US2007109451A1PendingUtilityA1

Light pipe configuration

51
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Sep 2, 2000Filed: Aug 28, 2006Published: May 17, 2007
Est. expirySep 2, 2020(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Richard W. PeaseJeffrey PeaseJohn P. Callison
H04N 9/3129
51
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A laser projection system preferably for use in commercial motion picture theaters and other large screen venues, including home theater, uses optical fibers to project modulated laser beams for raster scanning on the screen. The emitting ends of the optical fibers are arranged in an array such that red, green and blue spots are simultaneously scanned onto the screen in multiple lines spaced one or more than one scan line apart. The use of optical fibers for laser beam projection eliminates the need to use complex optics, and enables the scanning of small, high resolution spots on the screen. The use of optical fiber also permits convenient packaging and permits replacement, upgrading or modification of the system components. The scanning of multiple lines simultaneously is accomplished by reordering the video signal with a microprocessor controller component to write lines in a sequence after repeated vertical sweeps to form a complete picture. In a preferred embodiment, the video signal is reordered to scan different color beams at different times to render the desired composite of the red, green and blue spots at each dot location on the screen. Alternate embodiments are disclosed to illustrate the flexibility of the system for different optical fiber output head spacings, and for different types of laser, modulation, and scanning components.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 - 203 . (canceled)  
   
   
       204 . A method of arranging emitting ends of light pipes in a desired configuration, comprising the steps of: 
 providing two or more assigned light pipes adapted to transmit desired light beams through said light pipes to their emitting ends,    providing one or more non-assigned light pipes not adapted to transmit the desired light beams,    determining the position of the assigned light pipes and the number and position of the non-assigned light pipes within a bundle that would be sufficient to array the emitting ends of the assigned light pipes in the desired configuration, and    arranging the assigned light pipes and the determined number of non-emitting light pipes in the bundle at the respective determined positions within the bundle.    
   
   
       205 . A method of arranging emitting ends of light pipes in a desired configuration, comprising the steps of: 
 providing three or more light pipes having emitting ends,    arranging the light pipes in a bundle,    determining which emitting ends of some but not all of the light pipes in the bundle are arrayed in the desired configuration, and    assigning the light pipes having such determined emitting ends to transmit desired light beams to the emitting ends of such assigned light pipes.    
   
   
       206 . The method of  claim 204 , wherein the assigned and non-assigned light pipes are substantially similar.  
   
   
       207 . The method of  claim 204 , wherein the assigned and non-assigned light pipes have similar cross-sections.  
   
   
       208 . The method of  claim 204 , wherein the arranging step further comprises: 
 inserting one or more spacers between two or more of said light pipes.    
   
   
       209 . The method of  claim 204 , wherein the arranging step further comprises: 
 surrounding the bundle with an envelope.    
   
   
       210 . The method of  claim 209 , wherein the arranging step further comprises: 
 inserting one or more spacers between the envelope and at least one of the light pipes.    
   
   
       211 . The method of  claim 210 , wherein the arranging step further comprises: 
 inserting one or more spacers between two or more of said light pipes.    
   
   
       212 . A method of arranging emitting ends of light pipes in a desired configuration, comprising the steps of: 
 providing two or more assigned light pipes adapted to transmit desired light beams through said light pipes to their emitting ends,    providing one or more non-assigned light pipes not adapted to transmit the desired light beams,    constraining the assigned and non-assigned light pipes within an envelope into a bundle,    determining the number and position of the non-assigned light pipes within the bundle that would be sufficient to array the emitting ends of the assigned light pipes in the desired configuration, and    arranging the determined number of non-emitting light pipes in the bundle at the determined positions within the bundle.    
   
   
       213 . The method of  claim 212 , wherein the arranging step further comprises: 
 inserting one or more spacers between two or more of said light pipes.    
   
   
       214 . The method of  claim 212 , wherein the arranging step further comprises: 
 inserting one or more spacers between the envelope and at least one of the light pipes.    
   
   
       215 . The method of  claim 212 , wherein the assigned and non-assigned light pipes are substantially similar.  
   
   
       216 . The method of  claim 212 , wherein the assigned and non-assigned light pipes have similar cross-sections.  
   
   
       217 . The method of  claim 212 , wherein the envelope is flexible.  
   
   
       218 . The method of  claim 217 , wherein the light pipes are optical fibers.  
   
   
       219 . The method of  claim 218 , further comprising the step of: 
 mounting the emitting ends of the bundle in a head of a projection system.    
   
   
       220 . An apparatus comprising: 
 three or more light pipes having emitting ends arranged in a bundle,    at least two but not all of such light pipes being assigned to transmit desired light beams through the light pipes to their emitting ends,    the remaining light pipes in the bundle not being assigned to transmit the desired light beams, and being positioned within the bundle such that the emitting ends of the assigned light pipes are arrayed in a desired configuration.    
   
   
       221 . The apparatus of  claim 220 , wherein the assigned and non-assigned light pipes are substantially similar.  
   
   
       222 . The apparatus of  claim 220 , wherein the assigned and non-assigned light pipes have similar cross-sections.  
   
   
       223 . The apparatus of  claim 220 , further comprising: 
 an envelope surrounding the bundle.    
   
   
       224 . The apparatus of  claim 223 , wherein the structure further includes spacers between the envelope and at least one of said light pipes.  
   
   
       225 . The apparatus of  claim 220 , wherein the structure further includes spacers between two or more of said light pipes.  
   
   
       226 . An apparatus comprising: 
 three or more light pipes having emitting ends, an envelope constraining the light pipes into a bundle,    at least two but not all of such light pipes being assigned to transmit desired light beams through the light pipes to their emitting ends,    the remaining light pipes in the bundle not being assigned to transmit the desired light beams, and being positioned within the bundle such that the emitting ends of the assigned light pipes are arrayed in a desired configuration.    
   
   
       227 . The apparatus of  claim 226 , wherein the structure further includes spacers between the envelope and at least one of said light pipes.  
   
   
       228 . The apparatus of  claim 226 , wherein the structure further includes spacers between two or more of said light pipes.  
   
   
       229 . The apparatus of  claim 226 , wherein the envelope is flexible.  
   
   
       230 . The apparatus of  claim 226 , wherein the light pipes are optical fibers.  
   
   
       231 . The apparatus of  claim 230 , wherein emitting ends of the bundle are mounted in a head of a projection system.

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