System and method for generating a single light beam from a plurality of light sources
AssigneeAdvanced Entertainment Technologies, Inc.
InventorJohn S. Suehle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An illuminator to provide a collimated beam of light is disclosed. The illuminator includes light source modules. Each of the light source module includes a light source to emit a light, an optical lens to collect and direct the light from the light source and to output the light along a path, a color filter disposed adjacent to the optical lens and in the path of the light, in which the color filter produce a filtered light, and a collimator lens to collect and direct the associated filtered light. The collimator lenses of the light source modules direct and output each of associated filtered lights into a major collimated light beam along a major optical axis.
Claims20
An illuminator to generate a collimated beam of light, the illuminator comprising:
- a light source subsystem having a plurality of light source modules, wherein each of the plurality of light source modules extends along an optical axis and includes:
- a light source configured to emit light;
- an optical lens configured to collect and direct the light from the light source and to output the light along an optical path that extends along the optical axis;
- a color filter disposed adjacent to the optical lens and in the optical path of the light, the color filter configured to produce a filtered light;
- and
- a collimator lens configured to collect and direct the associated filtered light to form a collimated light beam;
- wherein the collimator lenses of the plurality of light source modules are configured to direct and output each of the associated collimated light beams into a collective major collimated light beam along a major optical axis,
- wherein each of the collimator lenses is fixed relative to the corresponding optical axis of the respective light source module;
- and
- wherein the collimator lenses of the plurality of light source modules are arranged such that the collimated light beams of the plurality of light source modules overlap and combine to form the collective major collimated light beam propagating along the major optical axis.
A method for providing a collimated beam of light, the method comprising,
- providing a light source subsystem having a plurality of light source modules, wherein each of the plurality of light source modules extends along an optical axis and includes
- a light source configured to emit light;
- an optical lens configured to collect and direct the light from the light source and to output the light along an optical path that extends along the optical axis;
- a color filter disposed adjacent to the optical lens and in the optical path of the light, the color filter configured to filter the light to produce a filtered light;
- and
- a collimator lens configured to collect and direct the associated filtered light to form a collimated light beam;
- directing and outputting each of the associated collimated light beams with the collimator lenses of the plurality of light source modules into a collective major collimated light beam along a major optical axis;
- fixing each of the collimator lenses relative to the corresponding optical axis of the respective light source module;
- and
- arranging the collimator lenses of the plurality of light source modules such that the collimated light beams of the plurality of light source modules overlap and combine to form the collective major collimated light beam propagating along the major optical axis.
A lighting system for generating an output collimated beam of light, the lighting system comprising:
- a lighting subsystem having a plurality of light source modules, wherein each of the plurality of light source modules extends along an optical axis and includes:
- a light source having a super-luminescent diode configured to emit light;
- an optical lens configured to collect and direct the light from the light source and to output the light along an optical path that extends along the optical axis;
- a color wheel assembly having a color wheel comprising a plurality of color filters, each color filter configured to be disposed adjacent to the optical lens and in the optical path of the light, the color filter disposed in the optical path of the light is configured produce a filtered light;
- and
- a collimator lens configured to collect and direct the associated filtered light to form a collimated light beam;
- wherein the collimator lenses of the plurality of light source modules are configured to direct and output each of the associated collimated light beams into a major collective collimated light beam along a major optical axis,
- wherein each of the collimator lenses is fixed relative to the corresponding optical axis of the respective light source module;
- and
- wherein the collimator lenses of the plurality of light source modules are arranged such that the collimated light beams of the plurality of light source modules overlap and combine to form the collective major collimated light beam propagating along the major optical axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.