US 11,340,521 B2Granted

Light modulator image display projector architectures

AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated

InventorsWilliam M. Bommersbach, Gregory S. Pettitt, John M. Ferri, Sajjad Khan

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Abstract

In described examples, a first TIR or RTIR element is arranged to introduce at least red light to a first spatial light modulator for modulation thereof, and a second TIR or RTIR element is arranged to introduce at least green light to a second spatial light modulator for modulation thereof. At least one of the first and second TIR or RTIR elements is arranged to introduce blue light to at least one of the first and second spatial light modulators, respectively, for modulation thereof: time-sequentially apart from the first spatial light modulator's modulation of the introduced red light, to an extent the blue light is so introduced to the first spatial light modulator; and time-sequentially apart from the second spatial light modulator's modulation of the introduced green light, to an extent the blue light is so introduced to the second spatial light modulator.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

a laser configured to produce laser light having a first color;
a wheel optically coupled to the laser, the wheel comprising:
at least one phosphor segment configured to produce first light having a second color and a third color;
at least one non-phosphor segment configured to produce second light having the first color;
a first spatial light modulator;
a first prism optically coupled to the first spatial light modulator;
a filter optically coupled to the wheel and to the first prism, the filter configured to direct a portion of the first light having the second color towards the first spatial light modulator via the first prism, the first spatial light modulator configured to modulate the portion of the first light having the second color to produce first modulated light having the second color;
a second spatial light modulator;
a second prism optically coupled to the filter and to the second spatial light modulator, the filter further configured to:
direct a portion of the first light having the third color towards the second spatial light modulator via the second prism during a first time period, wherein the second spatial light modulator is configured to modulate the portion of the first light having the third color during the first time period to produce second modulated light having the third color;
and
direct the second light having the first color towards the second spatial light modulator via the second prism during a second time period, wherein the second spatial light modulator is configured to modulate the second light having the first color during the second time period to produce third modulated light having the first color;
and
a color combining prism optically coupled to the first prism and to the second prism, the color combining prism configured to combine the first modulated light, the second modulated light, and the third modulated light.

11 more elements

An apparatus comprising:

a laser configured to produce laser light having a first color;
a wheel configured to:
produce, by a first phosphor segment, responsive to the laser light, first fluorescent light having a second color and a third color;
produce, by a second phosphor segment, responsive to the laser light, second fluorescent light having the second color;
reflect, by a first reflective segment, the laser light, to produce first reflected light having the first color, the first reflective segment adjacent to the first phosphor segment and to the second phosphor segment;
and
reflect, by a second reflective segment, the laser light, to produce second reflected light having the first color, the second reflective segment opposite the first reflective segment, the second reflective segment adjacent to the first phosphor segment and to the second phosphor segment;
a first spatial light modulator;
a second spatial light modulator;
and
a filter configured to:
direct a first portion of the first fluorescent light having the second color to the first spatial light modulator;
direct a second portion of the first fluorescent light having the third color to the second spatial light modulator;
direct at least a portion of the second fluorescent light having the second color to the first spatial light modulator;
direct the first reflected light having the first color to the first spatial light modulator;
and
direct the second reflected light having the first color to the first spatial light modulator.

14 more elements

A method comprising:

producing, by a laser, laser light having a first color;
producing, by a first phosphor segment of a wheel, responsive to the laser light, first fluorescent light having a second color and a third color;
producing, by a second phosphor segment of the wheel, responsive to the laser light, second fluorescent light having the second color;
reflecting, by a first reflective segment of the wheel, the laser light, to produce first reflected light having the first color, the first reflective segment adjacent to the first phosphor segment and to the second phosphor segment;
reflecting, by a second reflective segment of the wheel, the laser light, to produce second reflected light having the first color, the second reflective segment opposite the first reflective segment, the second reflective segment adjacent to the first phosphor segment and to the second phosphor segment;
directing, by a filter, a first portion of the first fluorescent light having the second color to a first spatial light modulator;
directing, by the filter, a second portion of the first fluorescent light having the third color to a second spatial light modulator;
directing, by the filter, at least a portion of the second fluorescent light having the second color to the first spatial light modulator;
directing, by the filter, the first reflected light having the first color to the first spatial light modulator;
and
directing, by the filter, the second reflected light having the first color to the first spatial light modulator.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/913,690Filed 6 Mar 2018 · continuation
Priority: 23 May 2013
Published: US 2018/0196338 A112 Jul 2018
Granted: 24 May 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

G03B 21/204
LED or laser light sources: using secondary light emission, e.g. luminescence or fluorescence
G03B 21/005
Projectors or projection-type viewers; Accessories therefor: projectors using an electronic spatial light modulator but not peculiar thereto
G03B 21/208
Lamp housings: homogenising, shaping of the illumination light
G03B 33/06
Colour photography, other than mere exposure or projection of a colour film: by additive-colour projection apparatus

Family

Application61/826,871Us provisional application · filed 23 May 2013
Application14/286,326Parent of this continuation · filed 23 May 2014
Application15/606,925Parent of this continuation · filed 26 May 2017
US 9,664,989 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 30 May 2017
US 2018/0196338 A1Pre-grant publication · published 12 Jul 2018
US 9,939,719 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2014/0347634 A1Published application
US 2017/0269465 A1Published application
US 11,340,521 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.