# US 12,015,881 B2 · Light source apparatus including a microlens array, projector including a microlens array, microlens array, and light source control method for the light source apparatus including the microlens array > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,015,881 B2 - Document ID: US12015881B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/184,328 - Filed: 2023-03-15 - Published: 2023-07-06 - Granted: 2024-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2020-09-17 - Assignees: Casio Computer Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Casio Computer Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hiroshi Ogino - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12015881B2 ## CPC - H04N 9/3152: {for shaping the light beam (beam shaping per se G02B27/09)} - G02B 26/008: {in the form of devices for effecting sequential colour changes, e.g. colour wheels} - G02B 27/0961: {Lens arrays (lens arrays per se G02B3/0006)} - G03B 21/005: {Projectors using an electronic spatial light modulator but not peculiar thereto} - G03B 21/208: {Homogenising, shaping of the illumination light} - H04N 9/3111: {for displaying the colours sequentially, e.g. by using sequentially activated light sources (sequential projection in colour photography G03B33/08)} - H04N 9/3158: {for controlling the spectrum} - H04N 9/3164: {using multiple light sources} - G03B 21/008: {using micromirror devices} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) ## Abstract A light source apparatus includes a light source, a light collection optical system configured to collect a pencil of light emitted from the light source using multiple lenses, a microlens array formed into a size corresponding to a collected light diameter of a pencil of light collected by the light collection optical system and caused to be incident thereon from the light collection optical system, and a display device on to which light transmitted through the microlens array to be superimposed together is incident. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A light source apparatus comprising: a light source; at least one lens configured to collect light emitted from the light source; a microlens array formed into a size corresponding to a collected light diameter of the light collected by the at least one lens and caused to be incident thereon from the at least one lens; and a display device on which light transmitted through the microlens array to be superimposed together is incident; wherein the at least one lens comprise a third collective lens having a convex surface on an incident side and a concave surface on an emerging side thereof. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The light source apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one lens comprises a first collective lens having a convex surface on an incident side and a flat surface on an emerging side thereof or a second collective lens having a convex surface on an incident side and a concave surface on an emerging side thereof, wherein the light emitted from the first collective lens or the light emitted from the second collective lens is incident on the third collective lens. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The light source apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light emitted from the third collective lens is incident on the microlens array. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The light source apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the microlens array is disposed only one. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The light source apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a concave lens is disposed between the microlens array and the display device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The light source apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a convex lens is disposed between the microlens array and the display device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The light source apparatus according to claim 1, comprising: a concave lens and a convex lens between the microlens array and the display device, wherein the concave lens is disposed after the microlens array, and the convex lens is disposed after the concave lens. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The light source apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the convex lens is disposed in a position where marginal light of light emitted from the concave lens can be incident on the convex lens. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The light source apparatus according to claim 5, wherein an effective aperture of the concave lens is larger than an effective aperture of the microlens array. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The light source apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the microlens array is disposed in a position where the light emitted from the at least one lens substantially forms an image. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The light source apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the light incident on the microlens array is incident on the microlens array while narrowing the collected light diameter. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The light source apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the microlens array distributes the light incident thereon from the at least one lens to a corresponding partial area of the microlens array. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The light source apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a light separation section configured to separate light emitted from the microlens array by color is provided between the microlens array and the display device, and wherein the display device comprises multiple liquid crystal filters corresponding to colors of lights separated by the light separation section and be incident thereon. ### Claim 14 (depends on 5) The light source apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the concave lens is a double-concave lens. ### Claim 15 (depends on 6) The light source apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the convex lens is formed as a double-convex lens, and a curvature of a convex surface on an emerging side is made larger than a curvature of a convex surface on an incident side. ### Claim 16 (depends on 7) The light source apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the convex lens is formed as a double-convex lens, and a curvature of a convex surface on an emerging side is made larger than a curvature of a convex surface on an incident side. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The light source apparatus according to claim 1, comprising: a convex lens and a concave lens between the microlens array and the display device, wherein the convex lens is disposed after the microlens array, and the concave lens is disposed after the convex lens. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The light source apparatus according to claim 1, comprising: wherein each microlens of the microlens array is a single-convex lens having a flat surfaces on an incident side thereof or a flat surface on an emerging side thereof. ### Claim 19 A projector comprising: a light source; at least one lens configured to collect light emitted from the light source; a microlens array formed into a size corresponding to a collected light diameter of the light collected by the at least one lens and caused to be incident thereon from the at least one lens; a display device on which light transmitted through the microlens array to be superimposed together is incident; a projection optical system configured to project the image light; and a control unit configured to control the light source and the display device, wherein the at least one lens comprises a first collective lens having a convex surface on an incident side and a flat surface on an emerging side thereof, or a second collective lens having a convex surface on an incident side and a concave surface on an emerging side thereof, and a third collective lens having a convex surface on an incident side and a concave surface on an emerging side thereof, wherein the light emitted from the first collective lens or the second collective lens is incident on the incident side of the third collective lens, wherein the light emitted from the third collective lens is incident on the microlens array. ### Claim 20 A light source control method for a light source apparatus comprising a light source, at least one lens, a microlens array formed into a size corresponding to a collected light diameter of light collected by the at least one lens and caused to be incident thereon from the at least one lens, a display device, and a control unit configured to control the light source and the display device, wherein the at least one lens comprises a first collective lens having a convex surface on an incident side and a flat surface on an emerging side thereof, or a second collective lens having a convex surface on an incident side and a concave surface on an emerging side thereof, and a third collective lens having a convex surface on an incident side and a concave surface on an emerging side thereof, wherein the light emitted from the first collective lens or the second collective lens is incident on the incident side of the third collective lens, wherein the control unit causes the at least one lens to collect the light emitted from the light source, causes the light which was emitted from the third collective lens to incident on the microlens array, and causes the light superimposed together by transmission via the microlens array to be shined on the display device.