optical devices external to the laser cavity, specially adapted for lasers, e.g. for homogenisation of the beam or for manipulating laser pulses, e.g. pulse shaping shaping laser beam for working metal or other materials B23K26/06; optical elements, systems or apparatus in general G02B
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/324 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/363 using image projection screens volumetric display H04N13/388
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3108 by using a single electronic spatial light modulator
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3117 by using a sequential colour filter producing two or more colours simultaneously, e.g. by creating scrolling colour bands
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3144 Cooling systems cooling of liquid crystal cells in general G02F1/133382; cooling of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/315 Modulator illumination systems general applications of lighting devices F21V; general optical systems G02B; lamp houses for projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3155 for controlling the light source light source control per se H05B35/00 – H05B47/00; control of an illumination source for displays in general G09G3/3406
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3161 using laser light sources using laser beams scanning the display screen H04N9/3129
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3164 using multiple light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3167 for polarizing the light beam polarizing optical systems per se G02B27/28
• 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

Some embodiments provide for a modular video projector system having a light engine module and an optical engine module. The light engine module can provide narrow-band laser light to the optical engine module which modulates the laser light according to video signals received from a video processing engine. Some embodiments provide for an optical engine module having a sub-pixel generator configured to display video or images at a resolution of at least four times greater than a resolution of modulating elements within the optical engine module. Systems and methods for reducing speckle are presented in conjunction with the modular video projector system.

Claims

1. A modular video projector system comprising:

a light engine module comprising at least one light source; and

an optical engine module housed in a separate packaging than the light engine module,

wherein the optical engine module is configured to;

receive video data provided by video processing electronics;

receive light provided by the light engine module;

modulate the light provided by the light engine module based on the video data provided by the video processing electronics;

reduce a size of received pixels;

move reduced size pixels within a bounded output pixel to at least 2 locations, wherein the reduced size pixels are moved to the at least 2 locations at a rate that is at least 2 times faster than the frame rate of the source video; and

project the modulated light.

2. The modular video projector system of claim 1, wherein the light engine module provides laser light.

3. The modular video projector system of claim 2, wherein the optical engine module and the light engine module are connected together via an optical cable.

4. The modular video projector system of claim 1, further comprising a second light engine module connected to the optical engine module.

5. The modular video projector system of claim 4, wherein the optical engine module is further configured to:

receive light provided by the second light engine module;

modulate the light provided by the light engine module based on the video data provided by the video processing electronics; and

project the modulated light.

6. The modular video projector system of claim 5, wherein the first and second light engine modules provide laser light.

7. The modular video projector system of claim 6, wherein the first and second light engine modules are connected to the optical engine module via optical cables.

8. The modular video projector system of claim 1, wherein the wherein the reduced size pixels are moved to at least 4 locations at a rate that is at least 4 times faster than the frame rate of the source video.

9. The modular video projector system of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of lasers.

10. The modular video projector system of claim 1, wherein the light provided by the light engine module comprises at least three colors, and wherein the optical engine is configured to scan a separate band for each of the three colors across a surface of at least one modulating element.

11. The modular video projector system of claim 10, wherein a gap of substantially no light exists between the bands.

12. The modular video projector system of claim 10, wherein the optical engine includes spinning refractive elements which perform the scanning.

13. The modular video projector system of claim 1, further comprising a video processing module containing the video processing electronics.

14. The modular video projector system of claim 1, wherein the light engine module is configured to provide at least two colors of light.

15. The modular video projector system of claim 14, wherein the light engine module further comprises:

for each of the at least two colors of light;

two or more light emitting diodes providing an input color of light;

a polarization conversion system for each of the two or more light emitting diodes, the polarization conversion system configured to receive light from at least one of the two or more light emitting diodes and output polarized light; and

a polarizing beam splitter configured to receive the output polarized light from each polarization conversion system and output combined light corresponding to the input color of light,

wherein at least about 70% of the light received by each polarization conversion system is output as polarized light.