LCOS opto-mechanical module and projection apparatus

Abstract

An LCOS opto-mechanical module, comprising a light source (1), a light homogenizing element (2), an optical waveguide device (3), and an LCOS panel (4). The light source (1) is configured to provide illumination light; the light homogenizing element (2) is configured to homogenize the illumination light emitted by the light source (1); the optical waveguide device (3) comprises an in-coupling region (31) and an out-coupling region (32), the in-coupling region (31) is configured to couple homogenized illumination light into the optical waveguide device (3) for total internal reflection transmission, and the out-coupling region (32) is configured to couple out the illumination light; the LCOS panel (4) is located on the side of the optical waveguide device (3) facing away from the out-coupling region (32), and in the thickness direction of the optical waveguide device (3), the LCOS panel (4) is at least partially offset with respect to the out-coupling region (32); and the LCOS panel (4) is configured to receive the illumination light emitted from the out-coupling region (32) and reflect same to form projection light, and the projection light reflected by the LCOS panel (4) no longer passes through the out-coupling region (32).

Description

LCOS optical engine module and projection equipment

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411910562.X, filed on December 23, 2024, entitled "LCOS Optical Engine Module and Projection Device", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of projection technology, and more specifically, to an LCOS optical engine module and a projection device. Background Technology

[0003] LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) display technology, with its significant advantages such as high resolution, high brightness, and high contrast, has broad application prospects in optical display fields such as smart wearable displays and projection displays. However, in the traditional LCOS optical engine module design, the light emitted from the light source usually passes through a complex optical system, such as a condenser lens, microlens array, relay lens, and polarizing prism, before reaching the LCOS panel. This process not only increases the size and weight of the system but also makes optical axis alignment extremely difficult, increasing manufacturing costs and complexity.

[0004] A design described in patent document CN116438479B emphasizes the relative position and relationship between the coupling region of the optical waveguide and the LCOS panel. While this design simplifies the optical path to some extent, it still has some limitations. For example, the patent document mentions that the coupling region and the LCOS panel are directly aligned, which requires the output light from the coupling region to precisely match the input requirements of the LCOS panel; otherwise, it may lead to problems such as light energy loss, image quality degradation, or optical axis misalignment.

[0005] To address the aforementioned issues, a compact LCOS optical-mechanical module that can effectively avoid stray light interference is needed. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this application is to provide a new technical solution for an LCOS optical engine module and projection equipment.

[0007] In a first aspect, this application provides an LCOS optical engine module, the LCOS optical engine module comprising:

[0008] A light source is used to provide illumination.

[0009] A light-diffusing element is used to homogenize the illumination light emitted by the light source;

[0010] An optical waveguide device includes a coupling-in region and a coupling-out region. The coupling-in region is used to couple the homogenized illumination light into the optical waveguide device for total internal reflection transmission, and the coupling-out region is used to couple the illumination light out.

[0011] An LCOS panel is located on the side of the optical waveguide device away from the coupling region, and in the thickness direction of the optical waveguide device, the LCOS panel is at least partially offset from the coupling region. The LCOS panel is used to receive the illumination light emitted from the coupling region and reflect it to form projection light, and the projection light reflected by the LCOS panel no longer passes through the coupling region.

[0012] Optionally, the illumination light emitted from the coupling area can illuminate the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel, and the coupling area and the LCOS panel must satisfy the following relationship: p+d / tan(θ-FOV / 2)-d / tan(θ+FOV / 2)≤l;

[0013] Where l is the length of the coupling area, p is the length of the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel, d is the vertical distance from the center of the coupling 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 ray within the FOV and the LCOS panel.

[0014] Optionally, the projected light rays reflected by the LCOS panel no longer pass through the coupling area, and the coupling area and the LCOS panel must satisfy the following relationship: Δ≥(pl) / 2+d / tan(θ+FOV / 2);

[0015] Wherein, Δ is the horizontal distance between the center of the coupling area and the center of the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel.

[0016] Optionally, the light-diffusing element is inclined relative to the coupling region.

[0017] Optionally, the light-diffusing element is arranged parallel to the coupling region;

[0018] The light-diffusing element is configured to homogenize the illumination light emitted from the light source and to deflect the illumination light relative to the optical axis of the light source.

[0019] Optionally, when the light-diffusing element is arranged parallel to the coupling region, the light-diffusing element satisfies: in, θ is the angle between the central ray emitted from the field of view after being homogenized by the homogenizing element and the normal of the homogenizing element, and θ is the angle between the central ray of the field of view (FOV) of each pixel on the LCOS panel and the LCOS panel.

[0020] Optionally, a reflective device is stacked on the coupling region.

[0021] Optionally, the reflective device is a reflective mirror or a reflective film.

[0022] Optionally, the optical axis of the light source is perpendicular to the light-diffusing element.

[0023] Optionally, the LCOS optical engine module further includes a projection lens, which is located in the reflected light path of the LCOS panel.

[0024] Optionally, the projection lens is located on the side of the optical waveguide device where the coupling area is located, and the projection light formed by the reflection of the LCOS panel passes through the optical waveguide device and enters the projection lens.

[0025] Optionally, the light source is a monochromatic laser light source or a multicolor laser light source.

[0026] Optionally, the optical waveguide device is a diffractive optical waveguide sheet, and both the coupling-in region and the coupling-out region are provided with grating structures.

[0027] Secondly, this application provides a projection device, the projection device comprising:

[0028] The outer casing; and

[0029] As described in the first aspect, the LCOS optical engine module.

[0030] The beneficial effects of this application are as follows:

[0031] This application provides a compact LCOS optical engine module. By replacing bulky polarizing prisms and other components in traditional solutions with optical waveguide devices, the structure of the optical engine module is made more compact. By introducing a simpler optical path design, this application not only simplifies the optical axis alignment process and improves production efficiency, but also enhances the stability of the optical engine module and effectively avoids image quality degradation caused by optical axis deviation. Of particular note is that, in the design of the coupling area and the LCOS panel, this application uses a staggered arrangement design strategy to eliminate the interference of light leakage in the coupling area on the displayed image and effectively control the generation of stray light, thereby significantly improving image clarity and laying the foundation for the high-quality application of LCOS display technology.

[0032] Other features and advantages of this specification will become clear from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0033] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of this specification and, together with their description, serve to explain the principles of this specification.

[0034] Figure 1 is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the LCOS optical engine module provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0035] Figure 2 is one of the design schematic diagrams of the LCOS optical engine module provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 3 is a second schematic diagram of the LCOS optical engine module provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 4 is a third structural schematic diagram of the LCOS optical engine module provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 5 is a second schematic diagram of the design principle of the LCOS optical engine module provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 6 is the fourth structural schematic diagram of the LCOS optical engine module provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0040] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached diagram: 1. Light source; 11. Red laser source; 12. Green laser source; 13. Blue laser source; 2. Beam homogenizer; 3. Optical waveguide device; 31. Coupling-in region; 32. Coupling-out region; 4. LCOS panel; 5. Projection lens; 6. Reflecting device. Detailed Implementation

[0041] Various exemplary embodiments of this 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, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of this application.

[0042] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the scope of this application and its application or use.

[0043] Technologies and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such technologies and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0044] In all the examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0045] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be discussed further in subsequent figures.

[0046] The LCOS optical engine module and projection device provided in the embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0047] According to one embodiment of this application, an LCOS optical engine module is provided. Referring to FIG1, the LCOS optical engine 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 region 31 and a coupling-out region 32. The coupling-in region 31 is used to couple the homogenized illumination light into the optical waveguide device 3 for total internal reflection transmission. The coupling-out region 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 region 32. In the thickness direction of the optical waveguide device 3, the LCOS panel 4 is at least partially offset from the coupling-out region 32. The LCOS panel 4 is used to receive the illumination light emitted from the coupling-out region 32 and reflect it to form projection light. The projection light reflected by the LCOS panel 4 no longer passes through the coupling-out region 32.

[0048] The LCOS optical engine module provided in this application embodiment integrates optical components such as light source 1, light homogenizing element 2, optical waveguide device 3 and LCOS panel 4. These components work together to form projection light and project it into a preset projection light path, thereby achieving the final projection imaging and exhibiting excellent optical performance and imaging quality.

[0049] In the LCOS optical-mechanical module provided in this application embodiment, the synergistic effect of the light source 1 and the homogenizing element 2 is as follows:

[0050] The light source 1 serves as the foundation of the entire LCOS optical engine module and is mainly used to provide illumination light, which is the source of image display.

[0051] 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. This is the key to ensuring the uniformity of image quality.

[0052] The LCOS optical engine module provided in this application embodiment incorporates an optical waveguide device 3. Referring to Figure 1, the coupling region 31 of the optical waveguide device 3 couples the homogenized illumination light into the optical waveguide device 3 for total internal reflection transmission. This process achieves efficient transmission and precise path control of the illumination light. The coupling region 32 of the optical waveguide device 3 couples the illumination light out in a predetermined manner and directly illuminates the LCOS panel 4 for image display, thus forming projection light. The key here is the staggered arrangement between the coupling region 32 and the LCOS panel 4. This design ensures that the illumination light emitted through the coupling region 32 can cover the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel 4 as much as possible, while preventing the projection light reflected from the LCOS panel 4 from passing through the coupling region 32 again, thereby avoiding interference from light leakage and stray light.

[0053] Referring to Figure 1, the LCOS panel 4 and the coupling region 32 are located on both sides of the optical waveguide device 3.

[0054] In the LCOS optical engine module provided in this application embodiment, the staggered arrangement between the coupling region 32 of the optical waveguide device 3 and the LCOS panel 4 ensures that the illumination light emitted from the coupling region 32 can be emitted at the field of view required by the optical engine and uniformly cover the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel 4. The light will not be concentrated on only a part of the LCOS panel 4, but can fully illuminate the entire display area, thereby making the projected image provided by the LCOS complete and with uniform brightness.

[0055] If the coupling region 32 is perfectly aligned with the LCOS panel 4, the projected light reflected by the LCOS panel 4 is highly likely to pass through the coupling region 32 again, resulting in multiple reflections within the optical waveguide device 3. This will ultimately interfere with the projected image as stray light and also lead to low light utilization. The misalignment arrangement adopted in this application changes the relative position of the coupling region 32 and the LCOS panel 4, ensuring that the reflected projected light does not pass through the coupling region 32 again, but exits only from the interface of the optical waveguide device 3. This results in higher transmittance at the interface compared to passing through the coupling region 32, higher light utilization, and reduced stray light generation.

[0056] The staggered design in this application also optimizes the light transmission path, allowing the light emitted from the coupling region 32 to illuminate the LCOS panel 4 more directly and effectively, forming a clear image on the LCOS panel 4. This optimization not only improves the efficiency of light utilization but also further reduces the impact of stray light on the projected image.

[0057] Therefore, the misalignment between the coupling region 32 of the optical waveguide device 3 and the LCOS panel 4 is a special design. It not only ensures that the illumination light can be evenly and fully irradiated onto the LCOS panel 4, but also effectively avoids stray light interference by preventing the projection light reflected from the LCOS panel 4 from passing through the coupling region 32 again. At the same time, it improves the light utilization rate, thereby improving the quality and clarity of the projected image.

[0058] This application provides a compact LCOS optical engine module. By replacing bulky polarizing prisms and other components in traditional solutions with optical waveguide devices, the structure of the optical engine module is made more compact. By introducing a simpler optical path design, this application not only simplifies the optical axis alignment process and improves production efficiency, but also enhances the stability of the optical engine module and effectively avoids image quality degradation caused by optical axis deviation. It is particularly noteworthy that, in the design of the coupling area 32 and the LCOS panel 4, this application uses a staggered arrangement design strategy to eliminate the interference of light leakage in the coupling area 32 on the displayed image and effectively prevent the generation of stray light, thereby significantly improving the image clarity and laying the foundation for the high-quality application of LCOS display technology.

[0059] In some examples of this application, referring to Figures 1 and 2, the illumination light coupled out through the coupling region 32 can illuminate the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel 4, and the coupling region 32 and the LCOS panel 4 must satisfy the following relationship: p+d / tan(θ-FOV / 2)-d / tan(θ+FOV / 2)≤l;

[0060] Wherein, l is the length of the 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 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 ray within the FOV and the LCOS panel 4.

[0061] According to the specially designed relation in this example of the application, namely p+d / tan(θ-FOV / 2)-d / tan(θ+FOV / 2)≤l, it is ensured that the illumination light emitted through the coupling region 32 can accurately cover the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel 4.

[0062] In this embodiment, the misalignment between the coupling area 32 and the LCOS panel 4 is a key design feature. This misalignment not only simplifies the optical path design and reduces the difficulty of aligning the optical axis, but also allows light to illuminate the LCOS panel 4 more flexibly. By calculating and controlling the misalignment distance, it can be ensured that the illumination light, after being coupled out through the coupling area 32, can cover the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel 4, thereby achieving complete image display.

[0063] Secondly, the mathematical relationship plays a crucial role in the design of the coupling area 32 and the LCOS panel 4. In this example, the mathematical relationship 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 coupling area 32 to the LCOS panel, FOV represents the field of view angle of each pixel on the LCOS panel 4, θ represents the angle between the central ray within the FOV and the LCOS panel 4, and l represents the length of the coupling area 32. These together constitute the control mechanism for the illumination light emitted from the light source 1 to be coupled out of the coupling area 32 and illuminate the LCOS panel 4. Through the calculation of the mathematical relationship in this example, it can be ensured that the illumination light transmitted through the optical waveguide device 3 can illuminate the LCOS panel 4 at the optimal angle and position after coupling out, thereby achieving high-definition image display.

[0064] The LCOS optical engine module of this application not only greatly simplifies the complexity of the module's optical architecture design and reduces production costs, but also improves production efficiency, making the LCOS optical engine module easier to integrate and apply. Simultaneously, due to the adoption of a simpler optical path design and precise optical component layout, the LCOS optical engine module provided by this application maintains high performance while achieving efficient light utilization and precise control of image quality. Furthermore, the LCOS optical engine module of this application significantly reduces problems such as image quality degradation caused by optical axis misalignment, providing broader possibilities for the application of LCOS display systems in optical display fields such as head-mounted displays and projection displays.

[0065] In some examples of this application, referring to Figures 1 and 2, the projected light rays reflected by the LCOS panel 4 no longer pass through the coupling area 32. The coupling area 32 and the LCOS panel 4 must satisfy the following relationship: Δ≥(pl) / 2+d / tan(θ+FOV / 2);

[0066] Wherein, Δ is the horizontal distance between the center of the coupling area 32 and the center of the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel 4.

[0067] According to this example of the application, there is a further design for the relative positional relationship between the coupling region 32 and the LCOS panel 4 in the LCOS optical engine module, which is described by a specific inequality, and is intended to optimize the performance of the LCOS optical engine module, in particular to eliminate the interference of light leakage from the coupling region 32 on the final displayed image.

[0068] In the optical architecture of the LCOS optical engine module provided in this application, the coupling region 32 is located on the optical waveguide device 3, and it 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 provide to the subsequent projection lens 5 (see Figure 1).

[0069] Referring to Figure 2, according to the inequality proposed in this example of the application: Δ≥(pl) / 2+d / tan(θ+FOV / 2); where: Δ is the horizontal distance between the center of the coupling area 32 and the center of the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel 4.

[0070] Specifically, (pl) / 2: This part represents half of the difference in size between the coupling area 32 and the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel 4 in the horizontal direction. It ensures that the coupling area 32 does not completely cover the LCOS panel 4, thereby leaving enough space for the reflected light of the LCOS panel 4.

[0071] d / tan(θ+FOV / 2): This part considers the case where light rays, after being coupled out of the coupling zone 32, are projected onto the LCOS panel 4 at a certain angle (θ+FOV / 2). Here, the tan function is used to calculate the required horizontal offset of the coupled illumination light rays at a vertical distance d, ensuring that the illumination light rays emitted through the coupling zone 32 can be accurately projected onto the LCOS panel 4 without being reflected back through the coupling zone 32.

[0072] By adding these two parts, the minimum horizontal distance Δ between the center of the coupling region 32 and the center of the LCOS panel 4 is obtained. This distance ensures that the projection light reflected from the LCOS panel 4 will not pass through the coupling region 32 again when projected onto the projection lens 5, thereby avoiding the interference of stray light generated by the coupling region 32 on the final displayed image. Moreover, due to the improved light utilization, it helps to improve the brightness of the imaging display.

[0073] By controlling the relative position between the coupling region 32 and the LCOS panel 4, this example effectively eliminates the interference of stray light from the coupling region 32 on the displayed image, which helps improve image quality. The inequality design in this example provides a simple and effective method to optimize the structural design of the LCOS optical engine module, which is particularly important in compact optical engine designs. The LCOS optical engine module of this application can utilize light more effectively, thereby improving optical power and projection brightness.

[0074] Therefore, this example uses specific inequalities to describe the relative positional relationship between the coupling region 32 and the LCOS panel 4, aiming to optimize the performance of the LCOS optical engine module, particularly to eliminate the interference of stray light from the coupling region 32 on the displayed image. This design not only improves image quality but also optimizes the optical architecture of the optical engine module and increases light utilization.

[0075] In this example of the application, referring to Figure 2, the length direction of the coupling area 32 and the length direction of the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel 4 are both horizontal directions as shown in Figure 2.

[0076] It should be noted that the coupling area 32 and the LCOS panel 4, in addition to the length direction, also have a width direction (which is perpendicular to the length direction). Here, the constraints in the width direction are consistent with the constraints in the length direction, that is, both must follow the same constraint principles in design and application.

[0077] In some examples of this application, referring to FIG1, the homogenizing element 2 is inclined relative to the coupling region 31.

[0078] In this example of the application, referring to FIG1, the light-diffusing element 2 is designed to be tilted relative to the coupling region 31. This tilting arrangement allows the light-diffusing element 2 to deflect the light at a certain angle, providing the required field of view (FOV) for the entire LCOS optical engine module on the one hand, and the required deflection angle for the relative position of the coupling region 32 and the LCOS panel 4 on the other hand.

[0079] The light-diffusing element 2 is, for example, a light-diffusing sheet.

[0080] The specific analysis regarding providing the required optical field output (FOV) is as follows:

[0081] The tilted homogenizing element 2 can more effectively control the deflection angle of the illumination light, thereby providing the required field of view (FOV). This is crucial to ensuring that the LCOS panel 4 receives sufficient illumination light and generates a clear image.

[0082] Regarding the design requirements for satisfying the relative position of the coupling region 32 and the LCOS panel 4:

[0083] By tilting the light-diffusing element 2, the transmission direction of the illumination light after being coupled out of the optical waveguide device 3 and the coupling area 32 can be adjusted, ensuring that the relative positional requirements between the coupling area 32 and the LCOS panel 4 are met. This helps ensure that the illumination light can be accurately projected onto each position of the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel 4, and effectively avoids light leakage from the coupling area 32.

[0084] In this example of the application, the light-diffusing element 2 is designed to be tilted relative to the coupling region 31. The advantage of this design is that it reduces the difficulty in designing and manufacturing the light-diffusing element. Specifically, tilting the light-diffusing element 2 can reduce the requirements for the light-diffusing 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 use a more complex or high-precision light-diffusing element to achieve the required light field output and deflection angle.

[0085] However, the tilted homogenizing element 2 may increase the overall size of the LCOS optical engine module. This is because the tilted homogenizing element 2 may require more space to accommodate its tilted portion, thus increasing the overall size of the LCOS optical engine module. This may be a trade-off that needs to be considered for LCOS optical engine modules that pursue a compact design. It should be noted that although the tilted homogenizing element 2 will affect the size of the LCOS optical engine module to some extent, its size reduction compared to a traditional optical engine module is still significant.

[0086] Therefore, it is evident that the tilted homogenizing element 2 has significant advantages in providing the required light field output and meeting the relative positional requirements between the coupling region 32 and the LCOS panel 4. Simultaneously, it also reduces the requirements for the homogenizing element 2 itself to some extent. However, this arrangement may affect the size of the LCOS optical engine module, but compared to currently available optical engine modules, it still maintains a significant miniaturization characteristic. Therefore, in practical applications, all factors must be comprehensively weighed to make the most informed choice.

[0087] In some examples of this application, referring to FIG4, the light-diffusing element 2 is arranged in parallel with respect to the coupling region 31; the light-diffusing element 2 is configured to perform light-diffusing processing on the illumination light emitted from the light source 1 and to deflect the illumination light relative to the optical axis of the light source 1.

[0088] According to this example of the application, referring to FIG4, the optical architecture differs from that shown in FIG1 in that the homogenizing element 2 is arranged in parallel with respect to the coupling region 31.

[0089] In this example of the application, the light-diffusing element 2 is configured to perform light-diffusing processing on the illumination light emitted from the light source 1, while causing the illumination light to be deflected to a certain extent relative to the optical axis of the light source 1. The purpose is to cause the projection light reflected by the LCOS panel 4 to be deflected to a certain extent with the normal direction of the LCOS panel 4.

[0090] In this example of the application, the homogenizing element 2 is arranged in parallel with the coupling region 31. This parallel arrangement is designed to reduce the overall size of the LCOS optical engine module while maintaining the required optical performance.

[0091] In this example of the application, the light-diffusing element 2 is specially designed to uniformly process the illumination light emitted from 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 satisfying the relative position requirements between the coupling area 32 and the LCOS panel 4.

[0092] The parallel arrangement of the homogenizing element 2 and the coupling region 31 can significantly reduce the overall size of the LCOS optical engine module. This is because the parallel arrangement avoids the extra space required for tilted or complex structures, thus achieving a more compact design. This is a significant advantage for LCOS optical engine systems that pursue miniaturization and lightweight design.

[0093] While the parallel arrangement design reduces size, it places special requirements on the homogenizing element 2. In this example, the homogenizing element 2 needs to be specially designed to effectively homogenize the illumination light emitted from the light source 1 while maintaining the parallel arrangement, and to ensure that the light is deflected at an appropriate angle after passing through the optical waveguide device 3. This helps ensure that the light is accurately projected onto the LCOS panel 4 and avoids light leakage or deviation. This is crucial for improving image quality and system performance.

[0094] Therefore, the parallel arrangement of the homogenizing element 2 relative to the coupling region 31 has a significant advantage in reducing size, but it also places special design requirements on the homogenizing element 2. Through precise design and optimization, this parallel arrangement design can still achieve excellent optical performance and meet the requirements of a compact LCOS optical-mechanical module. In practical applications, the most suitable homogenizing element design and parameter configuration need to be selected based on the specific application scenario and requirements.

[0095] In some examples of this application, referring to Figures 4 and 5, when the light-diffusing element 2 is arranged parallel to the coupling region 31, the light-diffusing element 2 satisfies: in, θ is the angle between the central ray emitted from the field of view after being homogenized by the homogenizing element 2 and the normal of the homogenizing element 2, and θ is the angle between the central ray of the field of view (FOV) of each pixel on the LCOS panel 4 and the LCOS panel 4.

[0096] The design of the homogenizing element 2 provided in this example is for the optical architecture shown in FIG4, namely, the homogenizing element 2 being parallel to the coupling region 31.

[0097] See Figure 5, by satisfying Under the design conditions, provided that the homogenizing element 2 is arranged parallel to the coupling region 31, the homogenizing element 2 can precisely control the deflection angle of the illumination light emitted from the light source 1, and ensure that the illumination light can be projected onto the LCOS panel 4 at an appropriate angle after passing through the optical waveguide device 3, thereby improving image quality and system performance.

[0098] The design conditions in this example help optimize the path and distribution of light, reducing light loss during transmission. By precisely controlling the deflection angle and distribution range of the illumination light, it can be ensured that more light can be projected into the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel 4, thereby improving light utilization and image brightness.

[0099] In some examples of this application, see Figures 3 and 4, a reflective device 6 is stacked on the coupling region 32.

[0100] In this example, the coupling region 32 is part of the optical waveguide device 3, responsible for coupling the illumination light transmitted within the optical waveguide device 3 out of its interior and projecting it onto the LCOS panel 4. To further optimize the illumination light transmission and improve the optical performance of the LCOS optomechanical module, a reflective device 6 is designed to be stacked on the coupling region 32.

[0101] Optionally, the reflective device 6 may be one or more optical elements, such as a mirror or a reflective film, used to change the direction of light propagation.

[0102] The reflective device 6 can reflect light that might otherwise escape or fail to be accurately projected onto the LCOS panel 4, which brings two advantages: First, it increases the chances of these lights being effectively utilized. By adjusting the position and angle of the reflective device 6, it can ensure that more light can be accurately projected onto the effective area of ​​the LCOS panel 4, thus improving light utilization. Second, it can effectively prevent light leakage in the coupling area 32, thereby eliminating the impact of light leakage on the final image quality.

[0103] By stacking reflective devices 6 on the coupling region 32, the light transmission path can be optimized without increasing the overall size of the optomechanical module. This design helps to achieve a more compact optomechanical module structure, reduce production costs, and improve the portability and ease of use of the system.

[0104] In some examples of this application, the reflective device 6 is a reflective mirror or a reflective film.

[0105] This application describes a specific implementation of the reflective device 6 in this example. The reflective device 6 is designed as a mirror or a reflective film and is stacked on the coupling region 32. Both mirrors and reflective films can provide high light reflection efficiency. This means that more light can be effectively reflected onto the LCOS panel 4, reducing light loss and thus improving the light efficiency and brightness of the LCOS optical engine module of this application.

[0106] Both the mirror and the reflective coating possess high optical properties, such as low scattering and diffraction effects. This helps maintain the consistency of light direction and intensity, reducing image distortion and blurring, thereby optimizing image quality.

[0107] The introduction of the reflector and reflective film does not significantly increase the size and weight of the system. This is because they can be compactly integrated into the coupling region 32.

[0108] 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 the LCOS optical engine module.

[0109] In some examples of this application, see Figures 1, 3 and 4, the optical axis of the light source 1 is perpendicular to the light-diffusing element 2.

[0110] In this example of the application, the light emitted by the light source 1 propagates along its optical axis, which is designed to be perpendicular to the homogenizing element 2. The homogenizing element 2 is responsible for receiving the illumination light from the light source 1, homogenizing it, and then 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 optomechanical module.

[0111] When the optical axis of the light source 1 is perpendicular to the light-diffusing element 2, the illumination light can be more evenly distributed on the surface of the light-diffusing element 2. This helps to reduce the uneven distribution of illumination light on the light-diffusing element 2, thereby improving the uniformity of the illumination light subsequently projected onto the LCOS panel 4.

[0112] A vertical optical axis layout helps reduce instability in the performance of the optomechanical module caused by the deflection or tilting 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 optomechanical module.

[0113] In some examples of this application, referring to Figure 1, the LCOS optical engine module further includes a projection lens 5, which is located on the reflected light path of the LCOS panel 4.

[0114] In this example of the application, the LCOS optical engine 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.

[0115] Optionally, the projection lens 5 may include one or more lenses.

[0116] In some examples of this application, referring to Figures 1, 3 and 4, the projection lens 5 is located on the side of the optical waveguide device 3 where the coupling area 32 is located, and the projection light formed by the reflection of the LCOS panel 4 passes through the optical waveguide device 3 and enters the projection lens 5.

[0117] In this example of the application, the optical waveguide device 3 serves as the core for transmitting and controlling the illumination light. A coupling region 32 is provided on its surface or internally to couple the illumination light out of the optical waveguide device 3, which is then reflected by the LCOS panel 4 and guided to the projection lens 5. The projection lens 5 is responsible for further converging and projecting the projection light reflected from the LCOS panel 4 onto the target area. This layout in this example of the application allows 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 achieving miniaturization and weight reduction of compact LCOS optical engine modules.

[0118] In some examples of this application, the light source 1 is a monochromatic laser light source or a multicolor laser light source.

[0119] In this example of the application, the light source 1 can be designed as a monochromatic laser light source or a multicolor laser light source. A monochromatic laser light source can produce laser light of a single color, while a multicolor laser light source can produce laser light of multiple colors. This design allows the entire LCOS optical engine module to be flexibly applied to different display needs, including monochrome and color displays.

[0120] Regarding the fact that the light source 1 is a multi-color laser light source, as shown in 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, enabling the LCOS optical engine module of this application to be applied to a wider range of scenarios. By controlling the intensity and ratio of different color lasers, high color accuracy color image output can be achieved.

[0121] For the design of the color LCOS optical engine module, as shown in 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 coupling region 32 and its relative position to the LCOS panel 4, it is ensured that the red, green, and blue lasers can uniformly cover the entire LCOS panel 4.

[0122] When the light source 1 is a laser light source containing red, green and blue colors, 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 setting up separate grating structures for different color light sources.

[0123] Compared to the monochromatic light example, to ensure that the three-color laser can fully and uniformly cover the LCOS panel 4, the areas of the coupling-in region 31 and the coupling-out region 32 have been appropriately enlarged. Of course, these dimensional adjustments are not arbitrary, but rather based on the specific location of the light source 1, the thickness and material properties of the optical waveguide device 3, and the position of the LCOS panel 4, through engineering calculations and adjustments to achieve the optimal light field output effect.

[0124] In some examples of this application, the optical waveguide device 3 is a diffractive optical waveguide sheet, and both the coupling-in region 31 and the coupling-out region 32 are provided with grating structures.

[0125] In this example of the application, the optical waveguide device 3 is a diffractive waveguide sheet, and both the coupling-in region 31 and the coupling-out region 32 are provided with grating structures. The diffractive waveguide sheet utilizes the principle of light diffraction to transmit and control light, while the grating structure is used to realize the coupling-in and coupling-out of light. This design enables the LCOS optomechanical module of this application to achieve more efficient and stable light transmission and control. The diffractive waveguide sheet utilizes the principle of light diffraction to transmit light, and can also reduce light loss during transmission, thereby improving light transmission efficiency.

[0126] The following four embodiments describe different structural designs of the LCOS optical engine module provided in this application.

[0127] Example 1

[0128] Referring to Figure 1, the LCOS optical engine 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;

[0129] The light source 1 is used to provide illumination light;

[0130] The light-diffusing 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-diffusing element 2.

[0131] The optical waveguide device 3 includes a coupling-in region 31 and a coupling-out region 32. The coupling-in region 31 is used to couple the homogenized illumination light into the optical waveguide device 3 for total internal reflection transmission. The coupling-out region 32 is used to couple the illumination light out. The optical waveguide device 3 is a diffractive waveguide sheet. Both the coupling-in region 31 and the coupling-out region 32 are provided with grating structures.

[0132] The light-diffusing element 2 is inclined relative to the coupling region 31;

[0133] The LCOS panel 4 and the coupling region 32 are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the optical waveguide device 3, and are offset relative to the coupling region 32 in the thickness direction of the optical waveguide device 3. The LCOS panel 4 is used to receive the illumination light emitted from the coupling region 32 and reflect it to form projection light, and the projection light reflected by the LCOS panel 4 no longer passes through the coupling region 32.

[0134] The coupling region 32 and the LCOS panel 4 satisfy the following relationship:

[0135] p+d / tan(θ-FOV / 2)-d / tan(θ+FOV / 2)≤l, and Δ≥(pl) / 2+d / tan(θ+FOV / 2); where l is the length of the 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 coupling 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 ray within the FOV and the LCOS panel 4, and d is the horizontal distance between the center of the coupling area 32 and the center of the LCOS panel 4;

[0136] 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 the side of the optical waveguide device 3 where the coupling area 32 is located; the LCOS panel 4 is located on the other side of the optical waveguide device 3.

[0137] Example 2

[0138] Referring to Figure 3, the difference between this embodiment 2 and the above-described embodiment 1 is that a reflective device 6 is stacked on the coupling region 32.

[0139] Example 3

[0140] Referring to Figure 4, the difference between this embodiment 3 and embodiment 2 is that the light-diffusing element 2 and the coupling region 31 of the optical waveguide device 3 are arranged in parallel. Based on this, the light-diffusing element 2 is configured to perform light-diffusing processing on the illumination light emitted from 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 region 32 and the LCOS panel 4.

[0141] Referring to Figure 5, the light-diffusing element 2 satisfies: in, The angle between the center ray within the FOV emitted after being homogenized by the homogenizing element 2 and the normal of the homogenizing element 2;

[0142] The reflective device 6 is a reflective mirror or a reflective film.

[0143] According to another embodiment of this application, a projection device is provided, including a housing and an LCOS optical engine module as described above.

[0144] The specific implementation of the projection device in this application can refer to the various embodiments of the LCOS optical engine module described above. Therefore, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, and will not be described in detail here.

[0145] The above embodiments mainly describe 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. For the sake of brevity, they will not be elaborated here.

[0146] While specific embodiments of this application have been described in detail by way of examples, those skilled in the art should understand that the above examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can be made to the above embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of this application. The scope of this application is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An LCOS optical engine module, characterized in that, include: Light source (1), used to provide illumination light; A light-diffusing element (2) is used to homogenize the illumination light emitted by the light source (1); The optical waveguide device (3) includes a coupling-in region (31) and a coupling-out region (32). The coupling-in region (31) is used to couple the homogenized illumination light into the optical waveguide device (3) for total internal reflection transmission, and the coupling-out region (32) is used to couple the illumination light out. An LCOS panel (4) is located on the side of the optical waveguide device (3) away from the coupling region (32), and in the thickness direction of the optical waveguide device (3), the LCOS panel (4) is at least partially offset from the coupling region (32). The LCOS panel (4) is used to receive the illumination light emitted from the coupling region (32) and reflect it to form projection light, and the projection light reflected by the LCOS panel (4) no longer passes through the coupling region (32).

2. The LCOS optical engine module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The illumination light emitted through the coupling area (32) can illuminate the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel (4). The coupling area (32) and the LCOS panel (4) must satisfy the following relationship: p+d / tan(θ-FOV / 2)-d / tan(θ+FOV / 2)≤l; Wherein, l is the length of the 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 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 ray in the FOV and the LCOS panel (4).

3. The LCOS optical engine module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The projected light rays reflected by the LCOS panel (4) no longer pass through the coupling area (32). The coupling area (32) and the LCOS panel (4) must satisfy the following relationship: Δ≥(pl) / 2+d / tan(θ+FOV / 2); Wherein, Δ is the horizontal distance between the center of the coupling area (32) and the center of the effective display area of ​​the LCOS panel (4).

4. The LCOS optical engine module according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The light-diffusing element (2) is inclined relative to the coupling region (31).

5. The LCOS optical engine module according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The light-diffusing element (2) is arranged parallel to the coupling region (31); The light-diffusing element (2) is configured to perform light-diffusing processing on the illumination light emitted from the light source (1) and to deflect the illumination light relative to the optical axis of the light source (1).

6. The LCOS optical engine module according to claim 5, characterized in that, When the light-diffusing element (2) is arranged parallel to the coupling area (31), the light-diffusing element (2) satisfies: φ=π / 2-θ; where φ is the angle between the central ray emitted from the field of view after light diffusing by the light-diffusing element (2) and the normal of the light-diffusing element (2), and θ is the angle between the central ray of the field of view (FOV) of each pixel on the LCOS panel (4) and the LCOS panel (4).

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

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

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

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

11. The LCOS optical engine module according to claim 10, characterized in that, The projection lens (5) is located on the side of the optical waveguide device (3) where the coupling area (32) is set. The projection light formed by the reflection of the LCOS panel (4) passes through the optical waveguide device (3) and enters the projection lens (5).

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

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

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

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