# US 2014/0192330 A1 · Illumination device and projector > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0192330 A1 - Document ID: US20140192330A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/149,048 - Filed: 2014-01-07 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-07 - Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation - Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation - Inventors: Yasutaka Imai - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140192330A1 ## CPC - F21V 5/04: of lens shape - H04N 9/3152: {for shaping the light beam (beam shaping per se G02B27/09)} - H04N 9/3155: {for controlling the light source (light source control per se H05B35/00 – H05B47/00; control of an illumination source for displays in general G09G3/3406)} - H04N 9/3161: {using laser light sources (using laser beams scanning the display screen H04N9/3129)} - H04N 9/3164: {using multiple light sources} - G03B 21/14: Details - G03B 21/2033: {LED or laser light sources} - H05B 44/00: Circuit arrangements for operating electroluminescent light sources (for operating light emitting diodes H05B45/00) - Y02B 20/40: Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection - F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - 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) - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS ## Abstract An illumination device includes: a light emitting element that includes an active layer, a first clad layer and a second clad layer with the active layer interposed therebetween, and a first gain region and a second gain region generating light when a current flows through the active layer; a control unit that operates the light emitting element so that light is alternately generated in the first gain region and the second gain region; and a first lens to which light emitted from a first light emitting portion of the first gain region and light emitted from a second light emitting portion of the second gain region are incident, wherein the light emitted from the first light emitting portion and the light emitted from the second light emitting portion are emitted in the same direction and are incident to the first lens. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An illumination device comprising: a light emitting element that includes an active layer, a first clad layer and a second clad layer with the active layer interposed therebetween, and a first gain region and a second gain region generating light when a current flows through the active layer; a control unit that operates the light emitting element so that light is alternately generated in the first gain region and the second gain region; and a first lens to which light emitted from a first light emitting portion of the first gain region and light emitted from a second light emitting portion of the second gain region are incident, wherein the light emitted from the first light emitting portion and the light emitted from the second light emitting portion are emitted in the same direction and are incident to the first lens. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the first light emitting portion and the second light emitting portion are provided on a first lateral surface of the active layer, wherein the first gain region connects the first light emitting portion to a third light emitting portion provided on the first lateral surface of the active layer, wherein the second gain region connects the second light emitting portion to a fourth light emitting portion provided on the first lateral surface of the active layer, and wherein the light emitted from the first light emitting portion, the light emitted from the second light emitting portion, light emitted from the third light emitting portion, and light emitted from the fourth light emitting portion are emitted in the same direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The illumination device according to claim 2, further comprising: a second lens to which the light emitted from the third light emitting portion is incident. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The illumination device according to claim 2, further comprising: a light detection portion to which the light emitted from the fourth light emitting portion is incident, wherein the control unit operates the light emitting element on the basis of light detected by the light detection portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the first gain region and the second gain region have a U shape when viewed from a direction in which the first clad layer, the active layer, and the second clad layer are laminated. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit operates the light emitting element so that an emission time of the first gain region and an emission time of the second gain region are the same as each other. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit operates the light emitting element so that an emission time of the first gain region and an emission time of the second gain region are different from each other. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting element is a super luminescent diode. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A projector comprising: the illumination device according to claim 1; a spatial light modulation device that modulates light emitted from the illumination device according to image information; and a projection device that projects an image formed by the spatial light modulation device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) A projector comprising: the illumination device according to claim 2; a spatial light modulation device that modulates light emitted from the illumination device according to image information; and a projection device that projects an image formed by the spatial light modulation device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 3) A projector comprising: the illumination device according to claim 3; a spatial light modulation device that modulates light emitted from the illumination device according to image information; and a projection device that projects an image formed by the spatial light modulation device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) A projector comprising: the illumination device according to claim 4; a spatial light modulation device that modulates light emitted from the illumination device according to image information; and a projection device that projects an image formed by the spatial light modulation device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 5) A projector comprising: the illumination device according to claim 5; a spatial light modulation device that modulates light emitted from the illumination device according to image information; and a projection device that projects an image formed by the spatial light modulation device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 6) A projector comprising: the illumination device according to claim 6; a spatial light modulation device that modulates light emitted from the illumination device according to image information; and a projection device that projects an image formed by the spatial light modulation device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 7) A projector comprising: the illumination device according to claim 7; a spatial light modulation device that modulates light emitted from the illumination device according to image information; and a projection device that projects an image formed by the spatial light modulation device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 8) A projector comprising: the illumination device according to claim 8; a spatial light modulation device that modulates light emitted from the illumination device according to image information; and a projection device that projects an image formed by the spatial light modulation device. ### Claim 17 A projector comprising: a light emitting element that includes an active layer, a first clad layer and a second clad layer with the active layer interposed therebetween, and a first gain region and a second gain region generating light when a current flows through the active layer; a control unit that operates the light emitting element so that light is alternately generated in the first gain region and the second gain region; a first lens to which light emitted from a first light emitting portion of the first gain region and light emitted from a second light emitting portion of the second gain region are incident; a spatial light modulation device that modulates light emitted from the first lens according to image information; and a projection device that projects an image formed by the spatial light modulation device.