US 11,902,714 B1
Image projector with laser scanning over spatial light modulator
Yochay Danziger, Kfar Vradim (IL); and Daniel Michaels, Ramat Gan (IL)
Assigned to Lumus Ltd., Ness Ziona (IL)
Appl. No. 18/036,917
Filed by Lumus Ltd., Ness Ziona (IL)
PCT Filed Dec. 20, 2021, PCT No. PCT/IL2021/051510
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 15, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/130393, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 23, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/236,700, filed on Aug. 25, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/163,964, filed on Mar. 22, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/141,992, filed on Jan. 27, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/141,120, filed on Jan. 25, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/138,559, filed on Jan. 18, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/136,701, filed on Jan. 13, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/128,106, filed on Dec. 20, 2020.
Int. Cl. H04N 9/31 (2006.01)
CPC H04N 9/3135 (2013.01) [H04N 9/312 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image projector for projecting an image via an exit stop, said image being a representation of an input digital image, the image projector comprising:
(a) a spatial light modulator (SLM) providing a two-dimensional array of pixel elements defining an SLM resolution, each of said pixel elements being controllable to modulate a property of light transmitted or reflected by said pixel element;
(b) a scanning illumination arrangement deployed to scan a beam of illumination across said two-dimensional array of said spatial light modulator in a two-dimensional scanning pattern while synchronously modulating an intensity of said beam of illumination;
(c) a controller in electronic connection with said spatial light modulator and said scanning illumination arrangement; and
(d) projecting optics comprising at least one optical element configured to project illumination from said spatial light modulator to generate an output image directed to said exit stop, wherein said controller is configured to:
(i) process said input digital image to generate a first modified image, the first modified image corresponding substantially to a reduced resolution version of the input digital image having a resolution less than the SLM resolution in at least one dimension;
(ii) process said input digital image to generate a second modified image, the second modified image including pixel modulation data for pixel elements of said SLM corresponding to high spatial frequency variations in the input digital image;
(iii) actuate said SLM according to the pixel modulation data of said second modified image; and
(iv) drive said scanning illumination arrangement to modulate the intensity of the beam of illumination while scanning across said two-dimensional array so as to illuminate said SLM according to said first modified image, said SLM thereby providing high spatial frequency modulation of said illumination so as to project an output image with pixel intensities corresponding to the digital image.