Image projection system and method of using same

A method for projecting an image, comprising:

• using a light source means for producing polarized projection light having a polarization direction along an input optical path, said light source means including a plurality of lasers;
• using spatial light modulator means disposed in said input optical path for modulating said projection light to generate an output light representative of the image along an output optical path, said spatial light modulator means including a light valve having an entrance alignment layer with a polarized filter characteristic to filter optically said projection light, said spatial light modulating means further including a plurality of said light valves;
• aligning said light source means with said entrance alignment layer for enabling said projection light polarization direction to be substantially aligned with said alignment layer polarized direction to permit substantially all of said projection light to pass through said alignment layer;
• projecting said output light with projection lens means disposed in said output optical path to reproduce the image on a viewing surface;
• focusing said polarized laser beam with an optical lens to produce said projection light;
• wherein said projection light produced by said optical lens forms a projection light having a cross-sectional area substantially equal to the surface area of said entrance alignment layer;
• reflecting selectively said projection light with said light valve to help generate said output light indicative of the image, wherein said light valve is a digital mirror device;
• positioning said digital mirror device relative to said light source to permit said projection light to be reflected as said output light;
• emitting selectively a polarized laser beam having a distinctive color from each one of said lasers to generate a colored output light;
• and
• superimposing said colored output lights with a mirror means to produce a full color image.

An image projection system, comprising:

• light source means for producing high intensity polarized projection light having a given polarization direction and directed along an input optical path, said light source means including a laser to selectively emit a polarized laser beam;
• transmissive spatial light modulator means disposed in said input optical path for modulating said projection light to generate output light representative of the image along an output optical path, said spatial light modulator means including a light valve having an entrance alignment layer with a polarized direction and an exit alignment layer;
• means for mounting said light source means in alignment with said entrance alignment layer to align said projection light polarization direction and said entrance alignment layer polarized direction for permitting substantially all of said projection light to pass through said entrance alignment layer;
• wherein said laser beam travels unreflected and one way along said input optical path into and transmissively through said entrance alignment layer and said exit alignment layer;
• whereby said modulated projection light exits said light valve through said exit alignment layer as said output light;
• projection lens means disposed in said output optical path for projecting said output light to reproduce the image onto a viewing surface;
• and
• said spatial light modulator means further including an optical lens for focusing said laser beam to produce said projection light, wherein substantially all of said laser beam passes through said light valve to help project the image onto said surface.