Abstract: In a method of multi-level spatial light modulation, using a weighted bit plane technique where an n-digit binary number represents the intended grey level of each pixel location in an array of binary pixels, representative binary numbers are altered to closely adjacent values such as to reduce the inequality of 1s and 0s therein. The method may be applied to a single frame so modifying the gray scale somewhat, or a multi-frame method may be used in which at least some binary numbers are altered to different values in different frames for reducing the inequality of 1s and 0s over the set of frames, while maintaining or approximating the gray scale value as a time average. The methods are particularly useful for maintaining or approximating pixel-wise dc balance in liquid crystal spatial array modulators.

Abstract: In a method of signal processing for greyscale imaging in which weighted bitplanes corresponding to a greyscale image are stored as binary strings in sequential locations in a memory, in decreasing order of intended duration (weighting), a number of read passes equal to the number of weighted bitplanes are made from the set of stored bitplanes, each pass commencing with the highest order bitplanes and continuing along the stored bitplanes in sequence, the lengths of the sequences being varied and selected such that at the end of the said number of read passes each bit plane has been read out a plurality of times proportional to or equal to its duration (weighting). The method has utility in driving high speed liquid crystal matrix arrays particularly where each bitplane needs to be refreshed. A small ac potential may be applied to the array between writing steps.

Abstract: Relates to writing an array of optical elements which are each switched between two states according to input data sets. In a first method, data is written in two steps in which different selected elements are respectively driven to one binary state and the other binary state. The selected elements of the two sets may be complementary, but are preferably only those which are required to change from their existing state. The latter criterion may be used in an alternative method using a single addressing of the array to turn elements in either direction as required. In a further method, as shown, selected elements only of a blank array are written in a first WRITE step so as to correspond with a set of data, and in a subsequent second ERASE step the selected elements are selectively erased to restore a blank array prior to writing and erasing another set of data. The methods have particular utility for maintaining a dc balance at pixels of a liquid crystal array.

Abstract: A collimator is formed of a stack of layers (11) of different thicknesses in a way analogous to a low-pass interference filter. When illuminated by narrow-band light of a predetermined wavelength just within the pass band of the filter, the collimator preferentially transmits light incident within a predetermined angular range, usually near-normal. The collimator is especially useful with photoluminescent liquid-crystal display, having phosphor emitters (17), because the collimator layers can simply be deposited on one face of the liquid-crystal modulator (1).