Using Birefringent Or Polarizing Medium (e.g., Kerr Cell, Pockels Cell, Etc.) Patents (Class 348/752)
  • Patent number: 11899134
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a system and method for coaxial LiDAR scanning. The system includes a first light source configured to provide first light pulses. The system also includes one or more beam steering apparatuses optically coupled to the first light source. Each beam steering apparatus comprises a rotatable concave reflector and a light beam steering device disposed at least partially within the rotatable concave reflector. The combination of the light beam steering device and the rotatable concave reflector, when moving with respect to each other, steers the one or more first light pulses both vertically and horizontally to illuminate an object within a field-of-view; obtain one or more first returning light pulses, the one or more first returning light pulses being generated based on the steered first light pulses illuminating an object within the field-of-view, and redirects the one or more first returning light pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Innovusion, Inc.
    Inventors: Junwei Bao, Yimin Li, Rui Zhang
  • Patent number: 11818514
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a digital light processing (DLP) projection equipment and its electronic device. There proposes an electronic device for a digital cinema grade DLP projection equipment compatible with Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI), including: a processing circuit configured to process an input video data; an output controller to control processed video signal so that the video signals are suitable for projection display via an output optics, wherein the processing circuit and the output controller are integrated on the same circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: GDC Technology (Shenzhen) Limited
    Inventors: Man Nang Chong, Pranay Kumar
  • Patent number: 11782131
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a system and method for coaxial LiDAR scanning. The system includes a first light source configured to provide first light pulses. The system also includes one or more beam steering apparatuses optically coupled to the first light source. Each beam steering apparatus comprises a rotatable concave reflector and a light beam steering device disposed at least partially within the rotatable concave reflector. The combination of the light beam steering device and the rotatable concave reflector, when moving with respect to each other, steers the one or more first light pulses both vertically and horizontally to illuminate an object within a field-of-view; obtain one or more first returning light pulses, the one or more first returning light pulses being generated based on the steered first light pulses illuminating an object within the field-of-view, and redirects the one or more first returning light pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Innovusion, Inc.
    Inventors: Junwei Bao, Yimin Li, Rui Zhang
  • Patent number: 11693305
    Abstract: An image display apparatus according to an embodiment of the present technology includes an optical modulator, an optical device, and a sensor unit. The optical device splits a modulated light beam modulated by the optical modulator into a first split light beam and a second split light beam, the first split light beam and the second split light beam each travelling in a different direction, and prevents a light beam, which backwardly travels on an optical path of the first split light beam and enters the optical device, from travelling along an optical path of the second split light beam. The sensor unit is disposed on the optical path of the second split light beam and detects a state of the second split light beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keisuke Homma, Kazuya Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11644543
    Abstract: Embodiments discussed herein refer to using LiDAR systems that uses a rotating polygon with a multi-facet mirror. Such multi-facet galvanometer mirror arrangements generate a point map that has reduced curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Innovusion, Inc.
    Inventors: Micah Ledbetter, Junwei Bao, Rui Zhang, Yimin Li
  • Patent number: 10796623
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for image processing are provided. A method for image processing includes: (a) accessing, in a lookup table, a current pattern index for a current pixel based on a current pixel input value and a previous pattern index; (b) accessing, in a dither mask array, a threshold value for the current pixel based on a location of the current pixel; (c) comparing the current pattern index with the threshold value; (d) determining a current pixel output value for activation of the current pixel based on a result of the comparing; (e) storing the current pattern index to serve as the previous pattern index for a next image; and (f) repeating acts (a)-(e) for each pixel in the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventor: Kenneth R Crounse
  • Patent number: 10110861
    Abstract: A light source system and projection system, the light source system comprising: a first light source (1) producing first wide spectrum light, a second light source (103) producing second wavelength light, a light splitting and light combining device (2) used to split and combine light, a first spatial light modulator (106), a second spatial light modulator (107), and a control device (108) controlling the first light source (1) and the second light source (103) and modulating the first spatial light modulator (106) and the second spatial light modulator (107). The projection system comprises the light source system. The light source system and projection system have high brightness and wide color gamut, effectively eliminating rainbow effect, and also have a simple structure and low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: APPOTRONICS CORPORATION LIMITED
    Inventors: Yi Li, Hong Ye, Zeqin Wang
  • Patent number: 9341769
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a system and method of controlling spectral attributes of illumination. According to various embodiments, a portion of illumination including an excluded selection of illumination spectra is blocked, while another portion of the illumination including a transmitted selection of illumination spectra is directed along an illumination path. In some embodiments, optical metrology is performed utilizing the spectrally controlled illumination to enhance measurement capability. For instance, the spectral attributes of illumination utilized to analyze different portions of a sample, such as different semiconductor layers, may be selected according to certain measurement characteristics associated with the analyzed portions of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Amnon Manassen, Andrew V. Hill, Ohad Bachar, Avi Abramov, Daria Negri
  • Patent number: 9049412
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to a system and method for projecting video onto a screen. A video unit (10) may comprise a plurality of light emitting diodes (40a, 40b, and 40c) disposed in an annular formation (41) and configured to produce light (44), a reflector configured to reflect the produced light from at least one of the plurality of light emitting diodes (40a, 40b, and 40c), and a plurality of optical components disposed in an annular formation, wherein each of the optical components corresponds to one of the light emitting diodes (40a, 40b, and 40c), wherein each of the optical components is configured to focus the produced light at the reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: TTE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: James Edward Lyst, Jr., Eugene Murphy O'Donnell
  • Publication number: 20150042895
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide for a modular video projector system having a light engine module and an optical engine module. The light engine module can provide narrow-band laser light to the optical engine module which modulates the laser light according to video signals received from a video processing engine. Some embodiments provide for an optical engine module having a sub-pixel generator configured to display video or images at a resolution of at least four times greater than a resolution of modulating elements within the optical engine module. Systems and methods for reducing speckle are presented in conjunction with the modular video projector system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: James H. Jannard, Stuart J. English, Gregory Alan Prior, Edmund Sandberg, Ryan Newham
  • Patent number: 8919962
    Abstract: Provided is an optical apparatus including a polarization separation element for separating an incident light beam into a first polarization component and a second polarization component and outputting the first polarization component and the second polarization component, a polarization conversion unit including a waveplate for converting one of the first polarization component and the second polarization component into the other polarization component, the waveplate being held to a holding metal plate, and a housing for holding the polarization separation element and the polarization conversion unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihisa Aikoh
  • Patent number: 8702240
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes an image display element configured to display an image by controlling a polarization state of a polarized light beam. An illumination optical system guides the polarized light beam to the image display element. A polarizing beam splitter disposed between the illumination optical system and the image display element selectively splits polarization of incident light. A projection optical system projects the image displayed by the image display element onto a projection plane. The positional relationship between the polarizing beam splitter and an optical axis of the projection optical system is properly set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takehito Kawasumi
  • Patent number: 8593579
    Abstract: The present invention provides a projection display capable of realizing high contrast in a display image plane. The projection display includes a light source; a first light modulator modulating light from the light source on the basis of an input image signal, and generating a first image light; a second light modulator modulating the first image light on the basis of the image signal, and generating a second image light; and a projection lens projecting the second image light generated with the second light modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hirohisa Ishino
  • Patent number: 8562139
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes: a light source emitting light; a spatial light modulator having a display region, and modulating the light emitted from the light source in accordance with an image signal; a projection device projecting the light modulated by the spatial light modulator onto a projection surface including an illumination region; and a deflecting section deflecting the light that is emitted from the light source and is then incident on the spatial light modulator. In this structure, the light emitted from the light source illuminates a part of the display region of the spatial light modulator, the light is deflected by the deflecting section, and the illumination region illuminated by the light moves on the projection surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hideya Seki
  • Patent number: 8519990
    Abstract: A semiconductor display device comprising a pixel portion and a signal line driver circuit comprising a first circuit, a second circuit configured to control timing of the sampled serial video signals by the first circuit, and a third circuit configured to perform signal processing on the parallel video signals, wherein the second circuit comprises a first semiconductor element formed over a first substrate, the first semiconductor element including a first semiconductor layer, wherein the third circuit comprises a second semiconductor element formed over a second substrate, the second semiconductor element including a second semiconductor layer, wherein the pixel portion comprises a third semiconductor element formed over the second substrate, the third semiconductor element including a third semiconductor layer, wherein the first semiconductor layer comprises silicon or germanium, and wherein each the second semiconductor layer and the third semiconductor layer has a wider bandgap than the first semiconduct
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Jun Koyama
  • Patent number: 8436949
    Abstract: An image display system comprises a first liquid crystal projector which projects a counterclockwise-rotating, circularly polarized light beam to form an image containing specific visual information on a screen and a second liquid crystal projector which projects a clockwise-rotating, circularly polarized light beam to form a white image on the same screen. When viewed with the naked eye, a combination of the two images projected on the screen appears totally white. A viewer wearing a dedicated viewing device equipped with an optical filter which allows counterclockwise-rotating, circularly polarized light to pass through can selectively see the image projected by the first liquid crystal projector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Yoshiharu Hirakata, Jun Koyama, Satoshi Teramoto
  • Patent number: 8414128
    Abstract: An optical projection device includes a laser engine, a first wave plate and a lens. The laser engine provides light. The first wave plate changes a light phase. The lens focuses light. A projecting method of an optical projection device includes providing a light including a first P polarized light, a first S polarized light, and a second S polarized light, and projecting light through a wave plate on a screen, wherein the wave plate moves in a direction perpendicular to light. A projecting method of an optical projection device includes providing light including a first P polarized light, a first S polarized light, and a second S polarized light, and projecting light through a wave plate on a screen, wherein the wave plate rotates around an axis parallel to a projecting direction of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Asia Optical International Ltd.
    Inventor: Chien-Chih Hsiung
  • Patent number: 8411655
    Abstract: A system and method for implementing an interactive session between a display equipment and a handheld electronic device is provided. The system has a display screen operable to display a data/information, a telecommunication network coupled with a local area network and a world wide web, a smart-IB box capable of sending and receiving a data/information, a system server capable of interpreting the received messages from the Smart-IB and a user's mobile phone. The method involves detecting a request by a mobile phone, initiating a user preferred schedule for pushing a data/information in response to the request, determining the installation of an interactive interface to access the various options available through the menus, receiving and processing the request, sorting the request for a scheduled data/information, relaying and displaying the scheduled data/information in accordance with a preferred schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Indus Edge Innovations Private Limited
    Inventors: Rajendra Kumar Khare, Ravi Bhat, Abhijit Das, Balakuntla Maheshkumar Gurucharan, Aparna Sharma, Saurabh Singh, Mohammad Mohammad
  • Patent number: 8272749
    Abstract: A high resolution 3D projection system having a light source (302) for generating and emitting light, a translucent rotatable drum (308) having differently polarized sections for receiving the light therethrough, a plurality of digital micromirror device imagers (324, 326, 328 and 330) configured to receive and reflect the light transmitted through the drum (308), where a light beam is capable of being passed generally orthogonally through a wall of the drum is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventor: Youngshik Yoon
  • Patent number: 8251516
    Abstract: An optical system attaining a nearly double resolving power in spite of one projector and also eliminating a convergence device is provided. The system includes an 1:1 relay lens in place of a projector lens of a RGB split-combine projection system, and a quarter-wave plate for P-S polarization separation. In operation, once-modulated RGB composite light is divided into a P-polarized light and a S-polarized light by a PS separation wire grid. The S-polarized light is modulated by a luminance signal Y1 at a Y1 device. The P-polarized light is modulated by a luminance signal Y2 at a Y2 device. The lights modulated by the Y1/Y2 devices are combined with each other at a PS composite wire grid to project a synthetic light on a screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
    Inventor: Makoto Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 8029141
    Abstract: The image display apparatus includes a two-dimensional light modulation device for modulating light emitted from a laser light source, a display surface for displaying the modulated light, an optical pixel aperture enlarging member for distributing the luminance of the laser light while introducing the laser light to apertures of pixels of the modulation device; and a display pixel aperture enlarging portion for optically enlarging the modulated light by the apertures of the pixels of the modulation device corresponding to pixels of an image to be displayed. The luminance of a partial area of each pixel of the image displayed on the display surface is controlled to be below the threefold of an average value of the luminance in the area of the entire pixel by the optical pixel aperture enlarging member and the display pixel aperture enlarging portion, accomplishing speckle noise reduction and improved light utilization efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuro Mizushima, Tatsuo Itoh, Kenichi Kasazumi, Kazuhisa Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7993017
    Abstract: A projection display apparatus 101 in which the light quantity adjusting means has a simple and readily interchangeable structure, and which can improve image quality by adjusting the quantity of light received by a light valve continuously, without causing illuminance irregularities, and without having unwanted light radiated onto the screen, the light quantity adjusting means 9 having light blocking members 91L, 91R for blocking light in transit to a second lens array 22, and rotational axes 91LA, 91RA for turnably supporting each of the light blocking members on an xy plane, the light blocking members 91L, 91R and rotational axes 91LA, 91RA being positioned so that the rotational axes 91LA, 91RA are disposed in positions symmetric with respect to the optical axis AX on the xy plane, and the turning range from the light blocking initiation position at which the light blocking members 91L, 91R, by being turned, start to block light in transit toward the second lens array 22 to the maximum light blocking posi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Yamada, Motoo Takahashi, Akira Daijogo, Tomohiro Bessho, Kenji Samejima
  • Patent number: 7963657
    Abstract: An imager is shifted with respect to an optical axis of a refractive optical system. Thereby, a throw distance of a projector is shortened. A wavelength-selective half wavelength plate for rotating a polarization direction of green light beams is disposed between a dichroic prism and the refractive optical system in such a manner that the polarization direction of the green light beams is in parallel to the shifting direction. Thereby, the green light beams are incident onto the refractive optical system as P-polarized beams, whereby a transmittance of the green light beams in the refractive optical system is increased, while suppressing lowering of the light amount of the green light beams, and color non-uniformity resulting from lowering of the light amount of the green light beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuhei Amano, Michihiro Okuda
  • Publication number: 20110134344
    Abstract: A method for improving image contrast for a display apparatus obtains a frame of image data having one or more code values for each pixel in the frame of image data, analyzes the frame of image data to identify a distribution of dark regions therein. The method further adjusts at least one of the one or more code values for the frame of image data according to the distribution of dark regions in the frame of image data and attenuates a brightness level available for the image frame according to the distribution of dark regions in the frame of image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventors: Michael A. Marcus, John A. Agostinelli, James G. Phalen, Marek W. Kowarz
  • Publication number: 20100328553
    Abstract: An electrooptical apparatus includes a plurality of first electrooptical panels which enable a color image to be displayed by combining output lights from the plurality of first electrooptical panels, a polarization axis correction unit through which the output lights from each of the plurality of first electrooptical panels are transmitted and which makes polarization axes of the transmitted output lights aligned, and a polarization axis switching section which switches a polarization axis of the output light from the polarization axis correction unit to a direction intersecting with the direction of the polarization axis at a predetermined timing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiko ITO
  • Patent number: 7837331
    Abstract: An illuminator includes a light source that outputs light, a polarization separation device that separates the light outputted from the light source into polarization components of the first and second oscillation directions, the polarization components having mutually orthogonal polarizations, and a polarization conversion device that converts the polarization component of the second oscillation direction divided by the polarization separation device to the polarization component of the first oscillation direction. The polarization component of the first oscillation direction divided by the polarization separation device and the polarization component of the first oscillation direction converted by the polarization conversion device are incident on an incident surface of an illumination target from different directions from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Susumu Aruga
  • Patent number: 7773160
    Abstract: An image display system comprises a first liquid crystal projector which projects a counterclockwise-rotating, circularly polarized light beam to form an image containing specific visual information on a screen and a second liquid crystal projector which projects a clockwise-rotating, circularly polarized light beam to form a white image on the same screen. When viewed with the naked eye, a combination of the two images projected on the screen appears totally white. A viewer wearing a dedicated viewing device equipped with an optical filter which allows counterclockwise-rotating, circularly polarized light to pass through can selectively see the image projected by the first liquid crystal projector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Yoshiharu Hirakata, Jun Koyama, Satoshi Teramoto
  • Patent number: 7466485
    Abstract: A display apparatus comprises: an emissive spatial light modulator comprising an array of pixels each arranged to output randomly polarized light; a birefringent lens positioned to receive light from the spatial light modulator arranged in a first mode of operation of the display apparatus to direct light of a first polarization component into a first directional distribution and in a second mode of operation of the display apparatus to direct light of a second polarization component into a second directional distribution different from the first directional distribution; a quarter waveplate; and a linear polarizer. The quarter waveplate is arranged between the spatial light modulator and the birefringent lens and the linear polarizer is arranged on the opposite side of the birefringent lens from the quarter waveplate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corp.
    Inventors: Graham John Woodgate, Jonathan Harrold
  • Patent number: 7458687
    Abstract: A digital cinema projection apparatus having an illumination source with a first etendue value for providing polarized polychromatic light. A first lens element lies in the path of the polarized polychromatic light for forming a substantially telecentric polarized polychromatic light beam. A color separator separates the telecentric polarized polychromatic light beam into at least two telecentric color light beams. At least two transmissive spatial light modulators modulate the two telecentric color light beams. There is an etendue value associated with each spatial light modulator. The etendue value is within 15% or greater than the first etendue value corresponding to the illumination source. A color combiner combines the modulated color beams along a common optical axis, forming a multicolor modulated beam thereby; and a projection lens directs the multicolor modulated beam toward a display surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Barry D. Silverstein, James R. Kircher, Joseph R. Bietry
  • Patent number: 7416307
    Abstract: An optical apparatus provided with a light combining prism having three light incident faces, receiving the three beams of light having different wavelength bands through the three light incident faces, and combining the three incident beams of light for output, three reflection type polarization plates, three plate-like reflection type polarization elements provided corresponding to the three reflection type liquid crystal panels, each receiving a different wavelength band of light among the three different wavelength bands, each selecting a first polarized beam component to pass and making it strike the corresponding reflection type liquid crystal panel by two perpendicular polarized beam components, and each making modulated light spatially modulated and converted to a second polarized beam component at the reflection type liquid crystal panel strike the corresponding incident face among the three light incident faces of the combining prism, and at least three fixing plates with surfaces which can be joine
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Sato, Masami Sato
  • Patent number: 7404643
    Abstract: A projector has an illumination system, an electro-optical modulator, a projection optical system, and a scanning system. The illumination system has a light source, a first lens array, a second lens array, a polarization conversion element and a superposing lens. The polarization conversion element includes a polarized light separating element and a phase plate. The polarized light separating element includes a plurality of polarized light separating prisms each of which has a polarized light separating surface and a reflection surface. The plurality of polarized light separating prisms are arranged along the one direction, and polarized light separating surfaces in the polarized light separating prisms at both ends of the polarized light separating element in one direction are constituted so as to reflect the luminous flux involving the second polarized light component in a direction approaching the illumination optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Koichi Akiyama
  • Patent number: 7377655
    Abstract: A projection type display apparatus includes: a reflection type light valve; a polarization beam splitter that emits light obtained through polarization split executed thereat on light from a light source toward the reflection type light valve, analyzes light modulated at the reflection type light valve and includes a light blocking portion disposed near an outer edge of an exit surface through which the analyzed light exits; and a projection lens through which the analyzed light is projected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Manabe, Tetsuo Hattori
  • Patent number: 7377649
    Abstract: A projector arrangement is provided wherein a spectral splitting and recombination unit (SSR) includes a first and a second polarization selective or polarizing beam splitting device and a wavelength selective optical element (WSOE) which are sufficient to realize the main and/or the entire functionality of said spectral splitting and recombination unit (SSR).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Kamm, Zoltan Facius
  • Patent number: 7327408
    Abstract: A hollow sphere with a scattering (e.g., white diffusive) interior surface directs light input from at least one input light source to an exit. In one embodiment, an internal hot mirror and phosphor are positioned to intercept the input light on which visible light is reflected and ultraviolet light is directed to the phosphor for conversion to visible light. The exit has a reflective polarizer that passes light of a selected polarization to an output. Light of other polarization(s) is reflected back into the sphere where it becomes unpolarized because of reflections and may eventually be returned to the exit at the selected polarization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: LightMaster Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Arthur Berman
  • Publication number: 20070273797
    Abstract: A digital cinema projection apparatus having an illumination source with a first etendue value for providing polarized polychromatic light. A first lens element lies in the path of the polarized polychromatic light for forming a substantially telecentric polarized polychromatic light beam. A color separator separates the telecentric polarized polychromatic light beam into at least two telecentric color light beams. At least two transmissive spatial light modulators modulate the two telecentric color light beams. There is an etendue value associated with each spatial light modulator. The etendue value is within 15% or greater than the first etendue value corresponding to the illumination source. A color combiner combines the modulated color beams along a common optical axis, forming a multicolor modulated beam thereby; and a projection lens directs the multicolor modulated beam toward a display surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Inventors: Barry D. Silverstein, James R. Kircher, Joseph R. Bietry
  • Publication number: 20070273798
    Abstract: A digital cinema projection apparatus having an illumination source with a first etendue value for providing polarized polychromatic light. A first lens element lies in the path of the polarized polychromatic light for forming a substantially telecentric polarized polychromatic light beam. A color separator separates the telecentric polarized polychromatic light beam into at least two telecentric color light beams. At least two transmissive spatial light modulators modulate the two telecentric color light beams. There is an etendue value associated with each spatial light modulator. The etendue value is within 15% or greater than the first etendue value corresponding to the illumination source. A color combiner combines the modulated color beams along a common optical axis, forming a multicolor modulated beam thereby; and a projection lens directs the multicolor modulated beam toward a display surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Inventors: Barry D. Silverstein, James R. Kircher, Joseph R. Bietry
  • Publication number: 20070273796
    Abstract: A digital cinema projection apparatus having an illumination source with a first etendue value for providing polarized polychromatic light. A first lens element lies in the path of the polarized polychromatic light for forming a substantially telecentric polarized polychromatic light beam. A color separator separates the telecentric polarized polychromatic light beam into at least two telecentric color light beams. At least two transmissive spatial light modulators modulate the two telecentric color light beams. There is an etendue value associated with each spatial light modulator. The etendue value is within 15% or greater than the first etendue value corresponding to the illumination source. A color combiner combines the modulated color beams along a common optical axis, forming a multicolor modulated beam thereby; and a projection lens directs the multicolor modulated beam toward a display surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Inventors: Barry D. Silverstein, James R. Kircher, Joseph R. Bietry
  • Patent number: 7216986
    Abstract: A color separating and mixing element comprises, in its transparent cube, a first optical function surface formed on a dividing surface for dividing the cube into two triangular prisms and a second optical function surface formed on another dividing surface. The first optical function surface has the function of transmitting both P-polarized light and S-polarized light with respect to red light, has the function of transmitting both P-polarized light and S-polarized light with respect to green light, and has the function of transmitting P-polarized light and reflecting S-polarized light with respect to blue light. The second optical function surface has the function of transmitting P-polarized light and reflecting S-polarized light with respect to red light, has the function of transmitting P-polarized light and reflecting S-polarized light with respect to green light, and has the function of transmitting both P-polarized light and S-polarized light with respect to blue light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Ikeda, Yoshitaka Kurosaka, Koji Ishii, Hideyuki Kanayama
  • Patent number: 7213924
    Abstract: The image projection apparatus includes a first, a second and a third reflective liquid crystal display element, an illumination optical system which color-separates light from a light source into first, second and third color light component and illuminating the three reflective liquid crystal display elements with the respective color light components, a projection optical system combining the color light components emerged from the three reflective liquid crystal display elements and projecting the combined color light components onto a projection surface, and an incidence side polarizing plate arranged between the light source and at least one of the three reflective liquid crystal display elements. An average value of a transmittance, in a wavelength region of 450 nm to 630 nm, of the incidence side polarizing plate for light of a polarization direction to be blocked thereby is 5% or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Okuyama, Masayuki Abe
  • Patent number: 7210787
    Abstract: A projection system and a method of forming a color image are provided. A projection system includes a light source, a color splitter which splits light emitted from the light source into colors according to a plurality of wavelength ranges, a scrolling unit which scrolls the colors split by the color splitter, a polarization converter which converts the light emitted from the light source into light having a first polarization, a color selector which converts at least some of the light having the first polarization into light having a second polarization different from the first polarization, an image combiner which transmits or reflects light transmitted by the color selector according to a polarization direction, and at least two light valves each of which receives light transmitted by the image combiner and processes the received light according to an image signal to form an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dae-sik Kim, Kun-ho Cho, Sung-ha Kim
  • Patent number: 7190519
    Abstract: This specification discloses a polarizing. element for dividing light into first and second polarized lights differing in polarized state from each other by a polarizing dividing surface, directing the first polarized light in a first direction, reflecting the second polarized light by a reflecting surface and directing it in the first direction, and varying the polarized state of at least one of the first and second polarized lights to thereby make the polarized states of the first and second polarized lights coincident with each other, characterized in that the polarizing dividing surface is disposed on one surface of a plane parallel plate and the reflecting surface is disposed on the other surface of the plane parallel plate, and the light enters obliquely from the one surface or the other surface. The specification also discloses a polarizing conversion unit provided with such polarizing element, and a projector provided with such polarizing conversion unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nozomu Kitagishi
  • Patent number: 7187420
    Abstract: An image display system comprises a first liquid crystal projector which projects a counterclockwise-rotating, circularly polarized light beam to form an image containing specific visual information on a screen and a second liquid crystal projector which projects a clockwise-rotating, circularly polarized light beam to form a white image on the same screen. When viewed with the naked eye, a combination of the two images projected on the screen appears totally white. A viewer wearing a dedicated viewing device equipped with an optical filter which allows counterclockwise-rotating, circularly polarized light to pass through can selectively see the image projected by the first liquid crystal projector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Yoshiharu Hirakata, Jun Koyama, Satoshi Teramoto
  • Patent number: 7066600
    Abstract: Disclosed is a compact, light, inexpensive reflection type liquid crystal projector optical unit or reflection type liquid crystal projector which provides high brightness without contrast deterioration caused by light leakage associated with black image display. The unit or projector uses, as a polarizer/analyzer for a reflection liquid crystal panel, a reflection polarizing plate which functions as a polarizing plate by its grating function only in a specific direction. It also uses an auxiliary polarizer and an absorption auxiliary analyzer. Their reflection axis or absorption axis is adjusted according to the characteristic of the reflection liquid crystal panel so as to minimize light leakage associated with black image display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Nakashima, Satoshi Ouchi, Taro Imahase, Tomohiro Miyoshi
  • Patent number: 6910773
    Abstract: Disclosed is a compact, light, inexpensive reflection type liquid crystal projector optical unit or reflection type liquid crystal projector which provides high brightness without contrast deterioration caused by light leakage associated with black image display. The unit or projector uses, as a polarizer/analyzer for a reflection liquid crystal panel, a reflection polarizing plate which functions as a polarizing plate by its grating function only in a specific direction. It also uses an auxiliary polarizer and an absorption auxiliary analyzer. Their reflection axis or absorption axis is adjusted according to the characteristic of the reflection liquid crystal panel so as to minimize light leakage associated with black image display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Nakashima, Satoshi Ouchi, Taro Imahase, Tomohiro Miyoshi
  • Patent number: 6621609
    Abstract: A laser beam display includes at least a first and second plurality of laser beam sources, each of which may preferably be an array of semiconductor lasers, providing a plurality of laser beams in an optical path so as to reflect off of reflective facets of a movable reflector and illuminate a display screen. In a color display, each column of the laser array corresponds to a separate primary color. The separate rows of each array correspond to independently activated but simultaneously driven scan lines to be illuminated by the laser beam scanning apparatus. The plural laser beam arrays subdivide the width of the screen into smaller scan segments to increase the scanning angle or increase the horizontal scanning speed of the apparatus. Tilted facets illuminate different vertical sections of the screen with the laser beams as the reflector rotates. A scan format employing simultaneously illuminated diagonal scan tiles provides optimal use of the plural laser beam arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Advanced Laser Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald C. Conemac
  • Patent number: 6608652
    Abstract: An image display system comprises a first liquid crystal projector which projects a counterclockwise-rotating, circularly polarized light beam to form an image containing specific visual information on a screen and a second liquid crystal projector which projects a clockwise-rotating, circularly polarized light beam to form a white image on the same screen. When viewed with the naked eye, a combination of the two images projected on the screen appears totally white. A viewer wearing a dedicated viewing device equipped with an optical filter which allows counterclockwise-rotating, circularly polarized light to pass through can selectively see the image projected by the first liquid crystal projector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Yoshiharu Hirakata, Jun Koyama, Satoshi Teramoto
  • Patent number: 6417892
    Abstract: The present invention provides a high brightness color selective light modulator (CSLM) formed by a polarization modulator positioned between two retarder stacks. The modulator changes the apparent orientation of one retarder stack relative to the other so that, in a first switching state of the modulator the two retarder stacks cooperate in filtering the spectrum of input light, and in a second switching state the two retarder stacks complement each other, yielding a neutral transmission spectrum. Two or more CSLM stages can be used in series, each stage providing independent control of a primary color. One preferred embodiment eliminates internal polarizers between CSLM stages, thereby providing an additive common-path full-color display with only two neutral polarizers. Hybrid filters can be made using the CSLMs of this invention, in combination with other active or passive filters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: ColorLink, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary D. Sharp, Kristina M. Johnson
  • Patent number: 6078363
    Abstract: A projection-type image display apparatus, includes: an illumination unit; a polarization selecting and reflecting element which splits a light beam from the illumination unit into a first light beam and a second light beam having polarization states different from each other, reflects the first light beam to the illumination unit, and outputs the second light beam as linearly polarized light; a transmission-type liquid crystal display panel which controls a polarization state of the linearly polarized light and displays an image; a first polarization selecting element and a second polarization selecting element respectively provided on a light beam input side and a light beam output side of the transmission-type liquid crystal display panel; a projection element which projects the image displayed by the transmission-type liquid crystal display panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Masuda, Takuji Yamatani
  • Patent number: 6031511
    Abstract: A two dimensional display panel produces a time variable image composed of light emitting pixels. The pixels are generated by a light emitting phosphor distributed within the panel, the pixels radiate light in response to being excited by charging and triggering energy beams. The energy beams are relatively invisible and may be generated by lasers or solid state diode energy sources. Wave guides within the panel direct the energy beams to the pixels. The wave guides may be composed of fiber optic threads and the display panel comprised of a fabric of woven fiber optic threads wherein pixels are produced at intersections of the woven fiber optic threads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Inventors: Michael J. DeLuca, Joan S. DeLuca
  • Patent number: 6002518
    Abstract: A system for producing and displaying spatially-multiplexed images of three-dimensional imagery for use in stereoscopic viewing thereof substantially free of visual-channel cross-talk and stereoscopic asymmetric distortion. The system includes a display device for displaying micropolarized spatially-multiplexed images using a phase-retarding micropolarization structure. The micropolarization structure has phase-retarding characteristics which introduce phase-retardation error to light associated with the micropolarized spatially-multiplexed image at a particular wavelengths in the visible band, and create visual-channel cross-talk. The system also includes a viewing device for viewing the micropolarized spatially-multiplexed images using a phase-retarding polarizer having phase-retarding characteristics which substantially eliminate the phase-retardation error introduced by micropolarization structure during image display, and thus the visual-channel cross-talk and stereoscopic asymmetric distortion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: Reveo, Inc.
    Inventor: Sadeg M. Faris