Laser Based Display Method and System

• US 20100302464A1
• Filed: 05/27/2010
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera SLD Laser Incorporated (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Soraa, Inc.
• Inventors: Rudy, Paul, Raring, James W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,427,590 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 interface for receiving images or video signal;

a light source including a plurality of laser diodes, the plurality of laser diodes including a first laser diode, the first laser diode being non-polar or semi-polar and fabricated from gallium nitride material; and

a power source electrically coupled to the light source.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first diode is a blue diode characterized by a non-polar orientation.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first diode is a blue diode characterized by a semi-polar orientation.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first diode is a green laser diode characterized by a non-polar orientation.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the first diode is a green laser diode characterized by a semi-polar orientation.

6. A projection system comprising:

an interface for receiving images or video signal;

a light source including one or more LEDs, the one or more LEDs including a first LED, the first LED being non-polar or semi-polar and fabricated from gallium nitride material; and

a power source electrically coupled to the light source.

7. A light engine comprising:

a communication interface for receiving drive signals;

a light source including one or more LEDs, the one or more LEDs including a first LED, the first LED being non-polar or semi-polar and fabricated from gallium nitride material; and

a power source electrically coupled to the light source.

8. A light engine comprising:

a communication interface for receiving drive signals;

a light source including a plurality of laser diodes, the plurality of laser diodes including a first laser diode, the first laser diode being non-polar or semi-polar and fabricated from gallium nitride material; and

a power source electrically coupled to the light source.

9. The light engine of claim 8 further comprising a control module for selectively switching the plurality of laser diodes.

10. The light engine of claim 8 further comprising an optical member for combining outputs from at least two of the plurality of laser diodes.

11. A light engine comprising:

a communication interface for receiving drive signals;

a light source including a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED), the plurality of LEDs including a first LED, the LED being non-polar or semi-polar and fabricated from gallium nitride material; and

a power source electrically coupled to the light source.

12. 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 a blue laser diode, a green laser diode, and a 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;

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;

an 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.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the MEMS scanning module comprises a flying mirror scanner.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the MEMS scanning module comprises a single mirror scanner.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the laser beam is polarized.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the blue laser diode operates in a single spatial mode.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the blue laser diode is characterized by a spectral width of about 0.8 nm to 2 nm.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the blue laser diode and the green laser diode are fabricated from a same GaN substrate.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the MEMS scanning module comprises one or more drive coils.

20. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the optical member comprises a mirror.

21. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the green laser diode characterized by a non-polar orientation.

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

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

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

25. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the red laser diode comprises GaAlInP material.

26. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the laser source comprises a waveguide for combining outputs from the green and blue laser diodes.

27. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the laser source comprises one or more dichroic filters.

28. 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 a blue laser diode, a green laser diode, and a red laser diode, the blue laser diode and the green laser diode sharing a first mountain surface, the green laser diode having a wavelength of about 490 nm to 540 nm, the laser source being configured produce a laser beam by combining outputs from the blue, green, and red laser diodes;

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;

a power source electrically coupled to the laser source.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising a condensing lens.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising a projection lens.

31. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the digital light processing chip comprises a buffer memory.

32. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the green laser diode is characterized by a non-polar orientation.

33. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the blue laser diode is characterized by a non-polar orientation.

34. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the green laser diode is characterized by a semi-polar orientation.

35. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the blue laser diode is characterized by a semi-polar orientation.

36. The apparatus of claim 28 comprising more than one digital mirror device.

37. A projection apparatus comprising:

a housing having an aperture;

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

a laser source including a blue laser diode and a wavelength modifying module, the blue laser diode being a non-polar diode, the wavelength modifying module comprising phosphor material, the laser exciting the phosphor material to form a colored emission source;

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;

means for directing light from the blue laser diode and the colored emission sources to the digital mirror device; and

a power source electrically coupled to the laser source and the digital light processing chip.

38. A projection apparatus comprising:

a housing having an aperture;

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

a laser source including a blue laser diode and a wavelength modifying module, the blue laser diode being a semi-polar diode, the wavelength modifying comprising phosphor material, the laser exciting the phosphor material to form a colored emission source;

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;

means for directing light from the blue laser diode and the colored emission sources to the digital mirror device; and

a power source electrically coupled to the laser source and the digital light processing chip.

39. A projection apparatus comprising:

a first video source, the first video source being associated with a first display, the first video source including a first light source, the first light source including a first blue laser diode characterized by a predetermined first wavelength, the first blue laser diode being manufactured from gallium nitride containing material;

a second video source, the second video source being associated with a second display, the first video source and the second video source being temporally synchronized, the second video source including a second light source, the second light source including a second blue laser diode characterized by a predetermined second wavelength, the second blue laser diode being manufactured gallium nitride material; and

a power source electrically coupled to the first video source.

40. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein:

the first light source further includes a first green laser diode and a first red laser diode, the first green laser diode being characterized by a predetermined third wavelength, the first red laser diode being associated with a predetermined by a predetermined fourth wavelength;

the second light source further includes a second green laser diode and second red laser diode, the second green laser diode being characterized by a predetermined fifth wavelength, the second red laser diode being characterized by a predetermined sixth wavelength; and

the predetermined first wavelength is different from the predetermined second wavelength by 10 nm to 30 nm.

41. The apparatus of claim 39 further comprising a video driver module for driving the first video source.

42. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein the first blue laser diode is characterized by a semi-polar orientation.

43. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein the first blue laser diode is characterized by a non-polar orientation.

44. The apparatus of claim 39 further comprising optics for projecting the first display and the second display onto a screen.

45. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein the first light source further comprises a green laser diode, the green laser diode being characterized by a non-polar orientation.

46. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein the first light source further comprises a green laser diode, the green laser diode being characterized by a semi-polar orientation.

47. The apparatus of claim 39 further comprising a sound module, the sound module being synchronized with the first video source.

48. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein:

the first display is visible through a first filter and substantially invisible through a second filter;

the second display is visible through the second filter and substantially invisible through the first filter;

the first filter being a notch filter blocking at least the second wavelength;

the second filter being a notch filter blocking at least the first wavelength.

49. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein:

the first display is visible through a first filter and substantially invisible through a second filter;

the second display is visible through the second filter and substantially invisible through the first filter;

the first filter being a bandpass filter blocking at least the second wavelength;

the second filter being a bandpass filter blocking at least the first wavelength.

50. A projection system comprising:

one or more LCOS panels;

a plurality of laser diodes configured to emit laser light onto the one or more LCOS panels, the plurality of laser diodes including a first laser diode, the first laser diode being characterized by a non-polar or semi-polar orientation; and

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

51. A projection system comprising:

one or more LCOS panels;

a plurality of LEDs configured to emit light onto the one or more LCOS panels, the plurality of LEDs including a first LED, the first LED being characterized by a non-polar or semi-polar orientation; and

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

52. A projection apparatus comprising:

a housing having an aperture;

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

a light source, the light source including a blue laser diode, the blue laser diode being characterized by a semi-polar or non-polar orientation and manufactured from gallium 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;

a color wheel comprising a plurality of wavelength-modifying components, a plurality of wavelength-modifying components including a first component, the first component including phosphor material and corresponding to a predetermined time sequence; and

a power source electrically coupled to the light source and the digital light processing chip.

53. The apparatus of claim 52 wherein the light source further comprises phosphor material.

54. The apparatus of claim 52 wherein the light source further includes one or more LEDs.

55. The apparatus of claim 52 wherein the light source comprises a red LED.

56. The apparatus of claim 52 wherein the light source comprises a yellow emitting laser diode.