PROJECTOR USING INDEPENDENT MULTIPLE WAVELENGTH LIGHT SOURCES
A digital image projector for increasing brightness includes a first light source; a second light source that is spectrally adjacent to the first light source; a dichroic beamsplitter disposed to direct light of both the first and second light source; a spatial light modulator that receives light from both the first and second light sources; and projection optics for delivering imaging light from the spatial light modulator.
1 . A digital image projector for increasing brightness comprising:
(a) a first light source;
(b) a second light source that is spectrally adjacent to the first light source;
(c) a dichroic beamsplitter disposed to direct light of both the first and second light source;
(d) a spatial light modulator that receives light from both the first and second light sources; and
(e) projection optics for delivering imaging light from the spatial light modulator.
2 . The digital projector as in claim 1 further comprising at least three color channels each having the first and second spectrally adjacent light sources.
3 . The digital image projector as in claim 1 , wherein each light source comprises at least one laser.
4 . The digital image projector as in claim 1 , wherein each light source comprises at least one laser array.
5 . The digital image projector as in claim 1 , wherein each light source comprises optically combined laser arrays.
6 . The digital image projector as in claim 1 , wherein the light sources are polarized.
7 . The digital image projector as in claim 6 , wherein polarization is maintained from the light source to the spatial light modulator
8 . The digital projector as in claim 1 , wherein the spatial light modulator is a Micro-Electro-Mechanical-System device.
9 . The digital image projector as in claim 1 , wherein the spatial light modulator is a polarization device.
10 . A stereoscopic digital image projector system comprising:
(a) two separately controlled, spectrally adjacent light sources;
(b) a dichroic beamsplitter that combines light from the light sources into a single spatial area;
(c) a controller system to alternately provide illumination from each spectrally adjacent light source in conjunction with the corresponding image from the spatial light modulator;
(d) a spatial light modulator that receives the alternating illumination light;
(e) projection optics for delivering imaging light from the spatial light modulator to a projection area; and
(f) filter glasses for a viewer to selectively transmit one adjacent spectral band state to each eye, while rejecting the second adjacent spectral band.
11 . The digital projector as in claim 10 further comprising at least three color channels each having the first and second spectrally adjacent light sources.
12 . The digital image projector as in claim 10 , wherein each light source comprises at least one laser.
13 . The digital image projector as in claim 10 , wherein the light sources are polarized.
14 . The digital image projector as in claim 13 , wherein polarization is maintained from the light source to the spatial light modulator
15 . A stereoscopic digital image projector system comprising:
(a) two spectrally adjacent light sources;
(b) an optical shutter that alternately delivers the two spectrally adjacent light sources to a spatial area;
(c) a spatial light modulator that the two spectrally adjacent light sources;
(d) a controller system to alternately provide illumination from each spectrally adjacent light source by controlling the optical shutter in conjunction with the corresponding image from the spatial light modulator;
(e) projection optics for delivering imaging light from the spatial light modulator to a projection surface;
(f) filter glasses for the viewer to selectively transmit one adjacent spectral band state to each eye, while rejecting the second adjacent spectral band.
16 . The digital projector as in claim 15 further comprising at least three color channels each having the first and second spectrally adjacent light sources.
17 . The digital image projector as in claim 15 , wherein each light source comprises at least one laser
18 . The digital image projector as in claim 15 , wherein each light source comprises at least one laser array.
19 . The digital image projector as in claim 15 , wherein each light source comprises optically combined laser arrays.
20 . The digital image projector as in claim 15 , wherein the light sources are polarized.
21 . The digital image projector as in claim 20 , wherein polarization is maintained from the light source to the spatial light modulator
22 . The digital projector as in claim 15 , wherein the spatial light modulator is a Mems device.
23 . The digital image projector as in claim 15 , wherein the spatial light modulator is a polarization device.
24 . The digital image projector as in claim 15 , wherein the optical shutter is fabricated from either a mechanical shutter, mirror/window mechanism, or selective dichroic mirrors.
25 . The digital image projector as in claim 15 further comprising a mechanism for alternating between a dichroic beamsplitter and the optical shutter assembly depending upon whether the content is non-stereoscopic or stereoscopic.