1. An optical projecting system comprising:
a light generating device for generating a light;
a beam polarization converter for polarizing said light to a polarized light having a predetermined polarization distribution;
a light splitting and synthesizing device for splitting said light to a first color beam, a second color beam and a third color beam, and for synthesizing a first color projecting beam, a second color projecting beam and a third color projecting beam to a projecting light, wherein said light splitting and synthesizing device comprises
a light incoming port for receiving said light from said light generating device,
a first transporting port for outputting said first color beam and for receiving said first color projecting beam,
a second transporting port for outputting said second color beam and for receiving said second color projecting beam,
a third transporting port for outputting said third color beam and for receiving said third color projecting beam, and
a light outgoing port for outputting said projecting light;
a first reflective liquid crystal panel, positioned at said first transporting port, for changing the status of said first color beam and outputting said first color projecting beam to said first transporting port;
a second reflective liquid crystal panel, positioned at said second transporting port, for changing the status of said second color beam and outputting said second color projecting beam to said second transporting port;
a third reflective liquid crystal panel, positioned at said third transporting port, for changing the status of said third color beam and outputting said third color projecting beam to said third transporting port; and
a projecting lens, positioned at said light outgoing port, for emitting said projecting light.
2. The optical projecting system of claim 1, wherein said light splitting and synthesizing device comprises:
a first component for transmitting lights, having said light incoming port and said first transporting port;
a second component for transmitting lights, having said light outgoing port and said second transporting port, a polarization beam splitting coating layer formed between said first component and said second component, wherein said polarization beam splitting coating layer allows said second color beam passing through and reflects other color beams; and
a third component for transmitting lights, having said third transporting port, a dichroic splitting coating layer formed between said third component and said first component, wherein said dichroic splitting coating layer allows said third color beam passing and reflects other color beams.
3. The optical projecting system of claim 2, wherein the cross section of said light splitting and synthesizing device is triangular shape.
4. An optical projecting system of claim 3, wherein the cross section of said first component, said second component and said third component are isosceles triangular.
5. The optical projecting system of claim 1, wherein said second liquid crystal panel and said third liquid crystal panel are formed in one substrate.
6. The optical projecting system of claim 5, wherein a supporting circuitry is further formed in said substrate.
7. The optical projecting system of claim 1, wherein said first reflective liquid crystal panel is connected to said substrate by a cable.
8. The optical projecting system of claim 1, wherein said first color beam is a red beam.
9. The optical projecting system of claim 1, wherein said first color projecting beam is a red projecting beam.
10. The optical projecting system of claim 1, wherein said second color beam is a green beam.
11. The optical projecting system of claim 1, wherein said second color projecting beam is a green projecting beam.
12. The optical projecting system of claim 1, wherein said third color beam is a blue beam.
13. The optical projecting system of claim 1, wherein said third color projecting beam is a blue projecting beam.
14. The optical projecting system of claim 1, wherein said light splitting and synthesizing device comprises:
a first component for transmitting lights, having said light incoming port;
a second component for transmitting lights, having said light outgoing port and said second transporting port, a polarization beam splitting coating layer formed between said first component and said second component, wherein said polarization beam splitting coating layer allows said second color beam passing through and reflects other color beams;
a third component for transmitting lights, having said first transporting port, a dichoric split coating layer formed between said third component and a fourth component, wherein said dichoric splitting coating layer allows said first color beam passing and reflects other color beams; and
said fourth component for transmitting lights, having said third transporting port,
wherein the first component and second component form a first set of components, the third component and the fourth component form a second set of components.
15. The optical projecting system of claim 14, a gap is formed between said fourth component and the first set of components.
16. The optical projecting system of claim 14, wherein said first reflective liquid crystal panel, said second reflective liquid crystal panel and said third reflective liquid crystal panel are formed in a one substrate.
17. An optical projecting system for receiving displaying signals and transforming said displaying signals to optical signals, further projecting said optical signals on a screen by optical transmission, said optical projecting system comprising:
a light generating device for generating a light;
a beam polarization converter for forming light to a polarized light having a predetermined polarization distribution;
a light splitting and synthesizing device for splitting said light to a plurality of color beams, and for synthesizing a plurality of color projecting beams to a projecting light, wherein said light splitting and synthesizing device comprises
a light incoming port for receiving said light from said light generating device,
a plurality of transporting ports for outputting said plurality of color beams, and for receiving said plurality of color projecting beams,
a light outgoing port for outputting said projecting light;
a plurality of reflective liquid crystal panels, positioned at said plurality of transporting port, for changing the status of said plurality of color beams respectively; and
a projecting lens, positioned at said light outgoing port, for emitting said projecting light.
18. The optical projecting system of claim 17, at least two reflective liquid crystal panels are positioned in the same side of said light splitting and synthesizing device.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-40. (canceled)
41. A display apparatus comprising a display portion arranged to display an image having a brightness and a contrast, the brightness andor contrast of the image being a function of viewing angle, the brightness andor contrast having a plurality of local maxima, each maximum corresponding to a respective different primary vector of the apparatus, the respective different primary vectors not being a vector substantially normal to a plane of the display portion, wherein the apparatus comprises a plurality of illumination sources, each of said plurality of illumination sources being arranged to project light along a direction parallel to a respective different one of the plurality of primary vectors to display the image, the display apparatus being operable to adjust an intensity of illumination of each of the plurality of illumination sources independently of one another in dependence on an intensity of ambient light incident on the display apparatus.
42. Apparatus as claimed in claim 41 operable to adjust an intensity of illumination of each of the plurality of illumination sources in dependence on a direction from which ambient light is incident on the apparatus.
43. Apparatus as claimed in claim 42 arranged to increase an intensity of illumination of a corresponding one or more of the illumination sources when ambient light is incident on the display such that the intensity of illumination from one of the illumination sources projected along a given primary vector relative to the intensity of light reflected from the display along said given primary vector falls below a prescribed level, thereby to increase the relative intensity of illumination from the apparatus along said given primary vector.
44. Apparatus as claimed in claim 41 further comprising at least one scattering member, the at least one illumination source being arranged to direct light towards the at least one scattering member, the at least one scattering member being arranged in turn to scatter light in said direction parallel to the at least one primary vector thereby to display the image.
45. Apparatus as claimed in claim 41 wherein the plurality of illumination sources are arranged in an array being one selected from amongst a one dimensional array, a two dimensional array and a three dimensional array.
46. Apparatus as claimed in claim 41 wherein at least one of the plurality of illumination sources comprises at least one illumination element or a plurality of illumination elements.
47. Apparatus as claimed in claim 44 comprising a plurality of scattering members, each of the plurality of scattering members being arranged to scatter light along a direction parallel to a different respective primary vector.
48. Apparatus as claimed in claim 47 wherein the plurality of scattering members are arranged in an array being one selected from amongst a one dimensional array, a two dimensional array and a three dimensional array.
49. Apparatus as claimed in claim 44 wherein each of the plurality of scattering members comprises at least one scattering element, said at least one scattering element comprising at least one selected from amongst a diffuse scattering element and a specular reflection scattering element.
50. Apparatus as claimed in claim 41 operable selectively to energize one or more of the plurality of illumination sources independently of one another in dependence upon a determination whether or not a user requires to view the display along a direction parallel to one of the plurality of primary vectors.
51. Apparatus as claimed in claim 41 wherein the display portion comprises a panel arranged selectively to transmit light from the illumination source therethrough thereby to introduce contrast into the image.
52. Apparatus as claimed in claim 51 wherein the panel is arranged selectively to transmit light therethrough along a direction parallel to the respective different primary vectors.
53. Apparatus as claimed in claim 52 wherein the panel is operable to transmit light therethrough along a direction parallel to a selected one or more of the plurality of respective different primary vectors.
54. Apparatus as claimed in claim 51 wherein the panel comprises a liquid crystal display panel.
55. A motor vehicle having a display apparatus according to claim 41 provided therein.
56. A vehicle as claimed in claim 55, the apparatus being mounted to a dashboard of the vehicle, the display being visible to a driver and a passenger of the vehicle, and wherein the apparatus has a first primary vector arranged to be directed from the display to eyes of the driver and a second primary vector arranged to be directed from the display to eyes of the passenger in their normal seated positions.
57. A vehicle as claimed in claim 56 wherein the apparatus is arranged to direct illumination along the second primary vector only when the passenger is seated in the vehicle.
58. A vehicle as claimed in claim 56 wherein the display is arranged to direct illumination along the first primary vector only when the driver is seated in the vehicle.
59. A method of displaying an image, the method comprising:
displaying on a display portion of a display apparatus an image having a brightness andor a contrast which varies as a function of viewing angle;
arranging the brightness andor contrast of the image to have a plurality of local maxima, each maximum corresponding to a respective different primary vector of the display apparatus, the respective different primary vectors not being a vector substantially normal to a plane of the display portion;
determining an intensity of ambient light incident on the display apparatus; and
adjusting an intensity of illumination of each of a plurality of illumination sources comprised within the display apparatus independently of one another in dependence on the determined intensity of ambient light incident on the display apparatus so as to project light along a direction parallel to a respective different one of the plurality of primary vectors to display the image.
60. A method as claimed in claim 59 comprising determining a direction from which ambient light is incident on the apparatus; and adjusting an intensity of illumination of each of the plurality of illumination sources in dependence on the determined direction of ambient light.
61. A method as claimed in claim 60 comprising increasing an intensity of illumination of a corresponding one or more of the illumination sources when ambient light is incident on the display such that the intensity of illumination from one of the illumination sources projected along a given primary vector relative to the intensity of light reflected from the display along said given primary vector falls below a prescribed level, thereby to increase the relative intensity of illumination from the apparatus along said given primary vector.