Projection of overlapping sub-frames onto a surface using light sources with different spectral distributions

• US 7,407,295 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2005
• Issued: 08/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Chang, Nelson Liang An, Damera-Venkata, Niranjan, Widdowson, Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Sever; Andrew T
• Application Number:
  US11/189,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20070024824A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 348778-780, 348800-803, 348/798, 353/94, 353/87, 353/34, 353/28, 353/48, 353/85, 349/8, 349/73, 349/74, 349/77, 349/78, 349/61
• US Class Current: 353/94
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/14 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/2033 LED or laser light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/04 with cameras or projectors providing touching or overlapping fields of view
• 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 9/317 Convergence or focusing systems electronic adjustment of convergence H04N9/3185; convergence or focusing arrangements for cathode ray tubes H04N9/28; means for automatic focusing of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/53

Abstract

A method of displaying an image with a display system includes receiving image data for the image. The method includes generating a first sub-frame and a second sub-frame corresponding to the image data. The method includes projecting the first sub-frame onto a target surface using a first projector light source. The method includes projecting the second sub-frame onto the target surface using a second projector light source, wherein the first and the second sub-frames at least partially overlap on the target surface, and wherein the first and the second light sources have substantially different spectral distributions.

Claims

1. A method of displaying an image with a display system, the method comprising:

receiving image data for the image;

generating a first sub-frame, a second sub-frame, and a third sub-frame corresponding to the image data;

projecting the first sub-frame onto a target surface using a first projector light source;

projecting the second sub-frame onto the target surface using a second projector light source; and

projecting, the third sub-frame onto the target surface using a third projector light source, wherein the first, the second, and the third sub-frames at least partially overlap on the target surface, and wherein the first, the second, and the third light sources have substantially different spectral distributions and are each in separate and distinct projector devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second light sources are different types of light sources.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second light sources are a same type of light source, and wherein the substantially different spectral distributions are generated by operating the first and second light sources at different temperatures, thereby shifting the spectral distribution of at least one of the first and the second light sources.

4. The method of claim 1, and further comprising:

providing a first color filter associated with the first light source and configured to pass a first color of light from the first light source and block other colors of light from the first light source; and

providing a second color filter associated with the second light source and configured to pass a second color of light from the second light source and block other colors of light from the second light source.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first light source is configured to provide more energy for the first color of light than the second light source, and wherein the second light source is configured provide more energy for the second color of light than the first light source.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first light source is configured to provide more energy for red light than the second and third light sources, the second light source is configured to provide more energy for green light than the first and third light sources, and the third light source is configured to provide more energy for blue light than the first and second light sources.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first light source is one of red LED, red laser, tungsten light source, or Xenon lamp.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the second light source is one of a green LED or green laser.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the third light source is one or a blue LED or blue laser.

10. The method of claim 1, and further comprising:

generating a fourth sub-frame corresponding to the image data;

projecting the fourth sub-frame onto the target surface using a fourth projector light source; and

wherein the first, the second, the third, and the fourth sub-frames at least partially overlap on the target surface, and wherein the first, the second, the third, and the fourth light sources have substantially different spectral distributions.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and the second sub-frames are generated based on maximization of a probability that a simulated image is the same as the image data.

12. A system for displaying an image, the system comprising:

a buffer adapted to receive image data for the image;

a sub-frame generator configured to define first, second, and third sub-frames corresponding to the image data;

a first projection device adapted to project the first sub-frame onto a target surface using a first projection lens and a first light source;

a second projection device separate and distinct from the first projection device adapted to project the second sub-frame onto the target surface using a second projection lens and a second light source with substantially different spectral characteristics than the first light source, wherein the second sub-frame at least partially overlaps the first sub-frame; and

a third projection device separate and distinct from the first and second projection devices adapted to project the third sub-frame onto the target surface using a third projection lens and a third light source with substantially different spectral characteristics than the first and second light sources.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first and second light sources are different types of light sources.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the first and second light sources are a same type of light source, and wherein the substantially different spectral characteristics are provided by operating the first and second light sources at different temperatures, thereby shifting the spectral characteristics of at least one of the first and the second light sources.

15. The system of claim 12, and further comprising:

a first color filter associated with the first light source and configured to pass a first color of light from the first light source and block other colors of light from the first light source; and

a second color filter associated with the second light source and configured to pass a second color of light from the second light source and block other colors of light from the second light source.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first light source is configured to provide more energy for the first color of light than the second light source, and wherein the second light source is configured to provide more energy for the second color of light than the first light source.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the first light source is configured to provide more energy for red light than the second and third light sources, the second light source is configured to provide more energy for green light than the first and third light sources, and the third light source is configured to provide more energy for blue light than the first and second light sources.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first light source is one of a red LED, red laser, tungsten light source, or Xenon lamp.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the second light source is one of a green LED or green laser.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the third light source is one of a blue LED or blue laser.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the sub-frame generator is configured to define a fourth sub-frame corresponding to the image data, the system further comprising:

a fourth projection device adapted to project the fourth sub-frame onto a target surface using fourth light source with substantially different spectral characteristics than the first, second, and third light sources.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the first and the second sub-frames are defined based on maximization of a probability that a hypothetical image matches the image data.

23. A system for projecting low-resolution sub-frames onto a viewing surface at spatially offset positions to generate the appearance of a high-resolution image, the system comprising:

means for receiving a first high-resolution image;

means for generating a first plurality of low-resolution sub-frames based on the first high-resolution image;

first means for generating a first color of light for projecting a first one of the sub-frames using a first projection lens;

second means for generating a second color of light for projecting a second one of the sub-frames using a second projection lens;

third means for generating a third color of light for projecting a third one of the sub-frames using a third projection lens; and

wherein the first means generates more energy for the first color of light than the second means is capable of generating, and the second means generates more energy for the second color of light than the first means is capable of generating, and wherein the third means generates more energy for the third color of light than the first and second means are capable of generating.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the first means is configured to provide more energy for red light than the second and third means are capable of providing, the second means is configured to provide more energy for green light than the first and third means are capable of providing, and the third means is configured to provide more energy for blue light than the first and second means are capable of providing.

25. The system of claim 23, and further comprising:

fourth means for generating a fourth color of light for projecting a fourth one of the sub-frames; and

wherein the fourth means generates more energy for the fourth color of light than the first, second, and third means are capable of generating.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the sub-frames are generated based on a difference between the first high-resolution image and a simulated high-resolution image.

27. A method of displaying an image with a display system, the method comprising:

receiving image data for the image;

generating a first sub-frame and a second sub-frame corresponding to the image data;

projecting the first sub-frame onto a target surface using a first projector light source; and

projecting the second sub-frame onto the target surface using a second projector light source, wherein the first and the second sub-frames at least partially overlap on the target surface, and wherein the first and the second light sources have substantially different spectral distributions, and wherein the first and second light sources are a same type of light source, and wherein the substantially different spectral distributions are generated by operating the first and second light sources at different temperatures, thereby shifting the spectral distribution of at least one of the first and the second light sources.

28. A system for displaying an image, the system comprising:

a buffer adapted to receive image data for the image;

a sub-frame generator configured to define first and second sub-frames corresponding to the image data;

a first projection device adapted to project the first sub-frame onto a target surface using a first light source; and

a second projection device adapted to project the second sub-frame onto the target surface using a second light source with substantially different spectral characteristics than the first light source, wherein the second sub-frame at least partially overlaps the first sub-frame, and wherein the first and second light sources are a same type of light source, and wherein the substantially different spectral characteristics are provided by operating the first and second light sources at different temperatures, thereby shifting the spectral characteristics of at least one of the first and the second light sources.