Optics: image projectors – Unitary plural refracting surfaces
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-24
2004-06-29
Adams, Russell (Department: 2851)
Optics: image projectors
Unitary plural refracting surfaces
C353S034000, C353S074000, C353S078000, C359S443000, C359S459000, C385S131000, C385S132000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06755534
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to optical panels, and more specifically to thin optical display panels.
Optical display screens are found in many common applications such as televisions, computer displays, and displays for industrial and scientific equipment. Common display screens form images using a cathode ray tube (CRT) which is relatively long and requires a large enclosure.
Rear projection television (RPTV) displays utilize image light which is projected to the back side of a screen for displaying the image on its front side. The resulting enclosures for these RPTV displays have a considerable depth for accommodating the necessary optical components for focusing, enlarging, and directing the image light.
Thin display screens of various forms are continually being developed for replacing CRTs to minimize the screen enclosure and overall weight. A common thin panel uses a liquid crystal display (LCD) for modulating light therethrough for creating video images.
Another type of thin display panel includes thin optical waveguides laminated together in a thin wedge shape through which image light is internally reflected between a narrow inlet face and a large outlet screen. U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,502 is one of a series of patents based on this technology being developed for improving performance of thin display panels.
In view of the varying complexity and depth of these forms of displays, it is desired to provide a new form of video display which is thin, simple, and relatively inexpensive.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A spatially modulated light beam is projected through a prismatic optical panel to form a video image for direct viewing thereon.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3253500 (1966-05-01), Hicks, Jr.
patent: 3874783 (1975-04-01), Cole
patent: 4090104 (1978-05-01), Vann et al.
patent: 4116739 (1978-09-01), Glenn
patent: 4344668 (1982-08-01), Gunther et al.
patent: 4418986 (1983-12-01), Yata et al.
patent: 4469402 (1984-09-01), Yata et al.
patent: 4497860 (1985-02-01), Brady, Jr.
patent: 4586781 (1986-05-01), Gunther et al.
patent: 4674836 (1987-06-01), Yata et al.
patent: 4729631 (1988-03-01), Takahashi et al.
patent: 4792209 (1988-12-01), Laine et al.
patent: 4823246 (1989-04-01), Dilouya
patent: 4874228 (1989-10-01), Aho et al.
patent: 4906070 (1990-03-01), Cobb, Jr.
patent: 4919513 (1990-04-01), Nakakuki et al.
patent: 5040878 (1991-08-01), Eichenlaub
patent: 5066947 (1991-11-01), Du Castel
patent: 5130898 (1992-07-01), Akahane
patent: 5151956 (1992-09-01), Bloemer
patent: 5274406 (1993-12-01), Tejima et al.
patent: 5381502 (1995-01-01), Veligdan
patent: 5394308 (1995-02-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 5422691 (1995-06-01), Ninomiya et al.
patent: 5455882 (1995-10-01), Veligdan
patent: 5471348 (1995-11-01), Miller et al.
patent: 5477422 (1995-12-01), Hooker et al.
patent: 5481385 (1996-01-01), Zimmerman et al.
patent: 5521725 (1996-05-01), Beeson et al.
patent: 5543870 (1996-08-01), Blanchard
patent: 5565839 (1996-10-01), Poss
patent: 5594561 (1997-01-01), Blanchard
patent: 5600455 (1997-02-01), Ishikawa et al.
patent: 5625736 (1997-04-01), Veligdan
patent: 5642449 (1997-06-01), Phillips
patent: 5668907 (1997-09-01), Veligdan
patent: 5684905 (1997-11-01), Sugawara et al.
patent: 5696862 (1997-12-01), Hauer et al.
patent: 5716118 (1998-02-01), Sato et al.
patent: 5718497 (1998-02-01), Yokoyama et al.
patent: 5735590 (1998-04-01), Kashima et al.
patent: 5764845 (1998-06-01), Nagatani et al.
patent: 5771328 (1998-06-01), Wortman et al.
patent: 5779337 (1998-07-01), Saito et al.
patent: 5797668 (1998-08-01), Kojima et al.
patent: 5821911 (1998-10-01), Jachimowicz
patent: 5838865 (1998-11-01), Gulick
patent: 5844720 (1998-12-01), Ohara et al.
patent: 5852514 (1998-12-01), Toshima et al.
patent: 5914760 (1999-06-01), Daiku
patent: 5917664 (1999-06-01), O'Neill et al.
patent: 5926601 (1999-07-01), Tai et al.
patent: 5940565 (1999-08-01), Sugawara
patent: 5951138 (1999-09-01), Ishikawa
patent: 6002826 (1999-12-01), Veligdan
patent: 6011601 (2000-01-01), Kojima
patent: 6012816 (2000-01-01), Beiser
patent: 6020090 (2000-02-01), Takada et al.
patent: 6031954 (2000-02-01), Higuchi
Veligdan, “Unique Interactive Projection Display Screen”, Sep. 29, 1997, 7 pages.
Beiser, et al., “Ten Inch Planar Optic Display”, Proceedings of the International Society for Optical Engineering (SPIE), vol. 2734, Apr. 1996. 9 pages.
Yoder, “The State-of-the-Art in Projection Display: An Introduction of the Digital Light Processing DLP”, Texas Instruments Web Site, Mar. 1997, 5 pages.
DeSanto, et al., “Polyplanar Optical Display Electronics”, Proceedings of the International Society (SPIE), vol. 3057, Apr. 1997, 12 pages.
Dai Nippon Corp, “dnp Black Stripe Screen,” internet brochure, Mar. 2000, three pages.
3M, “3M Transmissive Right Angle Film II,” product literature, 2 pages, 1996.
Brewster Calvin
DeSanto Leonard
Veligdan James T.
Adams Russell
Brookhaven Science Associates
Cruz Magda
Esserman Matthew J.
McNichol, Jr. William J.
LandOfFree
Prismatic optical display does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Prismatic optical display, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Prismatic optical display will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3300012