Projection system

• US 6,384,809 B1
• Filed: 02/26/1999
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Ronald D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIMNHUNG T
• Application Number:
  US09/258,051
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 345/87, 345/101, 345/207, 361/687
• US Class Current: 345/101
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133382 Heating or cooling of liquid crystal cells other than for activation, e.g. circuits or arrangements for temperature control, stabilisation or uniform distribution over the cell
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/029 by monitoring one or more pixels in the display panel, e.g. by monitoring a fixed reference pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/041 Temperature compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/36 using liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7441 the modulator being an array of liquid crystal cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3105 for displaying all colours simultaneously, e.g. by using two or more electronic spatial light modulators simultaneous projection in colour photography G03B33/10; beam splitting or combining systems per se G02B27/10
• 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

Abstract

A projection system includes a light source, a display panel, a temperature gradient panel and a controller. The light source is adapted to generate a first beam of light, and the display panel is adapted to modulate at least a portion of the first beam of light to form an associated modulated beam of light. The temperature gradient panel is thermally coupled to the display panel, and the controller is electrically coupled to the temperature gradient panel and the display panel. The controller is adapted to control the temperature gradient panel to regulate a temperature of the display panel.

Claims

1. A projection system comprising:

a light source adapted to generate a first beam of light;

a display panel adapted to modulate at least a portion of the first beam of light to form an associated modulated beam of light;

a temperature gradient panel thermally coupled to the display panel to cool the display panel; and

a controller electrically coupled to the temperature gradient panel and the display panel, the controller adapted to control the temperature gradient panel to regulate a temperature of the display panel.

2. The projection system of claim 1, wherein the temperature gradient panel is mounted to the display panel.

3. The projection system of claim 1, wherein the temperature gradient panel comprises:

a thermoelectric device adapted to use the Peltier effect.

4. The projection system of claim 1, wherein the display panel comprises:

an LCD display panel.

5. The projection system of claim 1, wherein

the temperature gradient panel establishes the temperature of the display panel in response to a control signal, and

the controller comprises:

a temperature sensor thermally coupled to the display panel and adapted to furnish a first indication of the temperature of the display panel; and

an amplifier adapted to compare the first indication with a second indication of a reference temperature and regulate the control signal based on the comparison.

6. The projection system of claim 1, wherein

the temperature gradient panel establishes the temperature of the display panel in response to a control signal, and

the controller comprises:

a sensor adapted to sense an optical performance of the display panel to obtain an indication of the temperature of the display panel and furnish a first indication of the temperature; and

an amplifier adapted to compare the first indication with a second indication of a reference temperature and regulate the control signal based on the comparison.

7. The projection system of claim 6, wherein

the sensor comprises an image sensor adapted to sense an image of the modulated beam of light.

8. The projection system of claim 7, further comprising:

a circuit coupled to the display panel and the sensor, the circuit adapted to cause the modulated beam of light to form a test image and to cause the sensor to sense the modulated beam of light when the modulated beam of light indicates the test image.

9. The projection system of claim 6, wherein

the display panel comprises a first set of pixels adapted to form a first image of the modulated beam of light and a second set of at least one pixel different from the first set of pixels, the second set adapted to form a test image, and

the sensor comprises an image sensor adapted to sense the test image.

10. The projection system of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises:

a sensor adapted to sense an optical performance of the display panel; and

a circuit adapted to control the temperature gradient panel based on the optical performance sensed by the sensor.

11. The projection system of claim 10, wherein

the sensor is adapted to sense an intensity pattern of light reflected by the display panel, and

the circuit is adapted to base the control of the temperature gradient panel on the sensed intensity pattern.

12. The projection system of claim 11, wherein the circuit is further adapted to:

average the intensity pattern, and

base the control of the temperature gradient panel on the average.

13. The projection system of claim 1, wherein the temperature gradient panel is adapted to cool the display panel.

14. The projection system of claim 1, wherein the temperature gradient panel is adapted to heat the display panel.

15. A computer system comprising:

a processor adapted to furnish a first indication of an image;

a light source adapted to generate a first beam of light;

a display panel adapted to modulate at least a portion of the first beam of light to form an associated modulated beam of light in response to the first indication;

a temperature gradient panel thermally coupled to the display panel to cool the display panel; and

a controller electrically coupled to the temperature gradient panel and the display panel, the controller adapted to control the temperature gradient panel to regulate a temperature of the display panel.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the temperature gradient panel is mounted to the display panel.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the temperature gradient panel comprises:

a thermoelectric device adapted to use the Peltier effect.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the temperature gradient panel comprises:

an LCD display panel.

19. The computer system of claim 15, wherein

the temperature gradient panel establishes the temperature of the display panel in response to a control signal, and

the controller comprises:

a temperature sensor thermally coupled to the display panel and adapted to furnish a first indication of the temperature of the display panel; and

an amplifier adapted to compare the first indication of the temperature with a second indication of a reference temperature and regulate the control signal based on the comparison.

20. The computer system of claim 15, wherein

the temperature gradient panel establishes the temperature of the display panel in response to a control signal, and

the controller comprises:

a sensor adapted to sense an optical performance of the display panel to obtain an indication of the temperature of the display panel and furnish a first indication of the temperature; and

an amplifier adapted to compare the first indication of the temperature with a second indication of a reference temperature and regulate the control signal based on the comparison.

21. The computer system of claim 20, wherein

the sensor comprises an image sensor adapted to sense an image of the modulated beam of light.

22. The computer system of claim 21, further comprising:

a circuit coupled to the display panel and the sensor, the circuit adapted to cause the modulated beam of light to form a test image and to cause the sensor to sense the modulated beam of light when the modulated beam of light indicates the test image.

23. The computer system of claim 20, wherein

the display panel comprises a first set of pixels adapted to form a first image of the modulated beam of light and a second set of at least one pixel different from the first set of pixels, the second set adapted to form a test image, and

the sensor comprises an image sensor adapted sense the test image.

24. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the controller comprises:

a sensor adapted to sense an optical performance of the display panel to obtain an indication of the temperature of the display panel; and

a circuit adapted to control the temperature gradient panel based on the indication of the temperature.

25. The computer system of claim 24, wherein

the sensor is adapted to sense and intensity pattern of light reflected by the display panel, and

the circuit is adapted to base the control of the temperature gradient panel on the sensed intensity pattern.

26. The computer system of claim 25, wherein the circuit is further adapted to:

average the intensity pattern, and

base the control of the temperature gradient panel on the average.

27. A method comprising:

generating a first beam of light;

modulating at least a portion of the first beam of light with a display panel to form a modulated beam of light;

establishing a temperature gradient near the display panel; and

regulating the temperature gradient to cool the display panel to control a temperature of the display panel.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the act of regulating comprises:

detecting an optical performance of the display panel, and

wherein the act of regulating includes adjusting the temperature gradient based on the detection.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the act of detecting the optical performance comprises:

sensing an image of the modulated beam of light.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the act of regulating comprises:

thermally detecting a temperature of the display panel, and

wherein the act of regulating includes adjusting the temperature gradient based on the detected temperature.