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US 11,146,782 B2Granted
Laser local dimming for projectors and other lighting devices including cinema, entertainment systems, and displays
AssigneeDolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
InventorMartin J. Richards
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Light from an array of laser light sources are spread to cover the modulating face of a DMD or other modulator. The spread may be performed, for example, by a varying curvature array of lenslets, each laser light directed at one of the lenslets. Light from neighboring and/or nearby light sources overlap at a modulator. The lasers are energized at different energy/brightness levels causing the light illuminating the modulator to itself be modulated (locally dimmed). The modulator then further modulates the locally dimmed lights to produce a desired image. A projector according to the invention may utilize, for example, a single modulator sequentially illuminated or separate primary color modulators simultaneously illuminated.
Claims21
A display, comprising:
- a processor configured to
- determine an amount of light spreading that occurs in an image chain, the amount of light spreading depending on optical characteristics of the image chain, and
- determine a locally-dimmed approximation of an image based on image data representing an image to be displayed and the amount of light spreading that occurs in the image chain;
- a light source configured to emit light representing the locally-dimmed approximation of the image;
- a display modulator configured to receive the light representing the locally-dimmed approximation of the image and modulate the light to reproduce the image;
- and
- a mid-point redirector configured to
- direct the light emitted from the light source onto the display modulator in an overlapping pattern of illuminated areas, and
- selectively re-direct the light axially aligned toward a first area of the display modulator, the re-direction changing an alignment of the light from the first area of the display modulator to a second area of the display modulator different from the first area;
- wherein the display modulator is energized according to the image data, a light field simulation of the overlapping pattern of illuminated areas on the display modulator, and the light that is selectively re-directed,
- wherein the locally-dimmed approximation of the image is an image that is different from the image to be displayed and accounts for the amount of light spreading that occurs in the image chain.
8 more elements
A display, comprising:
- an array of light sources configured to
- adjust energy levels of the array of light sources based on control signals, and
- emit light representing a locally-dimmed approximation of an image to be displayed;
- a spreader configured to spread the light from the array of light sources and provide spread illumination patterns of the light;
- a processor configured to
- determine an amount of light spreading that occurs in an image chain, the amount of light spreading depending on optical characteristics of the image chain including optical characteristics of the spreader,
- determine the locally-dimmed approximation of the image to be displayed based on image data representing the image to be displayed and the amount of light spreading that is determined,
- calculate the energy levels of the array of light sources based on the locally-dimmed approximation of the image and the spread illumination patterns, and
- generate the control signals for adjusting the energy levels of the array of light sources for producing the locally-dimmed approximation of the image through the spread illumination patterns;
- and
- a display modulator configured to
- receive the light representing the locally-dimmed approximation of the image through the spread illumination patterns, and
- modulate the light to reproduce the image,
- wherein the locally-dimmed approximation of the image to be displayed is an image that is different from the image to be displayed and accounts for the amount of light spreading that occurs in the image chain.
11 more elements
A method of content display, comprising:
- determine an amount of light spreading that occurs in an image chain of a display, the amount of light spreading depending on optical characteristics of the image chain;
- determining a locally-dimmed approximation of an image based on image data representing the image and the amount of light spreading that is determined;
- adjusting energy levels of an array of light sources included in the display based on the locally-dimmed approximation of the image and spread illumination patterns associated with the array of light sources;
- causing the array of light sources to emit light representing the locally-dimmed approximation of the image;
- spreading light emitted from the array of light sources for providing the spread illumination patterns;
- receiving, by a display modulator included in the display, the light representing the locally-dimmed approximation of the image through the spread illumination patterns;
- and
- modulating, by the display modulator, the light to reproduce the image,
- wherein the locally-dimmed approximation of the image is an image that is different from the image and accounts for the amount of light spreading that occurs in the image chain.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.