# US 8,542,427 B2 · Image projection using curved reflective surfaces

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- Number: US 8,542,427 B2
- Document ID: US8542427B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/602,780
- Filed: 2012-09-04
- Published: 2012-12-27
- Granted: 2013-09-24
- Earliest claimed: 2006-12-22
- Assignees: Texas Instruments Incorporated
- Applicants: David Joseph Mehrl
- Inventors: David Joseph Mehrl
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8542427B2

## CPC

- G03B 21/28: Reflectors in projection beam {(in illumination beam G03B21/2066)}
- G02B 26/0833: {the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD (G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B)}
- H04N 9/3141: {Constructional details thereof (details not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14)}
- G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D)
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

A system for projecting images has an illumination system for providing light, a spatial light modulator including an array of individually addressable pixel modulator elements with curved reflective surfaces, and projection optics for projecting the modulated light to form the image, wherein no focal planes of the projection optics are aligned to the reflective surfaces of the pixels.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A projection system, comprising:
an illumination system providing light;
an array of reflective and deflectable pixels for modulating the light so as to produce an image, wherein each pixel comprises a micromirror having a movable mirror plate with a curved reflective surface and the curved reflective surfaces of the micromirrors define a focal plane; and
projection optics for projecting the modulated light to form the image, wherein the focal plane defined by the curved reflective surfaces is not aligned to the focal plane of the projection optics.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the focal plane of the curved reflective surfaces lies between the focal plane of the projection optics and the projection optics.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the focal plane of the projection optics lies between the focal plane of the curved reflective surfaces and the projection optics.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the projection optics is disposed such that an image of the curved reflective surface is projected on a screen for viewing; and wherein said image of the curved reflective surface has a predetermined dimension different from the physical dimension of the curved reflective surface.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the predetermined dimension is substantially half a pitch size of the micromirror array with the pitch size being defined as a center-to-center distance between two adjacent micromirrors in the micromirror array.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the micromirror array has a fill factor of 85% or more.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the micromirror array has a fill factor of 90% or more.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein an overlap of the pixels of the produced image is 30% or less.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein an overlap of the pixels of the produced image is 10% or less.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein resolution of the pixels of the produced image is a resolution higher than a resolution of the micromirror array.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a mechanism for causing a change of a propagation path of the modulated light such that the modulated light from each curved reflective surface can be projected onto a plurality of different locations on a screen.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the mechanism comprises a movable mirror.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the movable mirror is coupled to a moving mechanism.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the array of micromirrors is enclosed in a package having a package cover that is transmissive to visible light.