Plural Projection Paths With Single Light Source Patents (Class 353/34)
  • Patent number: 6454416
    Abstract: A color liquid crystal projector has an optical system for color splitting. The optical system includes a mirror for reflecting a first primary-color light and transmitting second and third primary-color lights in light from a light source; a first phase plate for transmitting the second primary-color light from the mirror with its polarization degree rotated through 90°, and for transmitting the third primary-color light; a first prism for transmitting the second primary-color light from the first phase plate into a second liquid crystal display panel, and reflecting the third primary-color light from the first phase plate into a third liquid crystal display panel; a second prism for entering the first primary-color light from the mirror into a first liquid crystal display panel; and a dichroic prism for combining the first, second and third primary-color lights reflected from the liquid crystal display panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhide Aoto, Kaoru Yanagawa
  • Patent number: 6454413
    Abstract: The invention relates to an image projection system. The image projection system comprises a radiation source, polarization-sensitive filter means, polarization conversion means, and color filter means for supplying a first and a second light beam having a first color and a first direction of polarization and a second color and a second direction of polarization, respectively, to a modulation system comprising two image panels for modulating the first and second light beams with image information. In order to obtain a compact projection system in the image projection system according to the invention, the areas occupied by said polarization-sensitive filter means, polarization conversion means and color filter means coincide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Adrianus Johannes Stephanes Maria Vaan De
  • Patent number: 6439724
    Abstract: A color projector for correcting chromatism by changing the sizes or positions of three display devices with respect to each color is provided. In the color projector, two or more display devices selected from the first through third display devices have different sizes of effective areas where an image is formed such that chromatism generated while lights of different colors synthesized by the synthesizing device pass the projection lens unit can be corrected. Also, the distances between two or more display devices selected from the first through third display devices and the projection lens unit are different from one another such that chromatism generated while lights of different colors synthesized by the synthesizing device pass the projection lens unit can be corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kee-uk Jeon, Dae-je Chin
  • Patent number: 6435682
    Abstract: An image projection system is provided for generating an energy efficient output representative of a desired input image. The image projection system includes a light source positioning device for directing the light from a light source onto a spatial light modulator. An image source provides the desired image to the spatial light modulator and also image information to a light source position controller for coordinating the light source positioning device, such that the light from the light source impinges substantially only the area of the spatial light modulator which contains the desired image. In particular, the controller actuates the light source positioning device by using a predefined scan that corresponds to the desired image. The spatial light modulator modulates the light with the desired input image and generates an output representative of the desired image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Limited
    Inventors: Barney J. Kaelin, Stephen J. Reinsch
  • Patent number: 6431709
    Abstract: A triple-lens type projection display includes a source for generating a white primary beam output, a first beam splitter for splitting the white primary beam output into a first color component and a secondary beam output, a second beam splitter for splitting the secondary beam output into a second color component and a third color component, first, second and third light modulators for modulating the first, second and third color components, respectively, a first projection lens for receiving the first color component from the first light modulator, a second projection lens for receiving the second color component from the second light modulator, and a third projection lens for receiving the third color component from the third light modulator. Each of the first, second and third color components has a respective optical path length that is measured from the first beam splitter to a respective one of the first, second and third light modulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Prokia Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuo-Tung Tiao, Fu-Ming Chuang, Sheng-Hsiung Chan
  • Patent number: 6429906
    Abstract: Projection displays are disclosed that reduce the loss of image contrast due to angle-of-incidence and color dependencies of liquid crystal display panels, polarizing beamsplitters, and dichroic reflectors. The projection displays comprise an illumination source that provides a light flux that made uniform by an integrator. A color separation system then divides the light flux into red, green, and blue color components. The color-components are directed through field lenses to polarizing beamsplitters and then to liquid crystal light valves. The color components are reflected by the light valves back through the polarizing beamsplitters to a projection lens that forms an image. The projection lens is preferably telecentric. Field lenses are provided that direct substantially collimated color components to the liquid crystal light valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Sekine, Tetsuo Hattori
  • Patent number: 6424437
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical system for use in a projection display system. The optical system, in one embodiment, includes a first electrically switchable holographic optical element (ESHOE) and a light deflector. The first ESHOE operates between active and inactive states and includes oppositely facing front and back surfaces. In the inactive state, the first ESHOE transmits first bandwidth light received on the front surface without substantial alteration. In the active state, the first ESHOE diffracts first bandwidth light received on the front surface, the diffracted first bandwidth light emerging also from the front surface. The light deflector receives first bandwidth light diffracted by the first ESHOE. In response, the light deflector deflects this diffracted first bandwidth light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: DigiLens, Inc.
    Inventor: Milan M. Popovich
  • Patent number: 6409348
    Abstract: In an illumination optical system; a wavelength separating optical system; plural light modulation devices provided respectively so as to modulate the light in the plural wavelength regions according to a given image signal; a light synthesizing optical system for synthesizing the light modulated by the plural light modulation devices; a projection optical system for projecting the synthesized light emitted; and a reflecting mirror placed in the optical path. Light with a wavelength of approximately 425 nm is separated by the wavelength separating optical system and enters a corresponding light modulation device. The reflecting mirror has a reflectance of approximately 90% or more, for light in the wavelength region of approximately 435 nm or more, and a reflectance for light in the wavelength region of at least 425 nm±5 nm, that is lower than the reflectance for the light in the wavelength region of approximately 435 nm or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuo Aoki
  • Patent number: 6402323
    Abstract: The present invention proposes a reflective type liquid crystal projection system, which comprises an incident light source providing an S-polarization light beam or a P-polarization light beam as the incident light beam. A polarization of color-splitting device having a first polarization of color splitter and a second polarization of color splitter is used to split the incident light beam of three primary colors into two sets of light beams, which respectively penetrate through or are reflected. The two sets of light beams split by the first polarization of color splitter are reflected by two reflective mirrors, traverse two polarizing plates arranged between the reflective mirrors and the second polarization of color splitter, and are then incident on the second polarization of color splitter. At least a retarder is arranged between the reflective mirrors and the polarization of color-splitting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: K Laser Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shin Gwo Shiue, I-Pen Chien, Mang Ou-Yang, Chun-Lung Lai, Hsin-Chu Liu
  • Publication number: 20020067545
    Abstract: In a projection display, a dichroic beam splitter separates white light into a first color set that includes first and second color components, and a second color set that includes a third color component, such that the first color set traverses an optical path different from that of the second color set. A first light polarization selector receives the first color set from the dichroic beam splitter, and a first polarized beam splitter prism receives the first color set from the first light polarization selector. The first polarized beam splitter prism directs the color components in the first color set to first and second light modulators respectively for light modulation. The first and second light modulators reflect the light-modulated color components of the first color set back to the first polarized beam splitter prism for reception by a second light polarization selector and a first projection lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2000
    Publication date: June 6, 2002
    Applicant: PROKIA TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Fu-Ming Chuang
  • Patent number: 6398366
    Abstract: A display apparatus of the projection type is improved in that, when a lamp valve breaks or is to be replaced, glass fragments and so forth thereof are prevented from being scattered into the inside of an outer housing of a projector apparatus through a cooling air intake port in a portion of the outer casing below the lamp valve and a comparatively small number of cooling fans are used to reduce the size and the weight of the overall display apparatus while optical modulation elements, a light source element and so forth can be forcibly cooled in a high efficiency. Cooling air blasted from an air blasting fan is blasted through an air blasting duct to three spatial optical modulation elements, a PS conversion element and a discharge lamp to forcibly air-cool the elements. A lamp box in which the light source is accommodated and which is removably mounted in an outer housing has a cooling air intake port through which cooling air is taken in to the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Hara, Takuji Ohkubo
  • Patent number: 6398365
    Abstract: A projection display apparatus (100) is formed by a light source (4) radiating white light w, a collimator lens (5) that converts condensed light flux from the light source (4) to collimated light flux, a cold mirror (6) for eliminating unwanted infrared light included in the white light w, an integrator that makes the intensity distribution of the illumination light on an object to be illuminated uniform, a reflective mirror (8) that reflects light flux from the integrator (7) at a prescribed angle, a polarizer (9) that polarizes separated light of each wavelength band, a spatial light modulation section (10), a coupling prism (11), and a projection lens (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Limited
    Inventors: Ryusaku Takahashi, Shintaro Nakagaki, Tsutou Asakura, Fujiko Koyama
  • Patent number: 6392821
    Abstract: A projector for producing a visually perceptible light image along predetermined vector coordinates, includes a light source for producing a beam of light along a light path; a deflector positioned to deflect the beam of light along the vector coordinates; a focusing lens for focusing the deflected light beam; and a projection reflector for reflecting the beam along the vector coordinates to thereby form the visually perceptible light image. A preferred light source comprises a laser, and a preferred reflecting surface has a substantially convex shape, preferably including a parabolic reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Inventor: William R. Benner, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6364488
    Abstract: A projection display device for displaying electrically encoded images includes an L-type optical module, which includes first, second, and third polarization beam splitter mirrors and a first retarder film. The first and the third polarization beam splitter mirrors are aligned in a plane that is perpendicular to the second polarization beam splitter mirror. A first monochromatic polarized beam is directed to the first polarization beam splitter mirror, and a bi-chromatic polarized beam is directed to the third polarization splitter mirror. The first polarization beam splitter mirror directs the first monochromatic polarized beam to a first modulation unit, and a first modulated beam reflects from the first modulation unit to the second polarization beam splitter mirror via the first retarder film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Primax Electronics Ltd.
    Inventor: Shang-Yi Lin
  • Publication number: 20020030893
    Abstract: An optical unit (20, 30) for color projection display system that has three SLMs (21, 31) and three projection lenses (27, 37). Each SLM (21, 31) receives light of a different primary color, which it modulates to form images for that color. Each SLM (21, 31) and its associated projection lens (27, 37) provides a “channel” for that color of the final image, with the channels being converged out of the projection lenses (27, 37) to the viewing screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Publication date: March 14, 2002
    Inventors: Duane Scott Dewald, Edwin L. Brown
  • Patent number: 6347014
    Abstract: An illumination optical system has a light source that emits white light having random polarization planes, a polarization separation device that separates the light from the light source into two types of light having polarization planes perpendicular to each other and traveling in directions at an angle to each other, a wavelength-specific polarization conversion device that receives the two types of light thus separated and that then subjects the light of a particular wavelength range included in them to polarization conversion, a convergence optical system that receives the two types of light after the light of the particular wavelength range included therein has undergone polarization conversion and that then makes them converge on different convergence positions, and a half-wave plate disposed near one of those convergence positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohtaro Hayashi, Yasumasa Sawai, Kenji Konno
  • Patent number: 6343862
    Abstract: A projecting image display device is disclosed which includes a display and a micro lens array, where the pixels of the display and the micro lens elements each have non symmetric properties in length and width directions. The micro lens concentrates color-separated light onto pixels of a display device so that light does not hit the black matrix. By providing a display having pixels which are not equal in length and width, pixels corresponding to red (R), green (G) and blue (B) can be arranged in a substantially square area, and by providing a micro lens array which has non symmetric properties in length and width, the color separated light can be concentrated onto the non square display pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasumasa Sawai, Kohtaro Hayashi, Soh Ohzawa, Yuichiro Ori, Jun Ishihara
  • Patent number: 6322217
    Abstract: A projection display device is provided having a mounting mechanism of a modulation element which does not cause pixel displacement at variable temperature when the pixel pitch is reduced. The projection display device is provided with a frame fixed to the light incident face of a prism composite, an intermediate frame detachably mounted to the fixed frame, a screw for fixing the fixed frame and the intermediate frame, a modulation element frame detachably mounted to the intermediate frame for holding a modulation element, a wedge for positioning the modulation element frame and the intermediate frame, and an adhesive layer for fixing the modulation element frame to the intermediate frame with the wedge therebetween. The intermediate frame is provided with a slit which facilitates elastic deformation of portions other than the fixed section for fixing the wedge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Motoyuki Fujimori, Kazuyuki Iinuma
  • Patent number: 6312130
    Abstract: To increase the usage efficiency of the light of optical elements used in a projection display device, a polarizing conversion unit is provided. This polarizing conversion unit consists of a unit frame, two polarizing conversion element arrays, a light-shielding plate, a lens array, and clips. From the side of one open surface of the unit frame, the two polarizing conversion element arrays are inserted, and the light-shielding plate and the lens array are inserted from the side of the other open surface in this order. These optical elements are clamped by four clips from the two directions of up and down in a state of being stored in the unit frame. Since the clips are formed of an elastic body, the clips can be easily attached and detached, and the respective parts of the polarizing conversion unit can also be easily attached and detached to and from the unit frame. In addition, these optical elements may be sequentially inserted from the side of one open surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Haba, Takeshi Takizawa
  • Patent number: 6310723
    Abstract: A polarization luminaire is disclosed having a light source, a system of the optical integrator, a polarized light splitting device for splitting a light emitted from the light source into two kinds of polarized lights whose polarization directions are perpendicular to each other and whose traveling directions are apart from each other by an angle of less than 90 degrees, and a polarization conversion device for causing the two kinds of polarized lights to have the same polarization direction. The polarized light splitting device is placed on one of the entrance side and the outputting side of the first lens plate of the system of the optical integrator or is placed within the second lens plate. A prism beam splitter having a polarized light splitting film constituted by a thermally stable dielectric multi-layer film is suitable for the polarized light splitting device. Most of the polarized lights can be utilized by causing the polarized lights to have the same polarization direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Itoh, Junichi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6304381
    Abstract: An illumination optical apparatus has a light source for emitting illumination light, a first lens array having lens cells arranged regularly in a grid-like formation so that the lens cells of the first lens array will individually focus the illumination light incident thereon in different positions corresponding thereto, a second lens array having lens cells arranged regularly in a grid-like formation oriented in a different direction from the grid-like formation in which the lens cells of the first lens array are arranged, with the lens cells of the second lens array disposed in the positions in which the lens cells of the first lens array focus the illumination light, and a polarization separation device disposed between the light source and the second lens array so as to separate the illumination light coming from the light source in such a way that, through each of the lens cells of the first lens array, two components of the illumination light having mutually different polarization planes form two separ
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kohtaro Hayashi
  • Patent number: 6283597
    Abstract: In a process for the projection of images on a screen (20) by means of a light bundle, an individual projector (40) is provided for projecting the images, wherein the light bundle used for projection is emitted from a light source (12, 12′) in the projector (40) whose light has at least one spectral peak in the visible wavelength range with a half-width of less than 100 nm, especially less than 30 nm, and observers of the image are given eyeglasses (24, 24′) which have a wavelength-dependent transmission function such that light in the wavelength range of at least one spectral peak or, if more than one spectral peak, in the wavelength range of at least one of these spectral peaks passes through each eyeglass (24, 24′), and the light intensity for light with wavelengths beyond this spectral peak or spectral peaks is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventor: Helmut Jorke
  • Publication number: 20010015794
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system for projecting or displaying images comprising a valve exhibiting a plurality of image-forming elements having a light transmission coefficient which can be controlled so as to present the image, and a means of illuminating the valve comprising a light source and an integrator having two lens arrays associated in such a way that each lens of the second array distributes over the valve the light received from a corresponding lens of the first array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2001
    Publication date: August 23, 2001
    Inventors: Denis Battarel, Valter Drazic
  • Patent number: 6262851
    Abstract: A double-pass projection display system with separate polarizers and analyzers. One embodiment of the invention includes an input polarizer, a color separation/recombination device, and a number of image producing sections. The input polarizer receives unpolarized white light and polarizes this light. The color separation/recombination device receives the polarized white light and separates this light into a number of component color bands. The color separation/recombination device then supplies a component color band to each image producing sections. Each section includes a spatial light modulator and an output analyzer. The spatial light modulator modulates the color band that the image producing section receives from the color separation/recombination device. The output analyzer then (1) discards the light, in the modulated band, that has a first polarization state, and (2) directs the light, in the modulated band, that has a second polarization state to the color separation/recombination device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Co.
    Inventor: Daniel R. Marshall
  • Patent number: 6259430
    Abstract: A color display system comprises a radiation generator in which the intensity of at least four wavelength bands can be controlled to reproduce a desired color. The system includes an intensity modulator that generates a multiplicity of modulation control signals each corresponding to a respectively different one of the wavelength bands. A multi-wavelength radiation source provides a plurality of narrow-band radiation signals, each corresponding to a respectively different one of the wavelength bands. The radiation source is responsive to the control signals to control the intensity of each of the narrow-band radiation signals to provide a plurality of modulated narrow-band radiation signals. The plurality of narrow-band radiation signals are combined to reproduce the desired color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation
    Inventors: George Herbert Needham Riddle, Herschel Clement Burstyn
  • Patent number: 6250764
    Abstract: A technique for improving properties of polarizing beam splitters and polarizing conversion elements, and a projection display apparatus having high light utilization efficiency using such polarizing beam splitters are provided. A polarizing beam splitter in accordance with the present invention includes a light transmissive substrate having a refractive index ranging from approximately 1.48 to 1.58, and a polarization separating film formed on the light transmissive substrate. The polarization separating film includes a multilayered structural section formed by alternately arranging MgF2 layers and MgO layers. The polarization separating film in accordance with the present invention can improve the transmission property and the reflection property with respect to two types of polarized light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Aoki, Yukihiro Endo
  • Patent number: 6246506
    Abstract: A polarization device includes a reflection-type polarization element disposed at a side to which an optical beam comes in and an absorption-type polarization element disposed behind the reflection-type polarization element, wherein the reflection-type polarization element and the absorption-type polarization element are disposed such that a transmission axis of the reflection-type polarization element coincides with the transmission axis of the absorption-type polarization element. Further, an optical projector using such a polarization device is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Tetsuya Kobayashi, Mari Sugawara, Tetsuya Hamada, Toshihiro Suzuki, Noriyuki Ohashi, Takeshi Gotoh, Hisashi Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20010000972
    Abstract: To increase the usage efficiency of the light of optical elements used in a projection display device, a polarizing conversion unit is provided. This polarizing conversion unit consists of a unit frame, two polarizing conversion element arrays, a light-shielding plate, a lens array, and clips. From the side of one open surface of the unit frame, the two polarizing conversion element arrays are inserted, and the light-shielding plate and the lens array are inserted from the side of the other open surface in this order. These optical elements are clamped by four clips from the two directions of up and down in a state of being stored in the unit frame. Since the clips are formed of an elastic body, the clips can be easily attached and detached, and the respective parts of the polarizing conversion unit can also be easily attached and detached to and from the unit frame. In addition, these optical elements may be sequentially inserted from the side of one open surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2001
    Publication date: May 10, 2001
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Haba, Takeshi Takizawa
  • Patent number: 6229648
    Abstract: A projector including a non-polarized light source, at least one polarizing beam-splitter receiving light from the non-polarized light source, the polarizing beam splitter including first and second prisms separated by a liquid crystal material, a selectably actuable polarization rotating light valve having impinging thereon light from the polarizing beam splitter and operating in a reflective mode, and a mirror having impinging thereon light from the polarizing beam splitter and reflecting the light via the polarizing beam splitter to the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: Unic View Ltd.
    Inventor: Shlomo Barak
  • Patent number: 6227671
    Abstract: In a projection display apparatus, an air inlet is formed below an optical modulation device and a color synthesizing system, and a suction fan is placed across the optical modulation device and the color synthesizing system. Thereby the optical modulation device and the color synthesizing system are uniformly cooled by air on the suction side of the suction fan. A structure fixing the optical modulation device and the color synthesizing system is provided with a suction opening cooling the optical modulation device and the color synthesizing system, and this suction opening is covered with a dustproof filter, thereby achieving dust protection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shinji Haba
  • Patent number: 6222593
    Abstract: In a system according to the invention, fine image data 2 created and output by a personal computer 1 is input to an image processing/dividing section 4. The image processing/dividing section 4 determines, on the basis of parameters stored in a projector arrangement storage 5, which portion of the fine image data 2 is output to which projector, thereby performing a predetermined processing. Digital signals from the image processing/dividing section 4 are input to a plurality of D/A converters 6, respectively, where the signals are converted to analog signals. Images in the form of the analog signals are projected onto a screen 8 from projectors 7a-7d. Thus, the image projected on the screen 8 is constituted of accurately positioned images, and hence is a very fine image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Higurashi, Tatsuo Nagasaki, Yasuhiro Komiya, Koutatsu Oura, Ganglu Jing
  • Patent number: 6217174
    Abstract: A full color image projection system is provided using two non-color-specific image sources and color-specific filters. The system is capable of projecting an image using one primary color from one image source and the other two primary colors from another image source. The system uses slower speed image sources than would be required with one source alternating between three colors, and exhibits higher resolution than would be obtained from a color-specific image source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Inventor: Richard M. Knox
  • Patent number: 6203158
    Abstract: A projection display device capable of improving cooling efficiency of the power unit includes a light source lamp unit, a projection lens unit, an exhaust fan provided near the light source lamp unit for ventilating an outer case, and a ventilating path provided inside the power unit. A suction fan is provided at the inlet of the ventilating path which is connected to the cooling air intake port through a duct cover to directly conduct fresh air into the ventilating path. Because the interior of the power unit is cooled by fresh air which is cooler than the air inside the outer case, cooling efficiency is enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Mutsuya Furuhata, Takeshi Takizawa, Motoyuki Fujimori, Akitoshi Kuroda, Shinji Haba, Kiyoshi Miyashita
  • Patent number: 6199987
    Abstract: To increase the usage efficiency of the light of optical elements used in a projection display device, a polarizing conversion unit is provided. This polarizing conversion unit consists of a unit frame, two polarizing conversion element arrays, a light-shielding plate, a lens array, and clips. From the side of one open surface of the unit frame, the two polarizing conversion element arrays are inserted, and the light-shielding plate and the lens array are inserted from the side of the other open surface in this order. These optical elements are clamped by four clips from the two directions of up and down in a state of being stored in the unit frame. Since the clips are formed of an elastic body, the clips can be easily attached and detached, and the respective parts of the polarizing conversion unit can also be easily attached and detached to and from the unit frame. In addition, these optical elements may be sequentially inserted from the side of one open surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Haba, Takeshi Takizawa
  • Patent number: 6196687
    Abstract: A system for measuring the convergence alignment may include an optical system arranged to preferentially image and magnify the regions of a display screen outside the area normally viewed by users. That area may include convergence targets which may be associated with each corner of the display. That information may be provided as a unified image to an imaging sensor which may thereafter be utilized to analyze the information and if desired, make appropriate corrections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Ronald D. Smith
  • Patent number: 6193376
    Abstract: A display apparatus of the present invention includes: an illumination optical system for emitting illumination light; a reflective display panel divided into a plurality of pixels, illuminated by the illumination light from the illumination optical system, and selectively reflecting the incident illumination light pixel by pixel as projection light; a projection optical system for projecting image information the reflective display panel onto a projected surface by transmitting the projection light reflected at the reflective display panel; and a reflection angle converting optical system disposed ahead of the reflective display panel, changing the angle of incidence of the illumination light on the reflective display panel, and adjusting the sum of the angle of incidence of the illumination light on the reflective display panel and the angle of reflection of the projection light at the reflective display panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohtaro Hayashi, Kenji Konno, Shunta Takimoto, Yasumasa Sawai, Shigeru Sawamura
  • Patent number: 6195143
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device that modulates light in accordance with supplied image information comprises a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, each pixel having an opening to allow passage of light, and an array of micro-lenses arranged in a matrix that divides illumination light into a plurality of partial light beams and converges the light beams to a light incidence plane of the pixels. In the liquid crystal device, the characteristics of the micro-lenses are adjusted to increase a proportion of light exiting from the opening of each pixel substantially parallel to a clear viewing direction of the liquid crystal device compared to a proportion of light parallel to other directions. Each micro-lens is positioned so that a line connecting the optical center of the micro-lens to the center of the incident surface of the corresponding pixel is substantially parallel to the clear viewing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yasunori Ogawa
  • Patent number: 6186629
    Abstract: An illumination optical device has the following elements. A first optical block includes a first lens array having a plurality of cell lenses each being approximately similar in shape to a light modulation device. A second optical block includes a second lens array having a plurality of cell lenses corresponding to the respective cell lenses of the first lens array of the first optical block and each being approximately similar in shape to the light modulation device, and a first converging component for converging beams that have passed through the second lens array toward the light modulation device. A second converging component is disposed in the vicinity of the light modulation device and serves to image beams that are output from the second optical block at a predetermined position. The cell lenses of the first lens array have different aspherical surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Iwamura, Tatsuru Kanamori, Toru Kawai
  • Patent number: 6183093
    Abstract: A light source device for an image projector includes: two light sources for irradiating illumination light rays; a light distributor for receiving light rays from each of the two light sources, and sending out light rays of each of the two light sources parallel to an optical axis of the projector in a uniform distribution pattern from an entirety of an emerging surface of the light distributor. Each of the two light sources irradiates light rays in a direction inclined with respect to the light distributor so that light rays irradiated by each of the two light sources are incident onto the entire incident surface of the light distributor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasumasa Sawai
  • Patent number: 6183094
    Abstract: A projecting apparatus has a light source emitting a light, an optical integrator including a first lens array and a second lens array, a dividing optical system dividing the light emitting from the light source into three wavelength ranges, three panels capable of having images formed thereon such that the images formed correspond to the divided lights, a composition optical system composing three image lights from the images to be projected formed on the panels, an optical element provided between the light source and the panel and transmitting a light ray emitted from the light source; and a projection optical system projecting the composed image light. The optical element is movably supported in order to adjust a position of an illumination light on the illumination object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Ohta
  • Patent number: 6179423
    Abstract: An illuminating light incidence mirror for introducing an illuminating light to reflection-type liquid crystal panels is provided in one of two pupil division regions constituting a pupil region of a projection lens, and reflected lights directly reflected by the reflection-type liquid crystal panels are transmitted through the other pupil division region of the projection lens and projected. In dark display, the reflected lights from the reflection-type liquid crystal panels and surface-reflected lights reflected by surfaces of the reflection-type liquid crystal panels are blocked by polarizing plates. Further, since &lgr;/4 plates and the polarizing plates are provided at inclinations with respect to the reflection-type liquid crystal panels, respectively, projection of surface-reflected lights from the &lgr;/4 plates and the polarizing plates onto a screen can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromi Kato, Hiroshi Hamada
  • Patent number: 6172816
    Abstract: Projection lenses and projection lens systems are telecentric between an illumination subsystem and a set of imagers. The lenses and systems can exhibit color fringing correction, uniform imager illumination, athermalization, and component articulation for improved imaging. The lenses and systems may be employed in display apparatuses, such as folded display apparatuses that have decreased footprint size, but long effective projection lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Duke University
    Inventors: Biljana Tadic-Galeb, Robert E. Fischer, Robert M. Merritt
  • Patent number: 6157420
    Abstract: A projection-type display apparatus includes a light source; a color separating/synthesizing device arranged to divide light from the light source into three different color light rays; and three reflection-type display devices arranged to reflect the three different color light rays, respectively. The color separating/synthesizing device is further arranged to synthesize the three different color light rays respectively reflected by the three reflection display devices. The color separating/synthesizing device has transmittance of substantially 50% for each of a s-polarized light ray having a first wavelength and a p-polarized light ray having a second wavelength. A difference between the first wavelength of the s-polarized light ray and the second wavelength of the p-polarized light ray is equal to or less than 40 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakanishi, Hiroshi Hamada, Yutaka Takafuji
  • Patent number: 6149276
    Abstract: There is provided an image projector including (a) a light source, (b) a reflection mirror for reflecting flux of light emitted from the light source, (c) an image display unit for forming images, and (d) a relay system for transferring the flux of light to the image display unit, the relay system including a relay lens having a first convex surface through which the flux of light enters therein and a second convex surface through which the flux of light exits therefrom, a ratio of a radius of curvature of the first convex surface to a radius of a curvature of the second convex surface being determined in such a manner that aberration out of an optical axis of the relay lens is increased to thereby cause a converging point of the flux of light to displace from a calculated focal distance. For instance, the ratio is determined in the range of about 1:2 to about 1:3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi Takeuchi, Hiroshi Uchida
  • Patent number: 6144420
    Abstract: A reflection type projector includes: a light source; a polarization beam splitter for transmitting or reflecting an input light according to a polarization component thereof; a dichroic beam splitter, having first and second dichroic reflection surfaces for transmitting or reflecting a ray of one polarized light emitted from the light source and split by the polarization beam splitter to thereby be split into three colors; first, second and third imaging units, respectively disposed at positions corresponding to light output surfaces of the dichroic beam splitter, for forming an image from the input light and reflecting the formed image; a fourth imaging unit for forming an image from a ray of the other polarized light emitted from the light source and split by the polarization beam splitter and reflecting the formed image; a color filter, disposed between the polarization beam splitter and the fourth imaging unit and capable of rotating, for determining the color of a ray proceeding toward the fourth imagin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Myung-ryul Jung
  • Patent number: 6139154
    Abstract: In a projection display apparatus, an air inlet is formed below an optical modulation device and a color synthesizing system, and a suction fan is placed across the optical modulation device and the color synthesizing system. Thereby the optical modulation device and the color synthesizing system are uniformly cooled by air on the suction side of the suction fan. A structure fixing the optical modulation device and the color synthesizing system is provided with a suction opening cooling the optical modulation device and the color synthesizing system, and this suction opening is covered with a dustproof filter, thereby achieving dust protection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shinji Haba
  • Patent number: 6111618
    Abstract: A color liquid crystal display projector having a light source with a radiating element and a liquid crystal display (LCD). The LCD includes an array of multiple picture elements or pixels that each has separate color component elements. A microlens array is positioned adjacent to the liquid crystal display to direct light from the light source into the picture elements. Illumination imaging components cooperate with the microlens array to image the radiating element toward the separate color component elements of the liquid crystal display. Multiple differently inclined dichroic mirrors split the light into light beams of different color components that are imaged onto the appropriate color component elements of the liquid crystal display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Lightware, Inc.
    Inventors: David K. Booth, Arlie R. Conner
  • Patent number: 6089719
    Abstract: The present invention provides a projecting device for displaying electrical images. The projecting device comprises an illumination device for emitting a polarized trichrome light of various polarizations, three modulating devices for modulating three polarized monochrome lights to display the same electrical image, a light separating device having two dichroic mirrors perpendicular to two polarization beam splitting mirrors. One dichroic mirror and the two polarization beam splitting mirrors are used for separating the polarized trichrome light into three monochrome lights and passing each monochrome light to a correspondent modulating device for optical modulation. The three modulated lights reflected from the three modulating devices are transmitted to another dichroic mirror and synthesized into an output light beam for displaying the electrical image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Primax Electronics Ltd.
    Inventor: Shang-Yi Lin
  • Patent number: 6089717
    Abstract: A small-sized and light-weight projector apparatus capable of projecting images of high picture quality. A color separation/synthesis section of a projector apparatus includes a glass block body composed of a plurality of glass blocks combined together in such a manner that the corresponding sides are in close contact with each other; and a plurality of dielectric multilayer films for separating corresponding component rays of white light included in incident light and for synthesizing emitted rays from a plurality of corresponding spatial modulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Texas Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Junichi Iwai
  • Patent number: RE36850
    Abstract: A projection-type display apparatus includes a light source, a uniform illumination optical system, a color separating system for separating a white light beam emitted from the uniform illumination optical system into three color beams, three liquid crystal panels for respectively modulating each of the separated color beams, a light guide system located on an optical path of the color beam having the longest optical path among the separated color beams, a dichroic prism for synthesizing the beams modulated through the liquid crystal panels, and a projection lens for projecting the synthesized and modulated beam onto a screen. The uniform illumination optical system Is provided with a uniform illumination optical device for converting the white light beam emitted from the light source into a uniform rectangular beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tadaaki Nakayama, Yoshitaka Itoh, Akitaka Yajima