Illumination control unit for display system with spatial light modulator

An illumination control unit for an image display system, which uses a digital micro-mirror device (DMD) that has an array of mirror elements and that generate images according to a tilted or untilted state of each mirror elements, comprising:

• a first set of lenses for receiving light from a source and directing said light through a color filter;
• a color filter for filtering said light in one or more colors;
• a second set of lenses for receiving said light from said color filter and for focusing said light to a prism;
• a prism for receiving said light from said second set of lenses and for bending said light toward the reflective surfaces of said mirror elements;
• a collimating at a face of said prism lens for providing a substantially collimated beam that is approximately the same area as said array;
• a shutter interposed between said first set of lenses and said prism, for determining whether said light shall be transmitted to said prism;
• and
• a projection lens for receiving light reflected from said mirror elements and for projecting images formed by said light to a display surface.