US 12,216,392 B2
Projector and method for increasing projected light intensity
Dzhakhangir V. Khaydarov, Campbell, CA (US); and Douglas J. Gorny, Pacifica, CA (US)
Assigned to DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION, San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed by DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION, San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed on Jan. 8, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/406,505.
Application 18/406,505 is a continuation of application No. 17/423,685, granted, now 11,868,032, previously published as PCT/US2020/013946, filed on Jan. 16, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/793,797, filed on Jan. 17, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 19169217 (EP), filed on Apr. 15, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0219820 A1, Jul. 4, 2024
Int. Cl. G03B 21/20 (2006.01); G02B 27/09 (2006.01); G03B 21/14 (2006.01); G03B 21/28 (2006.01); H04N 9/31 (2006.01)
CPC G03B 21/142 (2013.01) [G02B 27/0972 (2013.01); G03B 21/208 (2013.01); G03B 21/28 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A projector comprising:
a light source configured to generate illumination;
an integrating rod;
an image panel configured to display an image at a displayed aspect ratio;
a beam shaper including multiple prisms, wherein the beam shaper intersects an optical path of the illumination between the integrating rod and the image panel, wherein the multiple prisms are shaped and oriented such that the illumination transmitted by the beam shaper is collinear with the illumination incident on the beam shaper;
wherein the multiple prisms include four identical prisms P1, P2, P3, and P4 each having a front facet, a rear facet, an apex angle α between the front facet and the rear facet, and a symmetry axis perpendicular to an optical axis, and being collinearly aligned such that the respective front facet and the respective rear facet is perpendicular to a common plane, the respective symmetry axis being tilted at respective tilt angles ϕ1, ϕ2, ϕ3, and ϕ4 in a plane parallel to the optical path of the illumination incident on prism P1 and transmitted by prism P4, where to within a two-degree tolerance, ϕ3=−ϕ1 and ϕ4=−ϕ2; and
at least one actuator mechanically connected to the beam shaper and configured to change at least one of the tilt angles ϕ1, ϕ2, ϕ3, and ϕ4 to switch the projector between (i) a first configuration, in which the multiple prisms are oriented to impose no magnification or impose a unidirectional magnification M, where |1−M|<0.1, and (ii) a second configuration, in which the multiple prisms are oriented to change the aspect ratio of the illumination,
the at least one actuator comprises a given actuator mechanically connected to a first prism of the multiple prisms and configured to change the optical path length through the beam shaper by translating the first prism in a direction that (i) is non-parallel to the optical path within the delay line and (ii) is in a plane perpendicular to refractive surfaces of the multiple prisms.