Texas Instruments Corporation

John Marshall Ferri

Gregory Scott Pettitt

Sajjad Ali Khan

Michael Terry Davis

Alexander Lyubarsky

Paul Lawrence Rancuret

Vivek Kumar Thakur

William M Bommersbach

Terry Alan Bartlett

Vikrant R Bhakta

Zhongyan Sheng

Ganapathy Sivakumar

James Francis Hallas

William M Bommerbach

An apparatus includes a phase light modulator (PLM) configured to produce background image illumination including background image light and zero-order light, a first lens array including first lenses optically coupled to the PLM and configured to project the background image light, a second lens array optically coupled to the first lens array and including second lenses configured to project the background image light, an optical tunnel extending between the first lens array and the second lens array, optically coupled to the PLM and configured to project a zero-order light, an embedded lens in the second lens array optically coupled to the optical tunnel and configured to focus the zero-order light from the optical tunnel, and focusing optics optically coupled to the second lens array and the embedded lens and configured to focus the background image light and the zero-order light onto a background image plane of a spatial light modulator.

Providing uniform background image illumination with zero-order light from a phase light modulator to a spatial light modulator

A system includes a red light emitting diode (LED), a blue LED, and a green LED. The system also includes a red laser, a first filter, a second filter, and a lens. The system includes a first optical path that includes the red LED, the red laser, the first filter, the second filter, and the lens, where the first filter has a filter response to transmit red light from the red laser and to reflect red light from the red LED. The system also includes a second optical path that includes the blue LED, the green LED, the second filter, and the lens, where the second filter has a filter response to transmit blue light from the blue LED, to transmit green light from the green LED, to reflect red light from the red laser, and to reflect red light from the red LED.

LED illumination with red laser assist

Described examples include a device having a prism cube having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the prism cube configured to: receive light comprising a first color light and a second color light, direct the first color light to the first side of the prism cube, and direct the second color light to the second side of the prism cube.

Prism architecture

In described examples, a first TIR or RTIR element is arranged to introduce at least red light to a first spatial light modulator for modulation thereof, and a second TIR or RTIR element is arranged to introduce at least green light to a second spatial light modulator for modulation thereof. At least one of the first and second TIR or RTIR elements is arranged to introduce blue light to at least one of the first and second spatial light modulators, respectively, for modulation thereof: time-sequentially apart from the first spatial light modulator's modulation of the introduced red light, to an extent the blue light is so introduced to the first spatial light modulator; and time-sequentially apart from the second spatial light modulator's modulation of the introduced green light, to an extent the blue light is so introduced to the second spatial light modulator.

Light modulator image display projector architectures

In described examples, a projector includes a light source to produce first light of a first color. The projector also includes a phosphor to selectively receive the first light and produce second light of a second color in response to the first light. The projector also includes a dichroic mirror to pass a portion of the second light to produce a third light of a third color. The dichroic mirror reflects a portion of the second light as fourth light of a fourth color.

Spatial light modulator image display projector apparatus with solid state illumination light sources

Described examples include an optical device having a first light source configured to provide a first light having a first characteristic. The optical device also has a second light source configured to provide a second light having a second characteristic. The optical device also has a combiner configured to combine the first light and the second light to provide a combined light. The optical device also has a spatial light modulator configured to modulate the combined light to provide modulated combined light. The optical device also has a divider configured to receive the modulated combined light and to direct a first portion of the modulated combined light having the first characteristic to a first target and to direct a second portion of the modulated combined light having the second characteristic to a second target.

Projection on multiple planes using a single projection unit

A pupil expansion apparatus includes: a beam splitter, configured to receive light from an optic and to replicate a pupil formed by the optic; and a waveguide, optically coupled to the beam splitter, the waveguide configured to receive light from the beam splitter and further expand the pupil.

Expanding a pupil using replication

Described examples include a projection system having projection optics with a projection optics axis tilted from an axis perpendicular to an image target, the projection optics configured to project an image. The projection system also having an image source, the image source configured to provide the image, the image source having an offset from the projection optics axis, a plane of the image source having an angle from perpendicular to the projection optics axis such that a projected image from the image source projected by the projection optics is focused onto the image target along an extent of the projected image.

Projection system with offset image

The pupil formed by an optical apparatus is expanded by use of a beam splitter to replicate the pupil and a waveguide to further replicate the replicated pupil. An optional rotator element can rotate a portion of the light split by the beam splitter to provide consistent polarization of light in the optical apparatus. In some embodiments, the beam splitter replication expands the pupil in one direction, while the waveguide replication expands the pupil in a second direction.

Expanding a pupil using replication via beam splitter feeding a waveguide

In described examples, a method of creating multiple light images uses spatially-separated light sources, arranged in an array, operated in multiplexed fashion, for driving a spatial light modulator. Each of the light sources is time-sequenced to direct light at the spatial light modulator during a time interval. The spatial light modulator is synchronized with the light sources and controlled to produce a desired image during each time interval. The resulting images are received by an optical lens system to provide light images along an image plane. Alternately, the optical lens system focuses the modulated light images on a hogel plane to produce a light field. The pixel count of the spatial light modulator is effectively multiplied by the number of light sources.

Optical system designs for generation of light fields using spatial light modulators

An imaging system using a spatial light modulator has first color laser light directed by a dichroic element to a rotating member. The rotating member includes phosphor segments that respond to illumination by the first color light to emit second and third color light along a first path to the dichroic element for output, and a light transmitting segment that passes the first color through the rotating member along a second path to the dichroic element for output. In a 3D imaging mode, the first color laser light includes light of two wavelengths, and the phosphor segments include segments that emit second and third color light each of two wavelengths. The output light is directed to a second rotating member that selectively transmits one wavelength of each color while blocking the other wavelength of each color.

Projector light source and system, including configuration for display of 3D using passive viewing glasses

A solid state illumination system is provided for image projection. Red, green and blue light is generated using a blue laser light source and phosphor emissions. The red, green and blue light is passed by TIR or TRIR elements of red, green and blue light channels of an X-cube prism structure for separate modulation by different spatial light modulators. The modulated red, green and blue light is passed by the TIR or TRIR elements into the X-cube and combined into a combined modulated RGB image forming light stream for image formation via projection optics onto a target imaging surface.

Multi-spatial light modulator image display projector architectures using solid state light sources

A projector system with a single imaging array has a low-etendue light source. The projector system includes a first optical path from the low-etendue light source to a plurality of optical conversion media having a plurality of emission wavelengths to provide display light with wavelengths longer than blue light. The projector system includes a second optical path from the optical conversion media to the imaging array. The projector system has a means of moving an excitation location on the optical conversion media in the first optical path. The projector system may include a blue LED, a diffuser region, or an optical conversion medium with a blue emission wavelength to provide blue display light. Light from the low-etendue light source is prevented from directly impinging on the imaging array.

Projector with optical conversion media pumped by low etendue source

A projection light source has a source of laser light of a first color. A first member has first and second phosphor material segments respectively configured to emit light of second and third colors when illuminated by the laser light of the first color. A second member has first and second dichroic filter segments respectively configured to pass the light of the second and third colors emitted by the first and second phosphor material segments, while blocking light of the others of the first, second and third colors. Relative placements of the first and second members are synchronized to periodically align the first member with the laser light source and the second member with the first member, so that the first dichroic filter segment will pass the second color along a path at first time intervals when the second color is emitted by the first phosphor material and the second dichroic filter segment will pass the third color along at least a same portion of the path at second time intervals when the third color is emitted by the second phosphor material.

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Allen, TX, United States of America

John Marshall Ferri