US6273571B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Display architectures using an electronically controlled optical retarder stack
Assignee: RealD Inc
•
Filing: 1999-10-01
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Granted: 2001-08-14
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Expires: 2019-10-01
Abstract
Abstract A system architecture for a display system with electronically controlled optical retarder stacks. The system uses only one spatial light modulator and a color filter to determine what the color of the image created by the modulator will be when projected onto a display surface. In one embodiment, the color filter passes one of red, green or blue light at any give time. The color filter can be placed between the light source and the modulator optics, between the modulator optics and the modulator, between the modulator and the projection optics, or made part of the projection optics itself. The retarder stack for transforming at least partially polarized input light can include a first retarder and a second retarder. The first retarder has a first retardance and a first orientation and the second retarder has a second retardance and a second orientation, both orientations with respect to the partially polarized light. The first retardance, first orientation, second retardance, and second orientation can be arranged to yield the desired polarization transformed light which includes a first spectrum and a second spectrum. The polarization of the first spectrum and the polarization of the second spectrum can be made orthogonal to each other. The polarizations can be linear or elliptical. If the polarization transformed light is linear, the directions of polarizations are different and in one case can be made perpendicular. If the polarization of the polarization transformed light is elliptical, then the polarizations are different and in on case can be made orthogonal in the general sense of orthogonality of polarization states.
Inventors
- 👤 Gary D. Sharp
- 👤 Kristina M. Johnson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 11:28
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/13; G02F1/133; G02F1/1333; G02F1/1335; G02F1/1336; G02B; G02B27/00; G02B27/28; G02B27/288; G02B5/00; G02B5/30; G02B5/3083; G02F1/0136; G02F1/13363; G02F1/1347; G02F1/13471; G02F1/13473; G02F1/23; H; H04; H04N; H04N5/00; H04N5/66; H04N9/00; H04N9/12; H04N9/31; H04N9/3141; H04N9/315; H04N9/3167; G02F1/03; G02F1/0305; G02F1/0322; G02F1/09; G02F1/133528; G02F1/133533; G02F1/133536; G02F1/133543; G02F1/13362; G02F1/133638; G02F2413/00; G02F2413/04; G02F2413/08; H04N5/74; H04N5/7416; H04N5/7441
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
A display system, comprising: input optics that receive and direct at least partially polarized input light; an electronically controllable spectral sequencer that sequentially outputs spectra of light, the spectral sequencer including at least: a first retarder stack; a second retarder stack; and an electronically controllable single pixel modulator optically coupled to the first and second retarder stacks; only one spatial light modulator optically coupled to the electronically controllable spectral sequencer, wherein the only one spacial light modulator and the electronically controllable spectral sequencer receive the at least partially polarized input light directed by the input optics and output a plurality of modulated patterns of light with sequentially varying spectra; and projection optics that receive and project the plurality of modulated patterns of light onto a display surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
127 words
A display system, comprising: input optics that receive and direct at least partially polarized input light; an electronically controllable spectral sequencer that sequentially outputs spectra of light, the spectral sequencer including at least: a first retarder stack; a second retarder stack; and an electronically controllable single pixel modulator optically coupled to the first and second retarder stacks; only one spatial light modulator optically coupled to the electronically controllable spectral sequencer, wherein the only one spacial light modulator and the electronically controllable spectral sequencer receive the at least partially polarized input light directed by the input optics and output a plurality of modulated patterns of light with sequentially varying spectra; and projection optics that receive and project the plurality of modulated patterns of light onto a display surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
The display system of claim 1 , wherein the spectral sequencer controls the light projected onto the display surface such that the plurality of modulated patterns includes a separate modulated pattern for each of the spectra of the input light, and the control of the single pixel modulator is coordinated with sequential modulation of the spatial light modulator to create the separate modulated patterns.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The display system of claim 1 , wherein the light comprises visible light.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The display system of claim 3 , wherein the spectra are the additive primary colors.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The display system of claim 1 , wherein the light comprises infrared light.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The display system of claim 1 , wherein the light comprises ultraviolet light.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The display system of claim 1 , wherein the spatial light modulator is a transmissive spatial light modulator.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The display system of claim 1 , wherein the spatial light modulator is a reflective spatial light modulator.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The display system of claim 1 , wherein the spatial light modulator is located optically between the input optics and the spectral sequencer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The display system of claim 1 , wherein the spatial light modulator is located optically between the spectral sequencer and the projection optics.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The display system of claim 1 , wherein the spatial light modulator is located optically between a first electronically controllable single pixel modulator and a second electronically controllable single pixel modulator.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
95 words
The display system of claim 2 , wherein, the first retarder stack receives the input light from the input optics and provides a first transformation of the input light into transformed light having a spectrum and polarization that is different than the spectrum and polarization of the input light, and; the second retarder stack receives at least a portion of the transformed light and provides a second transformation that transforms the transformed light into output light with a spectrum and polarization which is substantially the same as the spectrum and polarization of the input light.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The display system of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of spectra are the additive primary colors.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
119 words
A display system comprising: input optics that receive and direct at least partially polarized input light; an electronically controllable spectral sequencer that sequentially outputs spectra of light, the spectral sequencer including at least: a retarder stack; and an electronically controllable single pixel modulator optically coupled to the retarder stack; only one spatial light modulator optically coupled to the electronically controllable spectral sequencer, wherein the only one spacial light modulator and the electronically controllable spectral sequencer receive the at least partially polarized input light directed by the input optics and output a plurality of modulated patterns of light with sequentially varying spectra; and projection optics that receive and project the plurality of modulated patterns of light onto a display surface.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
119 words
A display system comprising: input optics that receive and direct at least partially polarized input light; an electronically controllable spectral sequencer that sequentially outputs spectra of light, the spectral sequencer including at least: a retarder stack; and an electronically controllable single pixel modulator optically coupled to the retarder stack; only one spatial light modulator optically coupled to the electronically controllable spectral sequencer, wherein the only one spacial light modulator and the electronically controllable spectral sequencer receive the at least partially polarized input light directed by the input optics and output a plurality of modulated patterns of light with sequentially varying spectra; and projection optics that receive and project the plurality of modulated patterns of light onto a display surface.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
64 words
The display system of claim 14 , wherein the spectral sequencer controls the light projected onto the display surface such that the plurality of modulated patterns includes a separate modulated pattern for each of the spectra of the input light, and the control of the single pixel modulator is coordinated with sequential modulation of the spatial light modulator to create the separate modulated patterns.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
The display system of claim 14 , wherein the spectra are the additive primary colors.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
270 words
A display system having only one spatial light modulator, the system comprising: a radiation source; input optics that direct at least partially polarized input electromagnetic radiation received from the radiation source to the spatial light modulator; projection optics that receive a plurality of modulated patterns of electromagnetic radiation created by the spatial light modulator and project the plurality of modulated patterns onto a display surface; an electronically controllable spectral sequencer that receives the input electromagnetic radiation and that sequentially outputs spectra of the received input electromagnetic radiation, the spectral sequencer having a plurality of sequencing units, each of the plurality of sequencing units comprising: a first retarder stack that receives the input electromagnetic radiation from the input optics and provides a first transformation of the input electromagnetic radiation into transformed electromagnetic radiation; a second retarder stack that receives at least a portion of the transformed electromagnetic radiation and provides a second transformation that transforms the transformed electromagnetic radiation into output electromagnetic radiation, wherein the first and second transformations polarize the output electromagnetic radiation into at least a first polarization state having a first spectrum and a second polarization state having a second spectrum; and an electronically controllable single pixel modulator optically coupled to the first and second retarder stacks, wherein the spectral sequencer controls the electromagnetic radiation projected onto the display surface such that the plurality of modulated patterns includes a separate modulated pattern for each of the spectra of the input electromagnetic radiation, and the control of each of the single pixel modulators is coordinated with sequential modulation of the spatial light modulator to create the separate modulated patterns.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
270 words
A display system having only one spatial light modulator, the system comprising: a radiation source; input optics that direct at least partially polarized input electromagnetic radiation received from the radiation source to the spatial light modulator; projection optics that receive a plurality of modulated patterns of electromagnetic radiation created by the spatial light modulator and project the plurality of modulated patterns onto a display surface; an electronically controllable spectral sequencer that receives the input electromagnetic radiation and that sequentially outputs spectra of the received input electromagnetic radiation, the spectral sequencer having a plurality of sequencing units, each of the plurality of sequencing units comprising: a first retarder stack that receives the input electromagnetic radiation from the input optics and provides a first transformation of the input electromagnetic radiation into transformed electromagnetic radiation; a second retarder stack that receives at least a portion of the transformed electromagnetic radiation and provides a second transformation that transforms the transformed electromagnetic radiation into output electromagnetic radiation, wherein the first and second transformations polarize the output electromagnetic radiation into at least a first polarization state having a first spectrum and a second polarization state having a second spectrum; and an electronically controllable single pixel modulator optically coupled to the first and second retarder stacks, wherein the spectral sequencer controls the electromagnetic radiation projected onto the display surface such that the plurality of modulated patterns includes a separate modulated pattern for each of the spectra of the input electromagnetic radiation, and the control of each of the single pixel modulators is coordinated with sequential modulation of the spatial light modulator to create the separate modulated patterns.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
49 words
The display system of claim 17 , wherein the single pixel modulators modify the polarization of the transformed electromagnetic radiation in a known fashion, and the output electromagnetic radiation has a spectrum and polarization which is approximately the same as a spectrum and polarization of the input electromagnetic radiation.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
88 words
A method of displaying an image, comprising: directing at least partially polarized input light to only one spatial light modulator; creating a plurality of modulated patterns of light by sequentially modulating the spatial light modulator and projecting the plurality of modulated patterns onto a display surface; sequentially outputting spectra of light with an electronically controllable spectral sequencer optically coupled to the spatial light modulator, the spectral sequencer including at least: a first retarder stack; and an electronically controllable single pixel modulator optically coupled to the first retarder stack.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
88 words
A method of displaying an image, comprising: directing at least partially polarized input light to only one spatial light modulator; creating a plurality of modulated patterns of light by sequentially modulating the spatial light modulator and projecting the plurality of modulated patterns onto a display surface; sequentially outputting spectra of light with an electronically controllable spectral sequencer optically coupled to the spatial light modulator, the spectral sequencer including at least: a first retarder stack; and an electronically controllable single pixel modulator optically coupled to the first retarder stack.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of claim 19 , wherein the spectral sequencer controls the light projected onto the display surface such that the plurality of modulated patterns includes a separate modulated pattern for each of the spectra of light, and the control of the single pixel modulator is coordinated with sequential modulation of the spatial light modulator to create the separate modulated patterns.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-08-13 | 2005-02-12 | 2005-08-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-08-13 | 2009-02-12 | 2009-08-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-08-13 | 2013-02-12 | 2013-08-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |