Full color rear screen projection system using a single monochrome TFT LCD panel

A rear screen projection system comprising:

• a light source emitting randomly polarized white light;
• a polarizing element coupled to receive the randomly polarized white light and generate a polarized white light beam;
• color separating elements for separating the polarized white light beam into a plurality of polarized light beams in at least three different primary colors;
• a monochrome liquid crystal display panel comprising a two-dimensional array of addressable pixels, the array of addressable pixels being divided into a plurality of image areas, each image area receiving one of the plurality of polarized light beams in a respective primary color and modulating the polarized light beam to generate an image in the respective primary color;
• and
• a projection lens assembly for aligning and projecting the images generated by the plurality of image areas of the liquid crystal display panel to form a full color image, wherein the projection lens assembly comprises:
• a first projection lens coupled to receive the image generated by a first one of the image areas;
• a second projection lens coupled to receive the image generated by a second one of the image areas;
• and
• a third projection lens coupled to receive the image generated by a third one of the image areas,
• wherein the second projection lens is positioned between the first and the third projection lenses, the first and the third projection lenses are positioned in an offset position relative to the second projection lens.

A method for projecting an image, comprising:

• generating a plurality of polarized light beams in at least three different primary color components;
• directing each of the plurality of polarized light beams at a respective image area of a monochrome liquid crystal display panel, each image area of the liquid crystal display panel modulating the polarized light beam according to image data corresponding to the respective color designated for the image area;
• and
• projecting the plurality of modulated light beams in at least three different primary color components to form a full color display image;
• wherein the projecting comprises offsetting a projected position of one or more of the plurality of modulated light beams so that the plurality of modulated light beams overlay each other.

An apparatus for projecting an image comprising:

• an illumination source generating a plurality of polarized light beams in three different primary colors;
• a monochrome liquid crystal display panel comprising a two-dimensional array of addressable pixels, the array of addressable pixels being divided into a plurality of image areas, each image area receiving one of the plurality of polarized light beams in a respective primary color and modulating the polarized light beam to generate an image in the respective primary color;
• and
• a projection lens assembly for aligning and projecting the images generated by the plurality of image areas of the liquid crystal display panel to form a full color image,
• wherein the illumination source comprises:
• a light source emitting randomly polarized white light;
• a polarizing element coupled to receive the randomly polarized white light and generate a polarized white light beam;
• and
• color separating elements for separating the polarized white light beam into the plurality of polarized light beams in three different primary colors;
• and wherein the polarizing element comprises:
• a tunnel integrator coupled to receive the randomly polarized white light, the tunnel integrator having an input end comprising an input aperture and a reflective inside surface coated with a quarter wave retarder and an output end;
• and
• a transmitting/reflecting polarizer coupled to the output end of the tunnel integrator for generating the polarized white light beam.

A rear screen projection system comprising:

• a light source emitting randomly polarized white light;
• a polarizing element coupled to receive the randomly polarized white light and generate a polarized white light beam;
• color separating elements for separating the polarized white light beam into a plurality of polarized light beams in at least three different primary colors;
• a monochrome liquid crystal display panel comprising a two-dimensional array of addressable pixels, the array of addressable pixels being divided into a plurality of image areas, each image area receiving one of the plurality of polarized light beams in a respective primary color and modulating the polarized light beam to generate an image in the respective primary color;
• and
• a projection lens assembly for aligning and projecting the images generated by the plurality of image areas of the liquid crystal display panel to form a full color image,
• wherein the polarizing element comprises:
• a tunnel integrator coupled to receive the randomly polarized white light, the tunnel integrator having an input end comprising an input aperture and a reflective inside surface coated with a quarter wave retarder and an output end;
• and
• a transmitting/reflecting polarizer coupled to the output end of the tunnel integrator for generating the polarized white light beam.

An apparatus for projecting an image comprising:

• an illumination source generating a plurality of polarized light beams in at least three different primary colors;
• a liquid crystal display panel comprising a two-dimensional array of addressable pixels, the array of addressable pixels being divided into a plurality of color image areas, each color image area in a respective one of the at least three primary colors, each color image area receiving a polarized light beams in the respective primary color and modulating the polarized light beam to generate an image in the respective primary color;
• and
• a projection lens assembly for aligning and projecting the images generated by the plurality of image areas of the liquid crystal display panel to form a full color image, wherein the projection lens assembly comprises:
• a first projection lens coupled to receive the image generated by a first one of the color image areas;
• a second projection lens coupled to receive the image generated by a second one of the color image areas;
• and
• a third projection lens coupled to receive the image generated by a third one of the color image areas,
• wherein the second projection lens is positioned between the first and the third projection lenses, the first and the third projection lenses are positioned in an offset position relative to the respective first and third color image areas.