Single light valve full-color projector display

Claim 2

A projection apparatus for displaying an image on screen in accordance with the first and second video signals comprising: laser means for providing a beam of coherent light; means for controlling the intensity of said coherent beam in response to said first and second video signals; liquid crystal light valve means in optical alignment with said coherent beam for modulating light illuminating an output layer thereof in accordance with an internally generated voltage pattern produced in response to incidence of said coherent beam on an input layer thereof; scanning means for deflecting the coherent beam to a first set of areas on said input layer in response to said first video signal and for deflecting said coherent beam to a second set of areas on said input layer in response to said second video signal; means for illuminating said output layer with a light source; polarizing beam splitter means positioned in an optical path between said illuminating light source and said output layer for polarizing and directing said illuminating light onto said output layer and for relaying modulating light reflected by said output layer to an image plane; and striped filter means disposed at said image plane between said beam splitter means and said screen having first and second sets of filter elements in optical alignment with said first and second sets of areas of said input layer for transmitting radiant energy in first and second wavelength bands, respectively, to said display screen wherein said radiant energy passes through said striped filter means only once.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said first areas is rectangular and wherein each of said second areas is rectangular.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein each of said first and second rectangular areas extends across the entirety of said input layer, and wherein said first and second sets of rectangular areas are interleaved.

Claim 5

The projection apparatus of claim 3 wherein said striped filter means includes an optically transparent planar substrate.

Claim 6

The projection apparatus of claim 4 wherein each of said filter elements comprises a portion of said planar substrate coated with a dielectric layer.

Claim 7

The projection apparatus of claim 5 wherein each of said filter elements is rectangular.

Claim 8

The projection apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first and second filter elements are interleaved.

Claim 9

The projection apparatus of claim 7 wherein said rectangular interleaved filter elements are vertically oriented.

Claim 10

The projection apparatus of claim 1 wherein said beam splitter means includes a polarizing prism and a relay lens arrangement aligned therewith.

Claim 11

A projection apparatus for displaying a full-color image on a screen in accordance with red, green and blue video signals comprising: laser means for providing a beam of coherent light; means for controlling the intensity of said coherent beam in response to said red, green and blue video signals; a liquid crystal light valve in optical alignment with said coherent beam for modulating light illuminating an output layer thereof in accordance with an internally generated voltage pattern produced in response to incident of said coherent beam on an input layer thereof; scanning means for deflecting the coherent beam to a first set of areas on said input layer in response to said red video signal and for deflecting said coherent beam to a second et of areas on said input layer in response to said blue video signal an for deflecting said coherent beam to a third set of areas on said input layer in response to said green video signal; means for illuminating said output layer with a light source; polarizing beam splitter means positioned in an optical path between said illuminating light source and said output layer for polarizing and directing said illuminating light onto said output layer and for relaying modulated light reflected by said output layer to an image plane; and striped filter means disposed at said image plane, having red, blue and green filter elements in optical alignment with said first, second and third sets of areas of said input layer for transmitting radiant energy in red, green and blue wavelength bands, respectively, to said display screen wherein said radiant energy passes through said striped filter means only once.

Claim 12

A projection apparatus for displaying a full-color image on a screen in accordance with red, green and blue video signals comprising: laser means for providing a beam of coherent light; means for controlling the intensity of said coherent beam in response to said red, green and blue video signals; a liquid crystal light valve in optical alignment with said coherent beam for modulating light illuminating an output layer thereof in accordance with an internally generated voltage pattern produced in response to incident of said coherent beam on an input layer thereof; scanning means for deflecting the coherent beam to a first set of areas on said input layer in response to said red video signal and for deflecting said coherent beam to a second et of areas on said input layer in response to said blue video signal an for deflecting said coherent beam to a third set of areas on said input layer in response to said green video signal; means for illuminating said output layer with a light source; polarizing beam splitter means positioned in an optical path between said illuminating light source and said output layer for polarizing and directing said illuminating light onto said output layer and for relaying modulated light reflected by said output layer to an image plane; and striped filter means disposed at said image plane, having red, blue and green filter elements in optical alignment with said first, second and third sets of areas of said input layer for transmitting radiant energy in red, green and blue wavelength bands, respectively, to said display screen wherein said radiant energy passes through said striped filter means only once.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said first, second and third areas are rectangular in shape and are arranged in an interleaved pattern.

Claim 14

The projection apparatus of claim 11 wherein said striped filter means includes an optically transparent planar substrate.

Claim 15

The projection apparatus of claim 12 wherein each of said filter elements comprises a portion of said planar substrate coated with a dielectric layer.

Claim 16

The projection apparatus of claim 13 wherein each of said filter elements is rectangular.

Claim 17

The projection apparatus of claim 14 wherein said red, green and blue filter elements are interleaved.

Claim 18

A projection apparatus for displaying a full-color image on a screen in accordance with red, green and blue video signals comprising: laser means for providing a beam of coherent light; means for controlling the intensity of said coherent beam in response to said red, green and blue video signals; a liquid crystal light valve in optical alignment with said coherent beam for modulating light illuminating an output layer thereof in accordance with an internally generated voltage pattern produced in response to incident of said coherent beam on an input layer thereof; scanning means for deflecting the coherent beam to a first set of areas on said input layer in response to said red video signal and for deflecting said coherent beam to a second et of areas on said input layer in response to said blue video signal an for deflecting said coherent beam to a third set of areas on said input layer in response to said green video signal; means for illuminating said output layer with a light source; polarizing beam splitter means positioned in an optical path between said illuminating light source and said output layer for polarizing and directing said illuminating light onto said output layer and for relaying modulated light reflected by said output layer to an image plane; optical relay means for focusing said modulated light from said output layer onto said image plane; and striped filter means disposed at said image plane, having red, blue and green filter elements in optical alignment with said first, second and third sets of areas of said input layer for transmitting radiant energy in red, green and blue wavelength bands, respectively, to said display screen wherein said radiant energy passes through said striped filter means only once.

Claim 19

A projection apparatus for displaying a full-color image on a screen in accordance with red, green and blue video signals comprising: laser means for providing a beam of coherent light; means for controlling the intensity of said coherent beam in response to said red, green and blue video signals; a liquid crystal light valve in optical alignment with said coherent beam for modulating light illuminating an output layer thereof in accordance with an internally generated voltage pattern produced in response to incident of said coherent beam on an input layer thereof; scanning means for deflecting the coherent beam to a first set of areas on said input layer in response to said red video signal and for deflecting said coherent beam to a second et of areas on said input layer in response to said blue video signal an for deflecting said coherent beam to a third set of areas on said input layer in response to said green video signal; means for illuminating said output layer with a light source; polarizing beam splitter means positioned in an optical path between said illuminating light source and said output layer for polarizing and directing said illuminating light onto said output layer and for relaying modulated light reflected by said output layer to an image plane; optical relay means for focusing said modulated light from said output layer onto said image plane; and striped filter means disposed at said image plane, having red, blue and green filter elements in optical alignment with said first, second and third sets of areas of said input layer for transmitting radiant energy in red, green and blue wavelength bands, respectively, to said display screen wherein said radiant energy passes through said striped filter means only once.