Multi-beam illumination system and method of illumination

A multi-beam illumination system for providing an illumination image, the multi-beam illumination system comprising:

• a plurality of light sources with collimating optics, arranged to generate a plurality of light beams;
• a panel, arranged downstream of the plurality of light sources with collimating optics, the panel comprising
• a plurality of panel segments in a panel plane;
• wherein the plurality of panel segments comprises at least 4 panel segments;
• wherein each panel segment of the plurality of panel segments is arranged to contain a respective segment pattern of a plurality of segment patterns;
• and
• wherein the plurality of light sources with collimating optics are arranged to illuminate the plurality of panel segments;
• an imaging lens array, arranged downstream of the panel, the imaging lens array comprising
• a plurality of imaging lenses in an imaging lens plane arranged parallel to the panel plane at a first distance from the panel plane;
• wherein each imaging lens of the plurality of imaging lenses is arranged to image a corresponding segment pattern of the plurality of segment patterns into a respective projection image of a plurality of projection images projected by the imaging lens array, and
• wherein the plurality of projection images overlap at a predetermined image distance from the imaging lens plane forming the illumination image.