Described examples include an optical apparatus having a first lens, a first optical element having a first aperture, a second lens, and a second optical element having a second aperture. The optical apparatus includes a third lens having a first portion to receive projected light from the first lens through the first aperture and to project the projected light onto a target. Also, the third lens has a second portion to receive reflected light reflected from the target and to provide the reflected light to the second lens through the second aperture.

Dual or multi-modulation display systems comprising a first modulator and a second modulator are disclosed. The first modulator may comprise a plurality of analog mirrors (e.g. MEMS array) and the second modulator may comprise a plurality of mirrors (e.g., DMD array). The display system may further comprise a controller that sends control signals to the first and second modulator. The display system may render highlight features within a projected image by affecting a time multiplexing scheme. In one embodiment, the first modulator may be switched on a sub-frame basis such that a desired proportion of the available light may be focused or directed onto the second modulator to form the highlight feature on a sub-frame rendering basis.

The present invention concerns a projection system for providing a distributed manifestation within an environment. The projection system includes a data generator for generating a plurality of data sets of associated state data and spatial coordinate data. The projection system also includes a projector in communication with the data generator for receiving the data sets. The projector is provided with a signal generating module for generating a plurality of electromagnetic signals, and a projecting module for projecting each of the electromagnetic signals towards a target location within the environment. The projection system also includes a plurality of receiving units distributed within the environment, each receiving unit having a receiver for receiving one of the electromagnetic signals when the receiving unit is positioned in the corresponding target location, each receiving unit being adapted to perform a change of state in response to the state data.

An optical system that includes a micro-mirror array optical modulator that can selectively modulate an incident light beam having a defined narrow spectral bandwidth to encode data thereon based on commands to an ON-state or an OFF-state of a micro-mirror. The micro-mirror array optical modulator can redirect light by diffraction and reflection to provide an output modulated light beam that exhibits a diffraction handedness dependent described by an arrangement of diffraction orders that depend in part on the narrow spectral bandwidth of light incident thereupon. An optical element has an optimized limiting aperture for defining portions of a modulated light beam that are blocked and remaining portions that are transmitted. An ON-state efficiency and an OFF-state contrast of an optically transmitted modulated light beam can depend on the diffraction handedness of the output modulated light beam relative to a size and a shape of the optimized limiting aperture.

An electro-optical device includes a mirror being positioned above a surface of a substrate and modulating light, and a torsion hinge being positioned between the mirror and the substrate and pivotably supporting the mirror. The electro-optical device includes beam portions being disposed between the mirror and the substrate at positions that do not overlap the mirror in plan view, and being supported by the substrate while being spaced away from the mirror and the substrate. Spring tips that regulate a pivot range of the mirror protrude from the beam portions toward positions that overlap the mirror in plan view.

An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a platform, a dispenser to dispense layers of feed material on the platform, and a fusing system including an energy source to generate an energy beam having an adjustable intensity profile, an actuator to cause the energy beam to traverse across an outermost layer of feed material, and a controller coupled to the actuator and the energy source. The controller is configured to cause the energy source to adjust the intensity profile of the energy beam on the outermost layer of feed material based on a traversal velocity and/or a traversal direction of the light beam across the outermost layer of feed material.

A projector includes a semiconductor die including a digital micromirror device; and a first integral optical layer attached to the semiconductor die. The first integral optical layer includes a first optical lens and a first diffractive optical element. A second integral optical layer is attached to the first integral optical layer. The second integral optical layer includes an aperture stop and a second diffractive optical element. A third integral optical layer is attached to the second integral optical layer. The third integral optical layer includes a second optical lens and a light source mount. The semiconductor die, the first integral optical layer, the second integral optical layer and the third integral optical layer are stacked to form an optical path through the first and second diffractive optical elements, reflect off the digital micromirror device, and pass through the first optical lens, the aperture stop and the second lens.

Projection systems and/or methods comprising a blurring element are disclosed. In one embodiment, a blurring element may comprise a first plate having a pattern on a first surface and second plate. The first plate and the second plate may comprise material having a slight difference in their respective index of refraction. In another embodiment, a blurring element may comprise a first plate having a pattern thereon and a second immersing material. The blurring element may be placed in between two modulators in a dual or multi-modulator projector system. The blurring element may be configured to give a desired shape to the light transmitted from a first modulator to a second modulator.

A projector includes a lens, a beam processing module, a plurality of digital micromirror devices, a reflecting module and an illumination module. The beam processing module is disposed with respect to the lens. The digital micromirror devices are disposed around the beam processing module, wherein a beam projecting path is defined between the lens and the digital micromirror device. The reflecting module is disposed with respect to the digital micromirror devices and located beyond the beam projecting path. The illumination module is disposed with respect to the reflecting module. An initial beam projected by the illumination module is reflected to the digital micromirror devices by the reflecting module, such that the digital micromirror devices generate a plurality of image beams. The beam processing module combines the image beams to form a projecting beam and projects the projecting beam onto the lens along the beam projecting path.

A projection device and a light engine module thereof are provided. The light engine module includes a first dichroic element, a first light valve, a second light valve, a light combining element, a first light converging element, a second light converging element, a first light guiding element, and a second light guiding element. The first dichroic element divides an illumination beam into a first color beam and a second color beam. The first light valve converts the first color beam into a first image beam. The second light valve converts the second color beam into a second image beam. The light combining element is disposed on transmission paths of the first image beam and the second image beam. The first light guiding element guides the first color beam to the first light valve.