Display illumination optics

An image generation apparatus for emitting image-bearing light, the image generation apparatus comprising:

• an image display device configured to modulate polarized white light into polarized image bearing light;
• and
• display illumination optics for illuminating the display device, the display illumination optics comprising:
• an illumination waveguide having a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface and configured to internally direct polarized light along a main direction between the front and back surface,
• wherein the illumination waveguide is configured to distribute the luminance of polarized input illumination light launched into the illumination waveguide and propagating therein as polarized waveguide-propagating illumination light along the main direction of the display illumination optics to obtain at back surface, along the main direction, polarized output illumination light of desired luminance distribution for illuminating the image displace device to generate the polarized image-bearing light,
• wherein the polarized image-bearing light is reflected from the image display device towards the back surface to propagate through the illumination waveguide, passing through the partially reflective surfaces, to emanate from the front surface;
• and
• wherein for generating the polarized waveguide-propagating illumination light the image generation apparatus further comprises:
• an input polarizer upstream of the illumination waveguide for generating polarized light.

A method for illuminating an display device of an image generation apparatus, the method comprising:

• emitting, by a light source, white input illuminating light;
• generating, based on the white input illuminating light, polarized light that is internally propagating along a main direction of an illumination waveguide having a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface;
• deflecting, with partially reflective surfaces, portions of waveguide-propagating illuminating polarized light towards the display device as output illumination light such that the display device is lit with desired illuminance by the output illumination light to responsively generate image-bearing polarized light,
• reflecting, from the display device, the polarized image-bearing light from the display device towards the back surface, such that the reflected polarized image-bearing light further propagates through the partially reflective surface to emanate from the front surface of the illumination waveguide.

An image generation apparatus for emitting image-bearing light, the image generation apparatus comprising:

• an image display device configured to modulate polarized white light into polarized image bearing light;
• and
• display illumination optics for illuminating the display device, the display illumination optics comprising:
• an illumination waveguide having a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface and configured to internally direct polarized light along a main direction between the front and back surface,
• wherein the illumination waveguide is configured to distribute the luminance of polarized input illumination light launched into the illumination waveguide and propagating therein as polarized waveguide-propagating illumination light along the main direction of the display illumination optics to obtain at back surface, along the main direction, polarized output illumination light of desired luminance distribution for illuminating the image displace device to generate the polarized image-bearing light,
• wherein the polarized image-bearing light is reflected from the image display device towards the back surface to propagate through the illumination waveguide, passing through the partially reflective surfaces, to emanate from the front surface;
• and
• wherein for generating the polarized waveguide-propagating illumination light the image generation apparatus further comprises:
• partially reflective polarizing beam splitters which are slanted relative to the back and front surfaces of the illumination waveguide.