Abstract: Each of a plurality of Fresnel prisms 12 is formed so that a refractive surface 12 thereof includes a non-light incidence surface 12c upon which any light ray emitted from a projector 1 is not directly incident because it is intercepted by another Fresnel prism 12, the non-light incidence surface having an angle ?? with a reflective surface 12b which is different from the prism apex angle ? of each of the plurality of Fresnel prisms. As a result, a light ray reflected by the refractive surface 12a of each of the plurality of Fresnel prisms without passing through the refractive surface can be preventing from emerging, as unnecessary light, toward the viewer's line of sight.

Abstract: Provided are a speckle removing light source capable of removing speckle by using laser light whose wavelength is temporally changed and a lighting apparatus for producing an image from which the speckle is removed. Included are a light source for outputting laser light, and a light frequency modulator for temporally changing a wavelength of the laser light. The light frequency modulator has a predetermined period set for changing the wavelength of the laser light. Also, provided is a lighting apparatus, including a spatial light modulator illuminated with the laser light outputted from the speckle removing light source to produce an image. The spatial light modulator has a period set for producing the image, which is longer than the period for changing the wavelength of the laser light by the light frequency modulator.

Abstract: Provided is a lighting apparatus capable of uniformly and efficiently lighting a spatial light modulator. The lighting apparatus includes: a light source for outputting laser light; a multimode optical fiber in which the laser light outputted from the light source propagates through an internal core whose lateral cross section is a substantially polygonal outer diameter shape; and spatial light modulator for producing an image with illumination light from the multimode optical fiber. In the lighting apparatus, the laser light is outputted from the light source and is propagated to the multimode optical fiber in which an outer diameter shape of the lateral cross section of the core is a substantially polygonal shape, whereby the spatial light modulator can be uniformly and efficiently lighted.

Abstract: An image display device comprises an optical imaging arrangement for providing image information to illumination light and for transmitting the light as an optical image signal; a display for receiving the optical image signal and for displaying an image based on the image information; and a projecting optical arrangement including a reflecting part having a reflecting surface for reflecting the optical image signal, and a refracting optical part having a refracting surface for projecting the optical image signal onto the reflecting part. At least one of the reflecting surface and the refracting surface is aspherical.

Abstract: Provided is a lighting apparatus capable of uniformly and efficiently lighting a spatial light modulator. The lighting apparatus includes: a light source for outputting laser light; a multimode optical fiber in which the laser light outputted from the light source propagates through an internal core whose lateral cross section is a substantially polygonal outer diameter shape; and spatial light modulator for producing an image with illumination light from the multimode optical fiber. In the lighting apparatus, the laser light is outputted from the light source and is propagated to the multimode optical fiber in which an outer diameter shape of the lateral cross section of the core is a substantially polygonal shape, whereby the spatial light modulator can be uniformly and efficiently lighted.

Abstract: Provided are a speckle removing light source capable of removing speckle by using laser light whose wavelength is temporally changed and a lighting apparatus for producing an image from which the speckle is removed. Provided is a speckle removing light source, including: a light source for outputting laser light; and a light frequency modulator for changing a wavelength of the laser light, in which: the wavelength of the laser light outputted from the light source is temporally changed by the light frequency modulator; and the light frequency modulator has a predetermined period set for changing the wavelength of the laser light. Also, provided is a lighting apparatus, including: a spatial light modulator illuminated with the laser light outputted from the speckle removing light source to produce an image, in which the spatial light modulator has a period set for producing the image, and the period is longer than the period for changing the wavelength of the laser light by the light frequency modulator.

Abstract: Each of a plurality of Fresnel prisms 12 is formed so that a refractive surface 12 thereof includes a non-light incidence surface 12c upon which any light ray emitted from a projector 1 is not directly incident because it is intercepted by another Fresnel prism 12, the non-light incidence surface having an angle ?? with a reflective surface 12b which is different from the prism apex angle ? of each of the plurality of Fresnel prisms. As a result, a light ray reflected by the refractive surface 12a of each of the plurality of Fresnel prisms without passing through the refractive surface can be preventing from emerging, as unnecessary light, toward the viewer's line of sight.

Abstract: An image display device comprises an optical imaging arrangement for providing image information to illumination light and for transmitting the light as an optical image signal; a display for receiving the optical image signal and for displaying an image based on the image information; and a projecting optical arrangement including a reflecting part having a reflecting surface for reflecting the optical image signal, and a refracting optical part having a refracting surface for projecting the optical image signal onto the reflecting part. At least one of the reflecting surface and the refracting surface is aspherical.

Abstract: Each of a plurality of Fresnel prisms 12 is formed so that a refracting surface 12 thereof includes a non-light incidence surface 12c upon which any ray of light emitted from a projector 1 is not directly incident because it is intercepted by another Fresnel prism 12, the non-light incidence surface having an angle ?? with a reflecting surface 12b which is different from the prism apex angle ? of each of the plurality of Fresnel prisms. As a result, a ray of light reflected by the refracting surface 12a of each of the plurality of Fresnel prisms without passing through the refracting surface can be preventing from emerging, as unnecessary light, toward the viewer's line of sight.

Abstract: An image display system includes a light valve 14 for providing image information to light converged by a converging lens 13 and for emitting the light, a projective optical system 20 including a refractive optical lens 21 for projecting the light from the light valve 14 and a convex mirror 22 for reflecting the light from the refractive optical lens 21 by using a reflecting surface thereof having negative power and for enlarging and projecting the reflected light, and a display 30 for receiving the light from the projective optical system 20 by way of a receiving surface 30A, wherein the light valve is placed away from an optical axis 23 of the projective optical system 20 and between a front surface of the display 30 and a rear surface of the projective optical system 20.

Abstract: An image display device comprises an optical imaging arrangement for providing image information to illumination light and for transmitting the light as an optical image signal; a display for receiving the optical image signal and for displaying an image based on the image information; and a projecting optical arrangement including a reflecting part having a reflecting surface for reflecting the optical image signal, and a refracting optical part having a refracting surface for projecting the optical image signal onto the reflecting part. At least one of the reflecting surface and the refracting surface is aspherical.

Abstract: An image display system includes a light valve 14 for providing image information to light converged by a converging lens 13 and for emitting the light, a projective optical system 20 including a refractive optical lens 21 for projecting the light from the light valve 14 and a convex mirror 22 for reflecting the light from the refractive optical lens 21 by using a reflecting surface thereof having negative power and for enlarging and projecting the reflected light, and a display 30 for receiving the light from the projective optical system 20 by way of a receiving surface 30A, wherein the light valve is placed away from an optical axis 23 of the projective optical system 20 and between a front surface of the display 30 and a rear surface of the projective optical system 20.

Abstract: An image display system includes a light valve 14 for providing image information to light converged by a converging lens 13 and for emitting the light, a projective optical system 20 including a refractive optical lens 21 for projecting the light from the light valve 14 and a convex mirror 22 for reflecting the light from the refractive optical lens 21 by using a reflecting surface thereof having negative power and for enlarging and projecting the reflected light, and a display 30 for receiving the light from the projective optical system 20 by way of a receiving surface 30A, wherein the light valve is placed away from an optical axis 23 of the projective optical system 20 and between a front surface of the display 30 and a rear surface of the projective optical system 20.

Abstract: Each of a plurality of Fresnel prisms 12 is formed so that a refractive surface 12 thereof includes a non-light incidence surface 12c upon which any light ray emitted from a projector 1 is not directly incident because it is intercepted by another Fresnel prism 12, the non-light incidence surface having an angle ?? with a reflective surface 12b which is different from the prism apex angle ? of each of the plurality of Fresnel prisms. As a result, a light ray reflected by the refractive surface 12a of each of the plurality of Fresnel prisms without passing through the refractive surface can be preventing from emerging, as unnecessary light, toward the viewer's line of sight.

Abstract: A transmission screen has a refraction total reflection Fresnel lens plate, a stray light eliminating plate, and an image display plate. The stray light eliminating plate has a condensing lens array and black stripes. The array has unit lenses arranged at an incident plane of the transparent substrate in a periodic structure in an up-and-down direction. The black stripes have transparent sections placed near condensing light points of the unit lens and opaque sections around the condensing light points of the unit lenses. The sections are alternately arranged at the outgoing plane of the transmission substrate in a periodic structure in an up-and-down direction. The image display plate has lenticular lenses in which unit lenses are arranged in a periodic structure in a horizontal direction at an incident plane of the transmission substrate of a scattering characteristic capable of scattering light fluxes.

Abstract: A transparent screen includes a refraction/total reflection plate in a form of a Fresnel lens, the refraction/total reflection plate having a sawtooth surface upon which light is incident and another surface via which the light exits, and an image formation/display plate for forming a projection image from the light that exits from the refraction/total reflection plate. Refraction slating surface portions each for refracting incident light towards the other surface of the refraction/total reflection plate, transmission slating surface portions each for making incident light pass therethrough, and total reflection slating surface portions each for reflecting incident light passing through one transmission slating surface portion towards the other surface of the refraction/total reflection plate being formed concentrically on the sawtooth surface of the refraction/total reflection plate.

Abstract: An image display device comprises an optical imaging arrangement for providing image information to illumination light and for transmitting the light as an optical image signal; a display for receiving the optical image signal and for displaying an image based on the image information; and a projecting optical arrangement including a reflecting part having a reflecting surface for reflecting the optical image signal, and a refracting optical part having a refracting surface for projecting the optical image signal onto the reflecting part. At least one of the reflecting surface and the refracting surface is aspherical.

Abstract: An image display device includes an optical imaging arrangement for providing image information to illumination light and for transmitting the image information as an optical image signal; a projecting optical arrangement for receiving the optical image signal and for projecting the optical image signal; a display for receiving the optical image signal through the projecting optical arrangement and for displaying an image based on the image information; and a plane mirror for reflecting the optical image signal output from the projecting optical arrangement on the display.

Abstract: There is disclosed a display device using a color wheel having a color filter Cw, in addition to normal color filters corresponding to the three primary colors. The filter Cw has almost flat spectral transmission characteristics. Brightness information included in a color image signal is quantized with (n+m) bits. Information corresponding to the lower-order n bits is displayed by light transmitted through the filter Cw. Information corresponding to the upper-order n bits is displayed by light transmitted through the normal color filters. Only brightness information to which the human eye is visually sensitive is reproduced by the filter Cw having a lower transmissivity. This can eliminate a lack of the number of gray levels due to a constraint on the minimum switching speed of a light valve. Furthermore, the brightness little deteriorates.

Abstract: A transparent screen is provided with a refraction/total reflection plate in a form of a Fresnel lens, the refraction/total reflection plate having a sawtooth light-incidence-side surface upon which light to be projected is incident, and a light-emitting-side surface via which the light to be projected exits, and an image formation/display plate for forming a projection image from the light that exits from the refraction/total reflection plate.