Three dimensional image projector with two color imaging

• US 8,960,913 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2012
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: DeCusatis, Casimer M.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOWDHURY, SULTAN U.
• Application Number:
  US13/357,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20130188147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 353/20, 353/30, 353/31, 353/33, 353/34, 353/85, 353/94, 353/98, 353/99, 359/487.01, 359/487.04, 359/489.01, 359/489.07, 359/489.09, 362/19, 362/231, 362/551, 362/555, 362/583, 349/5, 349 7- 9
• US Class Current: 353/20
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1026 for use with reflective spatial light modulators
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/25 using polarisation techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/2073 Polarisers in the lamp house peculiar to electronic spatial light modulators H04N9/3197
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/16 by sequential viewing
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/26 using polarised or coloured light separating different viewpoint images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/337 using polarisation multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/363 using image projection screens volumetric display H04N13/388

Abstract

A system is provided for projecting a three-dimensional image. The system includes a first light source, emitting a light of a first color and a second light source emitting light of a second color. At least one polarizing beam splitter (PBS) is disposed adjacent the first light and the second light source, and at least one imaging device is disposed adjacent the at least one PBS.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first light source emitting a first light of a first color, in a first direction;

a second light source emitting a second light of a second color, in the first direction, the second light being substantially parallel to and offset from the first light;

a first beam splitter device (PBS) disposed adjacent to the first light source;

a second PBS disposed adjacent the second light source;

a first imaging device disposed adjacent the at least one first PBS;

a second imaging device disposed adjacent the second PBS;

a projection lens arranged to receive light from the first PBS and second PBS; and

a polarization flipping element optically disposed between first PBS and second PBS, wherein the polarization flipping element is positioned to allow the light from the first light source and the light from the second light source to pass through the polarization flipping element prior to the projection lens, wherein the first PBS, second PBS and polarization flipping element cooperate to emit a first output light and a second output light in the first direction into the projection lens, the first output light being substantially parallel to and offset from the second output light.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein a combination of the first color and the second color creates a white light.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first light source is comprised of a plurality of first light emitting diodes (LED) of substantially the same color and the second light source comprises a plurality of second LEDs of varying colors that combine to emit a light of a single color.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first light source is comprised of a plurality of first LEDs of varying colors that combine to emit a light of a single color and the second light source comprises a plurality of second LEDs of varying colors that combine to emit a light of a single color.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein the the first imaging device and the second imaging device are each an LCoS device.

10. The projector of claim 1 wherein the polarization flipping element is a quarter wave plate.

11. The projector of claim 1 further comprising:

a first polarizer optically disposed between the first light source and the at least one PBS; and

a second polarizer optically disposed between the second light source and the at least one PBS.

12. The projector of claim 1 wherein the first light source and the second light source are configured to sequentially emit light to generate a three dimensional projected image.

13. The system according to claim 1 wherein the first output light is created from the first light and the second output light is created from the second light.

14. The system according to claim 13 wherein the first PBS is positioned to reflect the second output light prior to the projection lens and the second PBS is positioned to reflect the first output light prior to the projection lens.

6. A projector for a portable electronic device comprising:

a first light source emitting a first light of a first color in a first direction;

a second light source emitting a second light of a second color in the first direction, wherein the second color differs from the first color and a combination of the light from the first light source and the second light source creates a white light, the second light being substantially parallel to and offset from the first light;

a first beam splitter device (PBS) disposed to directly receive the first light;

a second PBS disposed to directly receive the second light;

a first imaging device disposed adjacent the first PBS to receive the first light reflected from the first PBS;

a second imaging device disposed adjacent the second PBS to receive the second light reflected from the second PBS;

a projection lens arranged to receive a first output light from the first PBS and receive a second output light from the second PBS, the first output light and second output light being emitted in the first direction, wherein the second output light is parallel to and offset from the first output light; and

a polarization flipping element optically disposed between the first PBS and second PBS, wherein the polarization flipping element is positioned to allow the light from the first light source and the light from the second light source to pass through the polarization flipping element prior to the projection lens.

7. The projector of claim 6 wherein the first light source comprises a plurality of first LEDs of substantially the same color, and the second light source comprises a plurality of second LEDs of substantially the same color.

8. The projector of claim 6 wherein the first light source comprises a plurality of first LEDs of substantially the same color, and the second light source comprises a plurality of second LEDs of varying colors that combine to emit a light of a single color.

9. The projector according to claim 6 wherein the first imaging device and second imaging device each comprises an LCoS device.

15. The system according to claim 6 wherein the first output light is created from the first light and the second output light is created from the second light.

16. The system according to claim 15 wherein the first PBS is positioned to reflect the second output light prior to the projection lens and the second PBS is positioned to reflect the first output light prior to the projection lens.