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US4814866A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Schlieren color television image aperturing device

Assignee: McDonnell Douglas Corp
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Filing: 1987-03-04
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Granted: 1989-03-21
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Expires: 2007-03-04
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Abstract

Abstract A Schlieren-type color television projector utilizes a fiber optic rear projection screen (FORPUS) at an initial focal point to translate the spatially separated, converging rays of component colors produced by the Schlieren-type color television projector into a plurality of spatially combined, diverging rays of combined colors which are then suitable for further processing by a conventional optical lens system which can either aperture or vignette the image without color fringing, separation, or a shift in the color balance normally experienced when aperturing or vignetting a Schlieren-type color television image.

Inventors

  • 👤 Homer E. Dillard
  • 👤 John A. VanHoogstrate
  • 👤 Ronald J. Muffler

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 15:16
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B21/00; G03B21/54; G03B21/56; G03B21/60; G03B21/62; G02; G02B; G02B27/00; G02B27/50; G02B27/54; H; H04; H04N; H04N9/00; H04N9/12; H04N9/31; H04N9/3102

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 103 words
In a television projection system having means to produce an image comprised of a plurality of spatially separated, converging rays of component colors, and means to focus said rays along an optical axis at a focal point, said image being thereby unsuited to aperture control, the improvement comprising means to translate said image rays into a plurality of spatially combined, diverging rays of combined colors suitable for aperture control, said translation means including a rear projection screen comprised of a plurality of fiber optic fiber elements arranged in coherent fashion and aligned parallel to the optical axis and at the focal point thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 103 words
In a television projection system having means to produce an image comprised of a plurality of spatially separated, converging rays of component colors, and means to focus said rays along an optical axis at a focal point, said image being thereby unsuited to aperture control, the improvement comprising means to translate said image rays into a plurality of spatially combined, diverging rays of combined colors suitable for aperture control, said translation means including a rear projection screen comprised of a plurality of fiber optic fiber elements arranged in coherent fashion and aligned parallel to the optical axis and at the focal point thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 26 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said fiber optic rear projection screen (FORPS) is approximately 0.06 inches thick and has a numerical aperture of approximately 0.35.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 23 words
The device of claim 2 wherein both sides of the FORPS are polished and further comprising an anti-reflective coating applied to both sides.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 15 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the television projection system utilizes a Schlieren light valve.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 25 words
The device of claim 4 further comprising a plurality of optical elements aligned along the optical axis to further process said translated image for projection.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 110 words
In a television projection system utilizing a Schlieren light valve having means to produce an image, said image thereby being comprised of a plurality of rays each having a specific color distribution, said rays being focused along an optical axis to a focal point, the improvement comprising means to translate said image into a plurality of rays, each of said rays having a non-specific color distribution so that said translated image may be further processed by aperturing techniques without significant degradation thereof, said translation means comprising a fiber optic rear projection screen (FORPS), said FORPS being aligned along the optical axis of the image and at the focal point thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 110 words
In a television projection system utilizing a Schlieren light valve having means to produce an image, said image thereby being comprised of a plurality of rays each having a specific color distribution, said rays being focused along an optical axis to a focal point, the improvement comprising means to translate said image into a plurality of rays, each of said rays having a non-specific color distribution so that said translated image may be further processed by aperturing techniques without significant degradation thereof, said translation means comprising a fiber optic rear projection screen (FORPS), said FORPS being aligned along the optical axis of the image and at the focal point thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 32 words
The device of claim 6 further comprising a lens means aligned along the optical axis of the projected image, said lens means having means to focus the projected image on the FORPS.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 26 words
The device of claim 6 wherein said fiber optic rear projection screen (FORPS) is approximately 0.06 inches thick and has a numerical aperture of approximately 0.35.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 31 words
The device of claim 6 wherein said translation means comprises a bundle of fiber optic elements, an end of said bundle being positioned at the focal point of the image source.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1992-03-20 1992-09-19 1993-03-21 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1996-03-20 1996-09-19 1997-03-21 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2000-03-20 2000-09-19 2001-03-21 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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