A virtual or augmented reality display system that controls power inputs to the display system as a function of image data. Image data itself is made of a plurality of image data frames, each with constituent color components of, and depth planes for displaying on, rendered content. Light sources or spatial light modulators to relay illumination from the light sources may receive signals from a display controlled to adjust a power setting to the light source or spatial light modulator based on control information embedded in an image data frame.

Illuminations systems that separate different colors into laterally displaced beams may be used to direct different color image content into an eyepiece for displaying images in the eye. Such an eyepiece may be used, for example, for an augmented reality head mounted display. Illumination systems may be provided that utilize one or more waveguides to direct light from a light source towards a spatial light modulator. Light from the spatial light modulator may be directed towards an eyepiece. Some aspects of the invention provide for light of different colors to be outcoupled at different angles from the one or more waveguides and directed along different beam paths.

A light source apparatus includes a first light source that includes a plurality of first light emitters arranged in a row along a first direction and emits a first luminous flux, a second light source that includes a plurality of second light emitters arranged in a row along a second direction and emits a second luminous flux in a direction in which the first luminous flux is emitted, and a combiner that combines the first and second luminous fluxes with each other to produce combined light and outputs the combined light to an irradiated region. The combined light has a combined light intensity distribution in which a first region where a light intensity of the first luminous flux is maximized and a second region where a light intensity of the second luminous flux is maximized do not overlap with each other.

Display devices include waveguides with in-coupling optical elements that mitigate re-bounce of in-coupled light to improve overall in-coupling efficiency and/or uniformity. A waveguide receives light from a light source and/or projection optics and includes an in-coupling optical element that in-couples the received light to propagate by total internal reflection in a propagation direction within the waveguide. Once in-coupled into the waveguide the light may undergo re-bounce, in which the light reflects off a waveguide surface and, after the reflection, strikes the in-coupling optical element. Upon striking the in-coupling optical element, the light may be partially absorbed and/or out-coupled by the optical element, thereby effectively reducing the amount of in-coupled light propagating through the waveguide. The in-coupling optical element can be truncated or have reduced diffraction efficiency along the propagation direction to reduce the occurrence of light loss due to re-bounce of in-coupled light, resulting in less in-coupled light being prematurely out-coupled and/or absorbed during subsequent interactions with the in-coupling optical element.

The present invention includes systems and methods for a multi-primary color system for display. A multi-primary color system increases the number of primary colors available in a color system and color system equipment. Increasing the number of primary colors reduces metameric errors from viewer to viewer. One embodiment of the multi-primary color system includes Red, Green, Blue, Cyan, Yellow, and Magenta primaries. The systems of the present invention maintain compatibility with existing color systems and equipment and provide systems for backwards compatibility with older color systems.

An illumination system, including a first light source for providing a first beam; a second light source for providing a second beam; a wavelength conversion element having a reflection region and a conversion region, wherein the reflection region is for reflecting the first beam and the conversion region is for converting the first beam into a third beam; a first light splitting element for allowing the second beam to pass; a second light splitting element for reflecting the first beam penetrated by the first light splitting element and allowing the second beam to pass, wherein the first light splitting element is disposed between the wavelength conversion element and the second light splitting element; and a light homogenizing element for receiving the first beam, the second beam, and the third beam, and generating an illumination beam, is provided. A projection apparatus including the illumination system is also provided.

A light source apparatus includes a first light source that includes a plurality of first light emitters arranged in a row along a first direction and emits a first luminous flux, a second light source that includes a plurality of second light emitters arranged in a row along a second direction and emits a second luminous flux in a direction in which the first luminous flux is emitted, and a combiner that combines the first and second luminous fluxes with each other to produce combined light and outputs the combined light to an irradiated region. The combined light has a combined light intensity distribution in which a first region where a light intensity of the first luminous flux is maximized and a second region where a light intensity of the second luminous flux is maximized do not overlap with each other.

A virtual or augmented reality display system that controls power inputs to the display system as a function of image data. Image data itself is made of a plurality of image data frames, each with constituent color components of, and depth planes for displaying on, rendered content. Light sources or spatial light modulators to relay illumination from the light sources may receive signals from a display controlled to adjust a power setting to the light source or spatial light modulator based on control information embedded in an image data frame.

A projector includes a lamp unit, a color separation system that separates first light outputted from the lamp unit into a plurality of color beams, a plurality of liquid crystal panels that modulate the plurality of separated color beams from the color separation system, reduction optical systems that reduce at least one of pencils of light formed of the plurality of color beams modulated by the plurality of liquid crystal panels, a light combining prism that combines the plurality of reduced color beams with one another, and a projection lens that projects second light that is the combined light from the light combining prism. The reduction optical systems are disposed between the liquid crystal panels and the light combining prism, and the area of an effective display region of each of the liquid crystal panels is greater than an effective area of each light incident surface of the light combining prism.

The present invention includes systems and methods for a multi-primary color system for display. A multi-primary color system increases the number of primary colors available in a color system and color system equipment. Increasing the number of primary colors reduces metameric errors from viewer to viewer. One embodiment of the multi-primary color system includes Red, Green, Blue, Cyan, Yellow, and Magenta primaries. The systems of the present invention maintain compatibility with existing color systems and equipment and provide systems for backwards compatibility with older color systems.