Color-balanced brightness enhancement for display systems

A method of creating field sequential color images, comprising:

• providing a light source, a color sequencer, and a spatial light modulator;
• providing light of primarily one color band during one time period from the combination of the light source and the color sequencer while the spatial light modulator displays an image corresponding to that color band;
• providing light of primarily a second color band during a second time period from the combination of the light source and the color sequencer while the spatial light modulator displays an image corresponding to that second color band;
• providing light of primarily a third color band during a third time period from the combination of the light source and the color sequencer while the spatial light modulator displays an image corresponding to that third color band;
• and
• providing spectrally-broad light during a fourth time period from the combination of the light source and the color sequencer while the spatial light modulator displays an image corresponding to that spectrally-broad light, wherein while providing the spectrally-broad light the color sequencer attenuates at least a portion of the light from the light source by a non-negligible amount, wherein the spectrally-broad light includes simultaneous and substantial amounts of red, green, and blue light, wherein the spectrally-broad light has desired spectral characteristics as a result of the combination of the light source and the color sequencer.

A color sequencing system for receiving visible light having a significant luminance across the visible light spectrum and for selectively transmitting light with an emphasis on different portions of the spectrum, the system comprising:

• a segmented color wheel having four segments, with three of the segments being primarily transmissive in only a portion of the wavelength spectrum of visible light, the portion for each of the three segments not being identical, and with a fourth segment being broadly transmissive across the wavelength spectrum of visible light, the broadly-transmissive segment having a transmittance at some wavelengths of visible light that is different from a transmittance at some other wavelengths of visible light so as to provide a desired color of light transmitted therethrough;
• and
• a base to which the color wheel is rotatable mounted;
• wherein the transmission spectrum of the fourth segment is approximately 100 percent across all of the visible light spectrum except for a region having a spectral width of 150 nanometers or less in which the transmittance is approximately 90 percent.

A color sequencing system for receiving visible light having a significant luminance across the visible light spectrum and for selectively transmitting light with an emphasis on different portions of the spectrum, the system comprising:

• a segmented color wheel having four segments, with three of the segments being primarily transmissive in only a portion of the wavelength spectrum of visible light, the portion for each of the three segments not being identical, and with a fourth segment being broadly transmissive across the wavelength spectrum of visible light, the broadly-transmissive segment having a transmittance at some wavelengths of visible light that is different from a transmittance at some other wavelengths of visible light so as to provide a desired color of light transmitted therethrough;
• and
• a base to which the color wheel is rotatable mounted;
• wherein the fourth segment transmits substantial amounts of light throughout the range of 450 to 650 nanometers.

A color sequencing system for use in creating field sequential color images, comprising:

• a light source;
• a color sequencer;
• and
• a spatial light modulator;
• wherein light of primarily one color band is provided during one time period from the combination of the light source and the color sequencer while the spatial light modulator displays an image corresponding to that color band;
• wherein light of primarily a second color band is provided during a second time period from the combination of the light source and the color sequencer while the spatial light modulator displays an image corresponding to that second color band;
• wherein light of primarily a third color band is provided during a third time period from the combination of the light source and the color sequencer while the spatial light modulator displays an image corresponding to that third color band;
• and
• wherein spectrally-broad light is provided during a fourth time period from the combination of the light source and the color sequencer while the spatial light modulator displays an image corresponding to that spectrally-broad light, further wherein while providing the spectrally-broad light the color sequencer attenuates at least a portion of the light from the light source by a non-negligible amount, wherein the spectrally-broad light includes simultaneous and substantial amounts of red, green, and blue light, wherein the spectrally-broad light has desired spectral characteristics as a result of the combination of the light source and the color sequencer.