There are many ways of projecting or displaying an image on a display surface. One method of generating a large screen display is the use of a projection device, such as a projection television. Two types of projection televisions are rear projection televisions and front projection televisions. Typically, the components of a rear projection television are contained in a single unit. In contrast, with a front projection television, the components of the television may be separated from each other. For example, in some front projection television systems, some of the components may be disposed in a first location, while another components may be disposed at a second location.
Components of projection televisions typically include a projector and a screen. An image may be generated by the projector and displayed on the screen. The type of projector and/or screen, or combination thereof, may affect the quality of a displayed image.
A front projection display device is provided including an image-generating source configured to generate an image, a wide angle lens system adapted to receive the image, and a screen. The wide angle lens system may be configured to increase distortion of the image in a first stage and decrease distortion of the image in a second stage. The screen may be configured to receive the image from the wide angle lens system on a first side and reflect the image back to a viewer on the first side. In another embodiment, a screen is provided for a front projection system, the screen may be configured to receive light from a steep angle and may include any number of surface topographies configured to reflect light back to the viewer along a desired viewing plane.
A display device incorporating an optical system capable of producing a large image within a short distance is described below. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the invention can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the invention.
During operation of front projection display 100, projector 110 may be configured to generate an image and project the image on to screen 120. Screen 120 may reflect the projected image and direct it toward a viewer (not shown). In some embodiments, screen surface 130 may scatter light so that the projected image is visible to the viewer. Rays 140 and 150 illustrate exemplary paths that light may travel from projector 110 to screen 120, while rays 160 and 170 illustrate exemplary paths that light may travel after reflecting off of screen 120.
Various types of screen surfaces with variable topography may be used to reflect an image toward a viewer. For example, the screen surface may be a glass-bead screen surface or a bumpy screen surface. A glass-bead screen surface typically has a plurality of small glass marbles embedded in a transparent coating on the surface of screen 130. Such surfaces may be inadequate for some types of projection systems, such as the system described in
In some embodiments, light impinging screen 120 may be diffused back to the viewer such that near retro-reflection occurs when light hits these screens at the proper angle. Retro-reflection is reflection in which light is returned in directions close to the direction from which it came. Thus, light hitting such a screen almost straight onto the surface of the screen may be bent back in the direction of a viewer sitting in front of the screen. The use of such retro-reflection may be not be possible in systems such as the system described in
Projector 210 may be configured to project light at a steep angle from the horizontal to screen 220. For example, projector 210 may be offset from screen 220 such that light is projected onto screen 220 at an angle between approximately 30 to 80 degrees from the horizontal. The angle of reflection may vary along the screen. Rays 240 and 250 illustrate exemplary paths that light may travel from projector 210 to screen 220. For exemplary purposes only, ray 240 is shown reflecting and diffusing off of the screen at an angle 245. Angle 245 may be any suitable angle, such as an 80 degree angle. Similarly, ray 250 is shown reflecting off of the screen at angle 255. Angle 255 may be any suitable angle, for example angle 255 may be a 30 degree angle. As with
In one embodiment of the present disclosure, projector 210 may be a wide-angle projector. One exemplary wide angle system which may be implemented in a front projection system is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/222,050 entitled “WIDE Angle Lens System Having a Distorted. Intermediate Image” filed Aug. 16, 2002, which is incorporated herein by reference.
In one exemplary wide angle system, illustrated schematically in
Intermediate image 330 may be considered a distorted image (I(D)) such that wide angle lens stage receives a predistorted image. The distortion caused by wide angle lens stage is such that substantially all the distortion of intermediate image 330 is compensated for (cancelled) by wide angle lens stage 320 to generate image (I(−D)). The reference (I(−D)) is intended to indicate an image without the distortion of the intermediate image. It should be appreciated that the distortion can be to the image shape and/or the focal plane.
For purposes of the present description, the term “distortion,” is intended to mean any change from the initial image inputted into the predistortion system. For example, in some embodiments, a distortion in the image includes an alteration in the shape of at least a portion of the image. The term “predistortion” is intended to mean an intentional distortion of an optical image that compensates for (i.e. is substantially equal and opposite to) distortion generated by the wide-angle projection system. It will be appreciated that the predistorted image may be presented in a variety of different configurations depending on the type of downstream distortion for which the predistorted image is intended to compensate.
The system described in
Although other devices may be used to provide an image to the lens system, in the illustrated embodiment, prism 420 directs the image to relay lens group 430. Relay lens group 430 projects the image from prism 420 to prism 440 and distorts the image such that intermediate prism 440 receives an intentionally distorted intermediate image.
In one embodiment, relay lens group 430 includes 9 lenses; however, any number of lenses can be used, based on, for example, the desired distortion of the intermediate image, or the overall size of the lens system. The distortion to be caused by relay lens group 430 may be equal and opposite the distortion caused by wide angle lens group 450. In one embodiment, the intermediate image is approximately a half circle image in a warped image plane. In alternate embodiments, other types of distortion may be used. For example, if the full lens field is to be used, the distorted intermediate image would be a generally circular image. The image plane may or may not be warped.
Intermediate prism 440 may provide a 90.degree., fold of the image path. As described below with respect to
In one embodiment, the optic axes of the lenses of relay lens group 430 may be aligned. Similarly, the optic axes of the lenses of wide angle lens group 450 also may be aligned. Typically, wide angle lens group provides a field angle of greater than 100.degree. In one embodiment, the field angle is 153.degree.; however, any other angle can be provided. In some embodiments, the optical axis of wide angle lens group 450 is perpendicular to the screen so that keystone, or trapezoidal distortion is absent.
As described above, the image may be projected to a screen. In some embodiments, the screen may be a portion of a Fresnel lens.
In one embodiment, Fresnel lens 600 can have many concentric grooves having one or more predetermined groove angles. There may be regions or zones with different groove angles. Techniques for manufacturing and using Fresnel lenses having groove angle are known in the art.
It should be appreciated that the grooves may be substantially large to enable cleaning of the facets without damaging the surface of the screen. In some embodiments, the surface of the screen may be charged to repel dust and other contaminants from collecting on the surface of the screen. For example, a user-selectable device may be provided that enables a charge to be sent through the surface of the screen, repelling any dust from the surface of the screen. Other methods may be provided for cleaning screen 700. For example, forced air, including the use of an air canister or air curtain, may be used to clean the screen.
Other types of screen surfaces and screens may be used to accommodate a steep angle projector as shown in
In a similar embodiment, shown in
Still in other embodiments, the lenticular screen may be double sided. For example, the front side of the lenticular screen may include horizontal lenticules configured to change the vertical orientation of the light. The back side of the screen may include vertical lenticules configured to change the horizontal, distribution of the light.
The above screens may be configured to receive light from a steep angle, such as from the wide-angle lens systems described above. Each screen may further be configured with surface topographies that are adapted to reflect light back to a viewer along a horizontal plane or other suitable viewing plane.
It should be appreciated that each of the screen surfaces described above may be sized to prevent any significant interruption to the focus of the image. Moreover, it should be noted that the surfaces described above may be configured to be substantially durable such that the screens can accommodate handling and touching by a user. Additionally, the screens surfaces may be configured to be easily cleaned. For example, coatings and other surface treatments may be applied to the screen surface to reduce static, dust, etc and/or to protect the surface. Moreover, the grooves and other surface topography may be substantially sized to enable easy cleaning of the surface. In some embodiments, the screen surfaces may include anti-static coatings and other surface treatments to enhance image quality and durability of the screen.
As with the lens systems described above, the lens system in
Each of these lens systems may be considered to, have a predistortion system, such as the relay lens stage, which is configured to create a predistorted image (or intermediate image) from an original image. The lens systems may further be understood to have a receiving projection system, such as the wide angle lens system, which is configured to receive the predistorted image and distort the image to substantially cancel the predistortion of the predistorted image and to project a substantially non-distorted image corresponding to the original image.
The lens system may be configured to direct the image 1150 from the wide angle lens stage to a screen. In some embodiments, the lens system may be configured to direct the image to a screen at a steep angle. For example, the lens system may be configured to direct the light at an angle of 30 to 80 degrees toward a screen. The light may impinge the screen on a first side and be redirected back toward a viewer on the same side (first side) of the screen. Any suitable screen, such as those described above, may be used to receive the image from the lens system.
The system of
It is believed that the disclosure set forth above encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in its preferred form, the specific embodiments thereof as disclosed and illustrated herein are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed herein. Where claims recite “a” or “a first” element or equivalent thereof, such claims should be understood to include incorporation of one or more such elements, neither requiring, nor excluding, two or more such elements.
Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments thereof. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes can be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.
This is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/226,377 filed Aug. 2, 2016, which is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/942,568 filed Nov. 16, 2015 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,429,826), which is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 11/639,872 filed Dec. 15, 2006 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,217,912), which is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 10/754,093 filed Jan. 6, 2004, which is a Continuation-In-Part of application Ser. No. 10/222,083 filed Aug. 16, 2002 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,896,375), and a Continuation-In-Part of application Ser. No. 10/222,050 filed Aug. 16, 2002 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,009,765). The disclosures of the prior applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
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