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US5800033A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Image projecting apparatus

Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1995-10-26
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Granted: 1998-09-01
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Expires: 2015-10-26
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Abstract

Abstract An image projecting apparatus comprises a light source for emitting light, a spatial light modulating element, an illuminating optical system for irradiating a light from the light source to the spatial light modulating element, and a projecting optical system for projecting an image of the spatial light modulating element. The illuminating optical system or the projecting optical system comprises a telecentric optical system and a light shielding frame disposed at a focus position of the telecentric optical system for controlling an angular component of a luminous flux of light emitted by the light source or the spatial light modulating element, respectively, to adjust the quality of the projected image.

Inventors

  • 👤 Yukiya Funanami
  • 👤 Yasuyuki Mitsuoka
  • 👤 Nobuyuki Kasama
  • 👤 Tadao Iwaki

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 15:31
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N9/00; H04N9/12; H04N9/31; H04N9/3102; H04N9/3105

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim 90 words
An image projecting apparatus comprising: a light source for emitting light; a spatial light modulating element; an illuminating optical system for irradiating a light from the light source onto the spatial light modulating element, the illuminating optical system comprising a telecentric optical system and a light shielding frame disposed at a focus position of the telecentric optical system for controlling an angular component of a luminous flux of the light emitted by the light source; and a projecting optical system for projecting an image of the spatial light modulating element.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 90 words
An image projecting apparatus comprising: a light source for emitting light; a spatial light modulating element; an illuminating optical system for irradiating a light from the light source onto the spatial light modulating element, the illuminating optical system comprising a telecentric optical system and a light shielding frame disposed at a focus position of the telecentric optical system for controlling an angular component of a luminous flux of the light emitted by the light source; and a projecting optical system for projecting an image of the spatial light modulating element.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 54 words
An image projecting apparatus according to claim 1; further comprising environment detecting means for detecting an environment surrounding the image projecting apparatus or the projected image; and light shielding frame shape changing means for changing the shape of the light shielding frame in accordance with the surrounding environment detected by the environment detecting means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 35 words
An image projecting apparatus according to claim 2; wherein the light shielding frame shape changing means includes means for changing the shape of the light shielding frame between a circular shape and a polygonal shape.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 35 words
An image projecting apparatus according to claim 1; further comprising a rod integrator for receiving the luminous flux emitted by the light source and outputting an illuminating luminous flux having a uniform quantity of light.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 40 words
An image projecting apparatus according to claim 4; wherein the rod integrator comprises a transparent member having opposite end surfaces, the luminous flux emitted by the light source being received by one of the end surfaces of the rod integrator.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 90 words
An image projecting apparatus comprising: a light source for emitting light; a spatial light modulating element; an illuminating optical system for irradiating light from the light source onto the spatial light modulating element; and a projecting optical system for projecting an image of the spatial light modulating element, the projecting optical system comprising a telecentric optical system and a light shielding frame disposed at a focus position of the telecentric optical system for controlling an angular component of a luminous flux of light emitted by the spatial light modulating element.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 90 words
An image projecting apparatus comprising: a light source for emitting light; a spatial light modulating element; an illuminating optical system for irradiating light from the light source onto the spatial light modulating element; and a projecting optical system for projecting an image of the spatial light modulating element, the projecting optical system comprising a telecentric optical system and a light shielding frame disposed at a focus position of the telecentric optical system for controlling an angular component of a luminous flux of light emitted by the spatial light modulating element.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 44 words
An image projecting apparatus according to claim 6; further comprising environment detecting means for detecting an environment surrounding the projected image, the angular component of the luminous flux of light being controlled in accordance with the surrounding environment detected by the environment detecting means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 128 words
An image projecting apparatus comprising: a light source for emitting light; a spatial light modulating element for Providing an image; first optical means for irradiating light from the light source onto the spatial light modulating element; second optical means for projecting the image provided by the spatial light modulating element; and control means included in the first optical means for controlling an angular component of a luminous flux of light from either the light source or the spatial light modulating element to adjust the quality of the projected image, the control means comprising a telecentric optical system and a light shielding frame disposed at a focus position of the telecentric optical system for controlling an angular component of the luminous flux of light emitted by the light source.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 128 words
An image projecting apparatus comprising: a light source for emitting light; a spatial light modulating element for Providing an image; first optical means for irradiating light from the light source onto the spatial light modulating element; second optical means for projecting the image provided by the spatial light modulating element; and control means included in the first optical means for controlling an angular component of a luminous flux of light from either the light source or the spatial light modulating element to adjust the quality of the projected image, the control means comprising a telecentric optical system and a light shielding frame disposed at a focus position of the telecentric optical system for controlling an angular component of the luminous flux of light emitted by the light source.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 44 words
An image projecting apparatus according to claim 8; further comprising environment detecting means for detecting an environment surrounding the projected image, the angular component of the luminous flux of light being controlled in accordance with the surrounding environment detected by the environment detecting means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 31 words
An image projecting apparatus according to claim 9; further comprising means for changing the shape of the light shielding frame to control the angular component of the luminous flux of light.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 110 words
An image projecting apparatus comprising: a light source for emitting light; a spatial light modulating element for providing an image; first optical means for irradiating light from the light source onto the spatial light modulating element; second optical means for projecting the image provided by the spatial light modulating element; control means for controlling an angular component of a luminous flux of light from either the light source or the spatial light modulating element to adjust the quality of the projected image; and a rod integrator for receiving the luminous flux of light emitted by the light source and outputting an illuminating luminous flux having a uniform quantity of light.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 110 words
An image projecting apparatus comprising: a light source for emitting light; a spatial light modulating element for providing an image; first optical means for irradiating light from the light source onto the spatial light modulating element; second optical means for projecting the image provided by the spatial light modulating element; control means for controlling an angular component of a luminous flux of light from either the light source or the spatial light modulating element to adjust the quality of the projected image; and a rod integrator for receiving the luminous flux of light emitted by the light source and outputting an illuminating luminous flux having a uniform quantity of light.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 40 words
An image projecting apparatus according to claim 11; wherein the rod integrator comprises a transparent member having opposite end surfaces, the luminous flux emitted by the light source being received by one of the end surfaces of the rod integrator.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 130 words
An image projecting apparatus comprising: a light source for emitting light; a spatial light modulating element for providing an image; first optical means for irradiating light from the light source onto the spatial light modulating element; second optical means for projecting the image provided by the spatial light modulating element; and control means included in the second optical means for controlling an angular component of a luminous flux of light from either the light source or the spatial light modulating element to adjust the quality of the projected image, the control means comprising a telecentric optical system and a light shielding frame disposed at a focus position of the telecentric optical system for controlling an angular component of the luminous flux of light emitted by the spatial light modulating element.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 130 words
An image projecting apparatus comprising: a light source for emitting light; a spatial light modulating element for providing an image; first optical means for irradiating light from the light source onto the spatial light modulating element; second optical means for projecting the image provided by the spatial light modulating element; and control means included in the second optical means for controlling an angular component of a luminous flux of light from either the light source or the spatial light modulating element to adjust the quality of the projected image, the control means comprising a telecentric optical system and a light shielding frame disposed at a focus position of the telecentric optical system for controlling an angular component of the luminous flux of light emitted by the spatial light modulating element.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 44 words
An image projecting apparatus according to claim 13; further comprising environment detecting means for detecting an environment surrounding the projected image, the angular component of the luminous flux of light being controlled in accordance with the surrounding environment detected by the environment detecting means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 31 words
An image projecting apparatus according to claim 14; further comprising means for changing the shape of the light shielding frame to control the angular component of the luminous flux of light.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

WO1991007851A1 Cited
EP0488080A1 Cited
JPH0519346A Cited
US5371559A Cited
US5379083A Cited
US5541679A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2001-08-31 2002-03-02 2002-09-01 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2005-08-31 2006-03-02 2006-09-01 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2009-08-31 2010-03-02 2010-09-01 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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