Image display apparatus, light source apparatus, and optical unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9674494-B2
Application number	US-201414783951-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2014
Priority date	Jun 6, 2013
Publication date	Jun 6, 2017
Grant date	Jun 6, 2017

Abstract

An image display apparatus includes a laser light source, a light modulator, a first sensor, a second sensor, a third sensor, and circuitry. The light modulator generates an image based on light from the laser light source. The first sensor measures a first temperature in a vicinity of an air inlet of a housing of the image display apparatus. The second sensor measures a second temperature associated with the laser light source. The third sensor measures a third temperature associated with the light modulator. The circuitry is configured to control output of the laser light source based on at least one of the first, second, or third temperatures.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An image display apparatus, comprising:
a laser light source;
a light modulator to generate an image based on light from the laser light source;
a first sensor to measure a first temperature in a vicinity of an air inlet of a housing of the image display apparatus;
a second sensor to measure a second temperature associated with the laser light source;
a third sensor to measure a third temperature associated with the light modulator; and
circuitry configured to control output of the laser light source based on at least one of the first, second, or third temperatures, wherein
when the first temperature is higher than a first predetermined reference temperature, the circuitry is configured to decrease the output in accordance with a temperature difference between the first temperature and the first predetermined reference temperature.

2. The image display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the circuitry is configured to decrease the output of the laser light source in accordance with a rise of the first temperature.

3. The image display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the circuitry is configured to control the output of the laser light source based on the second temperature.

4. The image display apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the circuitry is configured to decrease the output of the laser light source in accordance with a decrease of the second temperature.

5. The image display apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an optical system to direct light from the laser light source to the light modulator,
an air circulator, which includes a filter, to direct external air to the optical system via the filter, wherein
the circuitry is configured to determine a state of the filter based on the third temperature measured by the third sensor, and
the light modulator is included in the optical system.

6. The image display apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising:
three light modulators, including the light modulator, that respectively modulate red light, green light, and blue light, wherein
the optical system includes an optical subsystem for each of the red, green, and blue lights, and
the third sensor is arranged in the optical subsystem for the blue light.

7. The image display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to control the output of the laser light source based on two or more of the first, second, or third temperatures.

8. The image display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to control the output of the laser light source based on the first, second, and third temperatures.

9. The image display apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a phosphor wheel.

10. The image display apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a lens to project the image generated by the light modulator.

11. The image display apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
the housing that includes the air inlet, wherein
the housing contains the laser light source and the light modulator, and
the air inlet allows external air to enter the housing.

12. An image display apparatus, comprising:
a laser light source;
a light modulator to generate an image based on light from the laser light source;
a first sensor to measure a first temperature in a vicinity of an air inlet of a housing of the image display apparatus;
a second sensor to measure a second temperature associated with the laser light source;
a third sensor to measure a third temperature associated with the light modulator; and
circuitry configured to control output of the laser light source based on at least one of the first, second, or third temperatures, wherein
the circuitry is configured to control the output of the laser light source based on the second temperature, and
when the second temperature is lower than a second predetermined reference temperature, the circuitry is configured to decrease the output in accordance with a temperature difference between the second temperature and the second predetermined reference temperature.

13. An image display apparatus, comprising:
a laser light source;
a light modulator to generate an image based on light from the laser light source;
a first sensor to measure a first temperature in a vicinity of an air inlet of a housing of the image display apparatus;
a second sensor to measure a second temperature associated with the laser light source;
a third sensor to measure a third temperature associated with the light modulator;
circuitry configured to control output of the laser light source based on at least one of the first, second, or third temperatures;
an optical system to direct light from the laser light source to the light modulator;
an air circulator, which includes a filter, to direct external air to the optical system via the filter; and
three light modulators, including the light modulator, that respectively modulate red light, green light, and blue light, wherein
the circuitry is configured to determine a state of the filter based on the third temperature measured by the third sensor,
the light modulator is included in the optical system,
the optical system includes an optical subsystem for each of the red, green, and blue lights,
the third sensor is arranged in the optical subsystem for the blue light,
the optical subsystem for the blue light includes a polarizing plate to control a polarization state of the blue light, and
the third sensor is arranged in the polarizing plate.

14. An image display apparatus, comprising:
a laser light source;
a light modulator to generate an image based on light from the laser light source;
a first sensor to measure a first temperature in a vicinity of an air inlet of a housing of the image display apparatus;
a second sensor to measure a second temperature associated with the laser light source;
a third sensor to measure a third temperature associated with the light modulator;
circuitry configured to control output of the laser light source based on at least one of the first, second, or third temperatures;
an optical system to direct light from the laser light source to the light modulator; and
an air circulator, which includes a filter, to direct external air to the optical system via the filter, wherein
the circuitry is configured to determine a state of the filter based on the third temperature measured by the third sensor,
the light modulator is included in the optical system, and
when the third temperature is higher than a third predetermined reference temperature, the circuitry is configured to output an indication for replacement of the filter.

15. An image display apparatus, comprising:
a laser light source;
a light modulator to generate an image based on light from the laser light source;
a first sensor to measure a first temperature in a vicinity of an air inlet of a housing of the image display apparatus;
a second sensor to measure a second temperature associated with the laser light source;
a third sensor to measure a third temperature associated with the light modulator;
circuitry configured to control output of the laser light source based on at least one of the first, second, or third temperatures;
an optical system to direct light from the laser light source to the light modulator; and
an air circulator, which includes a filter, to direct external air to the optical system via the filter, wherein
the circuitry is configured to determine a state of the filter based on the third temperature measured by the third sensor,

Assignees

• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Terasaki Kazuya
• Ogawa Daisuke
• Meguro Hiroyuki

Classifications

• H04N9/3194

  including sensor feedback · CPC title

• H04N9/3167

  for polarizing the light beam (polarizing optical systems per se G02B27/28) · CPC title

• H04N9/3155

  for controlling the light source (light source control per se H05B35/00 – H05B47/00; control of an illumination source for displays in general G09G3/3406) · CPC title

• H04N9/3144 Primary

  Cooling systems (cooling of liquid crystal cells in general G02F1/133382; cooling of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/16) · CPC title

• G03B21/2073

  Polarisers in the lamp house (peculiar to electronic spatial light modulators H04N9/3197) · CPC title