Projection optical engine, electronic device, and projection imaging method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12388972-B2
Application number	US-202418613347-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2024
Priority date	Sep 24, 2021
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

Examples of a projection optical engine, an electronic device, and a projection imaging method are described. One example of a light combination apparatus is configured to combine light emitted by one pixel of a first color and light emitted by one pixel of a second color, and then emit combined light. The light emitted by the light combination apparatus is imaged on an imaging plane after passing through a pixel expansion apparatus and an optical engine lens. The pixel expansion apparatus is configured to enable the light emitted by the light combination apparatus to be imaged at different locations on the imaging plane at different moments.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A projection optical engine, comprising:
a first display panel, wherein the first display panel comprises a plurality of pixels of a first color, and each pixel of the plurality of pixels of the first color comprises an active light-emitting device;
a second display panel, wherein the second display panel comprises a plurality of pixels of a second color, and each pixel of the plurality of pixels of the second color comprises an active light-emitting device;
a light combination apparatus, wherein the light combination apparatus is configured to:
combine, as combined light, light emitted by one pixel of the first color and light emitted by one pixel of the second color; and
emit the combined light;

a pixel expansion apparatus; and
an optical engine lens, wherein:
light emitted by the light combination apparatus is imaged on an imaging plane after passing through the pixel expansion apparatus and the optical engine lens;
the pixel expansion apparatus is configured to enable the light emitted by the light combination apparatus to be imaged at different locations on the imaging plane at different moments; and
a total quantity of pixels disposed in the first display panel is less than display resolution of an image formed by the first display panel on the imaging plane, and a total quantity of pixels disposed in the second display panel is less than display resolution of an image formed by the second display panel on the imaging plane.

2. The projection optical engine according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a third display panel, wherein the third display panel comprises a plurality of pixels of a third color, and each pixel of the plurality of pixels of the third color comprises an active light-emitting device; and
the light combination apparatus is configured to:
combine, as combined light, light emitted by one pixel of the first color, light emitted by one pixel of the second color, and light emitted by one pixel of the third color; and
emit the combined light.

3. The projection optical engine according to claim 2 , wherein:
the light combination apparatus comprises a first dichroic reflective surface, wherein the first dichroic reflective surface is configured to reflect light emitted by the first display panel, and wherein the light emitted by the first display panel is reflected and then emitted on an emergent surface of the light combination apparatus;
the light combination apparatus further comprises a second dichroic reflective surface, wherein the second dichroic reflective surface is configured to reflect light emitted by the second display panel, and wherein the light emitted by the second display panel is reflected and then emitted on the emergent surface of the light combination apparatus; and
on the emergent surface of the light combination apparatus, the light emitted by the first display panel, the light emitted by the second display panel, and light emitted by the third display panel are all emitted in a same direction.

4. The projection optical engine according to claim 3 , wherein:
the light combination apparatus comprises a light-combining prism, wherein the light-combining prism comprises a first incident surface, a second incident surface, a third incident surface, and the emergent surface, and wherein the first incident surface is opposite to the second incident surface, and the third incident surface is opposite to the emergent surface;
a light-emitting surface of the first display panel faces the first incident surface of the light-combining prism, a light-emitting surface of the second display panel faces the second incident surface of the light-combining prism, and a light-emitting surface of the third display panel faces the third incident surface of the light-combining prism; and
the first dichroic reflective surface and the second dichroic reflective surface are disposed inside the light-combining prism, and the first dichroic reflective surface and the second dichroic reflective surface are disposed in a cross manner.

5. The projection optical engine according to claim 4 , wherein
a cross section of the light-combining prism is a square, wherein four sides of the square separately correspond to the first incident surface, the second incident surface, the third incident surface, and the emergent surface; and
two diagonals of the square respectively correspond to the first dichroic reflective surface and the second dichroic reflective surface.

6. The projection optical engine according to claim 4 , wherein
a pixel of the first color is a blue pixel, a pixel of the second color is a red pixel, and a pixel of the third color is a green pixel; and
the first dichroic reflective surface is a blue dichroic reflective surface, and the second dichroic reflective surface is a red dichroic reflective surface.

7. The projection optical engine according to claim 1 , wherein
the first display panel further comprises a plurality of pixels of a third color, and each pixel of the plurality of pixels of the third color comprises an active light-emitting device.

8. The projection optical engine according to claim 7 , wherein the light combination apparatus is configured to:
overlap light emitted by a same pixel of the second color with light emitted by one pixel of the first color and light emitted by one pixel of the third color; and
emit overlapped light.

9. The projection optical engine according to claim 8 , wherein
the light combination apparatus comprises a dichroic reflective surface, wherein the dichroic reflective surface is configured to reflect light emitted by the first display panel, and wherein the light emitted by the first display panel is reflected and then emitted on an emergent surface of the light combination apparatus; and
on the emergent surface of the light combination apparatus, both the light emitted by the first display panel and light emitted by the second display panel are emitted in a same direction.

10. The projection optical engine according to claim 9 , wherein:
a pixel of the first color is a green pixel, a pixel of the second color is a red pixel, and a pixel of the third color is a blue pixel; and
the dichroic reflective surface is configured to enable red light to pass through, and reflect blue light and green light.

11. The projection optical engine according to claim 1 , wherein
the pixel expansion apparatus comprises a refraction plate and a control component, wherein the control component is configured to enable the refraction plate to rotate to different postures, and the refraction plate is located between the light combination apparatus and the optical engine lens; and
when the refraction plate is in different postures, light emitted by the light combination apparatus is refracted to different locations on the imaging plane for imaging after passing through the refraction plate.

12. The projection optical engine according to claim 11 , wherein
the control component is configured to enable the refraction plate to rotate along a first axis and rotate along a second axis, wherein the first axis is perpendicular to the second axis.

13. The projection optical engine according to claim 12 , wherein
the control component is configured to enable the refraction plate to cyclically rotate to a first posture, a second posture, a third posture, and a fourth posture;
when the refraction plate is in the first posture, light emitted by the light combination apparatus is imaged in a first location region on the imaging plane;
when the refraction plate is in the second posture, light emitted by the light combination apparatus is imaged in a se

Assignees

• Huawei Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Luo Kun
• Zhao Pengfei
• Jiang Congbiao

Classifications

• H04N13/346

  using prisms or semi-transparent mirrors · CPC title

• H04N13/361

  Reproducing mixed stereoscopic images; Reproducing mixed monoscopic and stereoscopic images, e.g. a stereoscopic image overlay window on a monoscopic image background · CPC title

• H04N13/344

  with head-mounted left-right displays · CPC title

• H04N13/324

  Colour aspects · CPC title

• H04N9/3138

  using arrays of modulated light sources (electroluminescent display devices G09G3/30) · CPC title