LCOS light machine module and projection equipment

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides an LCOS light machine module and projection equipment. The LCOS light machine module comprises a light source, a dodging element, an optical waveguide device and an LCOS panel. The light source is used for providing illumination light; the light uniformizing element is used for uniformizing illumination light rays emitted by the light source; the optical waveguide device comprises a coupling-in area and a coupling-out area, the coupling-in area is used for coupling the dodging illumination light into the optical waveguide device for total reflection transmission, and the coupling-out area is used for coupling out the illumination light; the LCOS panel is located on the side, away from the coupling-out area, of the optical waveguide device, the LCOS panel is at least partially arranged in a staggered mode relative to the coupling-out area in the thickness direction of the optical waveguide device, and the LCOS panel is used for receiving illumination light emitted by the coupling-out area and reflecting the illumination light to form projection light. And the projection light reflected by the LCOS panel does not pass through the coupling-out area any more.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present application relate to the field of projection technology, and more specifically, to an LCOS optical machine module and a projection device. Background Art

[0002] LCOS (liquid crystal on silicon) display technology has significant advantages such as high resolution, high brightness and high contrast, and has broad application prospects in optical display fields such as smart wearable display and projection display. However, in the traditional LCOS optical module design, the light emitted by the light source usually passes through a complex optical system, such as a focusing lens, a microlens array, a relay lens and a polarizing prism, before reaching the LCOS panel. This process not only increases the size and weight of the system, but also makes the optical axis alignment extremely difficult, increasing the manufacturing cost and complexity.

[0003] A design is mentioned in the patent document with publication number CN116438479B, which emphasizes the relative position and relationship between the coupling area of ​​the optical waveguide and the LCOS panel. Although this design simplifies the optical path to a certain extent, it still has some limitations. For example, the patent document mentions that the coupling area and the LCOS panel are directly aligned, which requires that the output light of the coupling area must accurately match the input requirements of the LCOS panel, otherwise it may cause problems such as light energy loss, image quality degradation or optical axis deviation.

[0004] In order to solve the above problems, a LCOS optical machine module with compact structure and capable of effectively avoiding stray light interference is needed. Summary of the invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a new technical solution for LCOS optical machine module and projection equipment.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present application provides an LCOS optical machine module, the LCOS optical machine module comprising:

[0007] A light source, for providing lighting;

[0008] A light homogenizing element, used for homogenizing the illumination light emitted by the light source;

[0009] An optical waveguide device, comprising an incoupling region and an outcoupling region, wherein the incoupling region is used to couple the homogenized illumination light into the optical waveguide device for total reflection transmission, and the outcoupling region is used to couple the illumination light out;

[0010] The LCOS panel is located on a side of the optical waveguide device away from the outcoupling region, and in the thickness direction of the optical waveguide device, the LCOS panel is at least partially offset relative to the outcoupling region, the LCOS panel is used to receive the illumination light emitted from the outcoupling region and reflect it to form projection light, and the projection light reflected by the LCOS panel no longer passes through the outcoupling region.

[0011] Optionally, the illumination light coupled out through the outcoupling region can be irradiated onto the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel, and the following relationship must be satisfied between the outcoupling region and the LCOS panel:

[0012] p+d / tan(θ-FOV / 2)-d / tan(θ+FOV / 2)≤l;

[0013] Wherein, l is the length of the outcoupling area, p is the length of the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel, d is the vertical distance from the center of the outcoupling area to the LCOS panel, FOV is the field of view angle of each pixel on the LCOS panel, and θ is the angle between the central light in the FOV and the LCOS panel.

[0014] Optionally, the projection light reflected by the LCOS panel no longer passes through the outcoupling region, and the outcoupling region and the LCOS panel satisfy the following relationship:

[0015] △ ≥(pl) / 2+d / tan(θ+FOV / 2);

[0016] in, △ is the horizontal distance between the center of the outcoupling area and the center of the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel.

[0017] Optionally, the light homogenizing element is arranged obliquely relative to the coupling-in region.

[0018] Optionally, the light homogenizing element is arranged parallel to the coupling-in region;

[0019] The light homogenizing element is configured to perform light homogenization on the illumination light emitted by the light source and deflect the illumination light relative to the optical axis of the light source.

[0020] Optionally, when the light homogenizing element is arranged parallel to the coupling-in region, the light homogenizing element satisfies: in, is the angle between the central light in the field of view emitted after being homogenized by the homogenizing element and the normal line of the homogenizing element, and θ is the angle between the central light in the field of view FOV of each pixel point on the LCOS panel and the LCOS panel.

[0021] Optionally, a reflective device is stacked on the outcoupling region.

[0022] Optionally, the reflective device is a reflective mirror or a reflective film material.

[0023] Optionally, the optical axis of the light source is perpendicular to the light homogenizing element.

[0024] Optionally, the LCOS optical machine module further includes a projection lens, and the projection lens is located on the reflection light path of the LCOS panel.

[0025] Optionally, the projection lens is located at a side of the optical waveguide device where the outcoupling region is arranged, and the projection light formed by reflection from the LCOS panel passes through the optical waveguide device and enters the projection lens.

[0026] Optionally, the light source is a monochromatic laser light source or a polychromatic laser light source.

[0027] Optionally, the optical waveguide device is a diffraction optical waveguide plate, and both the coupling-in region and the coupling-out region are provided with grating structures.

[0028] In a second aspect, the present application provides a projection device, the projection device comprising:

[0029] casing; and

[0030] The LCOS optical machine module as described in the first aspect.

[0031] The beneficial effects of this application are:

[0032] The embodiment of the present application provides a compact LCOS optical-mechanical module, which realizes the compactness of the optical-mechanical module structure by adopting optical waveguide devices to replace bulky devices such as polarization prisms in traditional solutions; by introducing a simpler optical path design, the present application not only simplifies the optical axis alignment process and improves production efficiency, but also enhances the stability of the optical-mechanical module, and effectively avoids the problem of image quality degradation caused by optical axis deviation; it is particularly noteworthy that in the design of the decoupling area and the LCOS panel, the present application eliminates the interference of possible light leakage in the decoupling area on the displayed image through the design strategy of staggered layout and can effectively suppress the generation of stray light, thereby greatly improving the clarity of the image, laying the foundation for the high-quality application of LCOS display technology.

[0033] Other features and advantages of the present specification will become apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present specification with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the specification and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the specification.

[0035] Figure 1 One of the structural schematic diagrams of the LCOS optical machine module provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0036] Figure 2 One of the design principle diagrams of the LCOS optical machine module provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0037] Figure 3 The second structural diagram of the LCOS optical machine module provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0038] Figure 4 The third structural diagram of the LCOS optical machine module provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0039] Figure 5 The second design principle diagram of the LCOS optical machine module provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 6 This is the fourth structural schematic diagram of the LCOS optical engine module provided in the embodiment of the present application.

[0041] Description of reference numerals:

[0042] 1. Light source; 11. Red laser light source; 12. Green laser light source; 13. Blue laser light source;

[0043] 2. Light homogenization element;

[0044] 3. Optical waveguide device; 31. Incoupling region; 32. Outcoupling region;

[0045] 4. LCOS panel;

[0046] 5. Projection lens;

[0047] 6. Reflective device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] Various exemplary embodiments of the present application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement of components and steps, numerical expressions and numerical values ​​set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present application.

[0049] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the present application, its application, or uses.

[0050] Techniques and equipment known to ordinary technicians in the relevant art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, the techniques and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0051] In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not limiting. Therefore, other examples of the exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0052] It should be noted that like reference numerals and letters refer to similar items in the following figures, and therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it need not be further discussed in subsequent figures.

[0053] The LCOS optical machine module and projection device provided in the embodiments of the present application are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0054] According to an embodiment of the present application, a LCOS optical machine module is provided. Figure 1 The LCOS optical machine module includes a light source 1, a light homogenizing element 2, an optical waveguide device 3 and an LCOS panel 4; the light source 1 is used to provide illumination light; the light homogenizing element 2 is used to homogenize the illumination light emitted by the light source 1; the optical waveguide device 3 includes a coupling-in area 31 and a coupling-out area 32, the coupling-in area 31 is used to couple the illumination light after homogenization into the optical waveguide device 3 for total reflection transmission, and the coupling-out area 32 is used to couple the illumination light out; the LCOS panel 4 is located on the side of the optical waveguide device 3 away from the coupling-out area 32, and in the thickness direction of the optical waveguide device 3, the LCOS panel 4 is at least partially offset relative to the coupling-out area 32, the LCOS panel 4 is used to receive the illumination light emitted by the coupling-out area 32 and reflect it to form a projection light, and the projection light reflected by the LCOS panel 4 no longer passes through the coupling-out area 32.

[0055] The LCOS optical machine module provided in the embodiment of the present application integrates optical elements such as a light source 1, a light homogenizing element 2, an optical waveguide device 3 and an LCOS panel 4, which cooperate with each other. These optical elements work together to form projection light and project it into a preset projection light path, thereby realizing the final projection imaging and showing excellent optical performance and imaging quality.

[0056] In the LCOS optical machine module provided in the embodiment of the present application, the synergistic effect of the light source 1 and the light homogenizing element 2 is as follows:

[0057] The light source 1 serves as the basis of the entire LCOS optical machine module and is mainly used to provide illumination light, which is the source of image display.

[0058] The light homogenizing element 2 is located on the light output path of the light source 1 and is used to homogenize the illumination light emitted by the light source 1 to ensure that the illumination light emitted by the light source 1 has a uniform light intensity distribution before entering the optical waveguide device 3, which is the key to ensuring uniform image quality.

[0059] The LCOS optical machine module provided in the embodiment of the present application introduces an optical waveguide device 3, see Figure 1 , the coupling-in area 31 of the optical waveguide device 3 can couple the uniformed illumination light into the optical waveguide device 3 for total reflection transmission, and this process realizes the efficient transmission of the illumination light and the precise control of the path. The coupling-out area 32 of the optical waveguide device 3 can couple the illumination light out in a predetermined manner and directly illuminate the LCOS panel 4 for image display, and projection light will be formed at this time. The key here is: the misalignment setting between the coupling-out area 32 and the LCOS panel 4, this design ensures that the illumination light emitted through the coupling-out area 32 can cover the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel 4 as much as possible, and at the same time can prevent the projection light reflected by the LCOS panel 4 from passing through the coupling-out area 32 again, thereby avoiding interference from light leakage and stray light.

[0060] See also Figure 1 The LCOS panel 4 and the outcoupling region 32 are located on both sides of the optical waveguide device 3 .

[0061] In the LCOS optical machine module provided in the embodiment of the present application, the misalignment between the outcoupling region 32 of the optical waveguide device 3 and the LCOS panel 4 ensures that the illumination light emitted from the outcoupling region 32 can be emitted at the field of view angle required by the optical machine and evenly cover the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel 4. The light will not be concentrated only on a certain part of the LCOS panel 4, but can fully illuminate the entire display area, so that the projected image provided by the LCOS is complete and has uniform brightness.

[0062] If the outcoupling area 32 is completely aligned with the LCOS panel 4, the projection light reflected by the LCOS panel 4 is very likely to pass through the outcoupling area 32 again, and generate multiple reflections inside the optical waveguide device 3, which will eventually interfere with the projection image in the form of stray light, and will also cause low light utilization. The staggered setting adopted in the present application changes the relative position of the outcoupling area 32 and the LCOS panel 4, so that the reflected projection light will not pass through the outcoupling area 32 again, but only emerges from the interface of the optical waveguide device 3, so that the transmittance through the interface is higher than that through the outcoupling area 32, the light utilization is also higher, and the generation of stray light is reduced.

[0063] The staggered design in the present application also optimizes the transmission path of light, so that the light emitted from the outcoupling area 32 can be more directly and effectively irradiated onto the LCOS panel 4, and a clear image is formed on the LCOS panel 4. This optimization not only improves the utilization efficiency of light, but also further reduces the influence of stray light on the projected image.

[0064] It can be seen that the misalignment between the outcoupling region 32 of the optical waveguide device 3 and the LCOS panel 4 is a special design, which not only ensures that the illumination light can be evenly and fully irradiated onto the LCOS panel 4, but also effectively avoids the interference of stray light by preventing the projection light reflected by the LCOS panel 4 from passing through the outcoupling region 32 again, while improving the utilization rate of light, thereby improving the quality and clarity of the projected image.

[0065] The embodiment of the present application provides a compact LCOS optical-mechanical module, which realizes the compactness of the optical-mechanical module structure by adopting optical waveguide devices to replace bulky devices such as polarization prisms in traditional solutions; by introducing a simpler optical path design, the present application not only simplifies the optical axis alignment process and improves production efficiency, but also enhances the stability of the optical-mechanical module, and effectively avoids the problem of image quality degradation caused by optical axis deviation; it is particularly noteworthy that in the design of the decoupling area 32 and the LCOS panel 4, the present application eliminates the interference of possible light leakage in the decoupling area 32 on the displayed image through the design strategy of staggered layout and can effectively control the generation of stray light, thereby greatly improving the clarity of the image, and laying the foundation for the high-quality application of LCOS display technology.

[0066] In some examples of this application, see Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the illumination light coupled out through the outcoupling area 32 can irradiate the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel 4, and the following relationship must be satisfied between the outcoupling area 32 and the LCOS panel 4:

[0067] p+d / tan(θ-FOV / 2)-d / tan(θ+FOV / 2)≤l;

[0068] Among them, l is the length of the out-coupling area 32, p is the length of the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel 4, d is the vertical distance from the center of the out-coupling area 32 to the LCOS panel 4, FOV is the field of view angle of each pixel on the LCOS panel 4, and θ is the angle between the central light in the FOV and the LCOS panel 4.

[0069] According to the specially designed relationship in this example of the present application, that is, p+d / tan(θ-FOV / 2)-d / tan(θ+FOV / 2)≤l, it is ensured that the illumination light emitted through the outcoupling area 32 can accurately cover the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel 4.

[0070] In the embodiment of the present application, firstly, the misalignment setting between the outcoupling area 32 and the LCOS panel 4 is a key design. This misalignment not only simplifies the design of the optical path and reduces the difficulty of optical axis alignment, but also enables the light to be irradiated onto the LCOS panel 4 more flexibly. By calculating and controlling the misalignment distance, it can be ensured that the illumination light can cover the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel 4 after being coupled out through the outcoupling area 32, thereby achieving complete display of the image.

[0071] Secondly, mathematical relationships play a vital role in the design of the decoupling area 32 and the LCOS panel 4. The mathematical relationship in this example of the present application is: p+d / tan(θ-FOV / 2)-d / tan(θ+FOV / 2)≤l, where p represents the length of the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel 4, d represents the vertical distance from the center of the decoupling area 32 to the LCOS panel, FOV represents the field of view of each pixel on the LCOS panel 4, θ represents the angle between the central light in the FOV and the LCOS panel 4, and l represents the length of the decoupling area 32. Together, they constitute a control mechanism for the illumination light emitted by the light source 1 to be decoupled from the decoupling area 32 and irradiated onto the LCOS panel 4. By calculating the mathematical relationship in this example, it can be ensured that the illumination light transmitted by the optical waveguide device 3 can be irradiated onto the LCOS panel 4 at the best angle and position after decoupling, thereby achieving high-definition display of the image.

[0072] The LCOS optical machine module of the embodiment of the present application not only greatly simplifies the complexity of the optical architecture design of the module, reduces production costs, but also improves production efficiency, making the LCOS optical machine module easier to integrate and apply. At the same time, due to the use of a simpler optical path design and precise optical component layout, the LCOS optical machine module provided by the present application achieves efficient use of light and precise control of image quality while maintaining high performance. In addition, the LCOS optical machine module of the present application also significantly reduces problems such as image quality degradation caused by optical axis deviation, providing a broader space for the application of LCOS display systems in optical display fields such as head-mounted displays and projection displays.

[0073] In some examples of this application, see Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the projection light reflected by the LCOS panel 4 no longer passes through the outcoupling region 32, and the following relationship must be satisfied between the outcoupling region 32 and the LCOS panel 4:

[0074] △ ≥(pl) / 2+d / tan(θ+FOV / 2);

[0075] in, △is the horizontal distance between the center of the outcoupling area 32 and the center of the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel 4 .

[0076] According to this example of the present application, a further design is provided for the relative position relationship between the out-coupling area 32 and the LCOS panel 4 in the LCOS optical-mechanical module. This relative position relationship is described by a specific inequality, and is intended to optimize the performance of the LCOS optical-mechanical module, especially to eliminate the interference of light leakage in the out-coupling area 32 on the final displayed image.

[0077] In the optical architecture of the LCOS optical module provided in the present application, the outcoupling region 32 is located on the optical waveguide device 3, which is responsible for coupling light out of the optical waveguide device 3 and guiding it to the LCOS panel 4. The LCOS panel 4 can be used to modulate light and generate projection light to be provided to the subsequent projection lens 5 (see Figure 1 ).

[0078] See also Figure 2 , according to the inequality proposed in this example of this application: △ ≥(pl) / 2+d / tan(θ+FOV / 2); wherein: Δ is the horizontal distance between the center of the outcoupling area 32 and the center of the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel 4.

[0079] Specifically, (pl) / 2: This part represents half of the horizontal size difference between the out-coupling area 32 and the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel 4, which ensures that the out-coupling area 32 will not completely cover the LCOS panel 4, thereby leaving enough space for the reflected light of the LCOS panel 4.

[0080] d / tan(θ+FOV / 2): This part takes into account the situation that after the light is coupled out from the outcoupling area 32, it is emitted to the LCOS panel 4 at a certain angle (θ+FOV / 2). Here, the tan function can be used to calculate the required horizontal offset of the coupled illumination light at the vertical distance d, so as to ensure that the illumination light emitted through the outcoupling area 32 can be accurately projected onto the LCOS panel 4 without being reflected through the outcoupling area 32 again.

[0081] By adding these two parts, the minimum horizontal distance Δ between the center of the outcoupling area 32 and the center of the LCOS panel 4 is obtained. This distance ensures that the projection light reflected by the LCOS panel 4 will not pass through the outcoupling area 32 again when projected to the projection lens 5, thereby avoiding the interference of the stray light generated by the outcoupling area 32 on the final displayed image, and because the light utilization rate is improved, it helps to improve the brightness of the imaging display.

[0082] By controlling the relative position between the outcoupling area 32 and the LCOS panel 4, this example of the present application effectively eliminates the interference of the stray light of the outcoupling area 32 on the displayed image, which is conducive to improving the image quality. The inequality design in this example of the present application provides a simple and effective method to optimize the structural design of the LCOS optical machine module, especially in the compact optical machine design, this optimization is particularly important. The LCOS optical machine module of the present application can use light more efficiently, thereby improving the optical power and projection brightness.

[0083] It can be seen that this example of the present application uses a specific inequality to describe the relative position relationship between the outcoupling area 32 and the LCOS panel 4, aiming to optimize the performance of the LCOS optical module, especially to eliminate the interference of the stray light of the outcoupling area 32 on the displayed image. This design not only improves the image quality, but also optimizes the optical architecture design of the optical module and improves the light utilization rate.

[0084] In this example of this application, see Figure 2 The length direction of the outcoupling area 32 and the length direction of the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel 4 are both Figure 2 The horizontal direction is shown in FIG.

[0085] It should be noted that the outcoupling region 32 and the LCOS panel 4 have a width direction (perpendicular to the length direction) in addition to the length direction. Here, the restriction conditions in the width direction are consistent with the restriction conditions in the length direction, that is, the two need to follow the same constraint principles in design and application.

[0086] In some examples of this application, see Figure 1 The light homogenizing element 2 is arranged at an angle relative to the coupling-in area 31 .

[0087] In this example of the present application, see Figure 1 The light homogenizing element 2 is designed to be tilted relative to the coupling-in area 31. This tilted setting allows the light homogenizing element 2 to deflect light at a certain angle, which provides the light field output (FOV) required by the entire LCOS optical module on the one hand, and also provides the deflection angle required for the relative position of the coupling-out area 32 and the LCOS panel 4 on the other hand.

[0088] The light homogenizing element 2 is, for example, a light homogenizing sheet.

[0089] Regarding providing the required light field output (FOV), the specific analysis is as follows:

[0090] The tilted light homogenizing element 2 can more effectively control the deflection angle of the illumination light, thereby providing the required light field output (FOV), which is crucial to ensure that the LCOS panel 4 can receive sufficient illumination light and generate a clear image.

[0091] Regarding the design requirements for the relative position of the outcoupling region 32 and the LCOS panel 4:

[0092] By tilting the light homogenizing element 2, the transmission direction of the illumination light after being coupled out from the optical waveguide device 3 through the coupling-out region 32 can be adjusted so as to meet the relative position requirement between the coupling-out region 32 and the LCOS panel 4. This helps to ensure that the illumination light can be accurately projected to each position of the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel 4, and can well avoid the occurrence of light leakage in the coupling-out region 32.

[0093] In this example of the present application, the light homogenizing element 2 is designed to be tilted relative to the coupling-in area 31. The advantage of this design is that the design and processing difficulty requirements for the light homogenizing element are reduced. Specifically, the tilted setting of the light homogenizing element 2 can reduce the requirements for the light homogenizing element 2 itself to a certain extent. For example, since the light deflection can be optimized by adjusting the tilt angle, it may not be necessary to have an overly complex or high-precision light homogenizing element to achieve the desired light field output and deflection angle.

[0094] However, the tilted light homogenizing element 2 may cause the volume of the entire LCOS optical machine module to increase. This is because the tilted light homogenizing element 2 may require more space to accommodate its tilted portion, thereby increasing the overall size of the LCOS optical machine module. This may be a trade-off factor that needs to be considered for LCOS optical machine modules that pursue a compact design. In this regard, it should be noted that although the tilted light homogenizing element 2 will affect the volume of the LCOS optical machine module to a certain extent, its volume reduction is still obvious compared to traditional optical machine modules.

[0095] It can be seen that the tilted light homogenizing element 2 has obvious advantages in providing the required light field output and meeting the relative position requirements of the outcoupling area 32 and the LCOS panel 4. At the same time, it also reduces the requirements for the light homogenizing element 2 itself to a certain extent. However, this setting method may affect the volume of the LCOS optical machine module, but compared with the optical machine modules currently on the market, it still maintains a significant miniaturization feature. Therefore, in actual application scenarios, it is necessary to comprehensively weigh various factors to make the most sensible choice.

[0096] In some examples of this application, see Figure 4The light homogenizing element 2 is arranged parallel to the coupling-in area 31; the light homogenizing element 2 is configured to be able to homogenize the illumination light emitted by the light source 1 and deflect the illumination light relative to the optical axis of the light source 1.

[0097] According to this example of the present application, see Figure 4 , and Figure 1 The optical architecture shown is different in that the light homogenizing element 2 is arranged parallel to the coupling-in region 31 .

[0098] In this example of the present application, the homogenizing element 2 is configured to be able to perform homogenization processing on the illumination light emitted by the light source 1, and at the same time cause a certain deflection of the illumination light relative to the optical axis of the light source 1. The purpose is to make the projection light reflected by the LCOS panel 4 have a certain deflection relative to the normal direction of the LCOS panel 4.

[0099] In this example of the present application, the light homogenizing element 2 is arranged in parallel with the coupling-in region 31. The parallel arrangement is designed to reduce the volume of the entire LCOS optical module while maintaining the required optical performance.

[0100] In this example of the present application, the homogenizing element 2 is specially designed to perform homogenization on the illumination light emitted by the light source 1 and ensure that the illumination light can be deflected at an appropriate angle after passing through the optical waveguide device 3, thereby meeting the relative position requirements between the outcoupling region 32 and the LCOS panel 4.

[0101] The parallel arrangement of the light homogenizing element 2 and the coupling region 31 can significantly reduce the volume of the entire LCOS optical machine module, because the parallel arrangement avoids the extra space required for tilting or complex structures, thereby achieving a more compact design. This is an important advantage for the pursuit of miniaturization and lightweight LCOS optical machine system.

[0102] Although the parallel arrangement design can reduce the volume, it places special requirements on the light homogenizing element 2. The light homogenizing element 2 in this example of the present application needs to be specially designed so that while maintaining the parallel arrangement, it can effectively homogenize the illumination light emitted by the light source 1 and ensure that the light can be deflected at an appropriate angle after passing through the optical waveguide device 3, which helps to ensure that the light can be accurately projected onto the LCOS panel 4 and avoid light leakage or light deviation. This is crucial to improving image quality and system performance.

[0103] It can be seen that the parallel arrangement of the light homogenizing element 2 relative to the coupling-in area 31 has significant advantages in reducing the volume, but it puts forward special design requirements for the light homogenizing element 2. Through precise design and optimization, this parallel arrangement design can still achieve excellent optical performance and meet the requirements of compact LCOS optical machine modules. In practical applications, it is necessary to select the most suitable light homogenizing element design and parameter configuration according to specific application scenarios and requirements.

[0104] In some examples of this application, see Figure 4 and Figure 5 , when the light homogenizing element 2 is arranged parallel to the coupling-in region 31, the light homogenizing element 2 satisfies: in, is the angle between the central light in the field of view emitted after being homogenized by the homogenizing element 2 and the normal of the homogenizing element 2, and θ is the angle between the central light in the field of view FOV of each pixel point on the LCOS panel 4 and the LCOS panel 4.

[0105] The design of the light homogenizing element 2 provided in this example of the present application is aimed at Figure 4 The optical architecture shown in FIG. 1 is an architecture in which the light homogenizing element 2 is parallel to the coupling-in region 31 .

[0106] See also Figure 5 , by satisfying Under the design condition, under the premise that the light homogenizing element 2 is arranged in parallel with the coupling-in region 31, the light homogenizing element 2 can accurately control the deflection angle of the illumination light emitted by the light source 1, and ensure that the illumination light can be projected onto the LCOS panel 4 at a proper angle after passing through the optical waveguide device 3, thereby improving image quality and system performance.

[0107] The design conditions in this example of the present application help optimize the path and distribution of light and reduce the loss of illumination light during the light transmission process. By precisely controlling the deflection angle and distribution range of the illumination light, it is possible to ensure that more light can be projected into the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel 4, thereby improving light utilization and image brightness.

[0108] In some examples of this application, see Figure 3 and Figure 4 A reflective device 6 is stacked on the outcoupling region 32 .

[0109] The outcoupling region 32 in this example of the present application is a part of the optical waveguide device 3, which is responsible for coupling the illumination light transmitted in the optical waveguide device 3 out of the interior of the optical waveguide device 3 and projecting it onto the LCOS panel 4. In order to further optimize the transmission of illumination light and improve the optical performance of the LCOS optical module, a reflective device 6 is stacked on the outcoupling region 32.

[0110] Optionally, the reflective device 6 may be one or more optical elements, such as a reflective mirror, a reflective film, etc., which are used to change the propagation direction of light.

[0111] The reflective device 6 can reflect light that may have originally escaped or failed to be accurately projected onto the LCOS panel 4, which can bring two advantages: on the one hand, it increases the chances of these light rays being effectively utilized. By adjusting the position and angle of the reflective device 6, it can ensure that more light rays can be accurately projected into the effective area of ​​the LCOS panel 4, thereby improving light utilization; on the other hand, it can effectively prevent these light rays from leaking in the outcoupling area 32, thereby eliminating the impact of light leakage on the final image quality.

[0112] By stacking the reflective device 6 on the outcoupling region 32, the light transmission path can be optimized without increasing the overall volume of the optical-mechanical module. This design helps to achieve a more compact optical-mechanical module structure, reduce production costs, and improve the portability and ease of use of the system.

[0113] In some examples of the present application, the reflective device 6 is a reflective mirror or a reflective film material.

[0114] The specific implementation of the reflective device 6 is described in this example of the present application. The reflective device 6 is designed as a reflector or a reflective film material, and is stacked on the outcoupling area 32. Whether it is a reflector or a reflective film material, they can provide a higher light reflection efficiency. This means that more light can be effectively reflected onto the LCOS panel 4, reducing the loss of light, thereby improving the light efficiency and brightness of the LCOS optical module of the present application.

[0115] Both reflectors and reflective films have high optical properties, such as low scattering and diffraction effects. This helps to maintain the consistency of light direction and intensity, reduce image distortion and blur, and thus optimize image quality.

[0116] The introduction of the reflector and the reflective film material will not significantly increase the volume and weight of the system, because they can be compactly integrated on the outcoupling region 32 .

[0117] In addition, compared with other complex optical components, the manufacturing and processing costs of mirrors and reflective films are relatively low, which helps to reduce the overall cost of LCOS optomechanical modules.

[0118] In some examples of this application, see Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 , the optical axis of the light source 1 is perpendicular to the light homogenizing element 2.

[0119] In this example of the present application, the light emitted by the light source 1 propagates along its optical axis, and the optical axis is designed to be perpendicular to the light homogenizing element 2. The light homogenizing element 2 is responsible for receiving the illumination light from the light source 1, and homogenizing it and projecting it onto the subsequent optical waveguide device 3 and the LCOS panel 4. This vertical layout helps to simplify the optical path design and improve the compactness and stability of the entire optical machine module.

[0120] When the optical axis of the light source 1 is perpendicular to the light homogenizing element 2, the illumination light can be more evenly irradiated onto the surface of the light homogenizing element 2. This helps to reduce the uneven distribution of the illumination light on the light homogenizing element 2, thereby improving the uniformity of the illumination light subsequently projected onto the LCOS panel 4.

[0121] The vertical optical axis layout helps reduce the instability of the optical module performance caused by the deflection or tilt of the illumination light. This design makes it easier for the illumination light to maintain its directionality and stability during propagation, thereby improving the performance and reliability of the entire LCOS optical module.

[0122] In some examples of this application, see Figure 1 The LCOS optical machine module also includes a projection lens 5, which is located on the reflection light path of the LCOS panel 4.

[0123] In this example of the present application, it is proposed that the LCOS optical machine module includes a projection lens 5, which is located on the light output path (or reflection path) of the LCOS panel 4, and is used to receive the projection light reflected by the LCOS panel 4 and finally form a projection image.

[0124] Optionally, the projection lens 5 includes one or more lenses.

[0125] In some examples of this application, see Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 The projection lens 5 is located at a side of the optical waveguide device 3 where the outcoupling region 32 is set, and the projection light formed by reflection from the LCOS panel 4 passes through the optical waveguide device 3 and enters the projection lens 5 .

[0126] In this example of the present application, the optical waveguide device 3 serves as the transmission and regulation core of the illumination light, and a decoupling area 32 is provided on its surface or inside, which is used to couple the illumination light out of the optical waveguide device 3 and guide it to the projection lens 5 after being reflected by the LCOS panel 4. The projection lens 5 is responsible for further converging and projecting the projection light reflected by the LCOS panel 4 to the target area. This layout in this example of the present application enables the various optical components to be arranged more compactly around the optical waveguide device 3, making full use of limited space resources. This is of great significance for realizing the miniaturization and lightweight of compact LCOS optical machine modules.

[0127] In some examples of the present application, the light source 1 is a monochromatic laser light source or a polychromatic laser light source.

[0128] In this example of the present application, the light source 1 can be designed as a monochromatic laser light source or a polychromatic laser light source. A monochromatic laser light source can produce laser light of a single color, while a polychromatic laser light source can produce laser light of multiple colors. This design enables the entire LCOS optical machine module to be flexibly applied to different display requirements, including monochromatic display and color display.

[0129] Regarding the light source 1 being a multi-color laser light source, see Figure 6 The light source 1 includes a red laser light source 11, a green laser light source 12 and a blue laser light source 13. This design can support color display, so that the LCOS optical machine module of the present application can be applied to a wider range of scenarios. By controlling the intensity and ratio of different color lasers, color image output with high color accuracy can be achieved.

[0130] For the design of color LCOS optical module, see Figure 6 , a three-color laser light source is specially configured, and these light sources share the same optical waveguide device 3. In the design, by carefully designing the size of the outcoupling area 32 and its relative position to the LCOS panel 4, it is ensured that the red, green and blue lasers can evenly cover the entire LCOS panel 4.

[0131] When the light source 1 is a laser light source including red, green and blue, a single grating structure design is adopted in the coupling-in region 31 and the coupling-out region 32. This design avoids the complexity of separately setting grating structures for light sources of different colors.

[0132] Compared with the monochromatic light example, in order to ensure that the three-color laser can fully and evenly cover the LCOS panel 4, the area of ​​the coupling-in area 31 and the coupling-out area 32 is appropriately enlarged. Of course, the adjustment of these dimensions is not arbitrary, but is based on the specific position arrangement of the light source 1, the thickness and material properties of the optical waveguide device 3, and the position of the LCOS panel 4, and engineering calculations and adjustments are performed to achieve the optimal light field output effect.

[0133] In some examples of the present application, the optical waveguide device 3 is a diffraction optical waveguide plate, and both the coupling-in region 31 and the coupling-out region 32 are provided with grating structures.

[0134] In this example of the present application, the optical waveguide device 3 is a diffraction optical waveguide plate, and the coupling-in area 31 and the coupling-out area 32 are both provided with a grating structure. The diffraction optical waveguide plate uses the diffraction principle of light to transmit and regulate light, and the grating structure is used to achieve the coupling-in and coupling-out of light. This design enables the LCOS optical machine module of the present application to achieve more efficient and stable light transmission and regulation. The diffraction optical waveguide plate uses the diffraction principle of light to transmit light, and can also reduce the loss of light during the transmission process and improve the light transmission efficiency.

[0135] The following four embodiments respectively describe the different structural designs of the LCOS optical machine module provided in the embodiments of the present application.

[0136] Example 1

[0137] See also Figure 1 The LCOS optical machine module provided in this embodiment 1 includes a light source 1, a light homogenizing element 2, an optical waveguide device 3, an LCOS panel 4 and a projection lens 5;

[0138] The light source 1 is used to provide illumination light;

[0139] The light homogenizing element 2 is used to homogenize the illumination light emitted by the light source 1, and the optical axis of the light source 1 is perpendicular to the light homogenizing element 2;

[0140] The optical waveguide device 3 includes a coupling-in area 31 and a coupling-out area 32, wherein the coupling-in area 31 is used to couple the illumination light after homogenization into the optical waveguide device 3 for total reflection transmission, and the coupling-out area 32 is used to couple the illumination light out; the optical waveguide device 3 is a diffraction optical waveguide sheet, and the coupling-in area 31 and the coupling-out area 32 are both provided with grating structures;

[0141] The light homogenizing element 2 is arranged obliquely relative to the coupling-in area 31;

[0142] The LCOS panel 4 and the outcoupling area 32 are arranged on two opposite sides of the optical waveguide device 3, and are staggered relative to the outcoupling area 32 in the thickness direction of the optical waveguide device 3, and are used to receive the illumination light emitted by the outcoupling area 32 and reflect it to form a projection light, and the projection light reflected by the LCOS panel 4 no longer passes through the outcoupling area 32;

[0143] The following relationship is satisfied between the outcoupling region 32 and the LCOS panel 4:

[0144] p+d / tan(θ-FOV / 2)-d / tan(θ+FOV / 2)≤l, and △ ≥(pl) / 2+d / tan(θ

[0145] +FOV / 2); wherein, l is the length of the outcoupling area 32, p is the length of the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel 4, d is the vertical distance from the center of the outcoupling area 32 to the LCOS panel 4, FOV is the field of view angle of each pixel on the LCOS panel 4, θ is the angle between the central light in the FOV and the LCOS panel 4, and is the horizontal distance between the center of the outcoupling area 32 and the center of the LCOS panel 4;

[0146] The projection lens 5 is used to receive the projection light reflected by the LCOS panel 4 to form a projection image. The projection lens 5 is located on one side of the optical waveguide device 3 where the outcoupling region 32 is set; the LCOS panel 4 is located on the other side of the optical waveguide device 3.

[0147] Example 2

[0148] See also Figure 3 The difference between the present embodiment 2 and the above-mentioned embodiment 1 is that a reflective device 6 is stacked on the outcoupling region 32 .

[0149] Example 3

[0150] See also Figure 4 The difference between the present embodiment 3 and the embodiment 2 is that the light homogenizing element 2 and the coupling-in region 31 of the optical waveguide device 3 are arranged in parallel. On this basis, the light homogenizing element 2 is configured to be able to perform light homogenization on the illumination light emitted by the light source 1 and deflect the illumination light relative to the optical axis of the light source 1 to provide the deflection angle required for the relative position of the coupling-out region 32 and the LCOS panel 4;

[0151] See also Figure 5 , the light homogenizing element 2 satisfies: in, is the angle between the center light in the FOV emitted after being homogenized by the homogenizing element 2 and the normal of the homogenizing element 2;

[0152] The reflective device 6 is a reflective mirror or a reflective film material.

[0153] According to another embodiment of the present application, a projection device is provided, including a housing and the LCOS optical-mechanical module as described above.

[0154] The specific implementation of the projection device of the embodiment of the present application can refer to the various embodiments of the above-mentioned LCOS optical machine module, so it at least has all the beneficial effects brought by the technical solutions of the above-mentioned embodiments, which will not be repeated here one by one.

[0155] The above embodiments focus on the differences between the various embodiments. As long as the different optimization features between the various embodiments are not contradictory, they can be combined to form a better embodiment. Considering the simplicity of the text, they will not be repeated here.

[0156] Although some specific embodiments of the present application have been described in detail by way of example, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the above examples are only for illustration, not for limiting the scope of the present application. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the above embodiments may be modified without departing from the scope and spirit of the present application. The scope of the present application is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An LCOS optical machine module, characterized in that: include: A light source (1) for providing illumination light; A light homogenizing element (2) for homogenizing the illumination light emitted by the light source (1); The optical waveguide device (3) comprises an incoupling region (31) and an outcoupling region (32), wherein the incoupling region (31) is used to couple the homogenized illumination light into the optical waveguide device (3) for total reflection transmission, and the outcoupling region (32) is used to couple the illumination light out; The LCOS panel (4) is located on a side of the optical waveguide device (3) away from the outcoupling region (32), and in the thickness direction of the optical waveguide device (3), the LCOS panel (4) is at least partially offset relative to the outcoupling region (32), and the LCOS panel (4) is used to receive the illumination light emitted by the outcoupling region (32) and reflect it to form projection light, and the projection light reflected by the LCOS panel (4) no longer passes through the outcoupling region (32).

2. The LCOS optical machine module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The illumination light coupled out through the outcoupling area (32) can illuminate the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel (4), and the following relationship must be satisfied between the outcoupling area (32) and the LCOS panel (4): p+d / tan(θ-FOV / 2)-d / tan(θ+FOV / 2)≤l; Wherein, l is the length of the outcoupling area (32), p is the length of the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel (4), d is the vertical distance from the center of the outcoupling area (32) to the LCOS panel (4), FOV is the field of view angle of each pixel on the LCOS panel (4), and θ is the angle between the central light in the FOV and the LCOS panel (4).

3. The LCOS optical machine module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The projection light reflected by the LCOS panel (4) no longer passes through the outcoupling region (32), and the following relationship must be satisfied between the outcoupling region (32) and the LCOS panel (4): △ ≥(pl) / 2+d / tan(θ+FOV / 2)? in, △ is the horizontal distance between the center of the outcoupling area (32) and the center of the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel (4).

4. The LCOS optical machine module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The light homogenizing element (2) is arranged obliquely relative to the coupling-in region (31).

5. The LCOS optical machine module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The light homogenizing element (2) is arranged parallel to the coupling-in region (31); The light homogenizing element (2) is configured to perform light homogenization on the illumination light emitted by the light source (1) and to cause the illumination light to be deflected relative to the optical axis of the light source (1).

6. The LCOS optical machine module according to claim 5, characterized in that: When the light homogenizing element (2) is arranged parallel to the coupling-in region (31), the light homogenizing element (2) satisfies: in, is the angle between the central light in the field of view emitted after being homogenized by the homogenizing element (2) and the normal of the homogenizing element (2), and θ is the angle between the central light in the field of view FOV of each pixel point on the LCOS panel (4) and the LCOS panel (4).

7. The LCOS optical machine module according to claim 1, characterized in that: A reflective device (6) is stacked on the outcoupling region (32).

8. The LCOS optical machine module according to claim 6, characterized in that: The reflective device (6) is a reflective mirror or a reflective film material.

9. The LCOS optical machine module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The optical axis of the light source (1) is perpendicular to the light homogenizing element (2).

10. The LCOS optical machine module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The LCOS optical machine module also includes a projection lens (5), and the projection lens (5) is located on the reflection light path of the LCOS panel (4).

11. The LCOS optical machine module according to claim 10, characterized in that: The projection lens (5) is located on a side of the optical waveguide device (3) where the outcoupling region (32) is arranged, and the projection light formed by reflection from the LCOS panel (4) passes through the optical waveguide device (3) and enters the projection lens (5).

12. The LCOS optical machine module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The light source (1) is a monochromatic laser light source or a polychromatic laser light source.

13. The LCOS optical machine module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The optical waveguide device (3) is a diffraction optical waveguide plate, and the coupling-in region (31) and the coupling-out region (32) are both provided with grating structures.

14. A projection device, characterized in that: include: shell; and An LCOS optical machine module as described in any one of claims 1-13.

Images