Patent ID: 6188427
Filing Date: 2001-02-13
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An illumination system, comprisinga) an array of individual light emitting elements for emitting light, said light emitted by each of said light emitting elements having an intensity;b) a light mixing device mixing said light emitted by said light emitting elements to provide a mixed light output;c) a spatial light modulator having an array of pixels illuminated by said mixed light output, said array of pixels arranged as a plurality of pixel zones, each pixel zone containing a subarray of said array of pixels, each of said light emitting elements having a greater potential illuminating effect on certain ones of said subarrays of pixels relative to other ones of said subarrays of pixels;d) a light sensor providing a light sensor output indicative of the amount of light sensed by said light sensor, said light sensor being illuminated by said mixed light output transmitted from said array of pixels; ande) adjustment circuitry selectively controlling individual ones of said subarrays of said array of pixels for light transmission to said light sensor and, in response to said light sensor output, said adjustment circuitry individually adjusting the intensity of the individual light emitting elements of said light emitting device more closely associated with illumination of the selected subarray as a function of said light sensor output in accordance with a predetermined standard.