Projection-display spatial-resolution enhancement hardware.
The present disclosure generally relates to a projection system with increased spatial resolution. The projection system includes one or more light sources, a spatial light modulator configured to reflect light received from the one or more light sources to generate a plurality of sub-images of a composite image, and an optical system configured to reflect each of the plurality of sub-images the sub-images at a different portion of a projection surface. By projecting the single composite image using a plurality of sub-images projected at different times and/or locations from one another, the composite full image has a higher resolution as compared to the resolution defined by the hardware of the spatial light modulator and light sources.
TECHNICAL FIELD (1) The present disclosure relates generally to projection systems, and specifically to a system for improving the spatial resolution of projected images. BACKGROUND (2) Projection systems display visual content, such as motion pictures, photographs, or the like, and are widely applicable in fields such as cinemas, exhibitions, and theme parks. Typical projection systems include a light source, a color generator, such as a rotating color wheel or dichroic optical system, and a high speed image forming device such as a digital micro-mirror device (DMD). Two common technical specifications of DMDs are the spatial resolution and the temporal resolution. The spatial resolution generally refers to the clarity of an image, which is determined by the number of independent pixels per unit distance. Spatial resolution is distinct from pixel count. That is, the number of pixels in an image has no bearing on the spatial resolution, or clarity of the image. In typical projection systems, the native resolution of the DMD is equal to the spatial resolution of the projected image. Temporal resolution generally refers to the refresh rate, or update frequency, of the DMD. DMD's can have refresh rates in the tens of thousands cycles per second, and temporal resolution continues to improve with each generation. To produce greyscale images, the mirrors may be toggled on and off very quickly, where the ratio of time on to time off determines the shade produced. The beam may be fur
1. A projection system for projecting one or more images onto a projection surface comprising a light source that when activated generates a beam of light; a single image forming device in optical communication with the light source, wherein the single image forming device sequentially converts the beam of light into a first sub-image, forming a first part of a projection image and a second sub-image, forming a second part of the projection image; and an optical system comprising a mirror galvanometer and a fixed mirror array, wherein the optical system is in optical communication with the single image forming device, wherein the optical system directs the first sub-image toward a first sub-image region of a projection surface and directs the second sub-image toward the second sub-image region spatially adjacent to the first sub-image region of the projection surface, wherein the first-sub image and the second sub-image are directed to the projection surface at a first time and a second time, respectively, wherein the first time and the second time do not overlap and the first-sub image and the second sub-image are spatially substantially non-overlapping. ||
9. A projection system comprising a plurality of light sources; a single spatial light modulator for modulating light received from the plurality of light sources to generate a plurality of sub-images of a composite image; and a plurality fixed mirrors for reflecting each of the plurality of sub-images at one of a plurality of spatially adjacent portions of a projection surface, wherein: the plurality of light sources are oriented with respect to the spatial light modulator to direct each of the plurality of sub-images from the spatial light modulator to a mirror of the plurality of fixed mirrors, and the plurality of sub-images are reflected onto the projection surface at discrete times and do not substantially overlap spatially with one another. ||
14. A projection system comprising a single image forming device for generating sub-images of a composite image; a plurality of laser arrays, each laser array having a set of lasers stored therein and directed toward the image forming device; and a plurality of fixed mirrors, wherein: the plurality of laser arrays are oriented with respect to the single image forming device to direct light from one laser array in the plurality of laser arrays from the single image forming device to a mirror of the plurality of fixed mirrors, each of the fixed mirrors in the plurality of fixed mirrors is configured to direct light from the laser array in the plurality of laser arrays toward a respective sub-image region on a projection surface, and the sub-images are directed onto the projection surface at separate temporal intervals and are substantially spatially non-overlapping with one another. ||
18. A projection system comprising a plurality of light sources that when activated generate a first beam of light and a second beam of light; a single image forming device in optical communication with the light source, wherein the single image forming device sequentially modulates the first beam of light to form a first sub-image, forming a first part of a projection image and modulates the second beam of light to form a second sub-image, forming a second part of the projection image, such that the first sub-image and the second sub-image are projected at non-overlapping times from one another and at substantially non-overlapping locations from one another, wherein the plurality of light sources are oriented with respect to the single image forming device to direct the first sub-image and the second sub-image from the single image forming device to a mirror of a plurality of fixed mirrors; and a focusing array in optical communication with the image forming device, wherein the focusing array focuses the first sub-image and the second sub-image and directs the first beam of light and the second beam of light such that the first sub-image and the second sub-image are spatially adjacent to one another. ||
21. A method for projecting an image comprising configuring a single spatial light modulator to selectively modulate a first portion of a complete image; activating a light source to emit a first light beam; selectively modulating the first light beam off of the single spatial light modulator toward an image forming device; configuring a mirror galvanometer to cause the image forming device to direct the first light beam toward a first mirror of an array of fixed mirrors; directing the first portion of the complete image from the first mirror to a first sub-image region of a projection surface; configuring the single spatial light modulator to selectively modulate a second portion of the complete image; activating a the light source to emit a second light beam; selectively modulating the second light beam off of the single spatial light modulator toward the image forming device; and configuring the mirror galvanometer to cause the image forming device to direct the second light beam toward a second mirror of the array of fixed mirrors; directing the second portion of the complete image from the second mirror to a second sub-image region spatially adjacent to the first sub-image region of the projection surface such that the first portion of the complete image and the second portion of the complete image are substantially non-overlapping, wherein the first portion and the second portion are projected at discrete times from one another.