Abstract: There is provided an imaging system configured to include an imaging lens and an imaging device such that the maximum diameter of an effective region of a point image is a size covering three or more pixels of light receiving pixels, the point image being projected onto a light receiving surface through the imaging lens from an intended position. A signal processing unit executes restoration processing on first image data output from the imaging device that images an optical image of a subject through the imaging lens, the restoration processing being executed to generate second image data equivalent to the first image data output from the imaging device when the resolving power of the imaging lens is higher. The imaging lens includes a first lens group, which includes at least one lens and has a positive power, and a second lens group, which includes at least one lens and in which a lens positioned closest to the image side has a negative power, in order from the object side.

Abstract: An imaging system is provided and includes: an imaging lens; an imaging device; a coefficient storage section; and a signal processing section. When a maximum diameter of an effective region of a point image projected onto a light receiving surface of the imaging device through the imaging lens is a size covering three or more pixels, a restoration coefficient corresponding to a state of the point image expressed by first image data output from the imaging device is stored in the coefficient storage unit. The signal processing section executes restoration processing on the first image data output from the imaging device by utilizing the restoration coefficient stored in the coefficient storage unit, the restoration processing being executed to generate second image data equivalent to the first image data output from the imaging device when the resolving power of the imaging lens is higher.

Abstract: An imaging system is provided and includes: an imaging lens; an imaging device; a coefficient storage section; and a signal processing section. When a maximum diameter of an effective region of a point image projected onto a light receiving surface of the imaging device through the imaging lens 10 is a size covering three or more pixels, a restoration coefficient corresponding to a state of the point image expressed by first image data output from the imaging device is stored in the coefficient storage unit. The signal processing section executes restoration processing on the first image data output from the imaging device by utilizing the restoration coefficient stored in the coefficient storage unit, the restoration processing being executed to generate second image data equivalent to the first image data output from the imaging device when the resolving power of the imaging lens is higher.

Abstract: A projection type image display apparatus comprises a light source unit; an integrator unit for mixing luminous fluxes emitted from the light source unit so as to homogenize their light quantity distribution; a curved mirror for bending the optical path of luminous fluxes, which are turned into uniform light by the integrator unit, toward a projection unit; and the projection unit for causing the luminous fluxes to carry image information and projecting these luminous fluxes onto a screen.

Abstract: A projection type image display apparatus projects, under magnification by using a projection lens, image information carried by a luminous flux emitted from a ferroelectric liquid crystal display device. A field-sequential color-decomposing illumination optical system generates illumination color light for irradiating the ferroelectric liquid crystal display device. An analyzer and a quarter wave plate are arranged between the ferroelectric liquid crystal display device and the projection lens successively from the ferroelectric liquid crystal display device side.

Abstract: A polarized beam splitter includes an inclined intermediate layer between two glass prisms. The intermediate layer includes an adhesive layer and a polarized light separating membrane. The intermediate layer may be wedge-shaped in order to compensate for or to cancel astigmatism of light transmitted by the polarized beam splitter caused by the inclination of the intermediate layer. The polarized beam splitter may also be formed with the refractive indexes of the glass and the adhesive of the adhesive layer chosen to reduce astigmatism. Embodiments of three-color projection image display devices that use the polarized beam splitter are also disclosed. The three-color projection image display devices may use one or three polarized beam splitters with a Philips prism or use two polarized beam splitters with a COLORQUAD.

Abstract: A projection-type image display device includes a light source, converging optics, a rod integrator having a first optical axis, a light deflecting structure, and a light beam separating structure. The light beam separating structure directs light to a digital micromirror device and modulated light from the digital micromirror device along a second optical axis of a projection lens that projects an image formed by the modulated light on a screen. The rod integrator is between the light beam separating structure and the projection lens in the direction of the second optical axis and is outside the optical path of the modulated light beam from the digital micromirror device. The rod integrator may include a solid rod member and a leaky ray shielding member at least at one of the entrance end, the exit end, and around the solid rod member. The converging optics may include a parabolic reflector and an aspheric lens.

Abstract: A polarized beam splitter includes an inclined intermediate layer between two glass prisms. The intermediate layer includes an adhesive layer and a polarized light separating membrane. The intermediate layer may be wedge-shaped in order to compensate for or to cancel astigmatism of light transmitted by the polarized beam splitter caused by the inclination of the intermediate layer. The polarized beam splitter may also be formed with the refractive indexes of the glass and the adhesive of the adhesive layer chosen to reduce astigmatism. Embodiments of three-color projection image display devices that use the polarized beam splitter are also disclosed. The three-color projection image display devices may use one or three polarized beam splitters with a Philips prism or use two polarized beam splitters with a COLORQUAD.

Abstract: A projection-type image display device includes a light source, converging optics, a rod integrator having a first optical axis, a light deflecting structure, and a light beam separating structure. The light beam separating structure directs light to a digital micromirror device and modulated light from the digital micromirror device along a second optical axis of a projection lens that projects an image formed by the modulated light on a screen. The rod integrator is between the light beam separating structure and the projection lens in the direction of the second optical axis and is outside the optical path of the modulated light beam from the digital micromirror device. The rod integrator may include a solid rod member and a leaky ray shielding member at least at one of the entrance end, the exit end, and around the solid rod member. The converging optics may include a parabolic reflector and an aspheric lens.

Abstract: A projection type image display apparatus makes illumination light from a light source section incident on a rectangular reflection type liquid crystal display device by way of a polarization beam splitter, optically modulates the illumination light in the reflection type liquid crystal display device, and projects thus modulated light through a projection lens by way of the polarization beam splitter. A plane including the optical axis of illumination light incident on the polarization beam splitter and the optical axis of illumination light emitted from the polarization beam splitter toward the projection lens is substantially parallel to a direction in which a shorter side of the reflection type liquid crystal display device extends.

Abstract: A wide-angle projection lens is disclosed having three lens groups of negative, positive, and positive refractive power, respectively, in order from the enlarging side, and that favorably corrects both distortion and lateral color. The wide-angle projection lens includes a diaphragm positioned between the second lens group and the third lens group, and is especially suitable for use in a rear-projection-type image display device that uses a multi-display technique wherein multiple projection lenses arranged in an array, with each projection lens displaying image information for a particular segment of the image to be displayed. By satisfying specified conditions, the wide-angle projection lens, when used in a projection-type image display device, enables the image display device to be more compact.

Abstract: A projection type image display apparatus comprises a light source unit; an integrator unit for mixing luminous fluxes emitted from the light source unit so as to homogenize their light quantity distribution; a curved mirror for bending the optical path of luminous fluxes, which are turned into uniform light by the integrator unit, toward a projection unit; and the projection unit for causing the luminous fluxes to carry image information and projecting these luminous fluxes onto a screen.

Abstract: A projector device is disclosed which uses light that is spatially modulated by a DMD having mirrors which are moveable between Off and On positions in response to image information input to the DMD. Images formed at the DMD are projected onto a screen via a projection lens. Surfaces of the lens elements of the projection lens are designed with curvatures such that light that may be undesirably reflected back to the DMD will not be in a converged state at or near the surfaces of DMD mirrors. In this way, ghost light that is projected onto the screen is dispersed over a wider area, and thus is less noticeable and not troublesome.

Abstract: In an illumination optical system comprising a reflector for reflecting illumination light emitted from a luminous body, and a color wheel for decomposing the illumination light into a plurality of color light components, the color wheel is arranged with a predetermined angle near a position where the illumination light attains the smallest luminous flux diameter or is arranged substantially orthogonal to the optical axis while being separated from the position where the illumination light attains the smallest luminous flux diameter by a predetermined distance along the optical axis.

Abstract: A projection type image display apparatus makes illumination light from a light source section incident on a rectangular reflection type liquid crystal display device by way of a polarization beam splitter, optically modulates the illumination light in the reflection type liquid crystal display device, and projects thus modulated light through a projection lens by way of the polarization beam splitter. A plane including the optical axis of illumination light incident on the polarization beam splitter and the optical axis of illumination light emitted from the polarization beam splitter toward the projection lens is substantially parallel to a direction in which a shorter side of the reflection type liquid crystal display device extends.

Abstract: A projection type image display apparatus projects, under magnification by using a projection lens, image information carried by a luminous flux emitted from a ferroelectric liquid crystal display device. A field-sequential color-decomposing illumination optical system generates illumination color light for irradiating the ferroelectric liquid crystal display device. An analyzer and a quarter wave plate are arranged between the ferroelectric liquid crystal display device and the projection lens successively from the ferroelectric liquid crystal display device side.

Abstract: A wide-angle projection lens is disclosed having three lens groups of negative, positive, and positive refractive power, respectively, in order from the enlarging side, and that favorably corrects both distortion and lateral color. The wide-angle projection lens includes a diaphragm positioned between the second lens group and the third lens group, and is especially suitable for use in a rear-projection-type image display device that uses a multi-display technique wherein multiple projection lenses arranged in an array, with each projection lens displaying image information for a particular segment of the image to be displayed. By satisfying specified conditions, the wide-angle projection lens, when used in a projection-type image display device, enables the image display device to be more compact.

Abstract: A projector device is disclosed which uses light that is spatially modulated by a DMD having mirrors which are moveable between Off and On positions in response to image information input to the DMD. Images formed at the DMD are projected onto a screen via a projection lens. Surfaces of the lens elements of the projection lens are designed with curvatures such that light that may be undesirably reflected back to the DMD will not be in a converged state at or near the surfaces of DMD mirrors. In this way, ghost light that is projected onto the screen is dispersed over a wider area, and thus is less noticeable and not troublesome.

Abstract: In an illumination optical system and a liquid crystal projector apparatus using the same, two lens arrays each comprising linear convex lens arrays with their pitches shifted from each other are used for improving image quality such as not to generate shadows of the cementing ridge of a cross dichroic prism, and a polarization-converting optical system is appropriately disposed, so as to obtain uniform illumination effects efficiently. The vertical angle ridge 71 of four prisms constituting the cross dichroic prism 70 is disposed so as to be orthogonal to the optical axis, the polarization-converting optical system 3 is disposed such that a plane including the vertical angle ridge 71 and optical axis and the direction along which stripes of half-wavelength phase films 32 extend are orthogonal to each other, and the direction of shifting the lens columns of a plurality of linear convex lens arrays constituting the first and second lens arrays 21 and 22 is orthogonal to the plane.

Abstract: A projection lens is disclosed having a low F-number of 1.7, which uses only a small number of lens elements and wherein various aberrations are favorably corrected. By satisfying certain prescribed conditions, the maximum angle of a principal ray relative to the optical axis on the reducing side of the projection lens is made to be 2.5 degrees or less, and the projection lens is made to be compact so that a back surface of a translucent liquid crystal display can be illuminated nearly telecentrically, i.e., with light that is nearly orthogonal to the surface of the liquid crystal display. The projection lens is constructed of, in order from the enlarging side of the projection lens: a positive first lens element L.sub.1, and a negative second lens element L.sub.2, a negative third lens element L.sub.3 that is cemented to a positive fourth lens element L.sub.4, a positive fifth lens element L.sub.5, and a positive sixth lens element L.sub.6.