Particular Condenser Patents (Class 353/102)
  • Patent number: 7077524
    Abstract: A color projection display device may include SLMs or other panels. One embodiment includes a device for displaying a color image including first and second sequences of temporally-integrateable primary color image components, the device also includes first (209) ans second (206) SLM panels (604, 606), first and second driving circuitry, and first through fourth polarizing beam splitters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Genoa Color Technologies LTD
    Inventor: Shmuel Roth
  • Patent number: 7077525
    Abstract: A flashlight that utilizes an array of one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as a light source, and a light pipe as a light homogenizer to generate a light beam capable of forming a uniformized light distribution at a given distance from the flashlight is disclosed. The LEDs may be all the same color, or some or all may be different colors. A switch, coupled to switching electronics coupled to the LED array, is used to change the state of the LED array to create a variety of different types of light beams, each of which provides relatively uniform and bright illumination at a given distance from the flashlight, wherein the given distance is selectable by adjusting an adjustable imaging lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Optics 1, Inc
    Inventors: Robert E. Fischer, Greg Moeller, Simon Prince
  • Patent number: 7077523
    Abstract: A three-dimensional display device includes a two-dimensional display displaying a first image, and a variable focusing lens receiving light from the two-dimensional display and forming a second image. The variable focusing lens reflects light from the two-dimensional display. The first image includes a predetermined number of first depthwise images that are displayed within a unit time, and the second image includes corresponding second depthwise images. Each depthwise image represents the portion of the first image having the same image depth, and the two-dimensional display displays one depthwise image at a time. The focal length of the variable focusing lens changes according to the depth of the depthwise image being displayed. A micromirror array lens is used as the variable focusing lens. The micromirror array lens has enough speed and focusing depth range for realistic three-dimensional display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignees: Angstorm Inc., Stereo Display Inc.
    Inventors: Cheong Soo Seo, Dong Woo Gim, Gyoung Il Cho, James Greenup Boyd, Sang Hyune Baek
  • Patent number: 7070280
    Abstract: A method and apparatus or configuration generates light of a given polarization state (P). A polarization state-sensitive beam splitter is acted upon by light (L) at an input (E1), light (LP) of the given polarization state being output by the beam splitter (1) at a first beam splitter output (A1). Light (LS) with polarization state (S) that is perpendicular to the given state (P) is changed with respect to this state and also output. The light of the changed polarization state again acts upon the polarization state-sensitive beam splitter at the input (E1). The apparatus or configuration achieves this by having the optic input (E3) of a polarization state-changing structural element whose optic output (A3) is operationally connected to the optic input (E1) of the polarization state-sensitive beam splitter, operationally connected to the second optic output (A2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Unaxis Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Johannes Edlinger, Claus Heine-Kempkens, Detlev Hausler
  • Patent number: 7066602
    Abstract: A highly-efficient projection system is provided, including a light source, a color separator, a scrolling unit, a light valve, and a projection lens unit. The color separator separates an incident beam according to color. The scrolling unit includes at least one lens cell and converts the rotation of the lens cell into a rectilinear motion of an area of the lens cell through which light passes so that an incident beam is scrolled. The light valve includes a plurality of micromirrors independently driven according to image signals to change a reflection angle of incident light. The light valve processes a beam transmitted by the color separator and the scrolling unit according to an image signal and forms a color picture. The projection lens unit magnifies the color picture formed by the light valve and projects the magnified color picture onto a screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hee-joong Lee, Kun-ho Cho, Dae-sik Kim, Sung-ha Kim
  • Patent number: 7059733
    Abstract: A display apparatus is provided which can display different text/image information depending on the viewing angle and the viewer, display a high reality three-dimensional image viewable from any direction and realize stereoscopic viewing without glasses or the like. The display apparatus includes a display unit having a view angle-limiting filter on its surface, a rotary mechanism to rotate the display unit and a control unit which implements control so that when the display unit, rotated by the rotary mechanism, is faced to each of plural directions, the display unit displays a different text/image content associated with the direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Hoshino, Youichi Horii, Rieko Otsuka
  • Patent number: 7055965
    Abstract: A shutter device comprises a plurality of shutters. Each of the shutters is provided at a position in the vicinity of a fly's eye lens positioned on the side of a polarization conversion system (one of fly's eye lenses in an integrator lens) and not preventing the passage of effective illuminating light. Each of the shutters is constructed as a first shutter or a second shutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroki Koba
  • 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: 7055959
    Abstract: A projection display apparatus includes a light source (1), an illumination system (8), a reflection system (9), a reflection-type light modulator (10), a lens element (11), and a projection system (12). The optical axis (8a) of the illumination system (8) and the optical axis (12a) of the projection system (12) are skew lines. The lens element (11) allows the exit pupil (8b) of the illumination system (8) to be conjugated substantially with the entrance pupil (12b) of the projection system (12). Thus, the reflection-type light modulator (10) and the projection system (12) can be arranged coaxially. Moreover, mechanical contact or interference between the optical components can be eliminated, and the space can be utilized efficiently. This configuration can provide an inexpensive compact projection display apparatus using a reflection-type light modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Wada, Yoshihiro Masumoto, Yoshimasa Fushimi
  • Patent number: 7052139
    Abstract: An illumination unit of the present invention includes: an ellipsoidal reflector having a first focus and a second focus; an arc tube; a collimating lens; a first lens array 120 having a plurality of small lenses 122 for splitting the illumination luminous flux from the collimating lens into a plurality of partial luminous fluxes; a second lens array having a plurality of small lenses corresponding to the plurality of the small lenses 122 of the first lens array 120; and a superimposing lens for superimposing respective partial luminous fluxes from the second lens array at the illuminated area, characterized in that the light incident surface of the first lens array 120 is situated at the position which is closer to the ellipsoidal reflector than the second focus, and which is such that the light quantity of the illumination luminous flux from the collimating lens is distributed throughout over the light incident surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Koichi Akiyama
  • Patent number: 7052141
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide an illumination optical device including a light source unit having an arc tube, an ellipsoidal reflector, and a collimator lens, a first lens array to split the luminous flux output from the light source unit into plural partial luminous fluxes, and a superposing lens to superpose the respective partial luminous fluxes split by the first lens array on an image forming region of a liquid crystal panel, and to illuminate the liquid crystal panel in which microlenses are arranged on an incident side of the rectangular image forming region so as to correspond to pixels. By such a constitution, an illumination optical device capable of enhancing image quality and addressing and/or achieving miniaturization and a projector including the device can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Koichi Akiyama
  • Patent number: 7052145
    Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for displaying images represented by image-representative video signals. In one embodiment, an apparatus is provided for displaying images represented by image-representative input signals, including: rows of micro light sources, such as microlasers or LEDs for producing sheets of light; a diffractive panel, in the path of the sheets of light, which receives the input signals and diffracts the sheets of light to obtain diffracted light imparted with image-representative information; and a Schleiren optical system for processing the diffracted light to produce images represented by the image-representative input signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Florida Atlantic University
    Inventor: William E. Glenn
  • Patent number: 7048388
    Abstract: A projection optical system guiding and projecting a light beam from a projected object surface onto a projection surface in an upstream-downstream direction through a transmission dioptric system and a reflection dioptric system. An intermediate image surface of the projected object surface is positioned closer to the reflection dioptric system than to the transmission dioptric system, and an intermediate image on the intermediate image surface is formed as the final image on the projection surface via the reflecting mirrors, which include at least one anamorphic polynomial free-formed surface having different vertical and lateral powers. A light beam from the reflection dioptric system to the projection surface is guided at an angle to a normal of the projection surface and the transmission dioptric system is decentered with respect to a normal of the projected object surface, the transmission refractive elements prevented from being decentered with respect to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Takaura, Kazuhiro Fujita, Nobuo Sakuma
  • 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: 7048385
    Abstract: A projection display system has at least one light-recycling illumination system, a color scroller and an imaging light modulator. The light-recycling illumination system includes a light source that is enclosed within a light-recycling envelope. The light source is a light-emitting diode that emits light, and a fraction of that light will exit the light-recycling envelope through an aperture. The light-recycling envelope recycles a portion of the light emitted by the light source back to the light source in order to enhance the luminance of the light exiting the aperture. The fraction of the light that exits the aperture is partially collimated and is directed to a color scrolling means. The color scroller scans the partially collimated light across the face of the imaging light modulator. The imaging light modulator spatially modulates the scrolled beam of light to form an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Goldeneye, Inc.
    Inventors: Karl W. Beeson, Scott M. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 7048381
    Abstract: A cylindrical lens array for achieving color scrolling, a projection system using the cylindrical lens array, and a scrolling method. The cylindrical lens array is formed by arranging lens cells in an endless track. When the cylindrical lens array rotates, light rays passing through the lens cells advance along different paths. The projection system includes a light source, the cylindrical lens array, a light splitter, a light valve, and a projection unit. The light source emits a light. The cylindrical lens array has a plurality of lens cells arranged in an endless track and scrolls color bar images upon rotation. The light splitter splits incident light emitted from the light source into color beams according to a wavelength. The light valve receives the color beams split by the light splitter and scrolled by the cylindrical lens array and forms a color image by turning pixels on or off according to an input image signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dae-sik Kim, Kun-ho Cho, Sung-ha Kim, Hee-joong Lee
  • Patent number: 7036937
    Abstract: An illuminating device reusing polarized light uses an elliptical mirror, a cylindrical optical channel tube, a polarized light converter and at least two lenses to evenly distribute light and convert polarized light effectively. The incident end of the cylindrical optical channel tube is located at one focal point of the elliptical mirror. The emerging light from the cylindrical optical channel tube enters into the polarized light converter to form an image on the illuminated display panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Chi-Xiang Tseng, Chun-Chuan Lin, Hsin-Hsiang Lo
  • Patent number: 7036941
    Abstract: An illumination optical device is provided with a light source device and a uniform illumination optical system. To a light flux emission side of an expanded portion of the light source lamp of the light source device, which is opposite to a reflector of the illumination optical device, a reflection member is provided. An effective reflection plane diameter of an elliptical reflector of the light source device is 30 mm or more but 50 mm or less, Furthermore, assuming that a first focal distance of the elliptical reflector is f1, and a second focal distance thereof is f2, f1 becomes equal to or more than 5 mm, but equal to or less than 50 mm, and f2/f1 becomes in a range from 4 to 7 inclusive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Akiyama, Toshiaki Hashizume
  • Patent number: 7033032
    Abstract: A projection display system includes a reflection display device, an optical member for projecting an illumination beam toward the reflection display device from a direction inclined relative to a front surface direction of the reflection display device, an optical member for projecting an image beam projected from the reflection display device a onto a projection surface, and a relay lens disposed on a front surface side of the reflection display device. The relay lens corrects the illumination beam into a parallel beam that enters the reflection display device, and causes the image beam from the reflection display device to enter the optical member for projecting the image beam, and causes a part of the illumination beam that is surface reflected on a surface thereof facing the optical member to be reflected in a direction other than the direction in which the image beam is projected by the projection system optical member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideki Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7033031
    Abstract: A light guiding member (40) for reflecting therein light entering through a light entering surface (40a) several times to cause light having a uniform illumination distribution to outgo from a light outgoing surface (40b) is inserted into an optical path between a lamp source (10) and a reflection type display device (80). The light outgoing surface (40b) of the light guiding member (40) is formed in a dissimilar shape with an image display region of the reflection type display device (80), and a region irradiated with light in the image display region of the reflection type display device (80) is formed smaller than the image display region. This prevents a whitening phenomenon in a projected image undisplay region and improves video effects given to viewers as well as effectively utilizing light emitted from a light source for images to be projected to display projected images brightly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hidehiko Hori
  • Patent number: 7025465
    Abstract: Abstract Focusing system of the light beam for a videoprojector or comprising at least an image microforming device DMD (Digital Micromirror Device); the main feature of the system consisting in that it comprises at least an aspheric lens associated to at least an achromatic doublet. This configuration allows a substantial reduction of chromatic aberration, spherical aberration, curvature of field and the distortions, obtaining a more homogeneous illumination of the image microforming device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: SIM2 Multimedia S.p.A.
    Inventor: Giorgio Barazza
  • Patent number: 7011414
    Abstract: A highly efficient projection system and a color scrolling method are provided. In the color scrolling method, first, an optical splitter splits a beam emitted from a light source into individual color beams. Next, a rectangular light valve is disposed such that its long axis is along the direction into which the optical splitter splits the beam. Thereafter, the individual color beams are scrolled in the long axial direction of the light valve. The color scrolling in the long axial direction can increase light efficiency much more than a color scrolling performed in a short axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dae-sik Kim, Kun-ho Cho, Sung-ha Kim
  • Patent number: 7001021
    Abstract: A device for projecting a color image upon a screen, including color image recording and color image reproduction with an enhanced color reproduction trueness in comparison to conventional processes. In the device two images are recorded in parallel, which separately detect the shorter and the longer wavelength parts of the individual principle color spectral regions. In image reproduction six primary valences are produced, which respectively comprise the image information of the shorter and the longer wavelength parts of each of the individual principle color spectral regions. In an alternative embodiment the device produces a full color, stereoscopic image reproduction, in which the three primary valences of the respective shorter wave part encode a stereoscopic half image and the three primary valences of the respective longer wavelength part encode the other stereoscopic half image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventor: Helmut Jorke
  • Patent number: 7001022
    Abstract: An illumination system includes at least one light emitting device to emit a light beam having different wavelengths, a focusing lens to condense the light beam emitted from the light emitting device, and a waveguide having an incident surface inclined at a predetermined angle upon which the light beam condensed by the focusing lens is incident. A projection system includes at least one light emitting device to emit a light beam having the different wavelengths, a focusing lens to condense the light beam emitted from the light emitting device, a waveguide having an incident surface inclined at a predetermined angle on which the light beam is condensed by the focusing lens, a display device to form an image by processing the light beam passing through the waveguide according to an input image signal, and a projection lens unit to magnify the image formed by the display device and to project the magnified image toward a screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-ha Kim, Kirill Sergeevich Sokolov
  • Patent number: 6997564
    Abstract: A digital projection display includes a light source producing a light beam, and an integrator, an illumination lens, an illumination fold mirror, a light director, and a digital light modulator which sequentially process the light beam. The digital projection display further has a projection lens that receives the spatially modulated light beam from the light director and includes two projection lens elements. A projection lens fold mirror is disposed between the two projection lens elements. A projection fold mirror receives the light beam from the projection lens and redirects the light beam to a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Blaise Rene Robitaille, John William Bowron
  • Patent number: 6997565
    Abstract: A lamp has a deformed lamp reflector and a lamp front glass. The deformed lamp reflector is formed by deforming a paraboloid of revolution of a conventional lamp reflector to an aspherical reflection surface which is rotationally symmetrical with respect to an optical axis. The lamp front glass is obtained by deforming the incident plane of a conventional lamp front glass to an aspherical lens surface rotationally symmetric with respect to the optical axis. A light flux radiated from the center point of the light source of an illuminant is reflected by the deformed lamp reflector, and is output through the lens as a parallel light flux having a circular cross section equal in area to the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Sekiguchi, Tomohiro Sasagawa, Junichi Nishimae, Yoshiyuki Goto, Kohei Teramoto
  • Patent number: 6981773
    Abstract: A projector includes a super-high pressure mercury lamp a spatial light-modulator that modulates a light from the super-high mercury lamp based on an image signal, a projection lens that projects the light modulated, and an optical filter that is used to insert a prism group in the optical path and to remove the prism group that is inserted in the optical path, and a position fixing part that makes a relative-angle between each spatial light-modulator and the prism group constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shunji Kamijima, Masatoshi Yonekubo
  • Patent number: 6966658
    Abstract: A small projection display apparatus which suppresses optical paths of incident and output light in a reflection valve from overlapping; and a rear projector and a multi-vision system using the same. The projection display apparatus includes an illumination optical system for collecting light radiated, forming illumination light, a reflection type light valve for reflecting the illumination light to output modulated light forming an optical image, a projection lens system for projecting an optical image formed by the reflection type light valve, and a lens element. The lens element is composed of one plano-convex lens, and is placed between the valve and the projection lens system with a convex surface directed to the projection lens system. The illumination light passes through the lens element to illuminate the reflection type light valve, and the modulated light output passes through the lens to be incident upon the projection lens system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Fushimi, Yoshihiro Masumoto, Mitsuhiro Wada
  • Patent number: 6962414
    Abstract: A color projection display device may include SLMs or other panels. One embodiment includes a device for displaying a color image including first and second sequences of temporally-integrateable primary color image components, the device also includes first (209) and second (206) SLM panels (604, 606), first and second driving circuitry, and first through fourth polarizing beam spitters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Genoa Color Technologies Ltd.
    Inventor: Shmuel Roth
  • Patent number: 6939008
    Abstract: A projection type display device includes: a light source for emitting light including multiple light components falling within different wavelength ranges; pixels for modulating the light independently; a first optical system, which receives the light from the light source and directs it toward the pixels; and a second optical system, which projects the light, modulated by the pixels, onto a projection plane. The first optical system includes an optical element for converging the light components onto mutually different ones of the pixels in accordance with their wavelength ranges. The pixels are arranged in a predetermined azimuth on a panel plane where the pixels are defined. The element has a first length in a first direction defined by the azimuth and a second length, greater than the first length, in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The element converges the light components in the first and second directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Shibatani, Hiroshi Hamada
  • Patent number: 6939009
    Abstract: A compact work light that generates a light beam having high brightness and high illumination uniformity is disclosed. The work light includes a housing that houses a light source, a light homogenizer and an imaging lens in an operational relationship. The housing is attached to an adjustable mount, which can be attached to a fixed region such as wall, or to a movable support member such as a lamp base. The light source generates light that is uniformized by the light homogenizer. The homogenized light is then imaged by the imaging lens as a highly uniform, bright beam spot having a sharp boundary. The beam spot is formed at a selectable distance from the work light by varying the imaging lens and/or the adjustable mount. The work light is useful for a variety of industrial, professional and personal applications, including but not limited to a reading light, a dentist light, a head lamp, a head light and an optical projector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Optics 1, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Fischer, Joseph E. Gortych
  • Patent number: 6926413
    Abstract: The supporting structure for a rod integrator 300 includes, for example, holding members 350a, 350b for holding the rod integrator 300, and supporting units 360a, 360b for supporting the holding members. Each holding member 350a contacts by its planar portions (walls) respectively with two side surfaces of the rod integrator 300 adjacent to one another. The holding member 350a has a clearance such that the holding member does not contact with the edge shared by the two side surfaces of the rod integrator 300. The supporting unit 360a includes, for example, a supporting member 361a and screw 362a. The supporting unit 360a supports the rod integrator 300 by pressing of the screw 362a along the direction of the diagonal of the rod integrator 300 via the supporting member 361a. By doing so, chipping and scratching proximate to the edge can be reduced, and soiling of the reflecting plane can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Koichi Akiyama
  • Patent number: 6923544
    Abstract: A projector is provided which can realize a bright projected image of high light utilization efficiency while combining a reflective-type liquid crystal device and an integrator optical system. The projector may include a light source lamp, a light beam dividing optical element, a polarization conversion element, a polarization selection element having a polarization selection surface, and an electro-optical device. When a plane of incidence including a normal line of the polarization selection surface and the central axis of an incident light is assumed, the direction parallel to the plane of incidence and perpendicularly intersecting the central axis is assumed to be the X-axis direction, and the direction perpendicularly intersecting the plane of incidence is assumed to be the Y-axis direction, the direction of polarization beam separation by the polarization conversion element is the X-axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Ito
  • Patent number: 6886943
    Abstract: An image display system uses a polarizing beam splitter to direct light from a lamp to multiple spatial modulators. The spatial light modulators (“SLM”) each generate an image portion, which are stitched together on a display screen to obtain a high resolution image. In particular embodiment, image portions from two conventional SLMs, each controlling about two million pixels, are stitched together to form an image having about four million pixels. In another embodiment, two lamps are used with four SLMs to produce a resultant image having about eight million pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: JDS Uniphase Corporation
    Inventors: Michael R. Greenberg, Matthew W. Bellis
  • Patent number: 6883917
    Abstract: A projection system that projects a text or subtitle box onto an image minimizes the contrast between the text box and the image. A transition region surrounding the text box minimizes visual disruption to the image onto which the text box is projected. The positions of optical elements of a text projector enable the text box to gradually fade out. The text projector has a lamp that defines an object plane and a light path modifier. The light path modifier is offset from the object plane, toward the lamp to blend the borders of the text box into the image projected by an image projector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: InFocus Corporation
    Inventors: Brian D. Wichner, Mark Peterson
  • Patent number: 6860607
    Abstract: An integrator type illumination optical system has a first lens array and a second lens array. The first lens array includes left, center, and right column groups. The thickness of the lens cells of the center column group is thinner than that of the lens cells in other column groups, and the thickness of the lens cells in the left and right column groups increases from the inner column outward gradually. The lens cells in the left and right column groups are shaped to converge incident light away from the optical axis of the integrator type illumination optical system, and the lens cells in the center column group are shaped to converge incident light toward the optical axis of the integrator type illumination optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hirotaka Yanagisawa
  • Patent number: 6860605
    Abstract: An arrangement for projecting a multi-color image, including at least two image-generating elements which enable generation of one partial color image each of the multi-color image, and a color combiner which superimposes the light partial beam paths and emits it as a common beam. The arrangement further includes projection optics. The image scales being different for the partial color images, one optical device each is arranged in one or more of the partial beam paths of the partial color images whose image scales differ and each optical device is configured such that, due to the change in the image scale of the corresponding partial color image effected by it, the image scale of the partial color image corresponds to a predetermined, common image scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Jena GmbH
    Inventors: Gertrud Blei, Gudrun Schroeter, Dietrich Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6854851
    Abstract: A projection display according to the present invention reduces the size of a light beam in the optical path of an illumination optics from the periphery to change the amount of light incident on a video display device and the angle of such incidence, thereby making a plurality of image brightness/contrast combinations selectable. Further, the present invention changes the revolving speed of a projection display cooling fan and the adjustment value settings for the video display device's electrical characteristics in accordance with the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Futoshi Yamasaki, Satoshi Nakayama, Takuya Shiaki, Tsutomu Nakashima, Eiji Yamaguchi, Nobuyuki Kimura
  • Patent number: 6851811
    Abstract: A relay optical system, which focuses light from a light outgoing plane of an integrator rod into an image on a predetermined illumination area, has a first optical element for correcting at least a distortion aberration, and a second optical element for correcting at least a chromatic aberration. The first optical element includes at least one focusing lens having a non-spherical convex plane, and the second optical element includes at least one diverging lens having a spherical concave lens. The diverging lens is composed of a relatively high dispersive optical glass material having an Abbe's number of not greater than 40. The focusing lens is composed of either an acrylic resin material or an olefin resin material. This arrangement focuses light into an image as an illumination area with a high accuracy and thereby enhances the quality of a resulting displayed image in a projector based on SCR technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Koichi Akiyama
  • Patent number: 6843567
    Abstract: A projection system including a light source, a rectilinearly reciprocating cylindrical lens array, an optical separator, a light valve, and a projection lens unit. The light source emits a beam. The rectilinearly reciprocating cylindrical lens array advances color beams along different paths upon reciprocation. The optical separator separates the beam emitted from the light source into color beams according to wavelength. The light valve receives the scrolled color beams transmitted by the cylindrical lens array and forms a color image by pixels turning on or off according to an input image signal. The projection lens unit magnifies the color image formed on the light valve and projects the magnified color image on a screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hee-joong Lee, Kun-ho Cho, Dae-sik Kim, Sung-ha Kim
  • Patent number: 6834962
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a projection system that can be applied to a projection TV or a projection monitor, and more particularly, to a projection system that can improve a contrast while maintaining a proper brightness of a set where the projection system is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Eun Seong Seo
  • Patent number: 6824270
    Abstract: A single-panel color image display apparatus realizing a wide color gamut is provided. The single-panel color image display apparatus includes a colored light separator having a plurality of dichroic filters in which a dichroic filter reflecting a red light beam may be disposed lastly among the plurality of dichroic filters. The single-panel color image display apparatus may include a scrolling unit having a mask at a boundary portion between spiral lens cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-ha Kim, Kun-ho Cho, Dae-sik Kim, Ju-seong Hwang, Hee-joong Lee
  • Publication number: 20040227910
    Abstract: An illumination optical device 10 is provided with a light source device 11 and a uniform illumination optical system 15. To a light flux emission side of an expanded portion of the light source lamp 12 of the light source device 11, which is opposite to a reflector of the illumination optical device 10, a reflection member 121 is provided. An effective reflection plane diameter of an elliptical reflector 13 of the light source device 11 is 30 mm or more but 50 mm or less. Furthermore, assuming that a first focal distance of the elliptical reflector 13 is f1, and a second focal distance thereof is f2, f1 becomes equal to or more than 5 mm, but equal to or less than 50 mm, and f2/f1 becomes in a range from 4 to 7 inclusive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichi Akiyama, Toshiaki Hashizume
  • Patent number: 6811263
    Abstract: A colored lighting separating device and a single-panel color image display apparatus using the same include a colored light separator having a plurality of dichroic filters to separate incident light into a plurality of colored light beams and a driving device which moves the colored light separator to scroll the separated colored light beams. The colored light separating device performs color scrolling by driving the colored light separator itself so that the structure of the colored light separating device enabling color scrolling is simplified, continuity and consistency of the color scrolling are guaranteed, and the scrolling speed of color bars are kept constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-ha Kim, Kun-ho Cho, Dae-sik Kim
  • Patent number: 6811262
    Abstract: The present invention provides a technique of readily manufacturing a projector. The projector comprises: an illumination optical system for emitting light; an electro-optical device for modulating the light emitted from the illumination optical system in response to image information; a projection optical system for projecting a modulated light generated by the electro-optical device; and an optical component having a rock crystal member composed of rock crystal, the optical component being located in an optical path including the illumination optical system and the projection optical system. For example, the optical component provided on a light incident side or a light exiting side of the electro-optical device has a rock crystal substrate 308G as the rock crystal member and a polarizing plate 302Go arranged on the substrate. It is preferable that a Z axis of the rock crystal substrate 308G is set to be substantially parallel to or substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Takezawa, Toshiaki Hashizume, Hisamaro Kato
  • Patent number: 6799852
    Abstract: An image display projector includes a lens element for focusing a light beam from a lamp light source, a reflecting mirror for reflecting a light beam emitted from the lens element, an elliptical mirror for reflecting a light beam emitted from the reflecting mirror, a light valve for modulating a light beam reflected by the elliptical mirror, thereby forming an image light, and a projection lens for projecting the image light onto a screen. In this image display projector, a light focusing point, where the light beam emitted from the lens element is focused, is symmetric to one of the two focal points of the elliptical mirror with respect to the reflecting mirror, and the center of an entry pupil of the projection lens is symmetric to the second focal point of the elliptical mirror with respect to the light valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Sekiguchi, Hidehiko Hori
  • Patent number: 6796654
    Abstract: A light distribution module adaptable to a LCD display system includes a first lens array having a plurality of lenses for condensing a light beam into a plurality of polarization separation elements for separating and converting the light beam into a first set and a second set of uniformly polarized and mutually orthogonal beams. An image source size reduction lens reduces and focuses the first set and second set of uniformly polarized beams into a second lens array having twice as many lenses as the first lens array. The second lens array has a first and second set of lens arrays for receiving and converting the light beams with a first and second polarizations into a plurality of beams all with the first polarization to focus to a size-reduced LCD panel for image display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Junejei Huang
  • Patent number: 6796662
    Abstract: The invention provides an illumination optical system and a projector that can efficiently utilize light from a light source by causing light from the light source reflected by an elliptic reflector to pass through the corresponding cell lenses of first and second lens arrays. The illumination optical system causes at least light beams in a center portion around a light-source optical axis, of reflected light reflected by an elliptic reflector, to pass on the optical paths extending slightly outward relative to the optical path parallel to the light-source optical axis, like the light beams, so that the light beams pass through the corresponding cell lenses of a first lens array and a second lens array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Koichi Akiyama
  • Patent number: 6793341
    Abstract: A projection system configured to project a stereographic image onto a viewing surface is provided. The projection system includes a light source configured to produce a beam of light, a beam splitter configured to split the beam of light into a right image beam and a left image beam, an image engine configured to produce the stereographic image, and a projection lens configured to project a left-eye image and a right-eye image onto the viewing surface. The image engine includes a left optical path configured to produce the left-eye image from the left image beam, the left optical path including an upstream left polarizer, a left image-producing element and a downstream left polarizer, and a right optical path configured to produce the right-eye image from the right image beam, the right optical path including an upstream right polarizer, a right image-producing element and a downstream right polarizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: InFocus Corporation
    Inventors: Benny Stale Svardal, Kjell Einar Olsen, Odd Ragnar Andersen
  • Patent number: 6793342
    Abstract: The invention includes a color projection system. System includes a light source, a first relay lens, disposed on a first optical path, optically coupled to the light source. System also includes a second relay lens, disposed in a second optical path, optically coupled to the first lens, the second optical path being of a predetermined vertical distance above the first optical path. The color projection system also includes a light management device, having a light entrance surface and a light exit surface, the light entrance surface optically coupled to the second lens along the second optical path, the light exit surface located on a third optical path, and the third optical path being substantially parallel to the first and second optical paths and being a predetermined distance below the second optical path. A projection lens may be optically coupled to the light exit surface of the light management device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: InFocus Corporation
    Inventor: Serge J. A. Bierhuizen