Patent ID: 7401926
Filing Date: 2008-07-22
Classification: G02B,G02F,H04N

Abstract:
1. A space light modulating apparatus comprising: a modulating unit that modulates incident light projected from a light source based on an image signal, and outputs modulated light; and a refracting unit that is disposed on an output-side of the modulating unit, and refracts the light from the modulating unit, wherein the modulating unit includes the refracting unit includes a group of prisms formed with a prism element that has at least a refracting surface, and further includes a flat portion virtually parallel to a surface on which the pixels are formed, light from one of the pixels is incident on at least a part of the group of prisms, a direction of the refracting surface is such that a projection image of the pixels is guided onto a projection image of the light-shielding part on a projection surface at a predetermined distance from the refracting unit, and the refracting surface and a reference surface that is formed in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis make a predetermined angle, wherein the light transmitted through or reflected on the flat portion from among the light projected from the light source and incident on the pixels propagates substantially straight to form the projection image, when an area of one prism element of the group of prisms is defined as a unit area, a ratio between an area of the refracting surface and the unit area corresponds to light intensity of the projection image of the pixels, and a sum of intensities of light from the flat portion on the projection surface PW