Serial modulation display having binary light modulation stage

A display comprising:

• a light source capable of directing light onto a first spatial light modulator, the first spatial light modulator comprising a plurality of first reflective elements switchable between ON and OFF states,
• transfer optics disposed to direct light modulated by the first spatial light modulator onto a second spatial light modulator, and
• 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 and 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 and to hold the elements of the first spatial light modulator set according to the pattern while applying the second control signals to the second spatial light modulator;
• 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;
• 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.

A display comprising:

• means for generating light;
• first means for binary modulation of the light, the first means comprising a plurality of first reflective 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;
• and
• means for generating second control signals for the binary spatial light modulator based on the image data.

A method comprising:

• setting reflective 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;
• modulating the light field with the second spatial light modulator to yield a reconstruction of the image while holding the reflective elements of the first binary spatial light modulator set according to the binary pattern;
• and
• 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.

A display comprising:

• a first spatial light modulator comprising a plurality of first reflective 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, and
• 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 for the duration of an image frame;
• 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;
• and,
• 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 the image frame.

A display comprising:

• a first spatial light modulator comprising a plurality of first reflective 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, and
• 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 for the duration of an image frame;
• 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;
• and,
• 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 the image frame;
• wherein 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.