Abstract: The distance between reflection surfaces of a light guide is set in such a manner as to gradually decrease toward an exit end surface from an incidence end surface. Thus, the equation SY/SX<MY/MX is satisfied, where SX designates the arrangement intervals of light source images in the direction along the X-axis, SY denotes the arrangement intervals of the light source images in the direction along the Y-axis, MX designates the length of the incidence end surface of the light guide in the direction along the X-axis, and MY denotes the length of the incidence end surface of the light guide in the direction along the Y-axis. Thus, the polarization separation performance of a polarization beam splitter disposed before the reflection type liquid crystal device can be maintained at a relatively high level. Consequently, a bright projection image having a high contrast ratio can be obtained.

Abstract: A projector of the present invention includes: an electro-optic device that outputs rays modulated according to a given image signal, an image processing unit that transmits the image signal to the electro-optic device, and a luminous flux control device that controls an output luminous flux of projection rays, which are output from the electro-optic device and projected. The luminous flux control device has: a detector unit that detects a person who approaches a path of the projection rays; and a controller unit that controls the output luminous flux of the projection rays when the detector detects the approach of the person. This arrangement controls the output luminous flux of the projection rays when a person approaches the path of the projection rays and the projection rays directly enter the field of view of the person, thus effectively relieving the unpleasantness due to the incidence of the projection rays.

Abstract: A micro-display element used in displaying original images and reflection control module for optical projection display includes a control chip, a driving circuit, a plurality of metallic mirror surface reflection gate elements. The gate element, the driving circuit and the control chip are mounted in sequence from the top to the bottom layer, and the driving circuit is controlled by displaying control signals of the control chip so as to drive the reflection gate elements to cause, the “ON” and “OFF” control and at the outer surrounding of the reflection gate element, along the horizontal axial (X-axis) and the vertical axis (Y-axis) direction, equivalent number of adjustment pixels are provided, such that the micro-displays of R, G, B projected light, during optical module calibration, can be accurately adjusted to superimposed state by means of adjustment pixels which provide sufficient biased calibration in a horizontal axial direction in a vertical axial direction.

Abstract: A projection display comprising: a transmissive spatial light modulator (10); an illuminator (1, 20, 21, 30) for illuminating the modulator from the front thereof; and a hologram (32) disposed at the rear of the modulator for imaging and reflecting back through the modulator light from the illuminator received through the modulator.

Abstract: The present invention provides overhead having (a) a main body having a stage area, (b) a head assembly, and (c) a post suspending the inverted head assembly over the stage area. The post is pivotally attached to the main body in accordance with equation Clearance={square root over ((Mx−Px)2+(My−Py)2)}−{square root over ((Fx−Px)2+(Fy−Py)2)} and the post is outside the stage area. In a preferred embodiment, the head assembly is an inverted head assembly.

Abstract: An image projection system comprises an image projector, such as a film or television projector and a projection screen. The projection screen is fabricated of a substantially transparent material, such as glass or plastic. The screen of transparent material has one or more areas or portions formed therein which areas or portions may be made to be translucent upon the application of a stimulus. Once in a translucent condition, the projected image can be received and viewed on the translucent portion. A mirror can be positioned behind the projection screen so that a person can view the reflection of themselves in the mirror when the screen is transparent, and an image can be projected when the projection screen is made to be substantially translucent.

Abstract: The projector device can be reduced in thickness by using a total internal reflection (TIR) prism wherein the angle formed between a line of projection of the normal vector of the total reflection plane on the surface of a digital micromirror device (DMD) and the long or short side of the DMD is set to be smaller than 45°. The TIR prism has a total reflection plane for totally reflecting illuminating light brought to incidence by an illuminating optical system to guide it to the DMD and totally transmit light optically modulated by the DMD to guide it to a projecting optical system, and this total reflection plane is so arranged relative to the DMD that the angle formed between a line of projection of its normal vector on the surface of the DMD and the long side of the DMD form an angle smaller than 45°.

Abstract: In order to prevent dust from sticking to the LCD panel, to prevent the LCD panel from being heated and to suitably adjust the position of the LCD panel, a duct is provided between cooling means for a light source and cooling means for a LCD panel to send cooling air from the LCD panel side to the light source side. Therefore, a light incidence/reflection plane of the LCD panel is disposed in an almost hermetically closed space and an optical path from an integrator lens to the LCD panel is formed in the almost hermetically closed space.

Abstract: A single-panel color image display apparatus includes a plurality of switchable color filters selectively transmitting and/or reflecting a plurality of color light beams. In the single panel color image display apparatus, the plurality of color light beams are radiated in turn at the same pixel of a display device so that true color can be realized in a unit pixel during a period of a single video frame. The single-panel color image display apparatus has physically the same resolution as a conventional projection-type single-panel image display apparatus using a color wheel and has substantially the same light efficiency and resolution as a conventional three-panel color image display apparatus using three display devices.

Abstract: An illumination apparatus comprises a plurality of light source sections, an integrator section, and a mirror element. Each light source section is constituted by a luminous body and a reflector comprising an ellipsoidal surface having one focal point located near the center of gravity of the luminous body. The integrator section is constituted by at least two integrator plates, arranged in the optical axis direction of light, for homogenizing the quantity of light emitted from the light source sections. The mirror element has a reflecting surface near the other focal point of the ellipsoidal surface of at least one reflector, and reflects the luminous flux from the light source group toward the integrator section. The optical axis of the illumination apparatus as a whole and the optical axis of at least one reflector form a predetermined angle therebetween.

Abstract: An overhead projector including a Fresnel lens, a single element meniscus projection lens having a concave side and a convex side, and a folding mirror placed in an optical path between the Fresnel lens and the projection lens. The projection lens is oriented to have the concave side optically facing the Fresnel lens. The optical design of the overhead projector follows the following equation, FFres=(FLens(MLens+1)/MLens−SLD)/(MFres+1), where the Fresnel lens has a focal length FFres, and a magnification MFres, the projection lens has a focal length FLens and a magnification MLens, and SLD is the distance from the stop position and the projection lens.

Abstract: A pixelated image display system comprising: a first panel including an array of pixel elements, each pixel element partially masked by an opaque region; one or more additional panels, each additional panel including an array of pixel elements, each pixel element partially masked by an opaque region; means for directing a different subset of pixel data from an image dataset to each the panel to control the pixel elements of each panel; and means for aligning and projecting interleaved pixel elements, in at least one of the horizontal and vertical directions, from each panel onto a screen to form a pixelated image.

Abstract: A projecting device with a cylindrical color tube for displaying color images. The projecting device includes a light source for generating a trichrome light beam, a cylindrical color tube for filtering the trichrome light beam into red, green and blue light beams, a driving device for rotating the color tube, an optical modulator for converting an image signal into an image and modulating the image into the red, green and blue light beams outputted from the color tube to generate a modulated light beam, and a projecting lens installed in the housing for projecting the modulated light beam onto a screen.

Abstract: An image projection system comprises an image projector, such as a film or television projector and a projection screen. The projection screen is fabricated of a substantially transparent material, such as glass or plastic. The screen of transparent material has one or more areas or portions formed therein which areas or portions may be made to be translucent upon the application of a stimulus. Once in a translucent condition, the projected image can be received and viewed on the translucent portion. A mirror can be positioned behind the projection screen so that a person can view the reflection of themself in the mirror when the screen is transparent, and an image can be projected when the projection screen is made to be substantially translucent.

Abstract: A projector is provided that includes a cooling structure which efficiently cools an electrooptic device, and which can cope with an increase in brightness of a light source and a reduction in size of the projector. A cooling fan for introducing cooling air is mounted above an air inlet, and a regulating fan for regulating the cooling air introduced by the cooling fan is mounted at a position opposing the cooling fan across an electrooptic device. For this reason, the cooling air is formed in a substantially linear shape, and the electrooptic device can be uniformly and efficiently cooled without cooling only parts of the electrooptic device. This allows a cooling structure to be obtained which can cope with an increase in brightness of a light source lamp serving as a light source and a reduction in size of a projector.

Abstract: A front image projection device and corresponding method are disclosed that utilize a shaped imager component to pre-distort an input image and thereby compensate for the distortion expected in a screen image. The front projection device includes projection components, image generating components, and illumination components. The shaped image component may compensate at least in part for distortion introduced due to the components of the projection system. The physical configuration for the shaped imager may be determined through a modeled or actual ray trace through the projection system, and the resulting physical configuration may be a geometric shape having a curved top, a curved bottom and curved sides.

Abstract: The invention concerns simplify positioning and fixing operation of a prism unit and a liquid-crystal-panel unit, and a projection display device that reduces a shift of pixels. The projection display device may include a fixed frame plate fixed adjacent to a surface of a prism unit and a center portion thereof being opened, a panel frame body for holding liquid crystal panels, and a spacer having a plane opposed to the fixed frame plate and a plane opposed to the panel frame body, and placed between the fixed frame plate and the panel frame body. The fixed frame plate and the panel frame body are bonded and fixed by an adhesive agent via the spacer, and a bonding section of the fixed frame plate to the spacer protrudes toward the panel frame body.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image projector comprising a casing containing at least: an illumination system (11, 10); an optical unit comprising at least one optical valve (30′, 31′, 32′, 20) modulating the light emitted by the illumination system; a projection lens (5) projecting the modulated light outside the casing; a power supply, control electronics and cooling means (116, 117, 118, 119, 140, 141); the casing being provided with at least one aperture (106) forming an air inlet. The casing further comprises a specific air filtration means (115) positioned under the optical unit and in such a way as to surround the latter. The invention is mainly applicable to LCD projectors.

Abstract: An illumination optical system comprises a light source lamp (1), a light mixing element (3) for mixing light emitted from the light source lamp (1), a DMD element (5) having a plurality of pixels, a transmission optical system (4) for bringing a light-exit surface (3a) of the light mixing element (3) into optical conjugation with a to-be-illuminated surface (5S) of the DMD element (5), and a field lens (6) located in front of the DMD element (5). The focal length of the field lens (6) can be changed so that an illuminance distribution that varies according to the application of the illumination optical system can be achieved on the to-be-illuminated surface (5S).

Abstract: A liquid crystal panel unit is provided on the light incident face of a prism combining body. The unit has a light valve frame plate for holding a liquid crystal panel and a fixing frame plate fixed onto the light incident face with an adhesive layer. The light valve frame plate is screwed onto the fixing frame plate with a medial frame therebetween. By using wedge members, by adjusting the position of the light valve frame plate on the light incident face, it is possible to precisely position and fix the liquid crystal panel which is held there so that it is possible to control the shifted amount of the pixel alignment and precisely adjust the focus. Thus, it is possible to easily improve the accuracy. Furthermore, the fixing frame plate and the light valve frame plate are composed of materials having linear expansion coefficients ranging from ¼ to four times that of the prism combining body and from ⅕ to five times that of the fixing frame plate, respectively.