Time-Sequential Phase Projection for Higher-Contrast Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Projection-based displays, such as those using spatial light modulators (SLMs), face challenges in reducing noise and increasing contrast due to quantization-induced noise, which affects the perceived brightness and color shades across images, particularly in regions with high bright pixel density.
Innovation Solution
The method involves partitioning a source image into sub-images, each containing a different image component, processing these sub-images separately, and projecting them sequentially using a phase projection-based display device like a phase light modulator (PLM) or liquid crystal device, allowing the human visual system to integrate them into a single image, thereby localizing noise to bright regions and enhancing contrast.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a source image is projected directly using a phase projection-based display device, then the projection process is simple and fast, but quantization-induced noise appears across the entire image reducing contrast
Solution Approach 1:
The source image is partitioned into multiple sub-images, each containing a different image component. By processing and projecting these sub-images separately rather than the complete image at once, the system reduces quantization-induced noise while maintaining projection efficiency. The human visual system integrates the sequentially projected sub-images into a single perceived image with improved contrast.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the source image is partitioned into sub-images and projected sequentially, then noise is localized and contrast is enhanced, but the processing and projection time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs time-sequential projection where sub-images are projected in rapid succession rather than simultaneously. This periodic projection approach allows the human visual system to integrate the multiple sub-images into a single perceived image, achieving noise reduction and contrast enhancement while minimizing the perceived time delay through persistence of vision.
3Measurement precision
If quantization levels are increased to reduce noise, then image precision improves, but device complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly increasing quantization levels across the entire image, the system applies different processing to different sub-images. Each sub-image containing specific image components is processed with appropriate quantization levels, allowing high precision where needed while maintaining lower complexity in other regions. This localized approach reduces overall device complexity while achieving necessary image precision.
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 approach reduces noise across the combined image, increasing contrast and improving image quality by localizing noise to specific areas, thus enhancing the visibility and clarity of displayed images, particularly in high dynamic range and heads-up display applications.
Implementation Method 1
a phase projection-based display device coupled to the at least one processor and optically coupled to the one or more light sources and configured to modulate, based on the target image of each sub-image, the incident light to separately project the sub-images
Data Source
AI summary
A device includes at least one processor configured to partition a source image including image components into sub-images, each including a corresponding image component of the image components, and process each sub-image to produce a target image to be projected for each sub-image of the sub-images. The device also includes one or more light sources coupled to the at least one processor and configured to project an incident light, and a phase projection-based display device coupled to the at least one processor and optically coupled to the one or more light sources and configured to modulate, based on the target image of each sub-image, the incident light to separately project the sub-images.