Multiple stage modulation projector display systems having efficient light utilization
AssigneeDolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
InventorMartin J. Richards
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Abstract
Dual or multi-modulation display systems comprising a first modulator and a second modulator are disclosed. The first modulator may comprise a plurality of analog mirrors (e.g. MEMS array) and the second modulator may comprise a plurality of mirrors (e.g., DMD array). The display system may further comprise a controller that sends control signals to the first and second modulator. The display system may render highlight features within a projected image by affecting a time multiplexing scheme. In one embodiment, the first modulator may be switched on a sub-frame basis such that a desired proportion of the available light may be focused or directed onto the second modulator to form the highlight feature on a sub-frame rendering basis.
Claims20
A projector display system, comprising:
- a light source;
- a first modulator including a plurality of first mirrors, wherein the first modulator is configured to receive an emitted light from the light source and the plurality of first mirrors are configured to modulate the emitted light;
- a second modulator including a plurality of second mirrors, wherein the second modulator is configured to receive a modulated light from the first modulator and the plurality of first mirrors are configured to modulate the modulated light;
- and
- a control circuit configured to:
- receive an image data including at least one highlight feature, the highlight feature corresponding to a portion of an image indicated by the image data, the highlight feature having a luminance not less than a highest luminance of a remainder of the image,
- control the first modulator in a first sub-frame period to direct the emitted light to a first subset of the plurality of second mirrors, and
- control the first modulator in a second sub-frame period to direct the emitted light to a second subset of the plurality of second mirrors, the second subset being a smaller proportion of the plurality of second mirrors than the first subset, thereby to render the highlight feature.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a control circuit of a projector display system comprising a light source, a first modulator including a plurality of first mirrors, and a second modulator including a plurality of second mirrors, cause the projector display system to perform operations comprising:
- receive an image data including at least one highlight feature, the highlight feature corresponding to a portion of an image indicated by the image data, the highlight feature having a luminance not less than a highest luminance of a remainder of the image;
- control the first modulator in a first sub-frame period to direct an emitted light from the light source to a first subset of the plurality of second mirrors;
- and
- control the first modulator in a second sub-frame period to direct the emitted light to a second subset of the plurality of second mirrors, the second subset being a smaller proportion of the plurality of second mirrors than the first subset, thereby to render the highlight feature.
A projector display system, comprising:
- a plurality of color projectors, wherein respective ones of the plurality of color projectors correspond to a different color of light, and wherein respective ones of the plurality of color projectors comprise:
- a light source;
- a first modulator including a plurality of first mirrors, wherein the first modulator is configured to receive an emitted light from the light source and the plurality of first mirrors are configured to modulate the emitted light;
- a second modulator including a plurality of second mirrors, wherein the second modulator is configured to receive a modulated light from the first modulator and the plurality of first mirrors are configured to modulate the modulated light;
- and
- a control circuit configured to:
- receive an image data including at least one highlight feature, the highlight feature corresponding to a portion of an image indicated by the image data, the highlight feature having a luminance not less than a highest luminance of a remainder of the image,
- control the first modulator in a first sub-frame period to direct the emitted light to a first subset of the plurality of second mirrors,
- control the first modulator in a second sub-frame period to direct the emitted light to a second subset of the plurality of second mirrors, the second subset being a smaller proportion of the plurality of second mirrors than the first subset, thereby to render the highlight feature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.