Abstract: A light source, an image display panel including multiple pixel regions, each of which modulates light, light control means for focusing light from the light source onto associated pixel regions according to their wavelength ranges, and optical systems that form an image on a projection plane by the light that has been modulated by the panel are provided. A circuit for generating data representing multiple image subframes from data representing each image frame as a component of the image and getting the subframes displayed by the panel time-sequentially, and an image shifter for shifting a selected one of the subframes on the projection plane are further provided. The same area on the projection plane is sequentially irradiated with light rays that have been modulated by different pixel regions of the panel and that fall within respectively different wavelength ranges.

Abstract: A display device divides each frame into a number of subframes and displays one of the subframes after another. The device includes a correction circuit for correcting a subframe signal representing one subframe by reference to another subframe signal representing another subframe. Each said subframe is displayed in accordance with the subframe signal that has been corrected by the correction circuit.

Abstract: An optical shifter includes first and second optical shifting sections, each of which can transmit an incoming light ray after having shifted its optical axis and which are arranged such that a light ray transmitted through the first optical shifting section enters the second optical shifting section. Each of the shifting sections includes: a liquid crystal element including a liquid crystal cell, which selectively changes the polarization direction of the incoming light ray responsive to a voltage applied thereto; and a birefringent element, which receives the light ray transmitted through the liquid crystal element and which exhibits one of different refractive indices according to the polarization direction of the incoming light ray. The magnitude of shift caused by the first optical shifting section between the optical axes of the incoming and outgoing light rays is substantially twice greater than that of shift caused by the second optical shifting section.

Abstract: A projection type display device includes: a light source for emitting light including multiple light components falling within different wavelength ranges; pixels for modulating the light independently; a first optical system, which receives the light from the light source and directs it toward the pixels; and a second optical system, which projects the light, modulated by the pixels, onto a projection plane. The first optical system includes an optical element for converging the light components onto mutually different ones of the pixels in accordance with their wavelength ranges. The pixels are arranged in a predetermined azimuth on a panel plane where the pixels are defined. The element has a first length in a first direction defined by the azimuth and a second length, greater than the first length, in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The element converges the light components in the first and second directions.

Abstract: An optical shifter includes at least one liquid crystal cell and a birefringent element. The liquid crystal cell has a first surface to receive light thereon and a second surface to pass the light therethrough and selectively changes polarization states of the light according to a voltage applied thereto. The birefringent element receives the light that has gone out of the liquid crystal cell through the second surface thereof, and selectively shifts the optical path of the light depending on the polarization state of the light. The optical shifter controls the temperature of the liquid crystal cell by way of at least one heat transfer member, through which heat can be transferred to/from the first surface and/or the second surface of the liquid crystal cell.

Abstract: An optical shifter includes first and second optical shifting sections, each of which can transmit an incoming light ray after having shifted its optical axis and which are arranged such that a light ray transmitted through the first optical shifting section enters the second optical shifting section. Each of the shifting sections includes: a liquid crystal element including a liquid crystal cell, which selectively changes the polarization direction of the incoming light ray responsive to a voltage applied thereto; and a birefringent element, which receives the light ray transmitted through the liquid crystal element and which exhibits one of different refractive indices according to the polarization direction of the incoming light ray. The magnitude of shift caused by the first optical shifting section between the optical axes of the incoming and outgoing light rays is substantially twice greater than that of shift caused by the second optical shifting section.

Abstract: An optical shifter includes at least one liquid crystal cell and a birefringent element. The liquid crystal cell has a first surface to receive light thereon and a second surface to pass the light therethrough and selectively changes polarization states of the light according to a voltage applied thereto. The birefringent element receives the light that has gone out of the liquid crystal cell through the second surface thereof, and selectively shifts the optical path of the light depending on the polarization state of the light. The optical shifter controls the temperature of the liquid crystal cell by way of at least one heat transfer member, through which heat can be transferred to/from the first surface and/or the second surface of the liquid crystal cell.

Abstract: An optical lens system in accordance with the present invention is arranged so that, when the micro-lens has a curved surface satisfying an inequality of (n2/n1)×sin(&thgr;max)≧1, where n1 indicates an index of refraction of a medium constituting one side of the curved surface of the lens, n2 (n1<n2) indicates an index of refraction of a medium constituting the other side of the curved surface of the lens, &thgr; indicates an incident angle of the light with respect to a plane-normal of the curved surface of the lens when the light from the light source is directed to the curved surface of the lens of the micro-lens from a side of the medium having the index of refraction of n2, and &thgr; max indicates a maximum value of the angle &thgr; in the curved surface of the micro-lens, the micro-lens array is provided so that the light from the light source is directed to the micro-lens from the side of the medium having the index of refraction of n1.

Abstract: A light source 1, an image display panel 8 including multiple pixel regions, each of which can modulate light, light control means 4 to 6 for focusing light from the light source 1 onto associated pixel regions according to their wavelength ranges, and optical systems 9 and 11 that form an image on a projection plane 13 by the light that has been modulated by the panel 8 are provided. A circuit for generating data representing multiple image subframes from data representing each image frame as a component of the image and getting the subframes displayed by the panel time-sequentially, and an image shifter 11 for shifting a selected one of the subframes on the projection plane are further provided. The same area on the projection plane 13 is sequentially irradiated with light rays that have been modulated by different pixel regions of the panel 8 and that fall within respectively different wavelength ranges.

Abstract: A display device divides each frame into a number of subframes and displays one of the subframes after another. The device includes a correction circuit for correcting a subframe signal representing one subframe by reference to another subframe signal representing another subframe. Each said subframe is displayed in accordance with the subframe signal that has been corrected by the correction circuit.

Abstract: A projection type display device includes: a light source for emitting light including multiple light components falling within different wavelength ranges; pixels for modulating the light independently; a first optical system, which receives the light from the light source and directs it toward the pixels; and a second optical system, which projects the light, modulated by the pixels, onto a projection plane. The first optical system includes an optical element for converging the light components onto mutually different ones of the pixels in accordance with their wavelength ranges. The pixels are arranged in a predetermined azimuth on a panel plane where the pixels are defined. The element has a first length in a first direction defined by the azimuth and a second length, greater than the first length, in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The element converges the light components in the first and second directions.

Abstract: An optical lens system in accordance with the present invention is arranged so that, when the micro-lens has a curved surface satisfying an inequality of (n2/n1)×sin(&thgr;max)≧1, where n1 indicates an index of refraction of a medium constituting one side of the curved surface of the lens, n2 (n1<n2) indicates an index of refraction of a medium constituting the other side of the curved surface of the lens, &thgr; indicates an incident angle of the light with respect to a plane-normal of the curved surface of the lens when the light from the light source is directed to the curved surface of the lens of the micro-lens from a side of the medium having the index of refraction of n2, and &thgr; max indicates a maximum value of the angle &thgr; in the curved surface of the micro-lens, the micro-lens array is provided so that the light from the light source is directed to the micro-lens from the side of the medium having the index of refraction of n1.

Abstract: A projection type color image display apparatus of the present invention includes: a light source section for generating white light beams; a first fly-eye lens array comprising a plurality of lenses for forming a plurality of secondary light source image spots of the light source section; a second fly-eye lens array comprising at least the same number of lenses as the first fly-eye lens array, provided near a position where the plurality of secondary light source image spots are formed by the first fly-eye lens array; a microlens array comprising a plurality of microlenses, wherein the light beams which have passed through the respective lenses of the second fly-eye lens array are superimposed on one another on the microlens array; a single image display device comprising a plurality of color pixels arranged in a predetermined arrangement for modulating the light beams from the microlenses; a color separator provided in a predetermined position in an optical path from the light source section to the microlen

Abstract: An image display device of the present invention includes: a display element having pixels which are arranged in columns and rows and are grouped into a plurality of right eye pixel groups and a plurality of left eye pixel groups, each of the right eye pixel groups and the left eye pixel groups including at least one pixel; a driver which supplies driving signals to the right eye pixel groups and the left eye pixel groups independently; an optical member for making a polarization state of light exiting from the right eye pixel groups different from a polarization state of light exiting from the left eye pixel groups; and an array of microlenses which is disposed in the vicinity of the optical member, wherein each of the microlenses collimates light exiting from a corresponding one group of the right eye pixel groups and the left eye pixel groups.

Abstract: The transmission type liquid crystal display device of this invention includes a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween. One of the substrates includes: scanning lines and signal lines crossing each other; switching elements formed at crossings of the scanning lines and the signal lines; an insulating film of a light-transmitting organic material which cover the scanning lines and the signal lines and the switching elements; and pixel electrodes formed on the insulating film. The insulating layer has at least a polarizing property. The other substrate also includes a layer having at least the polarizing property. At least one of the layers having the polarizing property formed on the substrates is arranged inside of the liquid crystal display device.

Abstract: A projection type color image display apparatus includes: a light source for emitting white light; a first optical element for dividing the white light into a plurality of colored lights and for converging each colored light to form a plurality of spots, the spots of each colored light being formed at different positions from the spots of the other colored light; a liquid crystal display element including a plurality of pixels, the pixels corresponding to the spots and modulating the respective colored lights, whereby an image displayed by the liquid crystal display element is carried by the colored lights; a second optical element for diffracting the colored lights modulated by the liquid crystal display element to make a principal ray of each colored light substantially parallel to a principal ray of the other colored light; and a third optical element for receiving the colored lights from the second optical element and for projecting the image displayed by the liquid crystal display element while the image

Abstract: A liquid crystal display element, which is installed in a projection-type color liquid crystal display, is provided with the first glass substrate. The first glass substrate is provided with the first micro-lens array on its light-incident side and the second micro-lens array on its light-releasing side. The first micro-lens array converges light beams of respective primary colors onto the vicinity of the light-releasing position on the second micro-lens array. The second micro-lens array makes the incident light beams parallel to each other and releases them from the liquid crystal display element. Thus, even in the case of using a projection lens having a small diameter, it is possible to improve the efficiency of utilization of light. Moreover, this arrangement eliminates the necessity of having to employ a comparatively expensive projection lens with a large diameter, thereby reducing the costs of production.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lighting device including a light source; a reflecting mirror for reflecting light emitted by the light source in a determined direction; and a compensating element for receiving the light from the reflecting mirror and allowing the light to outgo in the form of parallel rays. Further, a projection type image display system including the above-mentioned lighting device and a display element for forming an image by receiving light from the lighting device is provided. According to the present invention, light can be emitted with a satisfactory degree of parallelization and an even illuminance, constant irregularity due to the photoelasticity can be degraded, and the degradation in brightness of a projected image due to a low ratio of aperture can be avoided. Thus, a uniform image with no illuminance irregularity can be projected.

Abstract: A projection-type image display device includes a transmissive image display panel having a matrix of pixels arranged at different pitches in different directions perpendicular to each other, and a planar microlens array for converging light emitted by a light source onto the transmissive image display panel. The planar microlens array comprises a substrate and a matrix of microlenses disposed on the substrate for converging the light onto the pixels, respectively, each of the microlenses being of an oblong shape. Each of the microlenses may have a longitudinal axis inclined with respect to an axis of the matrix of pixels to cover the pixel aperture of one of the pixels. The oblong shape of each of the microlenses may be composed of a pair of spaced identical semicircles and a rectangle interconnecting the identical semicircles and having sides of the same length as the diameter of the semicircles.