High-resolution projection display system

Abstract

An image display system uses a polarizing beam splitter to direct light from a lamp to multiple spatial light modulators. The spatial light modulators (“SLM”) each generate an image portion, which are stitched together on a display screen to obtain a high resolution image. In a particular embodiment, image portions from two conventional SLMs, each controlling about two million pixels, are stitched together to form an image having about four million pixels. In another embodiment, two lamps are used with four SLMs to produce a resultant image having about eight million pixels.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] Not applicable. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002] Not applicable. REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX [0003] Not applicable. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0004] This invention relates generally to image display systems, and more particularly to projection display systems using a plurality of spatial light modulators illuminated with light from a lamp, partial images from the spatial light modulators being combined to form a high-resolution image on a display screen. BACKGROUND [0005] Projection display systems use spatial light modulators (“SLMs”) to modulate light from a lamp to produce high-quality images suitable for home theater, large-format front projectors, such as digital cinema, projectors for business conferences, and rear-projection television. The resolution of such systems is related to the number of picture cells (“pixels”) that the SLM generates. The image from the SLM is magnified and projecte...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] The present invention enables high-resolution image display systems. In some embodiments, a single lamp is used. The lamp output is homogenized in a light integrator, which provides a homogenized light output. The homogenized light output is split into first and second light beams with a beam splitter. A first imager optically coupled to the first light beam produces a first modulated light beam that is optically coupled to first projection optics. The projection optics expand the first modulated light beam to form a first display image portion on a display screen. A second imager optically coupled to the second light beam produces a second modulated light beam that is optically coupled to second projection optics. The second projection optics expand the second modulated light beam to form a second display image portion on the display screen. The first display image portion and the second display image portion are combined at a margin to form a display image. An optional fold mirror(s) is used to enable a more compact projection system.

[0009] In a particular embodiment, the beam splitter is a polarizing beam splitter and the imagers are LCoS SLMs. The first light beam from the polarizing beam splitter has a first polarization state and the second light beam from the polarizing beam splitter has a second polarization state. A half-wave retarder plate in the path of the first light beam rotates the polarization state to operate in conjunction with the LCoS SLM. Thus, the full output of the lamp is utilized without polarization recovery, and resolution of the display image is enhanced.

Problems solved by technology

However, SLMs suitable for large-format displays might not have suitable resolution for other applications, such as medical imaging, satellite imaging, or other display applications requiring very high information content.

Unfortunately, the resolution acceptable for large-screen displays might not be suitable for high-resolution displays, where the viewer is relatively close to the displayed image and a higher information density is desired.

Unfortunately, both approaches adversely affect yield-per-wafer and cost.

Using multiple SLMs allows the use of slower SLMs to achieve a higher apparent refresh rate, but does not increase the resolution of the display.

Images