| Patent Number |
Title Of Patent |
Date Issued |
| 7570240 |
Method and apparatus to minimize lamp flicker and increase contrast ratio in projection devices |
August 4, 2009 |
| A variable retarder is inserted in a polarized light beam. The retardance of the variable retarder is increased when the light beam increases in brightness and is decreased when the light beam decreases in brightness. The amount of increase and/or decrease in retardance is calculated to |
| 7560710 |
Method and apparatus for increasing illuminator brightness in a liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) |
July 14, 2009 |
| Ultra Violet (UV) light produced by a light source is converted to visible light and utilized in a visible light output of the light source. The light source is, for example, a light source in an illuminator of a projection device. UV light that is typically filtered out of the illum |
| 7556382 |
Illuminator that outputs linearly polarized light and that is suitable for use in microdisplay b |
July 7, 2009 |
| A hollow sphere with a scattering (e.g., white diffusive) interior surface directs light input from at least one input light source to an exit. The exit has a reflective polarizer that passes light of a selected polarization to an output. Light of other polarization(s) is reflected b |
| 7422329 |
Liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) kernel with 3D projection capability |
September 9, 2008 |
| Images to be displayed are produced for left-eye viewing and right-eye viewing in synchronization with a polarization device that alternately changes polarization of the viewed images. In one embodiment, a control mechanism synchronizes modulation performed by microdisplays in a refl |
| 7400452 |
Method and apparatus for internal frames to improve performance and manufacturability of optical |
July 15, 2008 |
| Frames are used to hold and/or position components in precise positions in a prism assembly. The frames may be constructed using any of side caps, air gaps, recesses, and hold either a single or multiple planar components. The frames are, for example, immersed in liquid filled channe |
| 7390094 |
Method and apparatus to achieve a neutral dark state in image projection systems |
June 24, 2008 |
| An absorptive layer is added to an image display system. The absorptive layer is selected to compensate for tint in a black state of a displayed image. In a Liquid Crystal On Silicon (LCOS) based light engine, blue wavelengths may cause a predominate tint in black portions of an image |
| 7352513 |
Prism assemblies and kernel configurations for use in projection systems |
April 1, 2008 |
| Kernels are designed in different configurations based on design properties of an enclosure or other requirements. A prism assembly having various types of filters, waveplates, beam splitters (e.g., path length matched beam splitters) and/or other optical components are provided to s |
| 7349048 |
Method and apparatus for adjusting light intensity |
March 25, 2008 |
| A variable retarder and linear polarizer are placed in series in a polarized light path. A transmission axis of the linear polarizer is parallel to an axis of a polarization of the polarized light. An amount of retardation dialed into the variable retarder causes an amount of the lig |
| 7347558 |
3D kernel and prism assembly design |
March 25, 2008 |
| A Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCOS kernel for a light engine is configured in a kernel having light paths in three dimensions (3D kernel). The 3D kernel allows for designs that do not require Wavelength Dependent Waveplates (WDWs) (or Wavelength Specific Retarders) for managing light |
| 7327408 |
Illuminator that generates linearly polarized light for microdisplay based light engine |
February 5, 2008 |
| A hollow sphere with a scattering (e.g., white diffusive) interior surface directs light input from at least one input light source to an exit. In one embodiment, an internal hot mirror and phosphor are positioned to intercept the input light on which visible light is reflected and u |
| 7175281 |
Method and apparatus to increase the contrast ratio of the image produced by a LCoS based light |
February 13, 2007 |
| A transmissive LCD is placed in optical series with pixels of an image. The transmissive LCD is set to full transmissivity when bright pixels of the image pass through the transmissive LCD. Transmissivity is decreased where pixels darker than a darkening threshold pass through the tr |
| 7042610 |
Method and apparatus for improved waveplates and suppression of stray light in LCoS kernel appli |
May 9, 2006 |
| Optical components are louvered with a light absorptive material that absorbs stray light rays. The louvers are constructed, for example, using a "black" thin film coating between sheets of glass. The louvered components are placed in an optical path at one or more orientations. In o |
| 7012755 |
Use of a lens array to increase the contrast ratio produced by a LCoS microdisplay |
March 14, 2006 |
| A lens array is placed over a cover glass of a pixel based LCoS display device. The lens array is situated so that an individual lens in the array corresponds to an individual pixel in the display device. Each lens collects light and/or reflections from a high contrast portion of its |
| 7006297 |
Pathlength matched beam splitter and method and apparatus for assembly |
February 28, 2006 |
| Pathlength matched optical devices (such as beam splitters) are produced by viewing optical paths through the optical devices and adjusting relative positions of optical components of the optical devices until the viewed optical paths are equivalent. The optical paths begin at markings |
| 6999237 |
Method and apparatus for configuration and assembly of a video projection light management syste |
February 14, 2006 |
| A pathlength matched prism assembly is constructed from Polarizing Beam Splitter optical components having varying degrees of precision by arranging them in pathlength matched positions and fixing them to a baseplate or frame. Gaps between the optical components are sealed by the fra |
| 6982829 |
Prism assembly with cholesteric reflectors |
January 3, 2006 |
| A beam splitter is constructed using one or more cholesteric layers. Each cholesteric layer reflects light of a given wavelength and polarization. The beam splitter is placed in a prism assembly. The cholesteric layers of the beam splitter are chosen such that portions of light entering |
| 6934066 |
Method and apparatus for use and construction of compensated higher order waveplates |
August 23, 2005 |
| A compensated higher order waveplate is constructed of substrates. In one embodiment, a first substrate is a n.lambda. waveplate and the second substrate is a (n+.DELTA.).lambda. waveplate. The substrates are oriented so that their principle axes of retardation are orthogonal. n.lambda. |
| 6909556 |
Design of prism assemblies and kernel configurations for use in projection systems |
June 21, 2005 |
| Kernels are designed in different configurations based on design properties of an enclosure or other requirements. A prism assembly having various types of filters, waveplates, beam splitters (e.g., path length matched beam splitters) and/or other optical components are provided to s |
| 6873480 |
Method and apparatus for packaging optical elements |
March 29, 2005 |
| An optical element is disposed between cover glasses, and an optical coupling liquid is injected between the optical element and the cover glasses to form an optical package. An adhesive provides a liquid tight seal between the cover glasses. The optical element is a retarder, filter, |
| 6809874 |
Pathlength matched beam splitter and method and apparatus for assembly |
October 26, 2004 |
| Pathlength matched optical devices (such as beam splitters) are produced by viewing optical paths through the optical devices and adjusting relative positions of optical components of the optical devices until the viewed optical paths are equivalent. The optical paths begin at markings a |
| 6796663 |
Method and apparatus for mounting liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) and other sensitive devices |
September 28, 2004 |
| A device package has a bezel attached to a carrier. The bezel extends toward a surface of an optical component to which a device mounted in the carrier is attached. The bezel extends in a direction and to a distance that allows the bezel to act as a guide for a dislodging tool. The d |
