The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 17, 1998
Filed:
Jun. 05, 1997
Paul E Gulick, Tualatin, OR (US);
Clarity Visual Systems, Inc., Wilsonville, OR (US);
Abstract
A projection display (12) employs a fiber optic homogenizer (32) that includes a bundle (60) of optical fibers arranged such that an input end (64) has a substantially round cross-sectional shape that receives nonuniform illumination generated by a projection light source (24,26). The fiber optic homogenizer contains optical fibers that are interwoven and rerouted through the length of the bundle to terminate in an output end (66) having the same shape as a light valve (40) that generates the image projected by the display. The interweaving and rerouting provides a substantially random redistribution of fibers across the shape of the output end to propagate a uniform, rectangular illumination beam onto the light valve with very little light loss. A multiscreen projection display (70) further matches the luminance and color of adjacent projection displays (86) by employing a single projection light source (24,26) and a fiber optic homogenizer (72) that has an input end shaped and arranged as before, but with a bundle (74) further subdivided into subbundles (76) each terminating in an output end (78) having a shape matched to a light valve (80) in an associated one of the projection displays. The optical fibers are interwoven and routed to provide a subdivision and random redistribution of the fibers across the rectangular cross-sectional shape of each of the output ends.