Christie Digital Systems Usa, Inc.

Michael Perkins

Robert Rushby

Duane Scott Dewald

Nathan Shawn Wainwright

John Domm

Simon Guthrie

John David Jackson

Joseph Ma

Mark Lamm

John Otto Vieth

John M Nieminen

Mang Li

Abdul Waheed Salimi

David Kiers

A dual phosphor wheel projection system is provided. A first dichroic mirror directs blue light from a first blue laser to a second dichroic mirror which directs the blue light to at least one integrator. The first dichroic mirror directs blue light from a second blue laser to a first phosphor/phosphor wheel, which converts the blue light to longer wavelengths that includes red light. The second dichroic mirror directs the red light to the integrator and transmit others of the longer wavelengths. The integrator combines the red light with red light from a red laser. A third dichroic mirror directs the red light from the red laser to the integrator and directs blue light from a third blue laser to a second phosphor/phosphor wheel, which converts the blue light to respective longer wavelengths that includes green light. The third dichroic mirror transmits the green light to the integrator.

Dual phosphor wheel projection system

A device, system and method for modulating light using a phase light modulator (PLM) and a spatial light modulator (SLM). A device determines a target-destination wave, representative of an image, to be formed at an image plane of the PLM using image data, defining the image for projection, and a random seeding of spatial values of a spatially varying phase of the target-destination wave at the image plane, the image plane located between the PLM and SLM, the SLM and PLM arranged such that light reflected from the PLM illuminates the SLM. The device determines a target-source wave to be formed at the PLM, based on: a free space transfer function between the PLM and the image plane; and the target-destination wave. The device determines, from the target-source wave, a phase map for controlling the PLM to form the image. The device controls the PLM using the phase map.

Device, system and method for modulating light using a phase light modulator and a spatial light modulator

A system and method for controlling the energy of light pulses for use with a projection optics system is provided. The system includes a light source configured to emit light pulses, a transmission element configured to transmit a first part and a second part of an active light pulse, the first part being transmitted to the projection optics system, and a feedback system including a detector configured to receive the second part of the active light pulse and determine a total measure of energy of the active light pulse, and a control unit configured to receive the total measure of energy and in response control an amplitude of a subsequent light pulse. In some implementations, the control unit may additionally set a threshold value for communication to a comparator to compare against the total measure of energy and in response control the width of the active light pulse.

Light pulse system

A forward-on-forward high dynamic range architecture for digital micromirror devices device is provided. In particular, provided herein is a device that includes two digital micromirror devices (DMDs), each operated in a forward configuration, such that each is illuminated at a respective non-normal angle and a respective output image is reflected at a normal angle, a subject plane of a first DMD being parallel to the first DMD. Optics between the DMDs are configured to convey light reflected from the first DMD to illuminate an image plane at a second DMD in the forward configuration, the optics including an equivalent lens plane. At least one optical device between the DMDs is configured to: tilt the subject plane of the first DMD to an equivalent tilted subject plane, the equivalent lens plane, the equivalent tilted subject plane and the image plane all intersecting at a Scheimpflug intersection.

Forward-on-forward high dynamic range architecture for digital micromirror devices

An imaging apparatus for two-stage light modulation in high-definition digital projection or cinema can include two light modulators. Each light modulator can include a multi-chip imaging system coupled to a total internal reflection prism (TIR) system, which has a light input face and an on-state face. Relay optics can be positioned between the two light modulators. The relay optics can be configured to defocus light received from the pre-modulator and to provide defocused light to the prime modulator using a substantially Gaussian pixel shaping function. The prime modulator can be oriented to receive defocused light from the relay optics at the light input face of its TIR prism system. The pre-modulator can be oriented backwards, so as to receive source light at the on-state face of its TIR prism system and to output pre-modulated light to the relay optics via the light input face of the TIR prism system.

Two-stage light modulation for high dynamic range

A system for order alignment of diffractively produced images is provided. The system comprises: a diffractive spatial light modulator (DSLM) configured to provide a computer generated hologram of an image; a substantially coherent light source configured to illuminate the DSLM which responsively produces the image along each of different diffractive order paths; and, at least one set of optical components located along respective diffractive order paths of the DSLM, the at least one set of optical components configured to align at least one respective image diffracted from the DSLM with at least another diffracted image at a common image plane.

System for order alignment of diffractively produced images

A source light beam is split into an illumination beam and a highlight beam. The highlight beam can be controllably shaped into a shaped highlight beam based on a brightness analysis of an image to output. The illumination beam and the shaped highlight beam are combined and provided to an imaging device that generates the image using the combined beam. An array of reflectors, such as a MEMS mirror device, can be used in conjunction with a stacked rod array to generate the shaped highlight beam. The illumination beam and the shaped highlight beam can be combined using offset lenses or a polarizing beam splitter.

Imaging with shaped highlight beam

A plurality of light sources of different wavelength bands can be provided. An imaging device can be configured to modulate incoming light according to video image data and output modulated light. A projection lens can be positioned to project the modulated light. An optical combiner can be disposed between the light sources and the imaging device. A plurality of holographic devices can each include a plurality of different holographic elements selectively positionable in a light path extending between one of the light sources and the optical combiner. Each of the holographic elements can define a light-shaping hologram. A controller can be configured to selectively position the holographic elements of the holographic devices based on the video image data.

Light shaping for imaging using holography

A configurable imaging system and methods therefor are provided. For each respective display unit in an imaging system having an image source and display units, presence of adjacent display units is detected, each of the display units configured to generate respective portions of an image, the display units arranged in a geometrical configuration. A map of the one of the geometrical configurations is generated based on detection of the presence of the adjacent display units.

Configurable imaging system

A zonal illumination system for use in a projector, comprising a source of illumination; a first modulation stage for dividing light from the source of illumination into a plurality of zones having respective light intensities based on zonal lighting intensity of an image to be projected; and a second modulation stage for modulating light from the first modulation stage to generate the image to be projected.

Zonal illumination for high dynamic range projection

An imaging system is provided. The imaging system comprises an image source providing a video data stream. The imaging system further comprises a plurality of microtile units for: generating respective portions of an image from the video data stream, each microtile unit connectable to a plurality of other microtile units in multiple geometrical configurations. Each microtile unit comprises circuitry for: communication with the plurality of other microtile units to control generation of each respective portion of the image; and sub-image capture from the video data stream. The imaging system further comprises a system control unit for: automatically detecting a configuration of connected microtile units to determine information indicating a portion of the image each individual microtile unit is to be responsible for; and relaying respective information comprising a respective portion of the image a respective microtile unit is to be responsible for to each the respective microtile unit in the sub-image capture.

A method for use in an imaging system having an image source and a plurality of microtile units for generating respective portions of the image is provided, each microtile unit including a self-contained screen and a rear projector for projecting the image on the screen, the method for at least one of self-aligning, colour matching and brightness matching the image portions across successive adjacent microtile units. The screen is over-scanned so that a portion of an edge of each image spills over onto a side wall of the microtile unit adjacent a further one of microtile units. Light from the image is permitted to spill through the side wall into the further microtile unit. The light is detected within the further microtile unit. The image is adjusted in response to detection of the light within the further microtile unit so as to at least one of align, color match and brightness match the image between the plurality of microtile units.

An imaging system is provided, the imaging system comprising at least a first and second input modules for distributing respective images and microtile units in communication with each other and the input modules, each of the input modules enabled to exchange command signals with each of the plurality of microtile units and each other in a self-organization process. When input modules encounter one another during the self-organization process, then a system master is designated based on at least one of: which of the input modules was a previous system master: which of the input modules has a newest firmware revision; which of the input modules has already organized a largest number of the microtile units in the self-organization process; and which of the input modules first discovers the other of the input modules.

An imaging system, comprising an image source and a plurality of microtile units for generating respective portions of an image, each microtile unit including a plurality of coupling mechanisms for connection to a plurality of other microtile units such that the microtile units may be arranged in multiple geometrical configurations, and each microtile unit including circuitry for communication with the other microtile units to control generation of each respective portion of the image.

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Kitchener, Canada

Michael Perkins