Plural Light Path Projectors Patents (Class 349/8)
  • Patent number: 7416306
    Abstract: A reflection-type laser projector (100) projects modulated laser beams outputted from a laser projection unit (40), on a screen, wherein a reflector (112) as a constituent of the screen (110) has reflection characteristics of reflecting, among the incident light, only laser beams of three colors of red, blue, and green, which are projected from the laser projection unit (40) and light in the neighboring wavelength band, and transmitting light in other wavelength bands, thereby preventing pictures on the screen (110) from becoming hard to be seen due to effects of indoor illumination or light from outdoors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Yamamoto, Kiminori Mizuuchi, Yasuo Kitaoka, Ken'ichi Kasazumi
  • Publication number: 20080192155
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes: a light source; a first light modulation element which has a plurality of pixels whose light modulation characteristics can be independently controlled and modulates light emitted from the light source; a second light modulation element which has a plurality of pixels whose light modulation characteristics can be independently controlled and modulates light emitted from the first light modulation element; and a relay optical system disposed between the first light modulation element and the second light modulation element to create an image formation surface by forming an optical image produced by the first light modulation element at a predetermined position. A pixel surface of the second light modulation element is positioned away from the image formation surface of the optical image produced by the first light modulation element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shoichi Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 7411636
    Abstract: A display system for stereoscopic displaying of images includes a pair of wide viewing angle displays arranged at an angle to each other, each display providing respective images formed by plane polarized light. A beam combiner is located between the displays such that the beam combiner transmits light from one display and reflects light from the other display, whereby the transmitted and reflected light are provided via the beam combiner in substantially the same direction. One of the wide viewing angle displays has a substantially vertical polarization and the other of the wide viewing angle displays has a substantially horizontal polarization. The display system provides for stereoscopic display of high-resolution images with wide horizontal and vertical viewing angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Fergason Patent Properties, LLC
    Inventor: Adiel Abileah
  • Patent number: 7408527
    Abstract: A projection system is provided with a controller equipped to drive light emitting devices of a light source of the projection system in a manner that enhances the operational life of the light emitting devices, the ability to provide peak white, and/or finer gray scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Infocus Corporation
    Inventor: David E. Slobodin
  • Patent number: 7404644
    Abstract: A time-sequential colour projector comprises a pixellated light valve (2), such as a liquid crystal device, and a plurality of light sources (30, 31, 32). The light sources (30, 31, 32) direct light on different sets of pixels of the light valve (2) via an optical system (1), such as a lens array, which focuses the light on pixels of the light valve (2). At least two of the light sources (30, 31, 32) are multiple colour light sources and the multiple colour light sources emit different colour components during each set of frames making up a complete image frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Allan Evans, Grant Bourhill, Marina V. Khazova
  • Patent number: 7401925
    Abstract: An image projector system includes an LED controller and first and second LEDs, a dichroic mirror. The LED controller controls the first and the second LED to emit first and second color lights, respectively. The second color light is of high luminance and is decomposed by a dichroic mirror into third and forth color lights having luminance close to that of the first color light. Each color light is guided through a light valves to adjust the spectral transmittance of the color light. A light-combining device, such as an x-cube, receives and combines the first color light, the third color light, and the forth color light, to form light images, and transmits the images to a display through a projector lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Asia Optical Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Chien-feng Lu
  • Patent number: 7396131
    Abstract: Projection assemblies are provided herein for use in a display system. According to one exemplary embodiment, the projection assembly includes an illumination source and a plurality of co-planar modulator panels. A method of modulating light is also provided herein that includes generating multi-component light, splitting the multi-component light into a plurality of component beams, and modulating the component beams with a plurality of co-planar modulator panels to form a plurality of sub-images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Scott Lerner, Anurag Gupta
  • Publication number: 20080143893
    Abstract: Red incident light is reflected on a mirror (19) and linearly polarized by a polarizer (26R). Linearly polarized incident light enters a transmissive liquid crystal device (11R), in which oblique incident light is changed into elliptically polarized light. A retardation compensator (27R) between the liquid crystal device (11R) and an analyzer (28R) has an inorganic form birefringence layer. The retardation compensator (27R) yields birefringence effect to change elliptical polarized light into linearly polarized light. Linearly polarized light from the retardation compensator (27R) can pass the analyzer (28R) without decreasing intensity, and enters a color recombining prism (24). The liquid crystal device (11R) may have the inorganic form birefringence layer. Retardation in green and blue light is also compensated in the same manner. Red, green and blue image light, mixed in the color recombining prism (24), is projected onto a screen 3 by a projection lens system (25).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: FujiFilm Corporation
    Inventor: Kenichi Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 7360900
    Abstract: An illuminating apparatus includes at least two solid light-emitting elements including a first solid light-emitting element and a second solid light-emitting element; a polarized-light combining unit that combines a first polarized light of a first oscillation direction and a second polarized light of a second oscillation direction substantially perpendicular to the second oscillating direction to guide the first polarized light and the second polarized light to an illumination direction by transmitting or reflecting the first polarized light and reflecting or transmitting the second polarized light; and a phase modulating element that converts a polarized light from the polarized-light combining unit into either of the first polarized light and the second polarized light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidefumi Sakata, Susumu Aruga, Takashi Takeda
  • Patent number: 7359008
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light valve system that enhances the contrast ratio for light and dark video images and reduces contouring artifacts. The light valve system comprises a color selection device configured to temporally attenuate component color bands of light to correspond with a video input signal. A first polarizing beam splitter configured to polarize the component color bands into oppositely polarized components, and a microdisplay configured to receive at least one of the oppositely polarized components for forming a projected light matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Eugene Murphy O'Donnell, Estill Thone Hall, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7347561
    Abstract: A color management system for use with projection displays includes, for example, two or more analyzers positioned to receive light beams as they are emitted from the panels of a color management system. The analyzers are positioned to receive the light beams directly from the image assimilators before the light has passed through another optical element such as a light combiner. The analyzers are configured for producing filtered light outputs with improved contrast relative to the incoming light beams. By positioning the analyzers to receive the light beams directly from the image assimilators, i.e., prior to passage through other optical elements, the analyzers are able to remove substantially all of the noise before it has become indistinguishable, on the basis of polarization, from the light that comprises the desirable image. Accordingly, this embodiment produces images having dramatically improved levels of contrast relative to prior art systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: JDS Uniphase Corporation
    Inventors: Clark Pentico, Michael Newell
  • Patent number: 7334897
    Abstract: A projection apparatus (10) has an illumination section with a light source (20) providing a substantially unpolarized illumination beam of multiple wavelengths. A multiple wavelength polarizer polarizes the substantially unpolarized illumination beam to provide a substantially polarized illumination beam of multiple wavelengths. A uniformizer conditions the substantially polarized illumination beam of multiple wavelengths to provide a uniformized polarized beam of multiple wavelengths. A color scrolling element provides a repeating, scrolled sequence of colors from a set of colors, thereby providing first, second, and third component wavelength illumination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Barry D. Silverstein, Joshua M. Cobb, David Kessler
  • Publication number: 20080007662
    Abstract: A projector includes a light source unit that supplies light, and a spatial light modulator that modulates light supplied from the light source unit according to an image signal. The spatial light modulator is driven by an applied voltage whose polarity is reversed according to a polarity-reversing frequency which is specific to the spatial light modulator. The light source unit supplies light which is modulated according to pulse width modulation for which fundamental frequency is set based on the polarity-reversing frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Publication date: January 10, 2008
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Toyooka, Hiroyuki Hosaka
  • Patent number: 7295371
    Abstract: This invention relates to electromagnetic wave beam paths, formation of the beam, illumination of programmable electromagnetic wave field vector orientation rotating devices (“PEMFVORD”) with an electromagnetic beam, and the technique of projection of the modulated beam. This invention also relates to a unique light path and method of forming the light into a rectangular beam to be used for optical projection systems and, more particularly, in a color and/or black and white liquid crystal device (LCD) projectors that produce high resolution, high brightness and/or three-dimensional images. This invention further relates to a device capable of receiving and displaying two-dimensional and three dimensional images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corp.
    Inventor: Steven R. Sedlmayr
  • Patent number: 7293877
    Abstract: The present invention includes a light source which emits a plurality of lights having different wavelength areas, a plurality of image forming devices which are arranged on respective optical paths for the lights emitted by the light source and which are irradiated with the lights to form images via the lights, magnifying devices which process and magnify the respective images formed by the image forming devices to form magnified images, synthesizing devices placed on respective optical paths for the lights via which the magnified images are transmitted, the synthesizing devices superimposing the lights on one another to synthesize the magnified images together to form a synthesized image, and a projection lens placed on an optical path for the light formed by the synthesizing device to project the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Atsuo Inoue
  • Patent number: 7293880
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention can provide a light source that can reduce the optical system in size while enlarging a color reproducible range and achieving higher luminance. The system can include a cross dichroic prism to combine an R light, a G1 light, a G2 light, and a B light, and an LED R to generate the R light, an LED G1 to generate the G1 light, an LED G2 to generate the G2 light, and an LED B, disposed near the LED G2 to be side by side, to generate the B light, as well as a control portion to drive these LED R, LED G1, LED G2, and LED B under control. The peak wavelengths of the G2 light and the B light are adjacent to each other, and the control portion can drive the LED G2 and the LED B under its control by switching in time division.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidefumi Sakata, Masatoshi Yonekubo
  • Patent number: 7277090
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a display configured to display images that includes multiple display elements capable of controlling light within a visible-light spectrum. The display elements are arranged over a display surface of the display. The display also includes one or more receivers arranged with the display elements over the display surface of the display. The receivers are coupled with the display elements and receive transmitted image information. The receivers activate the display elements in response to, and in correspondence with, the image information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: William J. Allen, John M. Da Cunha, Paul H. McClelland
  • Patent number: 7274411
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display element which has the high speed response and the high contrast and a display device employing the same are provided. In a display device employing a reflection type liquid crystal light valve, a retardation of a retardation plate which is provided between a polarizing element such as a polarizing beam splitter and the reflection type liquid crystal light valve is generally made ¼ of the wavelength of the incident light, and an optical axis (a slow axis or a fast axis) of the retardation plate and the polarizing direction of the incident polarized light are shifted from each other by slightly larger than 0 degree in order to arrange such optical elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoichi Hirota, Katsuhide Aoto, Makoto Tsumura, Iwao Takemoto
  • Patent number: 7247356
    Abstract: A privacy screen for a display (e.g., a LCD) includes having a polarizing film and a birefringent film is described. The privacy screen transmits substantial amounts of light emanating from the display in an orthogonal (or near-orthogonal) direction while not transmitting substantial amounts of horizontal, non-orthogonal light emanating from the display. In this manner, a privacy effect results in that the display is viewable by someone only when that someone is essentially directly in front of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventor: Steven William MacMaster
  • Patent number: 7213922
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide a projector capable of comparatively easily achieving a contrast ratio higher than the original contrast ratio of the liquid-crystal light valve by a simple mechanism. The illumination light modulated by liquid-crystal light valves, i.e., image light, can be combined together in a cross dichroic prism, and then light intensity of suitable pixels is reduced by a proper amount by a liquid-crystal light valve, and then sent to a projection lens. The image light entering the projection lens can be projected to a projection surface. Because the light intensity of the image light formed by the liquid-crystal light valves is appropriately attenuated at suitable pixel areas by the liquid-crystal light valve, image light projection with a contrast ratio exceeding by far the contrast ratio achievable by the liquid-crystal light valves alone is possible due to cumulative light-intensity adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Suzuki, Mamoru Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7210788
    Abstract: A color prism capable of separating incident light into four color beams and synthesizing incident four-color beams, and a projection-type image display apparatus employing the color prism. The color prism includes: first through third triangular prisms each having two boundary surfaces which face the other two triangular prisms, and an outer surface which transmits or reflects incident light according to an incidence angle of the light; and first through third dichroic filters respectively interposed among the first through third triangular prisms and selectively transmits or reflects incident light according to wavelength so as to separate incident light into first through fourth light beams according to wavelength ranges and synthesize incident first through fourth light beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kye-hoon Lee, Young-chol Lee, Won-yong Lee
  • Patent number: 7207676
    Abstract: A reflection type projector apparatus uses polarized beam filters that are resistant to fluctuations in incident angle as the light beam splitting elements and in which are provided for the blue color beam a blue color use liquid crystal reflection panel, a polarized beam filter, a linear polarization plate, and a ½ wavelength plate arranged at one side face of a cross prism, with a blue color beam emitted toward the blue color use liquid crystal reflection panel. The blue color beam passes through the polarized beam filter, striking the blue color use liquid crystal reflection panel, and is modulated when reflected. The blue color modulated beam is reflected toward the cross prism at the polarized beam filter, and then passes through the linear polarization plate and the ½ wavelength plate, strikes the cross prism, and is projected to the screen by a projection lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hirohisa Ishino
  • Patent number: 7198373
    Abstract: A projection apparatus (10) has an illumination section (68) that provides at least a first, a second, and a third component wavelength illumination. At least two component wavelength modulating sections accept and modulate the component wavelength illumination to provide a modulated component wavelength beam. Each component wavelength modulating section has a portion of a monochrome transmissive liquid crystal modulator panel (118) that has been segmented into at least a first, a second, and a third spatially separate portion. A component wavelength polarizer directs substantially polarized light to the corresponding portion of the monochrome transmissive liquid crystal modulator panel. An illumination path Fresnel lens focuses incident illumination from the component wavelength polarizer through the corresponding portion of the monochrome transmissive liquid crystal modulator panel. An analyzer conditions the polarization of the modulated component wavelength beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Barry D. Silverstein, Joshua M. Cobb, David Kessler
  • 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: 7172290
    Abstract: A light pipe based projection engine includes a X-prism transmitting substantially light of a useful polarization in an output direction and reflecting substantially light of a non-useful polarization in a first orthogonal direction substantially orthogonal to the output direction. An initial reflector may reflect the non-said low, said medium, and said high bands of wavelengths in a second orthogonal direction substantially orthogonal to the output direction and the first orthogonal direction, and a final reflector may reflect the non-said low, said medium, and said high bands of wavelengths in the output direction. The non-said low, said medium, and said high bands of wavelengths may be rotated substantially to light of the useful polarization by the initial and final reflectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Wavien, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth K. Li
  • Patent number: 7170567
    Abstract: A projection type image display apparatus includes a light source to emit light; a polarizing beam splitter to polarize the light received from the light source; a first lens array including a plurality of first lens cells having rectangular shapes to receive the light from the polarizing beam splitter, each first lens cell having a first side and a second side, the first side being longer than the second side, the first lens array having a rectangular shape, the first lens array having a third side and a fourth side, the third side being longer than the fourth side, the first sides of the first lens cells and the third side of the first lens array extending along a first direction; a second lens array including a plurality of second lens cells and being configured to receive the light from the first lens array, the second lens array having a rectangular shape and having a fifth side and a sixth side, the fifth and sixth sides of the second lens array having substantially the same dimensions as the third and
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Ouchi, Tomohiro Miyoshi, Taro Imahase, Masahiko Yatsu, Koji Hirata
  • Patent number: 7161740
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention can provide a projector including a illumination system, an electro-optic modulator, and a projection system. The illumination system can include device that emits a substantially parallel illumination light beam to the side of an illuminated region, a first lens array that has plural small lenses for dividing the illumination light beam into a plurality of partial light beams, a second lens array that has plural small lenses corresponding to the plural small lenses of the first lens array, a polarization conversion element for converting into polarized light an unpolarized light included in the illumination light beam emerging from the second lens array, and a superposition lens for superposing the partial light beams on the illuminated region. The electro-optic modulator can modulate the illumination light beam in response to image information. The projection system can project the illumination light beam modulated by the electro-optic modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Koichi Akiyama
  • Patent number: 7154671
    Abstract: This invention relates to electromagnetic wave beam paths, formation of the beam, illumination of programmable electromagnetic wave field vector orientation rotating devices (“PEMFVORD”) with an electromagnetic beam, and the technique of projection of the modulated beam. This invention also relates to a unique light path and method of forming the light into a rectangular beam to be used for optical projection systems and, more particularly, in a color and/or black and white liquid crystal device (LCD) projectors that produce high resolution, high brightness and/or three-dimensional images. This invention further relates to a device capable of receiving and displaying two-dimensional and three dimensional images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Au Optronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven R. Sedlmayr
  • Patent number: 7147331
    Abstract: To reduce the color break-up and to provide high quality projection images. A method of driving a spatial light modulator, including generating a sub-frame pulse signal for a first colored light R1 through R8, B1 through B8, generating a sub-frame pulse signal for a second colored light G1 through G8, arranging the sub-frame pulse signals for the respective colored light so that at least three of the sub-frame pulse signals for the first colored light R1 through R8, B1 through B8 adjoin either one of the sub-frame pulse signals for the second colored light G1 through G8 during at least one frame of the image, and driving a plurality of movable mirror elements in accordance with the sub-frame pulse signals for the respective colored light arranged in arranging the sub-frame pulse signals, the movable mirror elements being alternatively moved at least to a first reflecting position and a second reflecting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuro Yamazaki, Hidehito Iisaka
  • Patent number: 7148945
    Abstract: An optical device and a projector having the optical device is provided, which have a liquid-crystal display having, on an exit side, a first exit polarizer plate and a second exit polarizer plate arranged thermally insulated from each other and separated in an optical axis direction, the first exit polarizer plate being bonded on a first heat conductor plate which is bonded on an incident surface of a color-combining optical unit while the second exit polarizer plate is bonded on a second heat conductor plate held by a polarization-plate holding frame. By heat release through respective independent routes, it is possible to suppress the deterioration due to the temperature rise on the exit polarizer plates and liquid-crystal display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Yanagisawa
  • Patent number: 7137708
    Abstract: A method of generating a projection beam for projecting an image includes collimating the projection beam and filtering infra-red or ultraviolet radiation from the projection beam after the projection beam has been collimated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Anurag Gupta
  • Patent number: 7123313
    Abstract: To provide a highly reliable projection display device capable of being used for a long period of time without deterioration of a particular liquid crystal light valve, desirably, without any variation in color balance with time, even if a light source having a deviation of light intensity distribution is used. A projection display device in which a liquid crystal light valve includes a liquid crystal layer including TN liquid crystals having a twisted angle of substantially 90 degrees, with a polarization direction of a primary light LB incident upon the liquid crystal layer and an alignment direction of liquid crystal molecules disposed at a primary-light incident surface of the liquid crystal layer being substantially perpendicular to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Maeda
  • Patent number: 7118230
    Abstract: The invention provides a holder frame, optical device and projector which can prevent the substrate from deviating in position, the substrate from being compressed at the outer periphery and color unevenness from occurring. More particularly, in the four sides of a luminous-flux incident surface of a holder frame, there can be formed a plurality of cutouts extending from a vicinity of an opening to an outer edge of the luminous-flux incident surface and nearly orthogonal to a lengthwise of each side. Also, in the four sides of an accommodating surface of the holder frame, there are formed a plurality of cutouts extending from a vicinity of an opening to an outer edge of the accommodating surface and nearly orthogonal to a lengthwise of each side. The cutouts in each side of the accommodating surface of the holder frame are formed in positions between the cutouts formed in each side of the luminous-flux incident surface of the holder frame as viewed from a side of luminance-flux incidence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Motoyuki Fujimori, Yoshiyuki Yanagisawa
  • Patent number: 7114816
    Abstract: The invention provides a fixing plate, optical device and projector capable of preventing against color unevenness occurrence and pixel deviation. Specifically, in each of the four sides of a luminous-flux exit surface of a plate part of a fixing plate, there can alternately be formed a first cutout in a groove form extending from an opening toward an outer edge of the plate part and nearly orthogonal to a lengthwise of each side, and a second cutout in a groove form extending from the outer edge toward the opening and nearly orthogonal to the lengthwise of each side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Motoyuki Fujimori, Yoshiyuki Yanagisawa
  • Patent number: 7108377
    Abstract: To provide a projection type video display capable of reliably preventing a double image from being produced. A first light flux producer for producing a first light flux and a second light flux producer for producing a second light flux are arranged on the light emission side of a lamp. The light flux producer comprises a condenser lens, a rod integrator, and a pair of lenses. Lights passing through the pair of lenses are respectively refracted by condenser lenses, and are respectively introduced into first and second areas of a liquid crystal display panel in such a manner as to cross an optical surface in a color separating and mixing sector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Kurosaka, Takashi Ikeda, Hideyuki Kanayama
  • Patent number: 7104652
    Abstract: To provide an image display device and a projector having a brightness or an excellent utilization efficiency of the light by improving the display performance of a moving picture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hideki Kojima
  • Patent number: 7104650
    Abstract: A color management system for use with projection displays includes, for example, two or more analyzers positioned to receive light beams emitted from corresponding image assimilators, which each comprise a transmissive panel and a polarizing beamsplitter. Each analyzer is positioned to receive a light beam directly from an associated image assimilator before the light has passed through another optical element such as a light combiner. The analyzers are configured for producing filtered light outputs with improved contrast relative to the incoming light beams. These closely-coupled analyzers are able to remove substantially all of the noise before it has become indistinguishable, on the basis of polarization, from the light that comprises the desirable image. In an exemplary embodiment, an optical isolator is positioned to receive both a light output from a color management system and a reflection of the light output. The optical isolator is configured for isolating the light output from the reflection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: JDS Uniphase Corporation
    Inventors: Clark Pentico, Michael Newell
  • Patent number: 7106389
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromi Katoh, Takashi Shibatani
  • Patent number: 7102822
    Abstract: This invention relates to electromagnetic wave beam paths, formation of the beam, illumination of programmable electromagnetic wave field vector orientation rotating devices (“PEMFVORD”) with an electromagnetic beam, and the technique of projection of the modulated beam. This invention also relates to a unique light path and method of forming the light into a rectangular beam to be used for optical projection systems and, more particularly, in a color and/or black and white liquid crystal device (LCD) projectors that produce high resolution, high brightness and/or three-dimensional images. This invention further relates to a device capable of receiving and displaying two-dimensional and three dimensional images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: AU Optronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven R. Sedlmayr
  • Patent number: 7090350
    Abstract: An optical projection system can receive a red light beam, green light beam, and blue light beam. The optical projection system includes a color-combination prism, and the light beams respectively enter the color-combination prism from three surfaces and are combined into a mixed light beam, which exits from another surface. A projection lens set receives the mixed light beam to perform the projection. Each of the light beams further includes a liquid crystal reflection panel and a wire grid polarizer (WGP). The liquid crystal reflection panel is parallel to the corresponding surfaces of the color-combination prism. In the design, before the light beam entering the color-combination prism, they are first reflected by the WGP onto the liquid crystal reflection panel, and the liquid crystal reflection panels respectively with a polarizing state reflect the light beams, passing through the WGP and directly propagating toward the color-combination prism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: United Microelectronic Corp.
    Inventors: Ho Lu, Chung-Jung Chen, Shih-Po Yeh
  • Patent number: 7083286
    Abstract: A projector projecting an image onto a screen, comprises a lamp emitting light; an optical system having an optical synthesizer including a blue panel, a green panel and a red panel, and an optical component disposed along an optical path from the lamp to the optical synthesizer; a cooling fan generating cool air cooling the optical system; and a guiding duct guiding the cool air to be distributed into a first passage and a second passage. With this configuration, the present invention provides a projector in which a guiding duct is partitioned and therefore cool air is distributed according to whether the cool air is sent to a relatively high temperature place or a relatively low temperature place in an optical system, preventing energy from being wasted by efficiently cooling some components of the optical system without overcooling others, and reducing noise caused by a cooling fan and air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sru Kim, Jean Hur
  • Patent number: 7081997
    Abstract: This invention relates to electromagnetic wave beam paths, formation of the beam, illumination of programmable electromagnetic wave field vector orientation rotating devices (“PEMFVORD”) with an electromagnetic beam, and the technique of projection of the modulated beam. This invention also relates to a unique light path and method of forming the light into a rectangular beam to be used for optical projection systems and, more particularly, in a color and/or black and white liquid crystal device (LCD) projectors that produce high resolution, high brightness and/or three-dimensional images. This invention further relates to a device capable of receiving and displaying two-dimensional and three dimensional images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
    Inventor: Steven R. Sedlmayr
  • Patent number: 7079209
    Abstract: Three retardation compensators are provided for compensating the retardation of liquid crystal devices for red, green and blue light, respectively. Each of the retardation compensators is composed of plural high and low refractive index thin film layers alternately layered on a substrate. Because of the difference in the wavelength dependences of the liquid crystal device and the retardation compensator, the retardation R2 of the retardation compensator becomes much larger than the retardation R1 of the liquid crystal device in short wavelength region of the visible band. In order to match the retardation, the thickness of the retardation compensator for blue light is smaller than those for red and green light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichi Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 7070281
    Abstract: A light source device which employs a plurality of light emitting diodes for emitting different colors of light, and a projection display which incorporates the light source device provide for a good white balance and a high light utilization efficiency in consideration of light emission efficiencies inherent to the respective color light emitting diodes. An illumination beam from each of light emission boards is converted to one type of polarized light respectively by associated polarized light forming means, and resulting polarized light beams are combined by a polarizing beam splitter to produce an illumination beam for illuminating a two-dimensional image device which may comprise a digital mirror device (DMD). The light emitting diodes in the respective colors are arranged on respective light emission boards in a predetermined ratio of distribution to optimize the white balance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: NEC Viewtechnology, Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsushi Kato
  • Patent number: 7055966
    Abstract: When a video signal is inputted to a projector (10) through a video input terminal, a luminance peak value of an image of the video signal is detected by an image-analyzing circuit (61) to be outputted to a CPU (71). A gain-adjusting circuit (63) adjusts a luminance signal in the video signal based on a command from the CPU (71). The CPU (71) determines a gain adjustment amount based on the luminance peak value of the image obtained by the image-analyzing circuit (61) and outputs the result to the gain-adjusting circuit (63). For instance, when the luminance peak value (Ip) of the image is 50% of the upper limit (Imax) thereof, a gain-adjusting amount AG is doubled. In this case, an illuminating light volume of a light valve (44a) has to be reduced to 50%, which is achieved by light-attenuation by a light-source lamp (21) and an open/close light shield (23).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Momose, Atsushi Miyazawa, Keijiro Naito
  • Patent number: 7055967
    Abstract: An illumination system is provided with at least a first arc lamp positioned on the first axis of a first reflecting device. An aspherical corrector plate is positioned to receive the light rays produced by the arc lamp. The aspherical corrector plate is shaped so that it provides a substantially constant magnification of the arc as a function of the range of reflection angles of light rays off of the reflecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Inventor: Serge J. A. Bierhuizen
  • Patent number: 7052746
    Abstract: A privacy screen for a display (e.g., a LCD) includes having a polarizing film and a birefringent film is described. The privacy screen transmits substantial amounts of light emanating from the display in an orthogonal (or near-orthogonal) direction while not transmitting substantial amounts of horizontal, non-orthogonal light emanating from the display. In this manner, a privacy effect results in that the display is viewable by someone only when that someone is essentially directly in front of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemour and Company
    Inventor: Steven William MacMaster
  • Patent number: 7053976
    Abstract: With respect to a display device having a high-resolution display panel, It makes possible to prevent to deteriorate the display quality by a dot defect. A display panel having a dot defect is identified and coordinates of the defective pixel are determined. The brightnesses of pixels adjacent to the defective pixel and/or the brightnesses of pixels of other display panels having the corresponding coordinates as the dot defect are increased to reduce the apparent perceptibility of the dot defect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaaki Hiroki
  • Patent number: 7048380
    Abstract: A projection apparatus including a polarization conversion system to convert light having a first polarization component; a color recycling system, which separates the light into first and second color lights, to transmit and reflect the first and second color lights; an image forming system including a first reflective panel and a second reflective panel, which respectively modulate the first and second color lights, and a third reflective panel, which modulates the third color light; and an optical path conversion system, which splits the optical paths of fourth and fifth color lights incident from the color recycling system such that the first color light in the fourth color light is directed to the first reflective panel, the second color light in the fifth color light is directed to the second reflective panel, and the third color light in the fourth and fifth color light is directed to the third reflective panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kirill Sokolov
  • Patent number: RE40450
    Abstract: A liquid crystal projector has three liquid crystal panels for modulating first color light, second color light, and third color light respectively. A light synthetic device synthesizes each color light modulated by the liquid crystal panels. A projection lens projects the light synthesized by the light synthetic device. Setting members set the liquid crystal panels to the light synthetic device and wedge-type spacer members adjust the position of the liquid crystal panels in their planar direction and the direction perpendicular to the planar direction. The liquid crystal panels are secured to the light synthetic device through the setting members and spacer members. The liquid crystal panels are secured to the light synthetic device through the setting members and spacer members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Motoyuki Fujimori