Projection Display Light Loss Reduction via Dielectric Color Filter

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing projection-type video-image-displaying devices suffer from significant light loss, which reduces the efficiency of image display and increases costs.

Innovation Solution

The device incorporates a light multiple reflecting element with a dielectric multilayer film that reflects visible light efficiently and a color wheel with six fan-shaped transmission type color filters, along with a TIR prism and relay lenses to minimize light divergence and reflection, optimizing light distribution and reducing spoke time and infrared component reflection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If a conventional projection-type video-image-displaying device is used, then image display function is provided, but light loss is significant and light use efficiency is low

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight lossVSAvoidlight use efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts harmful infrared light that would otherwise cause heat and light loss into useful illumination by reflecting it back through the color filter and onto the light modulation element. The dielectric multilayer film on the color filter reflects infrared light while allowing visible light transmission, transforming what was previously waste energy into contributing light for the projection process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a composite structure combining a color filter with a dielectric multilayer film deposited on its surface. This composite material allows selective wavelength manipulation - the color filter transmits visible light while the dielectric multilayer film reflects infrared light, creating a multi-functional optical component that addresses both color separation and infrared management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Illumination intensity

If the light source operates at high intensity to improve image brightness, then illumination intensity increases, but light source temperature increases and lifetime decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage brightnessVSAvoidlight source lifetime
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts harmful infrared radiation into useful visible light illumination. By reflecting infrared light back through the color filter and onto the modulation element, the system recovers what would otherwise be waste heat energy, converting it into contributing light that improves brightness without requiring increased light source power.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent recovers infrared light that would otherwise be discarded as waste heat. The dielectric multilayer film reflects infrared light back into the optical path, allowing this previously wasted energy to be reused for illumination, thereby reducing the need for high light source intensity and extending light source lifetime.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Ease of manufacture

If a rotary color filter is used to achieve high resolution with one liquid crystal panel, then manufacturing yield improves and costs reduce, but light loss occurs at color filter boundaries

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveliquid crystal panel yieldVSAvoidlight loss at color filter boundaries
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts light that would otherwise be lost at color filter boundaries into useful illumination. By reflecting infrared light and redirecting it through the color filter, the system ensures that light passing through or near boundary regions still contributes to the final image, reducing the impact of boundary losses.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent maintains continuous useful light action by reflecting infrared light back through the color filter and onto the modulation element. This ensures that light paths that might otherwise be interrupted or lost at color filter boundaries continue to contribute to image formation, maintaining continuous illumination efficiency throughout the rotation cycle.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration enhances light use efficiency, reduces costs, and extends the life of the light source by minimizing light loss and temperature increase, resulting in improved image display quality and reduced device expenses.

Implementation Method 1

a light multiple reflecting element with a dielectric multilayer film that reflects visible light efficiently

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 2

a TIR prism and relay lenses to minimize light divergence and reflection

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTotal internal reflection: Total Internal Reflection

Implementation Method 3

a color wheel with six fan-shaped transmission type color filters

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSelective transmission: Filter (optical)

Data Source

PatentEP2924503B1Projection-type video-image-displaying device
Publication Date: 2021.12.29 MAXELL LTD
  • EP2924503B1 patent drawingFigure 1(A)~1(B)
  • EP2924503B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2924503B1 patent drawingFigure 3(A)~3(B)

AI summary

The objective of the present invention is to provide a projection-type video-image-displaying device capable of efficiently displaying an image by reducing the loss of light in the device, the device also being suitable for reducing costs associated therewith. A projection-type image-displaying device is provided with a light source radiating white light, a rod lens, a rotary color filter (4), a DMD (10), illumination optical elements (5, 12, 18), a projection lens and a control device. The rod lens collects light from the light source and emits the light. The rotary color filter (4) is disposed in the vicinity of the emitting surface of the rod lens, and selectively transmits or reflects, from the white light, light of a specific color. The DMD (10) includes a plurality of pixels and modulates incident light in accordance with an image signal. The illumination optical elements (5, 12, 18) collect the emitted light from the rotary color filter and form illumination light for projection onto the DMD. The projection lens projects an image formed using the DMD. The control device controls the rotation of the rotary color filter to be synchronized with the image display by the DMD. The rotary color filter forms, on a part thereof, a light-emitting surface using light from the emitting surface of the rod lens. The DMD is disposed in a substantially conjugate relationship with the light-emitting surface on the rotary color filter.