Plural Projection Paths With Single Light Source Patents (Class 353/34)
  • Publication number: 20120256879
    Abstract: Multiple image projection apparatus are described. A cubic multi-prism beam splitter is provided having diagonal interfaces with one or more PBS elements and/or reflective elements positioned thereon. At least first and second spatial light modulators, such as LCoS SLMs, are positioned adjacent the beam splitter cube. The first and second LCoS spatial light modulators and first and second projection optics systems are configured to output a first modulated image from the first LCoS SLM to the first projection optics system and a second modulated image from the second LCoS spatial light modulator to the second projection optics system. In other embodiments, additional LCoS spatial light modulators and light sources produce 3-D images. Addition of sensors permits user interaction with a projected image which is fed back to a controller to optionally change current or future images displayed by the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company Limited
    Inventors: Ying LIU, Kinlung CHAN, Weiping TANG
  • Patent number: 8282217
    Abstract: A projector includes: at least one light emitting device having a light emitting element adapted to emit a first outgoing light and a second outgoing light proceeding in a direction different from a direction of the first outgoing light; a first light modulation device adapted to modulate the first outgoing light in accordance with image information; a second light modulation device adapted to modulate the second outgoing light in accordance with image information; and a projection device adapted to project the light modulated by the first light modulation device and the light modulated by the second light modulation device, wherein the light emitting element is a super luminescent diode provided with a stacked structure having an active layer sandwiched between a first cladding layer and a second cladding layer, and the active layer has a first emission surface adapted to emit the first outgoing light and a second emission surface adapted to emit the second outgoing light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masamitsu Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 8267521
    Abstract: An optical element includes a dichroic surface formed by a multilayer dielectric film or the like and a polarized beam splitter surface formed by a multilayer dielectric film or the like. The dichroic surface transmits light (G and R) from a green wavelength band to a red wavelength band irrespective of the polarization directions of light, and reflects light (B) in a blue wavelength band. The polarized beam splitter surface reflects an S-polarized light (Gs) in a green wavelength band. Furthermore, the polarized beam splitter surface transmits an S-polarized light (Bs) and a P-polarized light (Bp) in the blue wavelength band, and also transmits the S-polarized light (Rs) and P-polarized light (Rp) in the red wavelength band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Maeda, Takashi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8235532
    Abstract: A system comprises two or more light sources comprising a first light source and a second light source, each light source of the two or more light sources configured to provide light of a particular wavelength, wherein a first wavelength of a first light provided by the first light source differs from a second wavelength of a second light provided by the second light source, and wherein the first light has a first radiant energy that experiences roll-off. The system further comprises a controller configured to modulate an attribute of each light source to compensate for the roll-off, the modulation comprising modulating an attribute of the first light source, and the modulation further comprising modulating an attribute of the second light source, the modulation of the second attribute being different from the modulation of the first attribute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Walter Marvin Duncan, Benjamin Lowell Lee
  • Patent number: 8226246
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes: a first spatial light modulator (SLM) and a second modulator for modulating a first and a second illumination lights for displaying images; an SLM control unit for generating first control data and second control data for controlling the first and second SLMs respectively in accordance with the first and second control data, wherein each of the first control data and second control data is generated for each of a plurality of sub-frame periods divided from one frame period for displaying the images, and the start timing of one sub-frame period of the first control data is different from the start timing of one sub-frame period of the second control data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignees: Silicon Quest Kabushiki-Kaisha, Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Shirai, Fusao Ishii
  • Patent number: 8226245
    Abstract: A composite optical element is provided. The composite optical element includes a plurality of optical elements, in which at least one of the optical elements is formed of an element modifying an optical path and the other optical elements are bonded to an incident surface and/or exit surface of the element modifying the optical path with a low refractive index material layer in between.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Mitsunori Ueda, Yoshihiro Oshima, Kazutoshi Yamamoto, Kiyoshi Toyota, Atsuhiko Wajiki, Yuji Kato, Olivier Ripoll, Juan Manuel Teijiro
  • Patent number: 8210689
    Abstract: A total internal reflection prism comprises at least two subprisms. The at least two subprisms define an airgap of a uniform thickness following a one-dimensional curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Simon Magarill
  • Patent number: 8210693
    Abstract: A projection type image display apparatus includes: a light source; an illumination optical system that uniformly illuminates beams, which are emitted from the light source, on a surface of an image modulation element as a primary image plane; and a projection optical system that projects image information of the primary image plane modulated by the image modulation element on a screen as a secondary image plane in an enlarged manner. The projection optical system includes a first optical system having a positive refractive power and including a plurality of transmissive surfaces, and a second optical system having a positive refractive power and including a concave reflective surface. The first optical system has a first reflective surface disposed between any surfaces of the plurality of transmissive surfaces, and a second reflective surface disposed between the first optical system and second optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 8205992
    Abstract: A polarization element includes: a substrate; a plurality of convex line sections on one surface of the substrate and forming stripes in a plan view; and a multilayer thin line provided to each convex line section and extending along the convex line sections, wherein the multilayer thin line has a lower layer on the convex line section, and an upper layer stacked on the lower layer, the lower layer and the upper layer each have a first thin line on one side surface in a direction along a shorter dimension of the convex line section, and a second thin line on the other side surface, the materials of the lower layer first thin line and the upper layer first thin line are different from each other, and the materials of the lower layer second thin line and the upper layer second thin line are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshitomo Kumai
  • Patent number: 8197067
    Abstract: A projection type display apparatus includes: a reflective polarizing plate for each color light which transmits each of R light, G light and B light therethrough, allows each transmitted light to enter a corresponding reflective liquid crystal panel for each color light, and reflects image light of each color which has been subjected to light modulation in accordance with an image signal of each corresponding color light by the reflective liquid crystal panel for each color light; an absorption type polarizing plate for R and G lights and a reflection type polarizing plate for B light, each of which removes an unnecessary polarized component from the image light of each color reflected by the reflective polarizing plate for each color light; a color combination optical system which subjects the image light of each color transmitted through the transmission type polarizing plate for each color light to color combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsuji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8197066
    Abstract: A laser projector includes a green laser, a two-wavelength laser, a PBS, a collimator lens, a two-axis galvanometer mirror, a group of lenses, and a screen. The green laser emits a green laser beam. The two-wavelength laser emits red and blue laser beams. The PBS is provided at the position where respective optical paths of laser beams emitted from respective lasers cross each other to cause these optical paths to coincide with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Nagashima, Atsuhiko Chikaoka, Seiji Takemoto, Hiroki Matsubara, Yutaka Takahashi, Ken Nishioka
  • Patent number: 8186831
    Abstract: A wide color gamut projector having a plurality of dichroic prisms configured to split a light beam into six primary color components and direct each of the six primary color components to separate digital micromirror devices is disclosed. The projector further comprises a translucent rotatable drum having different polarization sections, wherein the light beam is capable of being passed orthogonally through a wall of the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventor: Youngshik Yoon
  • Patent number: 8186834
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus includes: a red light valve configured to modulate red component light according to a red input signal; a green light valve configured to modulate green component light according to a green input signal; a blue light valve configured to modulate blue component light according to a blue input signal; a fourth color light valve configured to modulate a fourth color component light; and a color combiner configured to combine light emitted from the red light valve, the green light valve and the blue light valve. The fourth color component light emitted from the fourth color light valve enters a certain light valve, which is any one of the red light valve, the green light valve and the blue light valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Maeda, Ken Mashitani, Kazuhiro Arai
  • Patent number: 8182092
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes a light source, a color separation unit configured to separate light from the light source into colored light beams, liquid crystal display devices each configured to modulate a corresponding one of the colored light beams in accordance with an image signal, light-shielding members each configured to block light that enters an area outside an effective display area of a corresponding one of the liquid crystal display devices, a color combination unit configured to combine the colored light beams that have been modulated by the liquid crystal display devices, and a projection unit configured to project light produced by combining the colored light beams with the color combination unit, wherein the liquid crystal display devices are fixed to a heatsink, and wherein the light-shielding members each include a base member fixed to the heatsink and a mask member detachably mounted on the base member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hidetomo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8167434
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light projection system (10) for use in conjunction with a display device (40). The light projection system comprises a light source for emitting light being modulated by video and/or audio content of the display device (40), and a light guide (20). The longitudinal light guide guides light emitted by the light source substantially along a longitudinal axis (26) and projects the light propagating through the longitudinal light guide on a projection surface (50). The longitudinal light guide comprises: a light input window, and a plurality of light out-coupling elements. The plurality of light out-coupling elements project the light on the projection surface via light out-coupling elements comprising sub-sets (70a, 70d) of light out-coupling elements. A particular sub-set (70a, 70d) is arranged for substantially illuminating a particular area (50a, 50d) of the projection surface (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Theodorus Franciscus Emilius Maria Overes
  • Patent number: 8152312
    Abstract: An apparatus that presents a projection image has a screen and plural projectors, each of which projects a section of the projection image onto the screen. The apparatus has a projected-section-determining unit that determines as a projected section the section of the projection image, based on an input image signal, corresponding to a part of the screen onto which each of the projectors projects the section of the projection image. The apparatus has an image-signal-generating unit that generates an image signal corresponding to the section of the projection image which each of the projector projects onto the part of the screen, based on the input image signal and the projected section determined by the projected-section-determining unit, and a projectors-controlling unit that controls the projectors to adjust centers and/or ranges of the projections by the projectors based on the projected section determined by the projected-section-determining unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsujiro Kondo, Kenji Tanaka, Hitoshi Mukai, Tetsushi Kokubo, Hirofumi Hibi, Kazumasa Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8132920
    Abstract: A video projector includes a reduced size spatial light modulator (400) that spatially modulates light from a light source (502) according to only a portion (e.g., ½) of a video frame at a time. A beam steerer (508, 600, 1600) steers spatially modulated light from the spatial light modulator to a correspond region (e.g., upper half, lower half) of a projection screen/surface (512) and one or more lenses (506, 510, 702, 802, 1002, 1008, 1100, 1300, 1502) insure that the spatially light modulator (400) is imaged onto the projection screen/surface (512).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc.
    Inventors: Zili Li, Xiaodong Xun
  • Patent number: 8132923
    Abstract: A cooling device which prevents ambient persons from being exposed to an unpleasant feeling as much as possible by properly controlling an exhausting direction of the air which is used for cooling and exhausted from a chassis and an image projection apparatus having the cooling device are obtained. The cooing device cools first and second members to be cooled provided in the chassis, has first and second exhaust fans for guiding winds which have cooled the respective first and second members to an outside of the chassis, and is characterized in that the first and second exhaust fans are arranged so as to face the same surface of the chassis and the winds exhausted from the first and second exhaust fans are mixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryuji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8128234
    Abstract: A position adjustment device for an integration rod includes a fixed plate, two resilient members, and two adjusting screws. The first resilient member is positioned between the fixed plate and the rod for exerting an elastic force on the rod in a first direction, and the second resilient member is positioned between the fixed plate and the rod for exerting an elastic force on the rod in a second direction different from the first direction. The first adjusting screw is inserted through the part of the housing and has a first end surface that presses against one side surface of the rod opposite the first resilient member. The second adjusting screw is inserted through the part of the housing and has a second end surface that presses against one side surface of the rod opposite the second resilient member. The first and the second end surface are arc surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventors: Chien-Chang Huang, Yung-Chuan Tseng
  • Patent number: 8123361
    Abstract: A projector includes: a laser beam generator configured to emit a laser beam according to an image signal; a beam splitter configured to split the laser beam into a first laser beam toward the first projection plane and a second laser beam toward the second projection plane; a scanning unit, disposed between the laser beam generator and the beam splitter, configured to scan the laser beam from the laser beam generator toward the beam splitter; a light receiver configured to receive reflected light of the first laser beam; a computation portion configured to compute positional information indicating a position of an obstacle located in an optical path of the first laser beam based on a light receiving result by the light receiver; and a display control portion configured to change the image signal so that a pointer is displayed in the image based on the positional information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Nagashima, Atsuhiko Chikaoka, Seiji Takemoto, Hiroki Matsubara, Atsuya Hirano, Hiroshi Nishigaki
  • Publication number: 20120019781
    Abstract: A system and method to display a plurality of different images at multiple distinct locations using a single image projector and an image propagation control means to control a propagation pathway from the projector to a display at each location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: FREDERICK F. KUHLMAN, ANDREW P. HARBACH, RICHARD D. PARKER, DWADASI H.R. SARMA, MARIAN C. HARGIS, STEVEN G. SKIVER
  • Patent number: 8100536
    Abstract: A DLP projector includes a light source generating white light beams, a color wheel separating the white light beams into three colored light beams, an integration rod rendering the colored light beams uniform, a projection lens, a DMD, a light-shade and a light-absorbing member. When a light beam on a first path is in use, a micro mirror of the DMD reflects the light beam on the first path to follow a second path towards the projection lens. Otherwise, the micro mirror reflects the light beam on the first path to follow a third, fourth and fifth path out of the projection lens. The light-shade is positioned in a light path of the light beam out of the projection lens. The light-absorbing member is under the light-shade and absorbs the light beam on the fifth path, the light beam on a sixth and a seventh path reflected by the light-shade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignees: Premier Image Technology (China) Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhuo-Guang Ruan, Ming-Hsun Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20120008099
    Abstract: A device and system for projecting images onto a screen, wherein the device and devices which are included in the system have associated therewith components comprising a light source, a cooling means for the light source, at least one of a reflector adapted to focus light from the light source and a focusing lens that receives light from the light source, a dynamic colour filter that receives light from at least one of the light source/reflector and the focusing lens, a light-shaping lens or rod that transmits light which has passed through the filter, an image-forming element that receives light from the light-shaping lens or rod, and a lens for projecting onto the screen images received from the image-forming element. At least the light source and the cooling means are placed in a first component housing separate from the other components that are located in at least one further component housing, and the connection between the component housings is effected by at least one liquid light guide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Inventor: Børre Mortensen
  • Publication number: 20110317130
    Abstract: Methods for operating a light source of a scanning laser projector to reduce speckle and image flicker in projected images are disclosed. The methods generally include projecting an image comprising a plurality of frames with a light source of the scanning laser projector. Simultaneously, a speckle reduction sequence comprising uncorrelated speckle patterns and partially correlated speckle patterns is projected with the light source of the scanning laser projector. The speckle reduction sequence is projected by varying a property of an output beam of the light source of the scanning projector. The duration of the speckle reduction sequence may be less than about 0.04 seconds or from about 0.07 seconds to about 0.13 seconds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Inventor: Jacques Gollier
  • Patent number: 8079714
    Abstract: A projector for acquiring a coordinate of a bright spot includes a half transparent and half reflecting mirror (22), an imaging device (24), and a processing system (25). The half transparent and half reflecting mirror (22) is provided on a light path between the light source (21) and the zooming system (23). The imaging device (24) captures an external light ray reflected by the half transparent and half reflecting mirror (22). The processing system (25) acquires the coordinate of the bright spot according to the image of the image of the bright spot captured by the imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignees: Beijing Lenovo Software Ltd., Lenovo (Beijing) Limited
    Inventors: Shaoping Peng, Yiqiang Yan, Zifeng Hou, Bo Liu
  • Patent number: 8066380
    Abstract: At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to a projector which includes several optical elements, reflective devices and beam splitters, arranged to reduce back reflection effects. At least one exemplary embodiment includes a mirror, two beam splitters, three reflection devices, and two optical elements affecting polarization of incident light upon the optical elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Inoko
  • Patent number: 8057042
    Abstract: A stereo projection optical system includes an image assimilator and a transmission-type light modulator positioned to receive the emergent light of the image assimilator. The image assimilator is configured for superimposing spatial information on the incident light beam and emitting one of a first polarized light component and a second polarized light component. The transmission-type light modulator alternates between a dark state and a bright state. The stereo projection optical systems provide viewers three-dimensional images formed by two alternative polarized lights whose polarizations are perpendicular relative to each other utilizing the transmission-type light modulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chien-Wen Hsu, Chia-Hung Kao
  • Patent number: 8052286
    Abstract: A method includes generating a plurality of beams that each illuminate a separate portion of a spatial light modulator. The spatial light modulator has a first dimension of a first length and a second dimension of a second length. Each of the beams spans a portion of the first length of the first dimension and a portion of the second length of the second dimension. The method also includes scrolling the plurality of beams along the second dimension of the spatial light modulator while maintaining at least a first gap between each of the plurality of beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Philip Scott King, Gregory James Hewlett, Roger Mitsuo Ikeda, Jeffrey Scott Farris
  • Patent number: 8047654
    Abstract: A projector includes a light source module, a diffuser for diffusing the light beam emitting from the light source module, and a fluorescent plate. The light source module includes a light source capable of emitting a first light beam, a dichroic device for diverging the first light beam into a second light beam and a third light beam, and a reflector with a moving frequency exceeding 20 Hz configured for reflecting the third light beam. The fluorescent plate is configured for converting the light beam passing through the diffuser into at least three kinds colored light beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chiu-Ping Chen
  • Patent number: 8035758
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes a polarization conversion element which converts second color light of unpolarized light emitted from a light source into a first linear polarized light, and a light path separation element which separates the second color light emitted from the first and third color light; and performs image display by illuminating a first, a second and a third liquid crystal display elements with the first, second and third color light that pass through the light path separation element, wherein the light path separation element leads a first linear polarized light component of the second color light to the second liquid crystal display element, and wherein the light path separation element leads a second linear polarized light component whose direction of polarization is orthogonal to the first linear polarized light component of the second color light, in a direction different from any of the liquid crystal display elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yu Yamauchi, Hiroyuki Kodama
  • Publication number: 20110242498
    Abstract: A projector using coherent light as a light source includes: one or more coherent light sources emitting coherent light beams; a beam scanner which changes a direction of the coherent light beam; and a beam splitter which splits a beam into multiple segments and changes a phase of light of each split segment, the beam splitter being located in an optical path between the beam scanner and the coherent light source. This projector reduces speckle noises. The beam splitter includes a pair of transparent substrates; a plurality of parallel electrodes disposed on each surface of the pair of transparent substrates, the pair of the parallel electrodes being disposed in a perpendicular direction to each other. Voltages are applied to the respective electrodes at predetermined time intervals so as to produce different potentials in a liquid crystal sandwiched by the transparent substrates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Inventors: Tadayoshi KOSAKA, Satoshi OUCHI, Mayumi NAGAYOSHI, Yoshiho SEO, Tomoki KOBORI
  • Patent number: 8029143
    Abstract: An illumination system for providing an illumination beam to a light valve is provided. The illumination system includes a light source, a light integration rod, a color wheel, a first focusing unit and a second focusing unit. The light source is capable of generating the illumination beam, and the light integration rod is disposed on the transmission path of the illumination beam. The first focusing unit is disposed between the integration rod and the color wheel and is capable of focusing the illumination beam onto the color wheel. The second focusing unit is disposed between the color wheel and the light valve and is capable of focusing the illumination beam onto the light valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Young Optics Inc.
    Inventors: Mei-Ling Chen, S-Wei Chen, Chao-Shun Chen, Hung-Cheng Lung, Chun-Fa Hsu, Cheng-Shun Liao
  • Patent number: 8016425
    Abstract: A projector includes: a light source which emits light containing visible light and infrared light; a light time division unit which divides light emitted from the light source into one or more visible lights having different wavelength ranges and one or more infrared lights having different wavelength ranges in a time-division manner; a light modulation element which time-sequentially modulates the plural lights separated by the light time division unit and having different wavelength ranges; and a projection unit which projects and displays the light modulated by the light modulation element on a projection-receiving surface. A plurality of images containing a visible image produced by the one or more visible lights and an infrared image produced by the one or more infrared lights are displayed on the same projection receiving surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Ito
  • Patent number: 8007112
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes a light source, a color separation unit configured to separate light from the light source into colored light beams, liquid crystal display devices each configured to modulate a corresponding one of the colored light beams in accordance with an image signal, light-shielding members each configured to block light that enters an area outside an effective display area of a corresponding one of the liquid crystal display devices, a color combination unit configured to combine the colored light beams that have been modulated by the liquid crystal display devices, and a projection unit configured to project light produced by combining the colored light beams with the color combination unit, wherein the liquid crystal display devices are fixed to a heatsink, and wherein the light-shielding members each include a base member fixed to the heatsink and a mask member detachably mounted on the base member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hidetomo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8004761
    Abstract: A stereo projection optical system includes a polarization converter, a 2-way wheel, a retarder, and an image engine. The polarization converter is configured for converting an incident light into a polarized light which have single polarization. The 2-way wheel includes a reflective region and a transmissive region. The reflective region is configured for reflecting the polarized light and the transmissive region is configured for transmitting the polarized light. The retarder is positioned to receive an emergent light from one of the reflective region and the transmissive region. The image engine is positioned to receive light output of the 2-way wheel and the retarder and configured for emitting the light output comprising spatial information. The stereo projection optical systems provide viewers three-dimensional images formed by two alternative polarized light beams whose polarizations are perpendicular to each other utilizing the 2-way wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: I-Pen Chien, Yuan-Yu Lin
  • Patent number: 8000019
    Abstract: An optical system for a display panel is disclosed. An optical system comprises a color separating portion for separating light that is emitted from a light source into a plurality of beams having different spectra; and a projecting portion for projecting the plurality of beams onto a plurality of divided areas of a predetermined range in the display panel, while sequentially switching the plurality of beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: NEC Viewtechnology, Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsushi Kato
  • Publication number: 20110188003
    Abstract: A light source having (a) a light emitter that emits a light beam along a first axis, the light beam having a highest degree of anisotropic coherency in a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; and (b) a light multiplexer positioned optically downstream of the light emitter, the multiplexer having an axis of multiplexing perpendicular to the first axis, the second axis and the axis of multiplexing being oriented at an angle with respect to each other that is other than 0, 90, 180 and 270 degrees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryo Furutachi, Michio Oka, Kaoru Kimura
  • Patent number: 7988299
    Abstract: A handy image projection apparatus includes a main body containing a projection optical unit configured to project an image from its front part, with the main body having a gravity center, and an operation member provided on an outer face of the main body. The operation member is operated by a user's hand holding the main body when the image is being projected. When the apparatus is viewed from a first direction facing the outer face, at least part of the operation member is disposed in a front-rear direction of the apparatus, at one of a first position corresponding to the gravity center of the main body and a second position located at a distance within ? of a length from the gravity center to the front part of the main body in the front-rear direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Urakawa
  • Patent number: 7988297
    Abstract: Non-rigidly coupled, overlapping, non-feedback optical systems for spatial filtering of Fourier transform optical patterns and image shape characterization comprises a first optical subsystem that includes a lens for focusing a polarized, coherent beam to a focal point, an image input device that spatially modulates phase positioned between the lens and the focal point, and a spatial filter at the Fourier transform pattern, and a second optical subsystem overlapping the first optical subsystem includes a projection lens and a detector. The second optical subsystem is optically coupled to the first optical subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Look Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventor: Rikk Crill
  • Patent number: 7986340
    Abstract: A lightweight, compact image projection module, especially for mounting in a housing having a light-transmissive window, is operative for causing selected pixels in a raster pattern of scan lines to be illuminated to produce an image of high resolution in color. The direction of scanning of the scan lines is switched between alternate frames, and the resulting image is the superposition of successive frames integrated for viewing by the human eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Microvision, Inc.
    Inventors: Duanfeng He, Dmitriy Yavid, Askold Strat
  • Patent number: 7976172
    Abstract: Light emitted from a lamp enters a color wheel having a region for allowing a predetermined color to pass therethrough, is reflected on a mirror, and enters a DMD. After this, the light is reflected by the DMD and enters a color sensor, which then detects the color of the transmitting light. A projection apparatus automatically synchronizes the control on the rotation of the color wheel and the control on the proceeding direction of the transmitting light by the DMD, based on a color time-division pattern of the transmitting light detected by the color sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuro Narikawa
  • Patent number: 7973750
    Abstract: A projector includes a lighting device, a first image forming unit including first through third light modulation elements, a second image forming unit including fourth through sixth light modulation elements, a polarization combining optical system, a projection optical system, and an image correction device, wherein the image correction device, based on one of combined transmittance and combined reflectance obtained by combining one of transmittances and reflectances corresponding to gray-scale values of two of the first through sixth light modulation elements for modulating the same colored light beam, outputs the drive value corresponding to the input image data for driving the two light modulation elements corresponding to the predetermined colored light beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yasunaga Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 7967445
    Abstract: An image projecting apparatus enables the formation of a projected image faithful to original image information by reducing degradation in the projected image due to decrease in imaging performance of a projection optical system. Image information is processed by an image processing device, which includes a first and a second image processor. A light modulating device modulates a flux of light emitted by an illumination optical system based on the processed image information. The modulated flux of light is projected on a screen by a projection optical system. If the image information processed by the first image processor in a pixel region is not within a representable modulation range of the light modulating device, the image information is processed by the second image processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukiko Hamano, Ryosuke Kasahara, Toshiyuki Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 7963657
    Abstract: An imager is shifted with respect to an optical axis of a refractive optical system. Thereby, a throw distance of a projector is shortened. A wavelength-selective half wavelength plate for rotating a polarization direction of green light beams is disposed between a dichroic prism and the refractive optical system in such a manner that the polarization direction of the green light beams is in parallel to the shifting direction. Thereby, the green light beams are incident onto the refractive optical system as P-polarized beams, whereby a transmittance of the green light beams in the refractive optical system is increased, while suppressing lowering of the light amount of the green light beams, and color non-uniformity resulting from lowering of the light amount of the green light beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuhei Amano, Michihiro Okuda
  • Patent number: 7959299
    Abstract: A projector including a lighting device for emitting light including first, second and third colored light beams. A first dichroic mirror separates the light into the first colored light beam by reflecting the light in a certain wavelength range and transmitting the light in another wavelength range and transmitting the light in another wavelength range. A second dichroic mirror separates the other colored light beams into the second and third colored light beams by reflecting the light in a certain wavelength range and transmitting the light in another wavelength range. The second dichroic mirror separates the light from the lighting device into the colored light beams. The projector including a first color combining optical system for combining the colored light beams to emit a first image light beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yasunaga Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 7959297
    Abstract: A digital image projector includes a light assembly configured to project light along a light path from at least one laser array light source, the projected light having an overlapping far field illumination in a far field illumination portion of the light path; a temporally varying optical phase shifting device configured to be in the light path; an optical integrator configured to be in the light path; a spatial light modulator located downstream of the temporally varying optical phase shifting device and the optical integrator in the light path, the spatial light modulator configured to be located in the far field illumination portion of the light path; and projection optics located downstream of the spatial light modulator in the light path, the projection optics configured to direct substantially speckle free light from the spatial light modulator toward a display surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Barry D. Silverstein, Gary E. Nothhard
  • Patent number: 7959300
    Abstract: A projection image display device including a display plane for displaying an image, a projection mechanism projecting an image on the display plane, and an imaging mechanism arranged on the same side of the display plane as the projection mechanism for imaging the display plane. The imaging mechanism is arranged at a position where a position symmetric with respect to the display plane of the projection mechanism is out of the range of the field angle of the imaging mechanism. By arranging the imaging mechanism at a position where no direct reflecting light of the light source of the projection mechanism comes, it is possible to prevent generation of a hot spot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiichiroh Hirahara, Akira Sakurai
  • Patent number: 7946710
    Abstract: A projection display, for modulating lights into an optical image through an image display element, thereby projecting the optical image from a projection lens, enlargedly, comprising: a light source, which is configured to emit the lights; an optical integrator, which is configured to equalize illuminance distribution of the lights from the light source; a color separation optic system, which is configured to separate the lights emitted from the optical integrator into a plural number of light components; a relay optic system having a plural number of relay lenses, each of which is configured to relay the light separated by the color separation optic system; and a rotation adjuster, which is provided in at least any one of the plural number of relay lenses, and configured to adjust an inclination angle thereof, with respect to a light axis of the lights emitted from the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Kimura
  • Publication number: 20110116053
    Abstract: An illumination device includes: a light source which emits a plurality of emission lights; a first condenser lens which stacks the plural emission lights emitted from the light source; a first fly-eye lens which divides lights stacked by the first condenser lens into a plurality of partial lights; a second fly-eye lens which converges the plural partial lights; and a second condenser lens which stacks the plural partial lights converged by the second fly-eye lens, wherein the first condenser lens stacks the plural emission lights emitted from the light source on the first fly-eye lens, and the second fly-eye lens stacks the plural partial lights on an illumination receiving area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroyasu KASEYA
  • Patent number: RE43743
    Abstract: A projection-type image display apparatus having a structure adapted so that the efficiency of the use of light and resolving power thereof can be enhanced. The projection-type image display apparatus includes a light source; a color separation unit separating incident rays according to predetermined wavelengths, and directing the separated rays at different angles; a lens array dividing the rays separated by the color separation unit into predetermined pixels; a driving portion driving the lens array to change the proceeding paths of the color rays; a polarizing beam splitter changing a proceeding path of incident rays depending on a direction of polarization; a reflection-type display device producing a color image using the rays entering via the polarizing beam splitter, and reflecting the color image toward the polarizing beam splitter; and a projection lens unit magnifying and projecting an incident image onto a screen. In addition, the projection-type image display apparatus may comprise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kun-ho Cho, Seung-Tae Jung, Jang-hoon Yoo, Chul-woo Lee