Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Sang-whoe Dho

Sung-Ha Kim

Chang-wan Hong

Jin-Ho Lee

Jin-ho Lee

Provided are a laser video projector having a multi-channel acousto-optic modulator, and a method and circuit for driving the laser video projector. The laser video projector includes a light generating portion, an optic modulator, an optic combining portion, and an optic scanning portion. The light generating portion emits light to be used to project a video image. The optic modulator modulates the light incident from the light generating portion by using the video signal. The optic combining portion combines modulated light beams emitted from the optic modulator. The optic scanning portion scans light incident from the optic combining portion on a screen. The optic modulator has six or more optic modulation channels so that a plurality of red light beams, a plurality of green light beams, and a plurality of blue light beams incident in a state suitable for optic modulation are simultaneously modulated. Accordingly, limitations in the performance of an optic modulator and an optic scanner can be overcome. Also, a laser video projector can be made small. In addition, the degree of freedom for arranging components increases and the components can be well arranged. Furthermore, a video image of high brightness can be realized.

Laser video projector having multi-channel acousto-optic modulator, and method and circuit for driving the same

Provided are an illumination system capable of eliminating laser speckle and a projection system employing the illumination system. The illumination system includes a laser light source having at least one laser, and a first diffractive optical element to divide a laser beam emitted from the laser light source into a plurality of partial beams and to time-average the partial beams through a periodical movement to eliminate speckle. Accordingly, the illumination system can eliminate speckle of the beams emitted from the laser light source and the projection system employing the illumination system can achieve a high quality image.

Illumination system capable of eliminating laser speckle and projection system employing the same

An illumination system designed to remove laser speckle and a projection system including the same. The illumination system includes a laser light source having at least one laser, a diffractive optical element to divide a laser beam emitted from the laser light source into a plurality of sub-beams and to periodically move in such a way as to temporally average the speckle of the laser beam, and an optical fiber bundle including a plurality of fibers with the same length to divide the sub-beams into smaller sub-beams. The illumination system divides the laser beam emitted from the laser light source into sub-beams and temporally or spatially averages the sub-beams, thereby effectively reducing or removing laser speckle. The projection system employing the illumination system can provide improved image quality.

Illumination system to eliminate laser speckle and projection system employing the same

An illumination system designed to eliminate laser speckle and a single-panel projection system employing the same. The illumination system includes a laser light source to sequentially emit a plurality of laser beams, and a first diffractive optical element that is partitioned into a plurality of segments having diffractive patterns that correspond to the plurality of laser beams to move synchronously with the sequential emission of the plurality of laser beams. The laser speckle is removed by moving the first diffractive optical element in such a manner as to temporally average the plurality of laser beams. The illumination system efficiently removes the laser speckle, and the projection system having the illumination system provides improved image quality.

Illumination system to eliminate laser speckle and a single-panel projection system employing the same

A light coupling device and an image projection apparatus using the same, wherein photoconductive media of the light coupling device include optical fibers that transmit light. Each light coupling device has at least two input terminals, at least two output terminals, and a connector connecting the input and output terminals, wherein the connector forms at least one light path. The light coupling device receives and divides respective R, G, and B monochromatic light beams. By connecting a light source with multiple optical instruments via the light coupling devices, images can be projected on multiple screens. Further, by using optical fibers to transmit light beams, the size of image instruments is minimized and light loss is reduced.

Light coupling device and image projection apparatus using the same

An image projecting apparatus having an optical switch of a non-square matrix structure, is provided. A light source emits a plurality of monochromatic lights having different wavelengths. A first light transmission unit includes of a plurality of optical fibers that allows monochromatic lights to be passed therethrough. An optical switch unit has a plurality of non-square matrix type reflecting mirrors to selectively reflect the monochromatic lights. The reflecting mirrors includes a first group placed at odd lines and a second group placed at even lines. A square-beam generation unit converts reflected monochromatic lights into square beams, and a panel transmits the monochromatic lights converted into square beams and forms monochromatic signals of a predetermined size.

Apparatus for image projecting having a matrix type of optical-switch

An image projecting apparatus including a light source that emits a plurality of monochromatic lights of different wavelength, a condenser lens that concentrates the plurality of monochromatic lights, a color separating device that has a plurality of dichroic mirrors which while rotating selectively reflect or transmit the plurality of incident monochromatic lights. A square beam generator receives the input of two reflected monochromatic lights from the color separating device almost simultaneously, thereby forming two square beams. A panel unit receives the two square beams generated, thereby forming respectively corresponding monochromatic color stripes thereon. By selectively reflecting or transmitting the plurality of incident monochromatic lights with the plurality of dichroic mirror wheels, light utilization at a panel increases. Further, since the two different monochromatic color stripes are simultaneously formed on the panel unit, partial overlapping of the monochromatic color stripes on the panel unit is prevented.

Color separating device using dichroic mirror wheel and image projecting apparatus using the same

An optical coupling device, a method of producing the same, and an optical apparatus using the same. A light transmitting medium of the optical coupling device is made of optical fibers to transmit the light. Three RGB laser beams can be compounded by forming one output end after heating one end of the optical fibers. Input ends of the optical fibers each have a lens to collimate each laser beam. A collimating lens installed at an output end of the optical fibers changes the compounded laser beam to a parallel ray. The optical coupling device made of the optical fibers can be applied to an image reproducing apparatus such as a projector and a projection TV. Especially, when the optical coupling device using the optical fibers is applied to an image reproducing apparatus having a DMD (digital micro-mirror device), the size of the image reproducing apparatus can be reduced and the quality of the image reproduced is improved.

Optical coupling device, method of producing the same, and optical apparatus using the same

An image projection apparatus and method includes a light separating unit that separates white light into monochromatic lights of different wavelengths, and then forms a plurality of monochromatic color stripes. A galvanometer receives the separated monochromatic lights and deflects the lights by a predetermined angle. The holographic optical element such as a hologram element can be used as the light separating unit, obtaining an advantageous reduction in light loss. Further, when the separated RGB monochromatic lights are scanned on the DMD panel by the use of galvanometer, only one color stripe is projected to be incident on the DMD panel in the initial scanning, thereby increasing light utilization efficiency. As a result, the quantity of light increases, the light efficiency improves, and the brightness of the realized image is enhanced.

Image projection apparatus and method

An image projecting apparatus has optical switches in first optical switch unit arranged in a square matrix arrangement, and a second optical switch unit of optical switches in single file for selectively reflecting the monochromatic lights reflected from the first optical switch unit. A light source irradiates a plurality of monochromatic lights of different wavelengths and the monochromatic lights are passed through the optical switches and a square beam generator such that they are incident on a panel unit to realize a monochromatic color stripe of a predetermined size. Light utilization increases through the use of first and second optical switch units, and overlapping between monochromatic color stripes can be prevented through the use of digital micromirror device (DMD) panel or liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) panel of fast responsiveness.

Image projecting apparatus having optical switch

An image projection apparatus and method for amplifying a quantity of light includes a light source that irradiates a white light. A light amplifying unit amplifies the light quantity of a light having a certain wavelength of the white light, and the light amplifying unit outputs the amplified light. The light amplifying unit is formed of a fluorescent substance that lets the wavelength of the visible light band pass, while absorbing the other wavelengths. The light amplifying unit receives the external wavelength identical to the certain wavelength, thereby amplifying the certain wavelength. Accordingly, the light quantity of monochromatic light of the certain wavelength is amplified, improving the light utilization efficiency. Additionally, hue/saturation/brightness of the color is also improved by moving the intermediate wavelength of the certain wavelength within a predetermined range.

An image projecting apparatus including a light source emits a plurality of monochromatic rays of light with different wavelengths. A condenser lens concentrates the plurality of monochromatic rays. A first color separating unit rotates and selectively causes the plurality of monochromatic rays to be reflected therefrom or passed therethrough. A second color separating unit selectively causes the plurality of monochromatic rays that are passed through the first color separating unit to be reflected therefrom or passed therethrough. A square beam generating unit is inputted with the plurality of monochromatic rays reflected from the first and the second color separating units and transforms the monochromatic rays as inputted into square beams. A panel unit is inputted with the square beams of the monochromatic rays and forms a plurality of monochromatic images corresponding to the monochromatic rays.

Apparatus and method for image projection using dichroic mirror wheel

An image projection apparatus including a light source for emitting a plurality of monochromatic color beams having different wave lengths; a first light transmit unit; a light switch unit having a plurality of mirrors for selectively deflecting the monochromatic color beams at a predetermined angle; a quadrangular beam generating unit for converting the reflected monochromatic color beams into quadrangular beams having certain ratios of length to height; a panel for receiving the converted quadrangular beams and forming a monochromatic color bar on at least one portion of upper, mid, and lower portions thereof; and a projection lens unit disposed opposite to the panel. Accordingly, by using the light switches, a monochromatic color bar is formed on single panel with the same utilization efficiency of light as that of three panels, thereby embodying a high image quality.

Growing community of inventors

Suwon, South Korea

Sang-whoe Dho