Internal projection system for projecting coherent light imagery onto a three-dimensional surface
OwnerMarc Lalley, Matthew Lalleyinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A projection system that projects coherent light rays from a coherent light (e.g., laser) source onto an inner reflective surface of a three-dimensional viewing space is disclosed. A relatively compact and low-power laser light image can thereby be formed and seen by an observer from inside the viewing space. Raster scanning or simultaneous projection onto large solid angles of said viewing space are possible. Useful and entertaining information can also be displayed, optionally as dynamic and moving images, onto the projection screen as well.
Claims33
A projection system for projecting coherent images, comprising:
- a coherent light source configured to emit coherent light;
- a microdisplay array that receives the coherent light from said coherent light source and outputs a controlled coherent light output representing an image;
- an optical lens assembly that operates on said coherent light output of said microdisplay array and is configured to deliver a corresponding coherent light output representing an image to be incident upon a reflective surface of a variety of configurations without alteration of said optical lens assembly;
- said reflective surface having a three-dimensional configuration substantially defining an enclosure volume configured and arranged to receive the coherent light output from said optical lens assembly to present a corresponding viewable image that is observable from inside the enclosure volume without substantial loss of clarity of said viewable image.
An image projection system, comprising:
- a coherent light source comprising a plurality of substantially mono-chromatic coherent light emitters, each designed to emit a different coherent light wavelength, and said coherent light source having one light emitter of each of said plurality of wavelengths;
- a microdisplay array receiving said coherent light from said coherent light source and providing a computer-controllable coherent light output in each of said wavelengths;
- an optical lens assembly that operates on the coherent light output of said microdisplay array, and is configured to deliver a corresponding coherent light output of each of said wavelengths for projection of a viewable image onto a reflective three-dimensional surface of a variety of configurations without alteration of said optical lens assembly, substantially without loss of clarity of said viewable image, wherein said three-dimensional surface substantially defines an enclosure volume around said optical lens assembly;
- said optical lens assembly arranged and oriented to direct said coherent light output towards said reflective surface to cause a viewable image to be formed on said reflective surface that is observable from within said enclosure;
- said optical lens assembly further arranged and oriented to direct said coherent light output to be simultaneously incident upon at least a 90-degree solid angle on said reflective surface.
A method for projecting an image onto an internal surface of a substantially-enclosed three dimensional surface, comprising:
- generating coherent light in a visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum from a coherent light source;
- providing said coherent light as an input to a microdisplay apparatus;
- controlling said microdisplay apparatus to output a coherent light representation of the image;
- providing said output of said microdisplay apparatus as a coherent light input to an optical lens assembly;
- and
- altering the coherent light input of the optical lens assembly within the optical lens assembly, including projecting a coherent light output from said optical lens assembly outward from the optical lens assembly to cover a substantial solid angle of said three dimensional reflective surface of a variety of configurations without alteration of said optical lens assembly to form a clear and viewable image upon said reflective surface without substantial loss of clarity of said viewable image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.