Method of illuminating a light valve with an overdrive level

A display device comprising:

• a light valve comprising:
• a light source having nominal power dissipation level;
• a light input;
• a light output;
• a spatial light modulator having an array of pixels;
• a color sequencer for sequentially selecting one of a first, a second, and a third colorband of light;
• and
• a power source for supplying power to the light source, wherein the power supplied to the light source is configured to be increased to an overdrive level above the nominal power dissipation level during an initial portion of an illumination period of each colorband period and wherein the power supplied to the light source is configured to be decreased following the initial portion of each colorband period in the illumination period to thereby increase the intensity of the light source during the initial portions of the illumination periods of each colorband period and maintain a substantially uniform light output throughout the colorband periods.

A system of illuminating a light valve using a light source having a nominal power dissipation level, the light valve including a light input, a light output, a spatial light modulator having an array of pixels, a color sequencer for sequentially selecting one of a first, a second, and a third colorband of light, the system comprising:

• means for supplying power to the light source to generate light and illuminate the spatial light modulator through the light input;
• means for increasing the power supplied to the light source to an overdrive level above a nominal power dissipation level during an initial portion of an illumination period of each colorband period;
• and
• means for decreasing the power supplied to the light source following the initial portion of each colorband period in the illumination period to thereby increase the intensity of the light source during the initial portions of the illumination periods of each colorband period and maintain a substantially uniform light output throughout the colorband periods.

A computer readable storage medium on which is embedded one or more computer programs, said one or more computer programs implementing a method of illuminating a light valve using a light source having a nominal power dissipation level, the light valve including a light input, a light output, a spatial light modulator having an array of pixels, a color sequencer for sequentially selecting one of a first, a second, and a third colorband of light, said one or more computer programs comprising a set of instructions for:

• supplying power to the light source to generate light and illuminate the spatial light modulator through the light input;
• during an initial portion of an illumination period of each colorband period, increasing the power supplied to the light source to an overdrive level above a nominal power dissipation level;
• and
• decreasing the power supplied to the light source following the initial portion of each colorband period in the illumination period to thereby increase the intensity of the light source during the initial portions of the illumination periods of each colorband period and maintain a substantially uniform light output throughout the colorband periods.