Variable pitch color emission display

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the use of variable-pitch light-emitting devices for display applications, including displays in augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality environments. In particular, it relates to variable-pitch miniature (e.g., micron-sized) light-emitting devices (e.g., microLEDs) to provide advantages, such as compactness, manufacturability, color rendering, and computational and power savings. A system and method are disclosed for emitting multiple lights by multiple panels, where the pitch of one panel is different from the pitch(es) of the other panels. Each panel may comprise a separate array of light emitters. The multiple lights may be combined by a combiner.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] (CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS) This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 943,568, filed December 4, 2019, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

[0002] (Field) The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for variable pitch color emission displays, and more particularly to systems and methods for displays in augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality environments. [Background technology]

[0003] (background) Several current Augmented Reality (AR) and mobile projection display systems utilize reflective liquid crystal on silicon (RLCOS) displays, which are relatively slow switching devices based on liquid crystal technology and employ a bulky polarized optics architecture as illustrated in Figure 1. Some of the general disadvantages of this well-established technology are the high losses associated with polarized optics and the low optical throughput due to slow switching times of 60-120 Hz.

[0004] LCOS projection systems usually consist of a reflective LCOS display and polarizing optics with focusing elements, e.g. in Fig. 1. With a front polarizer, at least 55% of the light can be lost immediately, plus out-coupled light is lost through the focusing lens element. Although LC technology is well established, it cannot rapidly change black / color states, typically limited by 120Hz. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] (overview) A system and method is disclosed for emitting multiple lights by multiple panels, where the pitch of one panel is different from the pitch(es) of the other panels. Each panel may include an array of individual light emitters. The multiple lights may be combined by a combiner.

[0006] In some embodiments, the plurality of lights may comprise red, green, and blue lights. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of lights may be monochromatic. In some embodiments, the light emitters of one array may be smaller in size than the light emitters of the other array(s).

[0007] In some embodiments, the light emitters of the first array may have a first single emitter footprint with dimensions associated with a first pitch of the first panel, the light emitters of the second array may have a second single emitter footprint with dimensions associated with a second pitch of the second panel, and the light emitters of the third array may have a third single emitter footprint with dimensions associated with a third pitch of the third panel, and the second single emitter footprint may be smaller than the first single emitter footprint and may be smaller than the third single emitter footprint.

[0008] In some embodiments, the same set of dimensions may be occupied by each of the first single emitter footprint, the third single emission footprint, and a 2×2 array of four light emitters each having the second single emitter footprint. In some embodiments, the same set of dimensions may be occupied by each of the third single emission footprint, the 2×2 array of four light emitters each having the first single emitter footprint, and a 4×4 array of 16 light emitters each having the second single emitter footprint.

[0009] In some embodiments, the first light may have a first color, the second light may have a second color, and the third light may have a third color, and the system may comprise electronic hardware for receiving video data, performing per-color downsampling on the received video data at a first color for the first light, performing per-color downsampling on the received video data at a third color for the third light, and driving the first panel, the second panel, and the third panel, where the first panel is driven based on the per-color downsampled video data at the first color for the first light and the third panel is driven based on the per-color downsampled video data at the third color for the third light.

[0010] In some embodiments, the first light may have a first color, the second light may have a second color, and the third light may have a third color, and the system may include first electronic hardware configured to receive first video data having a first resolution and drive the first panel based on the first video data having the first resolution, second electronic hardware configured to receive second video data having a second resolution and drive the second panel based on the second video data having the second resolution, and third electronic hardware configured to receive third video data having a third resolution and drive the third panel based on the third video data having the third resolution, where the full color video is based on the first video data, the second video data, and the third video data, and the second resolution for the second panel is higher than the first resolution for the first panel and higher than the third resolution for the third panel.

[0011] In some embodiments, the combiner may comprise an X-cube combiner. The present invention provides, for example, the following: (Item 1) 1. A system comprising: a first panel comprising a first array of light emitters configured to emit a first light at a first pitch; a second panel comprising a second array of light emitters configured to emit a second light at a second pitch; and a third panel comprising a third array of light emitters configured to emit a third light at a third pitch; a combiner for combining the first light, the second light, and the third light; wherein the second pitch of the second panel is smaller than the first pitch of the first panel and smaller than the third pitch of the third panel. (Item 2) 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first light comprises red light, the second light comprises green light, and the third light comprises blue light. (Item 3) 3. The system of claim 2, wherein each of the first light, the second light, and the third light is monochromatic light. (Item 4) 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the light emitters of the first array are smaller in size than the light emitters of the second array and smaller in size than the light emitters of the third array. (Item 5) the first array of light emitters having a first single emitter footprint with dimensions related to the first pitch of the first panel; the second array of light emitters having a second single emitter footprint with a dimension related to the second pitch of the second panel; the third array of light emitters having a third single emitter footprint with a dimension related to the third pitch of the third panel; 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second single emitter footprint is smaller than the first single emitter footprint and smaller than the third single emitter footprint. (Item 6) A set of identical dimensions, the first single emitter footprint; and the third single emission footprint; and a 2×2 array of four light emitters, each having the second single emitter footprint; 6. The system of claim 5, wherein each of the (Item 7) A set of identical dimensions, the third single emission footprint; and a 2×2 array of four light emitters, each having the first single emitter footprint; a 4×4 array of 16 light emitters each having said second single emitter footprint; 6. The system of claim 5, wherein each of the (Item 8) the first light has a first color, the second light has a second color, and the third light has a third color; and the system further comprises: Receiving video data; and performing per-color downsampling on the received video data at the first color for the first light; performing per-color downsampling on the received video data at the third color for the third light; driving the first panel, the second panel, and the third panel; 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising electronic hardware configured to perform: a first panel driven based on the per-color downsampled video data at the first color for the first light; and a third panel driven based on the per-color downsampled video data at the third color for the third light. (Item 9) the first light has a first color, the second light has a second color, and the third light has a third color; and the system further comprises: Receiving first video data having a first resolution; driving the first panel based on the first video data having the first resolution; and a first electronic hardware configured to: receiving second video data having a second resolution; driving the second panel based on the second video data having the second resolution; and second electronic hardware configured to: receiving third video data having a third resolution; driving the third panel based on the third video data having the third resolution; and a third electronic hardware configured to: a full-color video based on the first video data, the second video data, and the third video data; 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second resolution for the second panel is higher than the first resolution for the first panel and higher than the third resolution for the third panel. (Item 10) Item 2. The system of item 1, wherein the combiner comprises an X-cube combiner. (Item 11) 1. A method comprising: a first panel having a first array of light emitters emitting a first light at a first pitch; a second panel having a second array of light emitters emitting a second light at a second pitch; a third panel having a third array of light emitters emitting a third light at a third pitch; a combiner combining the first light, the second light, and the third light; wherein the second pitch of the second panel is smaller than the first pitch of the first panel and smaller than the third pitch of the third panel. (Item 12) Item 12. The method of item 11, wherein the first light comprises red light, the second light comprises green light, and the third light comprises blue light. (Item 13) Item 13. The method of item 12, wherein each of the first light, the second light, and the third light is monochromatic light. (Item 14) Item 12. The method of item 11, wherein the light emitters of the first array are smaller in size than the light emitters of the second array and smaller in size than the light emitters of the third array. (Item 15) the first array of light emitters having a first single emitter footprint with dimensions related to the first pitch of the first panel; the second array of light emitters having a second single emitter footprint with a dimension related to the second pitch of the second panel; the third array of light emitters having a third single emitter footprint with a dimension related to the third pitch of the third panel; Item 12. The method of item 11, wherein the second single emitter footprint is smaller than the first single emitter footprint and smaller than the third single emitter footprint. (Item 16) A set of identical dimensions, the first single emitter footprint; and the third single emission footprint; and a 2×2 array of four light emitters, each having the second single emitter footprint; 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein each of the above is occupied by (Item 17) A set of identical dimensions, the third single emission footprint; and a 2×2 array of four light emitters, each having the first single emitter footprint; a 4×4 array of 16 light emitters each having said second single emitter footprint; 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein each of the above is occupied by (Item 18) the first light has a first color, the second light has a second color, and the third light has a third color, and the method further comprises: Receiving video data; and performing per-color downsampling on the received video data at the first color for the first light; performing per-color downsampling on the received video data at the third color for the third light; driving the first panel, the second panel, and the third panel; Item 12. The method of item 11, wherein the first panel is driven based on the color-by-color downsampled video data in the first color for the first light, and the third panel is driven based on the color-by-color downsampled video data in the third color for the third light. (Item 19) the first light has a first color, the second light has a second color, and the third light has a third color, and the method further comprises: Receiving first video data having a first resolution; driving the first panel based on the first video data having the first resolution; receiving second video data having a second resolution; driving the second panel based on the second video data having the second resolution; receiving third video data having a third resolution; driving the third panel based on the third video data having the third resolution; a full-color video based on the first video data, the second video data, and the third video data; Item 12. The method of item 11, wherein the second resolution for the second panel is higher than the first resolution for the first panel and higher than the third resolution for the third panel. (Item 20) Item 12. The method of item 11, wherein the combiner comprises an X-cube combiner. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates a full-color LCoS-based projector system employing three-color illumination and modulation in a parallel manner.

[0013] [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 illustrates a microLED equal-pitch X-cube geometry for a projector system.

[0014] [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 illustrates an example architecture of an individual μLED emitter.

[0015] [Figure 4] 4A and 4B illustrate example emitter footprints in a per-color variable resolution scheme according to embodiments described herein.

[0016] [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 illustrates a representation of an identical-pitch micro-LED generated image (top) compared with a representation of a tunable-pitch micro-LED generated image (bottom).

[0017] [Figure 6] 6A and 6B illustrate example systems, each with multiple panels and variable pitch.

[0018] [Figure 7] 7A-7D illustrate a text-based simulation of per-color variable resolution downsampling. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] (Detailed Description) In the following description of the examples, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific examples which may be practiced. It is to be understood that other examples may be used and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosed examples.

[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates a full-color LCoS-based projector system employing three-color illumination and modulation in a parallel manner. On the left side of FIG. 1, a projector system 110 includes a red-green-blue (RGB) light source 112 (having micro-light-emitting diodes (μLEDs) with a microlens array (MLA)), a pre-polarizing filter 114, a polarizing beam splitter (PBS) 116, a quarter-wave plate (QWP) 118, a collimator 120, a reflective LCOS display 122, a clean-up polarizing filter 124, a projection lens 126, an eyepiece 128 (having an input coupler grating (ICG) 130 and an exit pupil expander (EPE) region 132), and a variable focus element (VFE) 134. The RBG light source 112 provides three-color illumination, and the reflective LCOS display 122 provides modulation in a parallel manner.

[0021] 1, projector system 160 includes RGB light source 162 (with μLEDs with MLA), pre-polarizing filter 164, PBS 166, QWP 168, reflective LCOS display 172, clean-up polarizing filter 174, projection lens 176, eyepiece 178 (with ICG 180 and EPE region 182), and VFE 184. RBG light source 162 provides three-color illumination and reflective LCOS display 172 provides modulation in a parallel manner.

[0022] In FIG. 1, the left projector system 110 and the right projector system 160 differ in various aspects. For example, the left projector system 110 includes a collimator 120, while the right projector system 160 does not have a collimator. As another example, the left projector system 110 has an arrangement in which the QWP 118 is located between the PBS 116 and the collimator 120, while the right projector system 150 has an arrangement in which the QWP 168 is located between the PBS 166 and the reflective LCOS display 172. As yet another example, the left projector system 110 has an arrangement in which a QWP is not needed between the PBS 116 and the reflective LCOS display 122, while the right projector system 150 has an arrangement in which the QWP 168 is located between the PBS 166 and the reflective LCOS display 172.

[0023] The embodiments described herein may use micro-LED (Miniature Emitting Diode (LED)) devices, which may enable creation of images directly on the color panel, thus simplifying the optical system design, eliminating the need for polarization optics, and making the use of RLCOS techniques unnecessary. In addition to kHz rate switching speeds, the inventors propose a novel architecture herein in which each color panel can be represented by its own light emitter pitch and its own resolution (rather than the commonly adopted three-panel microdisplay architecture of X-cube combiner and projection optics, e.g., as depicted in FIG. 2). Advantages of such a display technique (e.g., geometry) may include large power savings, simplified design, and reduced cost and system complexity.

[0024] 2 illustrates a microLED equal pitch X-cube geometry for a projector system. In FIG. 2, projector system 200 includes a red microLED panel 210, a green microLED panel 220, a blue microLED panel 230, an X-cube combiner 240, projection optics 250, and an RBG eyepiece 260 (with ICG 270). All three panels 210, 220, and 230 have the same pitch with respect to their individual microLEDs.

[0025] A common bottleneck of micro LED emission devices such as those shown in the example of FIG. 3 may be their reduced efficiency with the reduction in size of individual emitters (e.g., device pitch and emitter size). For example, a 10um pixel size device is more efficient than a 5um pixel size device. It may be advantageous to use larger sized emitters (e.g., in terms of optical emittance). However, this is not always possible when there is a need for high resolution images and / or a desired field of view (FOV).

[0026] FIG. 3 illustrates an example architecture of an individual μLED emitter. In FIG. 3, the individual μLED emitter 300 comprises a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) backplane 310, a III-V compound semiconductor emitter 320, a reflector cup 330, a microlens 340, and an optical isolator 350. The CMOS backplane 310 may use pulse width modulation (PWM) control for the μLED emitter 300. The III-V compound semiconductor emitter 320 may provide or promote high efficiency for the μLED emitter 300. The reflector cup 330 may provide or promote high brightness for the μLED emitter 300. The microlens 340 may provide or promote light collimation for the μLED emitter 300. The optical isolator 350 may provide or promote display quality for the μLED emitter 300.

[0027] There may be other problems in utilizing natural color emitters versus color-converted micro LEDs (especially in the red portion of the color spectrum). A typical approach uses blue pump LEDs to excite a semiconductor stack to color shift from blue to green and / or red wavelengths. Red emitters use phosphor dyes (e.g., for emitters sized >50um) or rely on quantum dot (QD) color conversion (e.g., for emitters sized below 50um). While these schemes are routinely utilized, they offer low conversion efficiency (e.g., <30% for blue-to-red optical conversion), non-collimated Lambertian reflected output, and have limited reliability.

[0028] As disclosed herein, using larger size natural red and blue emitters can address these issues above. They can improve the overall display effectiveness (in blue panels with blue emitters and red panels with red emitters) while still using smaller pixel size green micro-LEDs with very little apparent degradation of image quality. The embodiments of the present disclosure described herein can rely on one simple interesting fact, namely, the human visual system is best adapted to green light, and thus the high-end resolution required for some augmented reality / virtual reality / mixed reality (AR / VR / MR) systems may be reached with green light, but not required in the red and blue parts of the wavelength spectrum. Thus, large size red emitters can still be used while negating the effect of low effectiveness in red wavelengths, which may be especially important with native red micro-LEDs that are not yet fully developed. This can produce higher brightness than solutions with equal-pitch color panels, as the portion of red (and blue) light required can utilize larger emitters, and the resulting solution can result in more optical power / brightness.

[0029] Embodiments of the present disclosure may employ novel μLED-based three-color (e.g., R / G / B) projectors based on optical combination of light emitted by three monochromatic (e.g., R, G, or B) panels (e.g., via an X-cube color combiner). Unlike conventional color projectors based on similar optical combination schemes, embodiments described herein may employ multiple (e.g., three) individual monochromatic panels having micro-emitters with variable pitch per panel.

[0030] Some embodiments may employ a projector configuration (e.g., geometry) based on the use of a single (e.g., green) panel having an array of 1,280×720 emitters with a 2.5 μm pitch in conjunction with two (e.g., red and blue) panels, each having an array of 640×360 emitters with a 5 μm pitch. In such a configuration, each of the individual monochromatic panels may have the same overall dimensions. Due to the variable pitch configuration, a footprint occupied by a single red pixel and a single blue pixel may be occupied by four green pixels after beam combining (e.g., as shown in FIG. 4A).

[0031] 4A illustrates an example emitter footprint in a per-color variable resolution scheme according to embodiments described herein. The red emitter footprint 410 may have dimensions of 5 μm×5 μm for a single red pixel. The blue emitter footprint 430 may also have dimensions of 5 μm×5 μm for a single blue pixel. The green emitter footprint 420 may have dimensions of 5 μm×5 μm for a 2×2 array of four green pixels, each of which has a smaller footprint having dimensions of 2.5 μm×2.5 μm for a single green pixel.

[0032] Another exemplary configuration may employ a green panel having an array of 1,280 x 720 emitters with a 2.5 μm pitch, a red panel having an array of 640 x 360 emitters with a 5 μm pitch, and a blue panel having an array of 320 x 180 emitters with a 10 μm pitch. In this configuration, the footprint occupied by a single blue pixel may be occupied by four red pixels and 16 green pixels (e.g., as shown in FIG. 4B).

[0033] 4B illustrates an example emitter footprint in a per-color variable resolution scheme according to embodiments described herein. The red emitter footprint 450 may have dimensions of 10 μm×10 μm for a 2×2 array of four red pixels, each of which has a smaller footprint with dimensions of 5 μm×5 μm for a single red pixel. The blue emitter footprint 430 may have dimensions of 10 μm×10 μm for a single blue pixel. The green emitter footprint 420 may have dimensions of 10 μm×10 μm for a 4×4 array of 16 green pixels, each of which has a smaller footprint with dimensions of 2.5 μm×2.5 μm for a single green pixel.

[0034] Both of these above example architectures may take advantage of the aforementioned property of the human visual system that visual acuity may be most predominant for green wavelengths and least predominant for blue wavelengths.

[0035] Employing embodiments of the present disclosure, a full-color computer image may be presented at full resolution in the green channel (e.g., 1,280x720), quarter resolution for the red and blue channels (e.g., 640x360), or even lower resolution for the blue channel. In an exemplary hardware instantiation, one of two video data processing and transmission schemes may be used: 1) a full-resolution full-color image may be presented to the combined electronic hardware responsible for driving all three μLED panels, at which point per-color downsampling for the lower resolution color panels may be performed at the hardware level, or 2) per-color images may be rendered at different resolutions (e.g., green at 1,280x720, red at 640x360, blue at 640x360 or less) and transmitted in parallel data streams to individual driving electronic hardware for each panel.

[0036] The embodiments can eliminate the need for small size emitters (e.g., on the order of 2.5um) required for high resolution optical systems with <2 arcmin for wide field of view (FOV). For example, it has been demonstrated that it is feasible to use blue and red panel color pixels that are twice the size of the emitters for the green panel. This concept can eliminate a major source of uncertainty for μLED displays, which was the red intensity for native (non-color converted) red sources. This can also help with blue panels, which obviously can be difficult to scale down to 2.5um pixel size devices as well. Again, using large size blue and red panels can give a brighter display and reduce power consumption (as smaller size emitters can be less efficient due to higher current density and semiconductor edge effects), while using a higher pitch green panel can provide an appropriate level of image quality to human perception. Furthermore, maintaining the same overall format can allow for a common standard and the same projection system to remain the same.

[0037] 5 illustrates a representation of an identical-pitch micro-LED generated image (top) compared to a representation of a variable-pitch micro-LED generated image (bottom). The bottom image 520 represents an image generated using blue and red emitters that are twice as large as green emitters. The image quality for both the top image 510 and the bottom image 520 may appear approximately the same to the human visual system.

[0038] 6A and 6B illustrate example systems, each with multiple panels and variable pitch. In FIG. 6A and 6B, each of the systems 602 and 604 may include a first panel 610, a second panel 620, a third panel 630, an X-cube combiner 640, and a projection optics 650. One or more of the red panel 610, the green LED panel 620, and the blue LED panel 630 may include a micro LED panel. One or more of the red panel 610, the green LED panel 620, and the blue LED panel 630 may include a monochromatic light panel. As described in the above examples and embodiments, the three panels 610, 620, and 630 may have individual pitches with respect to their individual light emitting elements, and the three individual pitches may be non-uniform. Each of the systems 602 and 604 may be used with an eyepiece 660 for AR or VR or MR systems, etc. In Figure 6A, as described above with respect to the first exemplary hardware instantiation for the first video data processing and transmission scheme, system 602 may be used with combined electronic hardware 670 (e.g., combined drive circuitry) for driving all three panels 610, 620, and 630. In Figure 6B, as described above with respect to the second exemplary hardware instantiation for the second video data processing and transmission scheme, system 604 may be used with three separate individual pieces of electronic hardware 615, 625, and 635 (e.g., three separate drive circuits) for driving the three panels 610, 620, and 630, respectively.

[0039] Each of the systems 602 of FIG. 6A and 604 of FIG. 6B may directly create or generate an image on one or more of the first panel 610, the second panel 620, and the third panel 630. Compared to other display system designs, each of the systems 602 and 604 may have a simplified optical system design. For example, polarization optics may be reduced or eliminated, whereby each of the systems 602 and 604 may exclude or lack any or all of the polarization components in FIG. 1. As another example, an LCOS display may be unnecessary, whereby each of the systems 602 and 604 may exclude or lack any or all of the LCOS displays in FIG. 1. Each of the systems 602 and 604 may operate at kHz switching speeds. Compared to other display system designs, each of the systems 602 and 604 may provide significant power savings. In comparison to other display system designs, each of systems 602 and 604 may offer reduced cost or complexity.

[0040] 7A-7D illustrate text-based simulations of per-color variable resolution downsampling. FIG. 7A represents a full resolution rendering 710 for the red, green, and blue color channels. FIG. 7B represents a full resolution rendering 720 for the green color, and quarter resolution downsampling and rendering for the red and blue colors. FIG. 7C represents a full resolution rendering 730 for the green color, quarter resolution downsampling for the red color, and sixteenth resolution downsampling for the blue color. FIG. 7D represents a quarter resolution rendering 740 for the red, green, and blue color channels.

[0041] Of these four renderings, rendering 710 may appear to the human visual system to have the highest color contrast (e.g., character coloring vs. background coloring) and the highest sharpness (e.g., character edges). Renderings 720 and 730 may appear nearly identical to the human visual system. Rendering 710 may appear to the human visual system to have white-out characters. Relative to rendering 710, the characters of renderings 720 and 730 may appear to have a faint green tint. Rendering 730 may appear to the human visual system to have a similar white color for its characters, but the sharpness may appear to be the lowest of all four renderings depicted by FIGS. 7A-7D.

[0042] Although the disclosed examples have been fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be noted that various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, elements of one or more implementations may be combined, deleted, modified, or supplemented to form further implementations. Such changes and modifications should be understood as falling within the scope of the disclosed examples, as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. 1. A system comprising: a first panel comprising a first array of light emitters, the first panel configured to emit a first light at a first pitch, the first array of light emitters comprising a first plurality of light emitters; a second panel comprising a second array of light emitters, the second panel configured to emit a second light at a second pitch, the second array of light emitters comprising a second plurality of light emitters; a third panel comprising a third array of light emitters, the third panel configured to emit a third light at a third pitch, the third array of light emitters comprising a third plurality of light emitters; a combiner for combining the first light, the second light, and the third light; Equipped with the second pitch of the second panel is smaller than the first pitch of the first panel, the second pitch of the second panel is smaller than the third pitch of the third panel, and the first pitch of the first panel is smaller than the third pitch of the third panel; one or more of the second plurality of light emitters are smaller in size than one or more of the first plurality of light emitters and are further smaller in size than one or more of the third plurality of light emitters.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first light comprises red light, the second light comprises green light, and the third light comprises blue light.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein each of the first light, the second light, and the third light is monochromatic light.

4. the first array of light emitters has a first single emitter footprint having a dimension related to the first pitch of the first panel; the second array of light emitters has a second single emitter footprint having a dimension related to the second pitch of the second panel; the third array of light emitters has a third single emitter footprint having a dimension related to the third pitch of the third panel; 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second single emitter footprint is smaller than the first single emitter footprint and smaller than the third single emitter footprint.

5. A set of identical dimensions, the third single emitter footprint; and a 2×2 array of four light emitters, each of the four light emitters having the first single emitter footprint; a 4×4 array of 16 light emitters, each of the 16 light emitters having the second single emitter footprint; and 5. The system of claim 4, wherein each of the

6. the first light has a first color, the second light has a second color, and the third light has a third color; The system comprises: Receiving video data; and performing per-color downsampling on the received video data at the first color for the first light; performing per-color downsampling on the received video data at the third color for the third light; driving the first panel, the second panel, and the third panel; and electronic hardware configured to:

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first panel is driven based on the per-color downsampled video data at the first color for the first light, and the third panel is driven based on the per-color downsampled video data at the third color for the third light.

7. the first light has a first color, the second light has a second color, and the third light has a third color; The system comprises: Receiving first video data having a first resolution; driving the first panel based on the first video data having the first resolution; First electronic hardware configured to: receiving second video data having a second resolution; driving the second panel based on the second video data having the second resolution; and second electronic hardware configured to: receiving third video data having a third resolution; driving the third panel based on the third video data having the third resolution; and a third electronic hardware configured to: Equipped with a full-color video is based on the first video data, the second video data, and the third video data; 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second resolution for the second panel is higher than the first resolution for the first panel and higher than the third resolution for the third panel.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the combiner comprises an X-cube combiner.

9. 1. A method, comprising: a first panel comprising a first array of light emitters emitting a first light at a first pitch, the first array of light emitters comprising a first plurality of light emitters; a second panel comprising a second array of light emitters emitting a second light at a second pitch, the second array of light emitters comprising a second plurality of light emitters; a third panel comprising a third array of light emitters emitting a third light at a third pitch, the third array of light emitters comprising a third plurality of light emitters; a combiner combining the first light, the second light, and the third light; Including, the second pitch of the second panel is smaller than the first pitch of the first panel, the second pitch of the second panel is smaller than the third pitch of the third panel, and the first pitch of the first panel is smaller than the third pitch of the third panel; wherein one or more of the second plurality of light emitters are smaller in size than one or more of the first plurality of light emitters and are further smaller in size than one or more of the third plurality of light emitters.

10. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first light comprises red light, the second light comprises green light, and the third light comprises blue light.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein each of the first light, the second light, and the third light is monochromatic light.

12. the first array of light emitters has a first single emitter footprint having a dimension related to the first pitch of the first panel; the second array of light emitters has a second single emitter footprint having a dimension related to the second pitch of the second panel; the third array of light emitters having a third single emitter footprint having a dimension related to the third pitch of the third panel; 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second single emitter footprint is smaller than the first single emitter footprint and smaller than the third single emitter footprint.

13. A set of identical dimensions, the third single emitter footprint; and a 2×2 array of four light emitters, each of the four light emitters having the first single emitter footprint; a 4×4 array of 16 light emitters, each of the 16 light emitters having the second single emitter footprint; and The method of claim 12 , wherein each of the first and second sub-sub ...

14. the first light has a first color, the second light has a second color, and the third light has a third color; The method comprises: Receiving video data; and performing per-color downsampling on the received video data at the first color for the first light; performing per-color downsampling on the received video data at the third color for the third light; driving the first panel, the second panel, and the third panel; Including, 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first panel is driven based on the per-color downsampled video data in the first color for the first light, and the third panel is driven based on the per-color downsampled video data in the third color for the third light.

15. the first light has a first color, the second light has a second color, and the third light has a third color; The method comprises: Receiving first video data having a first resolution; driving the first panel based on the first video data having the first resolution; receiving second video data having a second resolution; driving the second panel based on the second video data having the second resolution; receiving third video data having a third resolution; driving the third panel based on the third video data having the third resolution; Including, a full-color video is based on the first video data, the second video data, and the third video data; 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second resolution for the second panel is higher than the first resolution for the first panel and higher than the third resolution for the third panel.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the combiner comprises an X-cube combiner.

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