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US 6,863,401 B2Granted
Illumination system
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorSteven M. Penn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The addition of DMD illumination modulator(s) 702 in series with projection SLM(s) 706/709 to produce high-performance projection displays with improved optical efficiency, reliability, and lower maintenance requirements. This approach eliminates the vibration, audible noise, and safety problems associated with high speed rotating color filter wheels 203 commonly used in SLM projectors and controls the light applied to individual areas of the projection SLM(s).
Claims23
An illumination system comprising:
- a white light source generating a light beam path along a light path;
- an illumination modulator on said light path, elements of said illumination modulator switched between a first and a second state;
- said illumination modulator elements in said first state directing light to the surface of a yellow dichroic mirror;
- said yellow dichroic mirror directing red and green light to a color splitter;
- said color splitter directing said red light from said yellow dichroic mirror to a dedicated red spatial light modulator;
- said color splitter directing said green light from said yellow dichroic mirror to a dedicated blue-green spatial light modulator;
- said illumination modulator elements in said second state directing light to the surface of a magenta dichroic mirror;
- said magenta dichroic mirror directing red plus blue light to said color splitter;
- said color splitter directing said red light from said magenta dichroic mirror to said dedicated red spatial modulator;
- and
- said color splitter directing said blue light from said magenta dichroic mirror to said dedicated blue-green spatial light modulator.
8 more elements
An illumination system comprising:
- a white light source providing a light beam;
- a color splitter directing red light to a dedicated red spatial light modulator;
- said color splitter directing cyan light along a light path to an illumination modulator;
- elements of said illumination modulator switched between a first and a second state;
- said elements in said first position directing light to a blue dichroic mirror;
- said blue dichroic mirror directing blue light to a dedicated blue-green spatial light modulator;
- said elements in said second position directing light to a green dichroic mirror;
- and
- said green dichroic mirror directing green light to said dedicated blue-green spatial light modulator.
6 more elements
An illumination system comprising:
- a light source producing a beam of light comprising three primary color components along a light path;
- a first spatial light modulator operable in a first and second state and receiving at least a first and second primary component of said light beam;
- a first color filter directing said first primary color component to a second spatial light modulator when said first spatial light modulator is in said first state;
- a second color filter directing said second primary color component to a second spatial light modulator when said first spatial light modulator is in said second state;
- a color splitter separating a third said primary color component from said beam of light and directing said third primary color component to a third spatial light modulator.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.