Claims
- 1. A system comprising:
a light source configured to emit a highly collimated light beam; a controlled angle diffuser configured to receive the highly collimated light beam and to generate a diffraction pattern therefrom; and a field lens configured to focus the diffraction pattern into an image.
- 2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a field lens configured to correct the telecentricity of the image.
- 3. The system of claim 1 further comprising an additional light source configured to emit an additional highly collimated light beam, wherein the controlled angle diffuser is configured to receive the additional highly collimated light beam and to generate a diffraction pattern therefrom, and wherein the field lens is configured to focus the diffraction pattern of the additional highly collimated light beam into an additional image which is identical to and superimposed on the first image.
- 4. The system of claim 1 wherein the light source comprises one of the group consisting of: a laser; a light emitting diode; and an arc lamp.
- 5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a beam expander positioned between the light source and the controlled angle diffuser, wherein the beam expander is configured to expand the diameter of the light beam and to maintain the collimation of the light beam.
- 6. The system of claim 5 wherein the beam expander is configured to expand the light beam asymmetrically.
- 7. The system of claim 1 wherein the controlled angle diffuser comprises a holographic diffuser.
- 8. The system of claim 7 wherein the holographic diffuser has a prescription which corresponds to an illumination image which is uniformly intense.
- 9. The system of claim 7 wherein the holographic diffuser has a prescription which corresponds to an illumination image which is rectangular.
- 10. The system of claim 1 wherein the controlled angle diffuser comprises one of the group consisting of: a refractive lenslet array; a bulk scattering material; and a diffraction element.
- 11. The system of claim 1 wherein substantially all of the light beam emitted by the light source is focused into the image.
- 12. The system of claim 1 further comprising a beam expander positioned between the light source and the controlled angle diffuser and configured to expand the diameter of the light beam, wherein the numerical aperture of light at the image is controlled by the diameter of the expanded light beam.
- 13. The system of claim 1 wherein the controlled angle diffuser is configured to generate a diffraction pattern from the highly collimated light beam such that the diffraction pattern is focused into an image which is rectangular and uniformly intense.
- 14. A method comprising:
providing a highly collimated beam of light; diffracting the beam of light using a controlled angle diffuser; focusing the diffracted light into an illumination image; and illuminating an imager with the illumination image.
- 15. The method of claim 12 wherein diffracting the beam of light using a controlled angle diffuser comprises diffracting the beam of light using a holographic diffuser.
- 16. The method of claim 12 wherein providing a highly collimated beam of light comprises providing a laser light beam.
- 17. The method of claim 12 wherein focusing the diffracted light into an illumination image and illuminating an imager with the illumination image comprises focusing the diffracted light into an illumination image which lies on an imager.
- 18. An illumination-system for a display device comprising:
a laser light source configured to emit a highly collimated light beam; a holographic diffuser configured to receive the highly collimated light beam and to generate a diffraction pattern therefrom; and a field lens configured to focus the diffraction pattern into an illumination image, wherein the illumination image has shape and intensity characteristics which match an imager of the display device.
- 19. The illumination system of claim 18 wherein substantially all of the light beam emitted by the laser light source is focused into the illumination image.
- 20. The illumination system of claim 18 wherein the illumination system is configured to generate an identical image from each portion of the light beam and to superimpose the identical images to form the illumination image.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of the following U.S. provisional applications under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) which are all incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein: Serial No. 60/257,061, filed on Dec. 20, 2000 entitled “Method and Apparatus for Combining Parallel Collimated Lightbeams”, Attorney Docket No. RIAKE1100; Serial No. 60/257,047, filed on Dec. 20, 2000 entitled “Method and Apparatus for Combining Parallel Collimated Lightbeams”, Attorney Docket No. RIAKE1120; Serial No. 60/257,062 filed on Dec. 20, 2000 entitled “Method and Apparatus for Eliminating Zero-Order Light Leak in an Illumination Device”, Attornry Docket No. RIAKE1130; Serial No. 60/257,063, filed on Dec. 20, 2000 entitled “Method and Apparatus for Providing an Illumination Source Using a Segmented Diffuser”; Attorney Docket No. RIAKE1140; Serial No. 60/257,045, filed on Dec. 20, 2000 entitled “Method and Apparatus for Combining Polychromatic Light Beams Using an Achromatic Diffuser, Attorney Docket No. RIAKE1150; Serial No. 60/257,046, filed on Dec. 20, 2000 entitled “Illumination Device Using Multiple Laser Light Sources and Having Zero-Order Light Leak Correction, Attorney Docket No. RIAKE1160; Serial No. 60/284,455, filed on Apr. 18, 2001 entitled “Method and Apparatus for Providing Selectable Illumination Sources”, Attorney Docket No. RIAKE1170; Serial No. 60/282,738, filed on Apr. 10, 2001 entitled “Polychromatic Display Device Using Monochromatic Diffusers, a Beamsplitter and a Combiner in an Optical Processor Space”, Attorney Docket No. RIAKE 1200; Serial No. 60/282,736, filed on Apr. 10, 2001 entitled “Method and Apparatus for Combining Multiple Monochromatic Images Using an Optical Processor Space”, Attorney Docket No. RIAKE1210; Serial No. 60/282,735, filed on Apr. 10, 2001 entitled “Monochromatic Display Device Using a Monochromatic Diffuser and a Beamsplitter and a Combiner in an Optical Processor Space”, Attorney Docket No. RIAKE1250; Serial No. 60/282,737, filed on Apr. 10, 2001 entitled “Polychromatic Display Device Using a Chromatic Combiner, and Achromatic Diffuser and a Beamsplitter and a Combiner in an Optical Processor Space”, Attorney Docket No. RIAKE1260; Serial No. 60/282,734, filed Apr. 10, 2001 entitled “Polychromatic Display Device Using Monochromatic Diffusers, a Beamsplitter and a Combiner in an Optical Processor Space”, Attorney Docket No. RIAKE1270.
Provisional Applications (13)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60257047 |
Dec 2000 |
US |
|
60257062 |
Dec 2000 |
US |
|
60257063 |
Dec 2000 |
US |
|
60257045 |
Dec 2000 |
US |
|
60257046 |
Dec 2000 |
US |
|
60282738 |
Apr 2001 |
US |
|
60282735 |
Apr 2001 |
US |
|
60282734 |
Apr 2001 |
US |
|
60282737 |
Apr 2001 |
US |
|
60282736 |
Apr 2001 |
US |
|
60284455 |
Apr 2001 |
US |
|
60257061 |
Dec 2000 |
US |
|
60222301 |
Aug 2000 |
US |