Abstract: A morphing light guide has a body with a consistent cross-sectional area that extends from an entry aperture with a first geometric shape to an exit aperture with a different second geometric shape.

Abstract: Apparatus and systems may include a pair of coupling lenses to send light to, and to receive light from, a pair of light modulators.

Abstract: Apparatus and systems may include a pair of coupling lenses to send light to, and to receive light from, a pair of light modulators.

Abstract: A morphing light guide has a body with a consistent cross-sectional area that extends from an entry aperture with a first geometric shape to an exit aperture with a different second geometric shape.

Abstract: A multimedia projector (30) includes a light source (32) producing a nonuniform illumination pattern and a light integrating tunnel (110, 130) having parallelogram-shaped input and output apertures (132, 134) with an average diagonal dimension. The input and output apertures are spaced apart by a length dimension (136) that is less than five-times the average diagonal dimension of the apertures. A light pattern (150) propagating from the output aperture is substantially more uniform than a light pattern (146) propagating from a rectangular tunnel of the same length. Alternatively, a light pattern (164) propagating from the output aperture has substantially the same uniformity as the light pattern (146) propagating from a substantially longer rectangular tunnel.

Abstract: A projector includes a source of polychromatic light that propagates through color filter segments of a color wheel and enters an input aperture of an asymmetrical light integrating tunnel that integrates the filtered light into a uniform pattern at a nonrectangular output aperture of the tunnel. The uniform illumination exiting the nonrectangular output aperture is re-imaged onto a light valve that is mounted obliquely to a longitudinal axis of the tunnel. The image of the nonrectangular output aperture on the light valve compensates for any keystone distortion, illumination overfill and illumination drop-off regions on the light valve, thereby increasing brightness and brightness uniformity across the light valve. The asymmetrical light integrating tunnel may include a trapezoidal input aperture that reduces the time period when adjacent color wheel filter segments are traversing the input aperture, thereby increasing the time period when the input aperture receives light from each single filter segment.

Abstract: A multimedia projector (30) includes a light source (32) producing a nonuniform illumination pattern and a light integrating tunnel (110, 130) having parallelogram-shaped input and output apertures (132, 134) with an average diagonal dimension. The input and output apertures are spaced apart by a length dimension (136) that is less than five-times the average diagonal dimension of the apertures. A light pattern (150) propagating from the output aperture is substantially more uniform than a light pattern (146) propagating from a rectangular tunnel of the same length. Alternatively, a light pattern (164) propagating from the output aperture has substantially the same uniformity as the light pattern (146) propagating from a substantially longer rectangular tunnel.

Abstract: A non-imaging optical concentrator (18, 70) includes an optically transparent body having a substantially dome-shaped convex surface (42, 74) of revolution formed about an optical axis (24) and at least one conical concave surface of revolution (44, 76, 78) protruding into the convex surface in a direction along the optical axis toward a light sensor (46). The convex surface receives light rays (54, 90) propagating from low to medium elevational angles and causes them to propagate through the optically transparent body, reflect off the concave surface, and propagate generally along the optical axis toward the light sensor. The concave surface further receives light rays (58) propagating from high elevational angles and refracts them through the optically transparent body toward the light sensor. This invention is advantageous because only one light sensor is required to receive light rays, such as IR controller data, propagating from a wide range of elevational and azimuthal angles.

Abstract: An image projection system implemented with a projector engine using a reflective light modulator, preferably a Digital Micromirror Device (DMD), operates lying flat with very low profile on a support table. The invention overcomes the disadvantage of previous DMD projectors that require either tilting all or part of the projection system 45 degrees relative to a support table top or packaging the projection system in a thick box that allows light to impinge on the DMD from above or below its light reflecting surface. This is accomplished with a prism assembly that sets up the correct illumination angles for the DMD and directs imaging (output) light along approximately the same vector as that of illumination (input) light incident to the prism assembly. The illumination light and imaging light do not propagate in a common plane within the prism assembly, but the vectors of the illumination light entering and the imaging light exiting the prism assembly are approximately the same.