Unitary Plural Refracting Surfaces Patents (Class 353/38)
  • Publication number: 20100271598
    Abstract: A projection display device which displays an image by projecting the image on a screen includes a laser light source for emitting coherent light, a display device for forming an image to be displayed on a screen in an area illuminated by a luminous flux from the laser light source, a first diffusion plate for diffusing a luminous flux, and a second diffusion plate for diffusing a luminous flux. The first diffusion plate is provided in at least one of a conjugate position of the laser light source or the vicinity of the conjugate position in the optical path of the optical system including the laser light source through the screen. The second diffusion plate is provided in at least one of a conjugate position of the display device and the vicinity of the conjugate position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Inventors: Kazuaki Murayama, Kanto Miyazaki
  • Publication number: 20100271599
    Abstract: A projection display device which displays an image by projecting the image on a screen includes a laser light source 1 (1a, 1b, 1c) for emitting coherent light, a display device 3 for forming an image to be displayed on a screen 5 in an area illuminated by a luminous flux from the laser light source 1, a first diffusion plate 14 for diffusing a luminous flux, and a second diffusion plate 15 for diffusing a luminous flux. The first diffusion plate 14 is provided in at least one of a conjugate position of the laser light source 1 or the vicinity of the conjugate position in the optical path of the optical system including the laser light source 1 through the screen 5. The second diffusion plate 15 is provided in at least one of a conjugate position of the display device 3 or the vicinity of the conjugate position. At least one of the first diffusion plate 14 and the second diffusion plate 15 fluctuates perpendicularly to an optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Inventors: Kanto Miyazaki, Kazuaki Murayama
  • Patent number: 7819534
    Abstract: A projector includes: a light source that emits an illumination flux; a first lens array having plural first small lenses that split the illumination flux from the light source into plural partial luminous fluxes; a second lens array having plural second small lenses corresponding to the plural first small lenses; a superimposing lens that superimposes each partial luminous flux from the second lens array onto an illuminated area; an electro-optic modulator that modulates the light superimposed by the superimposing lens in accordance with image information; and a projection system that projects the light modulated by the electro-optic modulator; wherein the projector further has an optical lens arranged in an optical path between the superimposing lens and the electro-optic modulator, and the optical lens, together with the superimposing lens, forms a superimposing system that has a different focal length from the focal length of the superimposing lens and that has substantially the same focal position as the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Koichi Akiyama
  • Patent number: 7810931
    Abstract: A light source apparatus, including: an array light source in which a plurality of emission light sources is arranged; a divergence characteristic controller disposed corresponding to the array light source and configured to control a divergence characteristic of each of the emission light sources of the array light source; and a focusing optical element configured to control a directivity of light emitted from each of the emission light sources of the array light source, and the array light source, the divergence characteristic controller, and the focusing optical element are arranged in this order in a direction of emission from the array light source, and a following formula is satisfied: 0.067?L/f<1.1 where an effective diagonal length of the array light source is L and a focal distance of the focusing optical element is f.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Kawamura, Hibiki Tatsuno
  • Patent number: 7806530
    Abstract: A liquid crystal projector device of the present invention includes, on an optical axis of a lamp unit, first and second integrator lenses having a plurality of cells arranged in the form of a matrix, a polarization beam splitter, and a slit plate having a plurality of slit apertures that allow light incidence on the polarization beam splitter. A concave lens for collimating light emitted from the lamp unit is arranged on a front of the lamp unit. The concave lens has a light incidence surface thereof formed with a concavity. The concavity is formed such that the slit apertures of the slit plate allow passage of a larger amount of light than that in the case of using a concave lens without any concavity formed thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takahiro Totani
  • Publication number: 20100245777
    Abstract: A projector includes a light source unit 63, a light guiding device 75, a display device, a projection side optical system and a projector control means, the light source unit 63 includes a light source 72 which emits laser light in the wavelength band of blue, a light emitting wheel 71 disposed on an optical axis of the light source 72 and a wheel motor 73 for driving to rotate the light emitting wheel 71, and the light emitting wheel 71 is formed of a circular substrate having a diffusion layer on a predetermined surface thereof, the diffusion layer being made up of minute irregularities which are formed directly on a surface of the circular substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Naotsugu OGURA
  • Publication number: 20100245776
    Abstract: A projector including a light source unit, a display device and a projector control means, wherein the light source unit includes a fluorescent plate 130 including fluorescent material layers 131 disposed adjacent for emitting light in predetermined wavelength ranges by absorbing light, a diffusion plate 140 including a diffusion layer 141 disposed adjacent to the fluorescent material layers 131 for emitting light in a diffusing fashion, a light source for shining light on the layers 131, 141, a driving device for rotating the plates 130, 140, and a light cut-off plate 160 having a light cut-off portion 161, the light cut-off plate 160 capable of rotating together with the plates 130, 140 and movable so that the light cut-off portion 161 covers an area on the diffusion plate 140 where light is to be shone by the locked state being released when the diffusion plate 140 comes off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kyo YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20100238414
    Abstract: A visual display device includes an image display element 3 and an ocular optical system 5 that allows a viewer to observe an image displayed on the image display element 3 as a virtual image in a remote location. The ocular optical system 5 has at least one reflection optical element 5a, at least one transmission optical element 5b, and a visual axis 101 including a central main light beam in the reverse raytrace of the ocular optical system 5 which is directed from the center of an entrance pupil E toward the reflection optical element 5a through the transmission optical element 5b. The number of times of image formation is different between in a first cross-section including the visual axis 101 and in a second cross-section which is perpendicular to the first cross-section and includes the visual axis 101.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Inventor: Takayoshi Togino
  • Publication number: 20100231861
    Abstract: An image display apparatus is provided with a laser light source, a spatial light modulation device for modulating the laser light emitted from the laser light source, a display surface for displaying the modulated light, an optical pixel aperture enlarging member for distributing the luminance of the laser light while introducing the laser light to apertures of pixels of the spatial light modulation device; and a display pixel aperture enlarging portion for optically enlarging the modulated light by the apertures of the pixels of the spatial light modulation device corresponding to pixels of an image to be displayed on the display surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventors: Tetsuro Mizushima, Tatsuo Itoh, Kenichi Kasazumi, Kazuhisa Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20100231862
    Abstract: Miniaturization is realized and high-output lights are obtained by optimizing the arrangement of a laser light source unit and a homogenizer. A laser light source unit 1 has a light emission region for emitting an elliptical laser light. A focusing lens unit 2 focuses the laser light emitted from the laser light source unit 1. A rod integrator 4 has a rectangular incident surface on luminous flux focused by the focusing lens unit 2. A spatial light modulation element 7 modulates the laser light emitted from the rod integrator 4. A projection lens 8 projects the laser light modulated by the spatial light modulation element 7. The incident surface of the rod integrator 4 has a rectangular shape, and the laser light source unit 1 is arranged such that a longer axis direction of the light emission region and a longer side direction of the incident surface of the rod integrator are parallel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventors: Tatsuo Itoh, Tetsuro Mizushima, Kenichi Kasazumi, Kazuhisa Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20100220299
    Abstract: An image display device is provided with an image display unit for displaying an image visually recognizable by a viewer. The image display unit includes a sub-diffusion layer for diffusing laser light, a vibrator for vibrating the sub-diffusion layer, a primary diffusion layer for diffusing the laser light diffused by the sub-diffusion layer and a light shielding layer for cutting off outside light from a viewer side, wherein the primary diffusion layer and the light shielding layer are arranged at the viewer side of the sub-diffusion layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Inventors: Tetsuro Mizushima, Tatsuo Itoh, Toshifumi Yokoyama, Akira Kurozuka
  • Publication number: 20100214538
    Abstract: An optical unit (1) is disclosed that is equipped with a pair of integrator lenses (11 and 14) secured to a holder (12), the optical unit (1) including a first frame-shaped metal plate (10) secured to the holder (12) in a state in which a portion of the principal surface contacts with a first surface (A) of the holder (12) and a second frame-shaped metal plate (15) secured to the holder (12) in a state in which a portion of the principal surface contacts with a second surface (B) of the holder (12). One lens array (11) is positioned with respect to the optical axis direction by securing the lens formation surface to an area which is a part of the surface of the principal surface of frame-shaped metal plate (10) and which does not contact with the first surface (A) of the holder (12).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Inventors: Hiroaki Fukunaga, Takayuki Okada
  • Publication number: 20100208214
    Abstract: A projector includes: an illuminating device including a light source device, a first lens array that comprises first regions located at four corners in the first lens array when viewed along a system optical axis and second regions located between the two first regions, and a second lens array; a light modulating device; a projection optical system; a light control device; and a mode selection device. The light control device blocks part of the plural partial light beams by causing first and second light shields to integrally operate, when the brightness priority mode is selected. The light control device always blocks part of the partial light beams with the first light shields and blocks part of the partial light beams by causing the second light shields to operate independently from the first light shields.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masakazu KAWAMURA, Daisuke HAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20100182574
    Abstract: In accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure, a system and method for displaying an image are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a laser through a rotary diffuser. The rotational speed of the rotary diffuser may be continuously varied to reduce the effect of an image artifact in a light pattern. The image artifact may be caused by an imperfection in the rotary diffuser. The light pattern is projected on a display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Stephen Wesley Marshall
  • Publication number: 20100177253
    Abstract: A coherent light source system is presented. The system comprises at least one coherent light emitter producing a coherent light beam, a focusing lens unit, and a beam shaper unit, the beam shaper unit being accommodated between the coherent light emitter and the collimating lens unit being in a front focal plane of the focusing lens unit, thereby providing a substantially uniform profile and high-degree collimation at a desired plane in an optical path of light propagation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Inventor: Michael GOLUB
  • Patent number: 7753535
    Abstract: According to the present invention, a projection type image display apparatus enables control of a large amount of light masking through a light-masking unit while maintaining a uniform illumination distribution in an area to be illuminated by the illumination light. The apparatus uses two array lenses on which lens cells are arranged in matrix form, where light-masking unit masks the array lens installed on the light source side in their particular area. The light-masking unit adjusts the amount of light emitted from the light source. The light-masking area of lens cells adjacent to lens cells closest to an optical axis is made smaller than the light-masking area of other cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuya Shimizu, Kentaro Kato
  • Patent number: 7753531
    Abstract: An image display apparatus acquires a high-quality image by suppressing positional fluctuation of projected dots due to a positional offset of an optical path deflecting element. A spatial light modulation element (1) displays an image by projecting a light from an illumination light source. A projection optical system (3) enlarges and projects the image formed on the spatial light modulation element (1). An optical path deflecting element (2) is provided between the spatial light modulation element (1) and the image formed on a screen (4) so as to deflect an optical path in accordance with a screen frame period. The optical path deflecting element (2) shifts the optical path for the image projected on the screen (4) at a high rate so as to apparently increase a number of picture elements. The optical path deflecting element (2) is located within the projection optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Fujita, Takanobu Osaka, Kazuya Miyagaki, Atsushi Takaura, Masanori Kobayashi, Hiroyuki Sugimoto, Kenji Namie, Yumi Matsuki, Toshiaki Tokita
  • Publication number: 20100171934
    Abstract: A lens array element has a rectangular plate-like external shape, and includes plate surfaces that functions as light transmission surfaces; and a plurality of cellular lenses that are formed on at least one of the plate surfaces. Each of end faces 4 of the rectangular plate-like external shape forms an inclined surface that slants inward from a plate surface 6 on one side toward a plate surface 2 on the other side, and a reference surface 5 perpendicular to the plate surface is formed on a part of at least two adjoining end faces among the end faces. A front view shape of the reference surface region arranged side-by-side with the inclined surface of the end face is a trapezoid, an oblique side 7 of the trapezoid is disposed so as to extend from a plate surface on one side toward the plate surface 2 on the other side, and an upper side 9 of the trapezoid is disposed on a side of the other of the plate surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Motoyuki OKUO, Shigeru MATSUMOTO
  • Publication number: 20100165296
    Abstract: A projection display apparatus 101 in which the light quantity adjusting means has a simple and readily interchangeable structure, and which can improve image quality by adjusting the quantity of light received by a light valve continuously, without causing illuminance irregularities, and without having unwanted light radiated onto the screen, the light quantity adjusting means 9 having light blocking members 91L, 91R for blocking light in transit to a second lens array 22, and rotational axes 91LA, 91RA for turnably supporting each of the light blocking members on an xy plane, the light blocking members 91L, 91R and rotational axes 91LA, 91RA being positioned so that the rotational axes 91LA, 91RA are disposed in positions symmetric with respect to the optical axis AX on the xy plane, and the turning range from the light blocking initiation position at which the light blocking members 91L, 91R, by being turned, start to block light in transit toward the second lens array 22 to the maximum light blocking posi
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Akihiro Yamada, Motoo Takahashi, Akira Daijogo, Tomohiro Bessho, Kenji Samejima
  • Publication number: 20100165301
    Abstract: A projection-type display apparatus that projects an image on a screen and performs image display includes at least one laser source that emits a coherent light beam, an illuminating optics that propagates the light beam emitted from the laser source into a predetermined optical path to guide the light beam to the screen, a reflective optical modulator that forms the image to be displayed on the screen on an illuminated surface illuminated by the light beam guided by the illuminating optics, and a projection optics that magnifies and projects the image formed on the illuminated surface of the reflective optical modulator on the screen. The illuminating optics includes a diffusion device, which diffuses the propagated light beam, and is arranged on a light propagation path near a conjugated position with the reflective optical modulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Kuniko Kojima, Hayato Takeuchi, Tomohiro Sasagawa
  • Publication number: 20100141898
    Abstract: A projection unit comprising a coherent light source such as a laser diode and a beam shaping element forming a light beam which is directed towards a display, characterized in that it comprises a laser speckle suppression device which is positioned between the laser source and the display and wherein the laser speckle suppression device is a diffusing element actuated randomly by a piezoelectric vibrating structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: HASSAN MOUSSA
  • Patent number: 7726819
    Abstract: A structure for protecting a rod integrator that is used for a projection display apparatus is provided. The structure has: a protecting tube for the rod integrator, the protecting tube accommodating the rod integrator therein, wherein the protecting tube has openings which are defined at positions that face a light incident surface and a light exiting surface of the rod integrator, respectively; and a light shield plate that is provided between the opening and a light source for emitting light to the rod integrator, the opening facing the light incident surface of the rod integrator, wherein the light shield plate has an opening for allowing light to pass therethrough so that the light is incident on the rod integrator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: NEC ViewTechnology, Ltd.
    Inventor: Eisaku Shouji
  • Publication number: 20100118278
    Abstract: A diffuser driving device includes: a moving frame mounted with a diffuser; a supporting frame movably supporting the moving frame; a drive unit driving the moving frame to vibrate in a first direction perpendicular to an optical axis of an image beam incident on the diffuser and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and the optical axis; and a controller controlling the drive unit to change a phase difference between the vibration of the moving frame in the first direction and the vibration of the moving frame in the second direction and to move the moving frame at a moving speed higher than a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Izushi KOBAYASHI, Katsuhisa ITO
  • Publication number: 20100103381
    Abstract: An image projection system having a first light emitting diode subsystem configured to generate a first source beam having a first spectral range in a first polarized state and a second light emitting diode subsystem configured to generate a second source beam having a second spectral range overlapping the first spectral range is provided. The second source beam may be provided in a second polarized state orthogonal to the first polarized state of the first source beam. The image projection system may further include an x-cube prism configured to receive the first source beam and the second source beam and combine the first source beam and the second source beam to form a common output beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Inventor: Roger E. Yaffe
  • Patent number: 7699472
    Abstract: A multi-view autostereoscopic projection system using a single projection lens unit. The projection type autostereoscopic system includes: a source of graphic signals representing at least three perspective views of a 3-D object on at least three parts of a frame, the at least three perspective views being directly or reflectively projected vertically or horizontally in a predetermined order, an image projector connected to the source of graphic signals, an image screen disposed across from the image projector, and first and second parallel plane mirrors installed between a projection lens of the image projector and the image screen to be substantially parallel to a projection axis at the same distance from the projection axis such that the first and second parallel plane mirrors are separated from each other by a predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sergey Shestak
  • Patent number: 7699474
    Abstract: A projector includes a lighting device having two light source devices each having an ellipsoidal reflector disposed such that the ellipsoidal reflectors face each other, a reflection system that reflects illumination lights emitted from the two light source devices substantially in the same direction, an electro-optic modulating device that modulates the light released from the lighting device according to image information; and a projection system that projects light modulated by the electro-optic modulating device. The two light source devices are disposed such that the respective light source optical axes of the two light source devices are substantially perpendicular to the projection optical axis of the projection system. The reflection system is constructed such that the center axes of the respective illumination lights emitted from the two light source devices and entering a converging lens are inclined toward the illumination optical axis of the lighting device by a predetermined angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kenshi Sakai
  • Publication number: 20100091250
    Abstract: The invention provides a light uniform device and a digital light processing (DLP) projection system applying the said light uniform device. The light uniform device comprises a light incident surface, a light emergent surface and a light uniform portion defined therebetween. The light incident surface and the light emergent surface have a first contour and a second contour, respectively. And a first projection image of the second contour that is projected onto a projection plane forms a rotational angle about a longitudinal axial direction corresponding to a second projection image of the first contour projected onto the projection plane. Thereby, the light sources may simply be disposed in the projection system to provide uniform light beams that entirely cover the DMD (digital micromirror device) after being uniformed by the light uniform device. Neither of the light sources need to be inclined following with the DMD, nor is additional relay lens needed in imaging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Ching-Wen CHOU, Douglas M. BOUDON, Tom HAVEN, Rolf VATNE
  • Patent number: 7690793
    Abstract: An illumination optical system includes a splitter that includes first and second beam splitters. The second beam splitter includes, on a light source side, a compression optical system for narrowing a width of an incident light and for emitting the incident light having the narrowed width, wherein the compression optical system includes, in order from the light source side to an image display element side, an optical element having a positive refractive power, and an optical element that has a negative refractive power and a concave surface at the image display element side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kodama, Kazuhiro Inoko
  • Publication number: 20100073638
    Abstract: A projection display apparatus is provided that is capable of reducing speckle noise, with no image of a flaw or dust noticeable in or on a screen even if it exists in or on an optical component. The projection display apparatus includes a glass rod that makes uniform an optical beam emitted from a laser beam source; a lens that focuses an optical beam passing through the glass rod; a diffusion layer that provides an optical path difference distribution to the optical beam focused using the focusing element, the diffusion layer being optically conjugated with an incident end of the glass rod by the focusing element; a display device that spatially modulates the optical beam provided with the optical path difference distribution by the diffusion layer; and a magnification projection lens that projects on a screen an optical beam modulated by the modulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Inventor: Shinji Yagyu
  • Publication number: 20100073641
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display is provided having improved image quality and visibility. The display device includes: a plurality of display panels which display multiple images from multiple display panels; a projection film which overlaps the display panels; and a lens panel including a first lens unit and a second lens unit is interposed between the display panel and the projection film. The first lens unit refracts images and the second lens unit improves image brightness. Therefore the resultant projection is a seamlessly connected image from the multiple display panels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Inventors: Jung-Suk Han, Jong-Seo Lee, Tae-Jong Jun, Joo-Young Lee, Soo-Lin Kim
  • Publication number: 20100073640
    Abstract: The present invention provides a projection type display apparatus for displaying an image by which reduction of contrast is suppressed, including: a light source; a first lens array and a second lens array having a plurality of lens cell areas; a collecting lens; a display element; a projection lens; and a light shielding unit which light-shields the light fluxes from the first lens array to the second lens array, wherein the light shielding unit light-shields at least parts of all the lens cell areas except for the lens cell area in contact with an optical axis among a plurality of rectangular lens cell areas of the second lens array, and a light shielding area in the lens cell area in contact with the optical axis is smaller than that in any of the lens cell areas except for the lens cell area in contact with the optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Kimura
  • Publication number: 20100053565
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a laser illuminating device and an image display device that enable to remove speckle noises in a diffraction field and an image field, uniformly illuminate an illumination plane, and realize miniaturization. A laser illuminating device 100 includes a laser light source 3, a first lens 1 including a plurality of microlenses 10 each having a predetermined numerical aperture in an in-plane direction, each of the microlenses 10 being adapted to expand laser light emitted from the laser light source 3 to thereby superimpose the laser light transmitted through each of the microlenses 10; and a second lens 2 having an effective diameter larger than an effective diameter of the first lens 1, and for compensating for a divergence angle of the laser light expanded by each of the plurality of the microlenses 10.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventors: Tetsuro Mizushima, Kenichi Kasazumi, Tatsuo Itoh, Shinichi Shikii
  • Patent number: 7661829
    Abstract: A projection display apparatus is provided which offers improved contrast while smoothly controlling the amount of light, with a simple structure and without deterioration of lifetime due to the heat of the light from a light source. This projection display apparatus includes a light valve, a light source for emitting light to the light valve, an integrator lens disposed on the optical path of the light propagating from the light source to the light valve, for making uniform the illuminance distribution of the light from the light source, and a shutter mechanism disposed on the light path, for controlling the amount of light that illuminates the light valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Yamada, Yoshinori Sato, Akira Daijogo, Motoo Takahashi, Hiroshi Kida
  • Publication number: 20100033686
    Abstract: An image formed on a reflecting optical modulator is magnified by a projection optical system and projected on a backside of a transmission-type screen. The projection optical system is constituted so that a product of an F-number and a projection magnification of the projection optical system is less than 400.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kuniko Kojima, Hayato Takeuchi, Tomohiro Sasagawa, Yuzo Nakano
  • Publication number: 20100026919
    Abstract: A light modulation device which modulates light entering from a light source, includes: a light diffusing unit which converts diffusion angle of the light into an angle larger than that before entering the light modulation device and releases the converted light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Taisuke YAMAUCHI, Masayuki TAKAGI
  • Publication number: 20100020292
    Abstract: An exemplary portable transmissive type projector includes a light source module configured for emitting light beams, a projection lens module, and a transmission type liquid crystal panel. The liquid crystal panel is disposed between the light source module and the projection lens module and configured for displaying images. The projection lens module is configured for projecting the displayed images illuminated by the light beams onto an external object for viewing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: YUAN-HSU CHOU
  • Publication number: 20100020291
    Abstract: A 2-dimensional beam scan unit (2) reflects emission beams from a red laser light source (1a), a green laser light source (1b) and a blue laser light source (1c) and scans in a 2-dimensional direction. Diffusion plates (3a, 3b, 3c) diffuse the respective light beams scanned in the 2-dimensional direction to introduce them to corresponding spatial light modulation elements (5a, 5b, 5c). The respective spatial light modulation elements (5a, 5b, 5c) modulate the respective lights in accordance with video signals of the respective colors. A dichroic prism (6) multiplexes the lights of the three colors after the modulation and introduces the multiplexed lights to a projection lens (7) so that a color image is displayed on a screen (8).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2006
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Kasazumi, Yasuo Kitaoka, Kiminori Mizuuchi, Kazuhisa Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20100007854
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, an illumination system includes a light source that emits an illumination light flux. A first lens array has a plurality of first small lenses arranged therein. The first small lenses divide the illumination light flux emitted from the light source into a plurality of segmental light fluxes. A second lens array has a plurality of second small lenses arranged therein. The second small lenses have a one-to-one correspondence with the first small lenses and are configured to receive the segmental light fluxes exiting from the first small lenses. At least some of the second small lenses each include a plurality of lens elements disposed in a surface direction that is the same as the second small lenses. A superimposing lens superimposes on an illuminated area the segmental light fluxes exiting from the plurality of second small lenses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsumi Tanaka, Osamu Fujimaki
  • Publication number: 20090323030
    Abstract: There is provided a high-reliability projection apparatus, causing no noise during switching of the optical paths of individual color lights.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Hazama, Kikuo Kaise
  • Publication number: 20090310087
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to miniaturize a projection display device, enhance reliability of the device, and reduce speckle noise. A blue laser (1), a red laser (2), and a green laser (3) emit blue laser light, red laser light, and green laser light, respectively. A spatial light modulation element (14) modulates the blue laser light emitted from the blue laser (1), the red laser light emitted from the red laser (2), and the green laser light emitted from the green laser (3). A projection lens (15) projects the laser light modulated by the spatial light modulation element (14) onto a screen. First and second light diffusing elements (8 and 9) are arranged on an optical axis between the blue laser (1), the red laser (2), and the green laser (3); and the spatial light modulation element (14) to change the degree of diffusion of the blue laser light, the red laser light, and the green laser light temporally and electrically.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Inventors: Tatsuo Itoh, Tetsuro Mizushima, Kazuhisa Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7631972
    Abstract: A wavelength-selective polarization conversion element is disclosed which has a polarization conversion function that has been obtained by a polarization conversion element and a wavelength-selective phase plate in the past. The element includes a polarization beam splitting film and a phase plate. The film splits light and has a characteristic in which the transmittance for light with a first polarization direction and the transmittance for light with a second polarization direction are changed between a value higher than 50% and a value lower than 50% depending on wavelength region. The phase plate changes the polarization direction of light transmitted or reflected by the film between the first and second polarization directions. The element converts light in two of the first to third wavelength regions into polarized light with one polarization direction and converts light in the other wavelength region into polarized light with another polarization direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Reona Ushigome, Yu Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 7623560
    Abstract: Emissive quantum photonic imagers comprised of a spatial array of digitally addressable multicolor pixels. Each pixel is a vertical stack of multiple semiconductor laser diodes, each of which can generate laser light of a different color. Within each multicolor pixel, the light generated from the stack of diodes is emitted perpendicular to the plane of the imager device via a plurality of vertical waveguides that are coupled to the optical confinement regions of each of the multiple laser diodes comprising the imager device. Each of the laser diodes comprising a single pixel is individually addressable, enabling each pixel to simultaneously emit any combination of the colors associated with the laser diodes at any required on/off duty cycle for each color. Each individual multicolor pixel can simultaneously emit the required colors and brightness values by controlling the on/off duty cycles of their respective laser diodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Ostendo Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hussein S. El-Ghoroury, Robert G. W. Brown, Dale A. McNeill, Huibert DenBoer, Andrew J. Lanzone
  • Publication number: 20090279180
    Abstract: There is provided an optical device, composed of a display source (4), an imaging optical module (8), a projection module (12) having a projection mechanism including an input aperture (10) and output aperture (14) defined by a surface area, and an exit pupil (16). The projection mechanism is non-uniform over the area of the output aperture (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Inventors: Yaakov Amitai, Jonathan Gelberg
  • Patent number: 7614751
    Abstract: A lens array has a plurality of first minute optical elements which are one-dimensionally arranged in a predetermined arrange direction. Two of the plurality of first minute optical elements have refractive powers different from each other in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined arrange direction, and the plurality of first minute optical elements are arranged only in the predetermined arrange direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Inoko
  • Publication number: 20090273760
    Abstract: A projector includes an illumination optical system, a light modulation element, and a projection optical system. The illumination optical system includes a first light source section, a plurality of second light source sections, and an optical axis conversion element. The optical axis conversion element emits the light beam, which is input from the first light source section, so that an exit optical axis of the light beam approximately matches with an illumination optical axis, and emits the light beams, which are respectively input from the plurality of second light source sections, so that exit optical axes of the light beams intersect the exit optical axis of the light beam from the first light source section between the optical axis conversion element and the light modulation element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshitaka ITOH
  • Patent number: 7611247
    Abstract: An optical system and method of increasing the contrast of a projected image. The optical system (1800) comprises a combination of aperture stops (1810, 1812) in at least one of the illumination and projection paths to filter scattered light and/or light prone to scatter into the projection aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven M. Penn, D. Scott Dewald, Steven P. Krycho
  • Patent number: 7611246
    Abstract: A projection display makes it possible to minimize the costs of a polarization conversion element, and concurrently makes it possible to improve illuminance nonuniformity and optical utilization efficiency and to accomplish physical apparatus compactness. An optical integrator used in the projection display is configured such that, in comparison to the number of arrangements of polarization conversion units in a predetermined direction, a split number of an array lens in the same direction is greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Kimura, Kentaro Kato
  • Publication number: 20090268169
    Abstract: An optical plate, in particular in a screen for projection display device, comprises, on a first side, optical elements designed to bend rays received from a light source into a beam of rays in a first direction in a plane containing a main axis. The second side is produced in such a way as to bend the beam in a second direction that is different from the first direction, preferably in line with the main axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2005
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Inventors: Arno Schubert, Pascal Benoit, Khaled Sarayeddine
  • Patent number: RE41680
    Abstract: An output light from an a light source lamp unit 8 in a projection-type display apparatus illuminates liquid-crystal light valves 925R, 925G and 925B for three colors via an integrator optical system 923. A superimposing lens 930 that is a component of the integrator optical system 923 as a uniform illumination optical system is arranged such that the mounting position of the superimposing lens 930 is fine-adjustable in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis 1a. By fine-adjusting the mounting position of the superimposing lens 930, the position of an illumination area B is adjusted such that the illumination area includes the image forming area A of the liquid-crystal light valve. It is not necessary to assure a wide margin around the image forming area A to cover the offset of the position of the illumination area B. As a result, the utilization of illumination light is heightened and a bright projected image results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiaki Hashizume, Hisashi Iechika, Yasunori Ogawa, Shinji Haba, Akitaka Yajima
  • Patent number: RE41768
    Abstract: Projected systems (10, 12, 14, 16) include light source apparatuses (20, 24, 26) for programming narrow bands of unpolarized blue, green, and red light to associated reflective imaging devices that reflect selected patterns of the blue, green, and red light into a dichroic cross-combiner assembly (70, 72, 74), which recombines the light into a composite image and directs it into a projection lens (90) The reflective imaging devices are preferably micromirror displays (50, 51) having an array of pivotable micromirrors (52, 53) that direct on-state micromirror light to the projection lens and direct off-state micromirror light to a light absorbing surface (84).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Paul V. Long, David E. Slobodin