Light recovery for projection displays

1. A light recovery system for a projection display comprising:

a reflector having a first and a second focal points;

a source of electro-magnetic radiation disposed proximate to said first focal point of said reflector to emit rays of radiation that reflect from said reflector and converge substantially at said second focal point;

a retro-reflector disposed opposite said reflector to reflect at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation that does not impinge directly on said reflector toward said reflector through the first focal point of said reflector to increase the flux intensity of the converging rays;

a light pipe having an input surface and an output surface, said input surface of said light pipe disposed proximate to said second focal point to collect and transmit substantially all of said radiation;

a first reflector disposed proximate to said output surface, said first reflector transmitting a first band of said radiation and reflecting a second and third bands of said radiation;

a second reflector disposed proximate to said output surface, said second reflector transmitting said second band of said radiation and reflecting said first and third bands of said radiation; and

a third reflector disposed proximate to said output surface, said third reflector transmitting said third band of said radiation and reflecting said first and second bands of said radiation.

2. The light recovery system of claim 1 , wherein said output surface comprises a first, second, and third areas; and

said first reflector is a first reflective coating over said first area;

said second reflector is a second reflective coating over said second area; and

said third reflector is a third reflective coating over said third area.

3. The light recovery system of claim 1 , comprising further a color wheel rotatably mounted on a shaft and having a surface comprising a first, second, and third areas disposed spirally about said shaft; and

wherein all of said input surface is substantially transmissive;

said first reflector is a first reflective coating over said first area;

said second reflector is a second reflective coating over said second area; and

said third reflector is a third reflective coating over said third area.

4. The light recovery system of claim 1 , wherein said light pipe is comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of quartz, glass, plastic, or acrylic.

5. The light recovery system of claim 1 , wherein said light pipe is selected from the group consisting of:

an SLP, and

a TLP.

6. The light recovery system of claim 1 , wherein said reflector comprises at least a portion of a substantially elliptical surface of revolution.

7. The light recovery system of claim 1 , wherein said reflector comprises at least a portion of a nearly spherical surface of revolution.

8. The light recovery system of claim 1 , wherein said reflector comprises at least a portion of a substantially toric surface of revolution.

9. The light recovery system of claim 1 , wherein said retro-reflector comprises a spherical retro-reflector disposed on a side of said source opposite said reflector.

10. The light recovery system of claim 1 , wherein said first band is selected from the group consisting of:

infrared,

red,

orange,

yellow,

green,

blue,

indigo,

violet,

pink,

white,

magenta, and

ultra-violet.

11. The light recovery system of claim 1 , wherein said second band is selected from the group consisting of:

infrared,

red,

orange,

yellow,

green,

blue,

indigo,

violet,

pink,

white,

magenta, and

ultra-violet.

12. The light recovery system of claim 1 , wherein said third band is selected from the group consisting of:

infrared,

red,

orange,

yellow,

green,

blue,

indigo,

violet,

pink,

white,

magenta, and

ultra-violet.

13. The light recovery system of claim 1 , wherein said reflector comprises a primary reflector having a first optical axis, and said first focal point is a focal point of said primary reflector, said reflector comprising further:

a secondary reflector having a second optical axis placed substantially symmetrically to said primary reflector such that said first and second optical axes are substantially collinear, and wherein said second focal point is a focal point of said secondary reflector; and

wherein said rays of radiation reflect from said primary reflector toward said secondary reflector and converge substantially at said second focal point.

14. The light recovery system of claim 13 , wherein said primary and secondary reflectors each comprise at least a portion of a substantially elliptical surface of revolution.

15. The light recovery system of claim 13 , wherein said primary and secondary reflectors each comprise at least a portion of a substantially parabolic surface of revolution.

16. The light recovery system of claim 13 , wherein:

said primary reflector comprises at least a portion of a substantially elliptical surface of revolution; and

said secondary reflector comprises at least a portion of a substantially hyperbolic surface of revolution.

17. The light recovery system of claim 13 , wherein:

said primary reflector comprises at least a portion of a substantially hyperbolic surface of revolution; and

said secondary reflector comprises at least a portion of a substantially elliptical surface of revolution.

18. The light recovery system of claim 1 , wherein said reflector has a coating that reflects only a pre-specified portion of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum.

19. The light recovery system of claim 18 , wherein said pre-specified portion is selected from the group consisting of:

infrared radiation,

visible radiation,

a pre-specified band of wavelengths of radiation,

a specific color of radiation, and

a combination thereof.

20. The light recovery system of claim 18 , wherein said coating transmits radiation selected from the group consisting of:

infrared radiation, and

ultraviolet radiation.

21. The light recovery system of claim 1 , wherein said retro-reflector has a coating that reflects only a pre-specified portion of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum.

22. The light recovery system of claim 21 , wherein said pre-specified portion is selected from the group consisting of:

infrared radiation,

visible radiation,

a pre-specified band of wavelengths of radiation,

a specific color of radiation, and

a combination thereof.

23. The light recovery system of claim 1 , wherein said source of electromagnetic radiation is selected from the group consisting of:

a single-chip;

a double-chip; and

a triple-chip.

24. The light recovery system of claim 1 , wherein said source of electromagnetic radiation comprises an arc lamp.

25. The light recovery system of claim 24 , wherein said arc lamp comprises a lamp selected from the group consisting of a xenon lamp, a metal halide lamp, an HID lamp, or a mercury lamp.

26. The light recovery system of claim 1 , wherein said source of electromagnetic radiation is selected from the group consisting of a halogen lamp, and a filament lamp.

27. The light recovery system of claim 26 , comprising further:

an infrared reflector disposed in a path of said radiation.

28. The light recovery system of claim 27 , wherein said infrared reflector is disposed proximate to an interior of said reflector.

29. The light recovery system of claim 28 , wherein said infrared reflector is disposed mediate between said reflector and said source.

30. The light recovery system of claim 1 , comprising further:

an image projection system disposed proximate to said output surface to collect substantially all of said radiation.

31. The light recovery system of claim 30 , wherein said image projection system is selected from the group consisting of:

an LCOS imager,

a DMD chip, and

a transmissive LCD panel.

32. The light recovery system of claim 30 , comprising further:

a PBS disposed mediate between said output surface and said image projection system, said PBS collecting and polarizing substantially all of said radiation into a first polarization and a second polarization;

wherein said radiation of said first polarization is transmitted; and

radiation of said second polarization is reflected.

33. The light recovery system of claim 32 , wherein said PBS comprises a wire-grid polarizer.

34. The light recovery system of claim 32 , comprising further:

a wave plate disposed in a path of said radiation of said second polarization.

35. The light recovery system of claim 34 , wherein said wave plate is disposed proximate to an interior of said reflector.

36. The light recovery system of claim 34 , wherein said wave plate is a quarter-wave plate.

37. A method of using the light recovery system of claim 1 , comprising:

positioning a source of electromagnetic radiation at a first focal point of a reflector;

producing rays of radiation by said source;

reflecting a portion of said rays of radiation by said reflector toward a second focal point;

converging substantially said rays of radiation at said second focal point;

reflecting at least part of a portion of the rays of radiation that do not impinge directly on said reflector toward said reflector through the first focal point of said reflector;

positioning an output light pipe having an input surface and an output surface so said input surface is substantially proximate to said second focal point;

collecting substantially said rays of radiation at said input surface;

passing said rays of radiation through said output light pipe;

transmitting substantially a first band of said radiation and reflecting substantially a second and third bands of said radiation;

transmitting said second band of said radiation and reflecting substantially said first and third bands of said radiation; and

transmitting said third band of said radiation and reflecting substantially said first and second bands of said radiation.