Rear projection display device having multiple mirrors that are substantially parallel to a screen

• US 6,896,375 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2002
• Issued: 05/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: InFocus Corporation (Lap-Shun Hui, MBA)
• Inventors: Peterson, Mark David, Gohman, Jeffrey Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Judy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Arthur A
• Application Number:
  US10/222,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20040032570A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 353/66, 353/77, 353/78, 359/456, 359/457
• US Class Current: 353/66
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/06 affording only episcopic projection
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/10 Projectors with built-in or built-on screen
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/28 Reflectors in projection beam in illumination beam G03B21/2066
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/62 Translucent screens

Abstract

The ultra-thin rear projection display device described herein includes a wide angle lens system and one or more planar mirrors that are parallel to a screen on which an image is to be displayed. In one embodiment, the screen that has multiple groove angles to provide better illumination than screens with a single groove angle.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a screen;

a lens system to project an image, the lens system having an optic axis;

a substantially planar back plate mirror to reflect the image to the screen substantially parallel to the screen; and

a substantially planar intermediate mirror to reflect the image projected by the lens system to the back plate mirror, the intermediate mirror being substantially parallel to the back plate mirror, wherein the intermediate mirror is substantially perpendicular to the optic axis of the lens system.

2. The display device of claim 1 wherein the screen comprises a total internal reflection (TIR) Fresnel lens.

3. The display device of claim 1 wherein the screen comprises a refractive Fresnel lens.

4. The display device of claim 1 further comprising at least one microelectromechanical system (MEMS) to provide the image to the lens system.

5. The display device of claim 4 further comprising at least one digital micromirror device (DMD) to provide the image to the lens system.

6. The display device of claim 1 further comprising at least one grating light valve (GLV) to provide the image to the lens system.

7. The display device of claim 1 further comprising at least one liquid crystal display (LCD) to provide the image to the lens system.

8. The display device of claim 7 further comprising at least one liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) display to provide the image to the lens system.

9. The display device of claim 1 wherein the screen comprises a Fresnel lens with a continuously varying groove angle.

10. The display device of claim 1 wherein the screen comprises a Fresnel lens having a first region and a second region, the first region having a first groove angle and the second region having a second groove angle.

11. The display device of claim 10 wherein the second zone surrounds the first zone.

12. The display device of claim 11 wherein the first groove angle is less than the second groove angle.

13. The display device of claim 11 wherein the first groove angle is greater than the second groove angle.

14. The display device of claim 10 wherein the first zone partially surrounds the second zone.

15. The display device of claim 14 wherein the first groove angle is less than the second groove angle.

16. The display device of claim 14 wherein the first groove angle is greater than the second groove angle.

17. The display device of claim 10 wherein the first groove angle is approximately 35°

and the second groove angle is approximately 41°

.

18. The display device of claim 10 wherein the grooves of the second zone provide total internal reflection.

19. The display device of claim 10 wherein the first zone and the second zone are on a first side of the Fresnel lens.

20. The display device of claim 10 wherein, at a border between the first zone and the second zone, a face angle of the first zone is substantially equal to a face angle of the second zone.

21. The display device of claim 20 wherein, at the border between the first zone and the second zone, a rate of change of face angles in the first zone is substantially equal to a rate of change of face angles in the second zone.

22. The display device of claim 10 wherein the first zone is on a first side of the Fresnel lens and the second zone is on a second side of the Fresnel lens.

23. The display device of claim 1 wherein the screen comprises a Fresnel lens that directs light from a corner farthest from the Fresnel lens center toward the Fresnel lens center and directs light from a central region of the Fresnel lens generally perpendicular to the Fresnel lens.

24. The display device of claim 1 wherein the lens system comprises a wide angle lens system.

25. The display device of claim 24 wherein the wide angle lens system projects the image using approximately one-half of the lens field.

26. The display device of claim 25 wherein the wide angle lens system projects the image to the intermediate mirror using approximately a less than upper half of a lens field.

27. The display device of claim 25 wherein the wide angle lens system projects the image to the intermediate mirror using approximately a less than lower half of a lens field.

28. The display device of claim 24 wherein the wide angle lens system projects the image using less than one-half of the lens field.

29. The display device of claim 1 wherein substantially parallel comprises an alignment error of +/−

10°

from parallel.

30. The display device of claim 1 wherein substantially perpendicular comprises an alignment error of +/−

10°

from perpendicular.

31. A method comprising:

projecting an image with a wide angle lens system having an optic axis;

reflecting the image projected by the lens system to the mirror with an intermediate mirror, wherein the intermediate mirror is planar and substantially parallel to the screen and substantially perpendicular to the optic axis of the lens system; and

reflecting the image to a screen with a planar mirror, wherein the planar mirror is substantially parallel to the screen, and further wherein the optic axis of the wide angle lens system is substantially perpendicular to the mirror.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the wide angle lens system projects the image using approximately one-half of the lens field.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the wide angle lens system projects the image to the intermediate mirror using approximately a less than lower half of a lens field.

34. The method of claim 31 wherein the wide angle lens system projects the image using less than one-half of the lens field.

35. The method of claim 31 wherein the wide angle lens system projects the image to the intermediate mirror using approximately a less than upper half of a lens field.

36. The method of claim 31 wherein substantially parallel comprises an alignment error of +/−

10°

from parallel.

37. The method of claim 31 wherein substantially perpendicular comprises an alignment error of +/−

10°

from perpendicular.