Abstract: A display assembly and a touch sensitive assembly that includes a conductive linear polarizer.

Abstract: An image processing system processes light conveying visual pattern information represented by individual light rays. The system includes an optical assembly having an input surface and an output surface. The input and output surfaces define a plurality of input and output positions, respectively, for the light rays to enter and exit, respectively, the assembly. The assembly includes a light-shifting apparatus operable so that a respective one of the light rays entering a respective one of the input positions is selectively shiftable by the apparatus in a first direction and, subsequently, in a second direction angled with respect to the first direction from a preceding one to another of the output positions. The assembly is further operable so that following each shifting operation, a respective one of the light rays transmitted by the assembly from an arbitrarily selected one of the output positions is solely derived from the light received from a single one of the input positions.

Abstract: Projection display systems for light valves such as liquid crystal display panels, and in particular to the use of color component rotators, such as retardation filters, to provide for improved projection display architectures.

Abstract: A projection display system includes a light source, at least-one polarizer, at least one liquid crystal panel for generating an image, and a projection lens for projecting the image. The system includes a polarization compensator having a plurality of regions each having a respective birefringence. The birefringence of one of the regions is different than the birefringence of another of the regions. The birefringence of the various regions may be controlled electrically.

Abstract: In a reflective mode FLC application, a ¼-wave plate compensating FLC is used in series with a ¼-wave imaging FLC to compensate for the effects of DC balancing. Alternatively, the compensating wave plate could be any odd ¼-wave multiple, such as 3&lgr;/4, 5&lgr;/4, etc. The FLCs are driven in synchronization between on and off states with the total effective retardation for each FLC being either none or one-half wavelength in a double pass.

Abstract: A color-separating prism for producing narrow-spectral light from broader spectral light includes first, second, and third component prisms that form first and second adjacent pairs of faces. The color-separating prism also includes first and second reflective layers disposed between the prisms. The first and second reflective layers each reflect separate portions of input light back toward the front surface. In operation, a first portion of a light beam in a first wavelength range is reflected from the first reflective layer back toward the front face of the prism, and a second portion of the light beam in a second wavelength range is reflected from the second reflective layer back toward the front face of the prism. The first and second portions are totally internally reflected from the front face and exit the color-separating prism. The color-separating prism can be used in display systems.

Abstract: An electro-optic shutter is provided that includes first and second liquid crystal devices located along an optical path and first and second color-selective layers located between the first and second liquid crystal devices. Each liquid crystal device is adapted to rotate the polarization of incident light to a substantially orthogonal polarization in response to being in a first state, and to not substantially change the polarization of incident light in response to being in a second state. The first color-selective layer is adapted to transmit first and second colors and a first polarization of a third color. The second color-selective layer is adapted to transmit the first and the third colors and a second polarization of the second color that is substantially orthogonal to the first polarization.

Abstract: In a reflective mode FLC application, a ¼-wave plate compensating FLC is used in series with a ¼-wave imaging FLC to compensate for the effects of DC balancing. Alternatively, the compensating wave plate could be any odd ¼-wave multiple, such as 3&lgr;/4, 5&lgr;/4, etc. The FLCs are driven in synchronization between on and off states with the total effective retardation for each FLC being either none or one-half wavelength in a double pass.

Abstract: A color-separating prism includes first, second, and third component prisms that form first and second adjacent pairs of faces and include nonadjacent faces. The third component prism has a front surface or face. The color-separating prism includes a first reflective layer disposed in part between the first adjacent pair of faces and in part on one nonadjacent face and a second reflective layer disposed in part between the second adjacent pair of faces and in part on another nonadjacent face. The first and second reflective layers are inclined to reflect portions of light incident on the front surface back toward the front surface for total internal reflection. The color-separating may be used to produce narrow-spectral light from broader spectral light. A first portion of a light beam substantially in a first wavelength range is reflected from the first reflective layer back toward the front face of the prism.

Abstract: In a reflective mode FLC application, a ¼-wave plate compensating FLC is used in series with a ¼-wave imaging FLC to compensate for the effects of DC balancing. Alternatively, the compensating wave plate could be any odd ¼-wave multiple, such as 3&lgr;/4, 5&lgr;/4, etc. The FLCs are driven in synchronization between on and off states with the total effective retardation for each FLC being either none or one-half wavelength in a double pass.

Abstract: A projection display system comprises a light source that generates non-polarized light having at least two polarization states and having a first color component, a second color component, and a third color component. At least one color selection device selectively transmits at different times one of the second and third color components. The system has at least four polarized light modulators, two of the light modulators each generating a respective image associated with each respective polarization state of the first color component, and two of the light modulators each generating a respective image associated with a respective polarization state of one of the second and third color components transmitted by the color selection device. The system also has a projection lens for projecting the images from the polarized light modulators. Alternative projection display systems are disclosed, together with a method for projecting color images.

Abstract: A spatial light modulator with an anti-reflective coating (ARC) 100 integrated into its structure. The manufacturing of the device is altered to include deposition of an ARC 100, and any necessary patterning and etching to allow the elements of the array to operate properly. The ARC could reside in several places of the element structure including over the addressing circuitry 26, over a middle layer 32 or on the underside of the reflective structure 10. Micromechanical spatial light modulators, as well as non-moving modulators, such as reflective and transmissive LCD modulators can use the invention.

Abstract: A color-separating prism includes first, second, and third component prisms that form first and second adjacent pairs of faces and include nonadjacent faces. The third component prism has a front surface or face. The color-separating prism includes a first reflective layer disposed in part between the first adjacent pair of faces and in part on one nonadjacent face and a second reflective layer disposed in part between the second adjacent pair of faces and in part on another nonadjacent face. The first and second reflective layers are inclined to reflect portions of light incident on the front surface back toward the front surface for total internal reflection. The color-separating may be used to produce narrow-spectral light from broader spectral light. A first portion of a light beam substantially in a first wavelength range is reflected from the first reflective layer back toward the front face of the prism.

Abstract: A color image display system (10, 110, 120, 150) having a lamp power supply (78, 134, 152) switching rate being a multiple of, and synchronized to, a video frame rate. An AC component of a lamp driving waveform which may cause variations in intensity of the lamp output is synchronized to the video frame rate. Synchronizing the lamp power supply switching rate to the frame rate stops the beating and rolling of color bands in the video frame that may be produced by a ripple in light intensity. An odd number of switching cycles per two frame periods is chosen to alternate the phase of the ripple pattern frame-to-frame for ripple cancellation through integration. The lamp driving waveform may be amplitude modulated (90) to balance a lamp (14) that has spectral deficiencies. A DMD spatial light modulator (26) is utilized to modulate the colored light and generate a light image on a display (42) in either a sequential, or non-sequential image display system.

Abstract: A method of detecting and compensating for colors displayed by a display system (10) that uses a light source (16) and a color wheel (15). A desired color balance is specified in terms of a power ratio of three primary colors. This ratio is then compared to the actual power of light filtered through each color of the color wheel. (FIGS. 2A, 2B). In a first embodiment, the filter transmission characteristics are adjusted. (FIG. 3). In a second embodiment, the size of the color wheel's segments are changed as well as the display times for data corresponding to each segment. (FIG. 4). The two embodiments can also be combined to achieve a desired color balance.

Abstract: A method of adjusting color temperature of images displayed by a display system (10) whose images are based on sequential pixel data and are filtered with a color wheel (15, 15', 15"). The relative display times for each color are adjusted to result in a corresponding adjustment of color temperature. In a first embodiment (FIG. 2), the size of the color wheel's segments are changed as well as the display times for data corresponding to each segment. In a second embodiment (FIG. 3), the display times for data corresponding to one or more segments are decreased with a black display time to fill in the difference.

Abstract: A light separator (20) for testing the tilt angles of mirror elements (21) of a digital micro-mirror device. The light separator (20) is comprised of two triangular prisms (23, 25). A bottom prism (23) receives light from all mirror elements (21). It transmits light from all mirror elements having a tilt angle over a specified angle (21a, 21b) from a different face than light from mirror elements having a tilt angle less than the specified angle (21c). A top prism (25) receives light from one face of the bottom prism (23). It further divides the light, so that light from all mirror elements having a tilt angle within a specified range (21a) is transmitted from one face and light from other mirror elements (21b) is transmitted from another face.

Abstract: An illumination control unit (17) for a projection display system (10) that uses a digital mirror device (DMD) (15) to generate images. The illumination control unit (17) has a first set of lenses (23) for receiving light from a source and focussing the light to a color filter (24). A second set of lenses (25) receives the colored light and directs it to a prism (28). The prism (28) bends the light toward the reflective mirrors (30) of the DMD (15), and a collimating lens (28a) provides a beam that is approximately the size of the mirror array of the DMD (15). An optical shutter (26) is interposed between the second set of lenses (25) and the prism (28a), and permits the system (10) to achieve a "black state" between image displays or to achieve modulated brightness levels of images being displayed.