Serial modulation display having binary light modulation stage

A display comprising:

• means for generating light;
• first means for binary modulation of the light, the first means comprising a plurality of first elements switchable between ON and OFF states;
• means for blurring light modulated by the first means and directing the blurred light onto a binary spatial light modulator;
• means for generating first control signals for the first means based on the image data, the means for generating first control signals comprising means for generating a pattern based upon the image data, the pattern having a spatially-varying density;
• means for generating second control signals for the binary spatial light modulator based on the image data;
• means for maintaining the elements of the first means in states according to the pattern while operating the binary spatial light modulator to modulate the blurred light according to the second control signals;
• and
• means for estimating a light field of the blurred light at the binary spatial light modulator wherein the means for generating second control signals is responsive to both the image data and the estimated light field.

A method for displaying an image, wherein the method comprises:

• setting elements of a first binary spatial light modulator according to a binary pattern based on the image, the pattern having a spatially-varying density;
• blurring and transferring to a second spatial light modulator an image of the first binary light modulator to yield a light field at the second spatial light modulator;
• computing an estimate of the light field corresponding to the pattern and controlling the second spatial light modulator according to the image data and the estimate of the light field;
• and
• modulating the light field with the second spatial light modulator to yield a reconstruction of the image.

A display comprising:

• a first spatial light modulator comprising a plurality of first elements switchable between ON states, wherein the elements emit light, and OFF states wherein the elements are dark,
• transfer optics disposed to direct light from the first spatial light modulator onto a second spatial light modulator,
• a driver configured to generate first and second control signals for the first and second spatial light modulators respectively based on image data,
• wherein:
• the driver is configured to generate a pattern based upon the image data, the pattern having a spatially-varying density;
• the driver is configured to generate the first control signal so as to set elements of the first spatial light modulator according to the pattern;
• the transfer optics are characterized by a transfer function that blurs light originating from the first spatial light modulator at the second spatial light modulator;
• the second spatial light modulator comprises a plurality of elements switchable between ON and OFF states and the driver is configured to switch the elements of the second spatial light modulator between their ON and OFF states multiple times during an image frame;
• and
• the driver is configured to estimate a light field at the second spatial light modulator corresponding to the pattern and to base the second control signals on the estimated light field.