Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7102700?dq=5920316
Timestamp: 2015-11-27 23:05:38
Document Index: 410433569

Matched Legal Cases: ['art.\n64', 'art.\n66', 'art.\n68', 'art.\n88', 'art.\n98', 'art.\n127']

Patent US7102700 - Laser projection system - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA laser projection system preferably for use in commercial motion picture theaters and other large screen venues, including home theater, uses optical fibers to project modulated laser beams for raster scanning on the screen. The emitting ends of the optical fibers are arranged in an array such that...http://www.google.com/patents/US7102700?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7102700 - Laser projection systemAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7102700 B1Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 09/654,246Publication dateSep 5, 2006Filing dateSep 2, 2000Priority dateSep 2, 2000Fee statusPaidAlso published asCA2421573A1, DE60124565D1, DE60124565T2, EP1316223A2, EP1316223B1, US7142257, US8654264, US20020180869, US20070085936, US20070109451, WO2002021850A2, WO2002021850A3Publication number09654246, 654246, US 7102700 B1, US 7102700B1, US-B1-7102700, US7102700 B1, US7102700B1InventorsRichard W. Pease, Jeffrey S. Pease, John P. CallisonOriginal AssigneeMagic Lantern LlcExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (70), Non-Patent Citations (7), Referenced by (22), Classifications (8), Legal Events (5) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetLaser projection system
US 7102700 B1Abstract
A laser projection system preferably for use in commercial motion picture theaters and other large screen venues, including home theater, uses optical fibers to project modulated laser beams for raster scanning on the screen. The emitting ends of the optical fibers are arranged in an array such that red, green and blue spots are simultaneously scanned onto the screen in multiple lines spaced one or more than one scan line apart. The use of optical fibers for laser beam projection eliminates the need to use complex optics, and enables the scanning of small, high resolution spots on the screen. The use of optical fiber also permits convenient packaging and permits replacement, upgrading or modification of the system components. The scanning of multiple lines simultaneously is accomplished by reordering the video signal with a microprocessor controller component to write lines in a sequence after repeated vertical sweeps to form a complete picture. In a preferred embodiment, the video signal is reordered to scan different color beams at different times to render the desired composite of the red, green and blue spots at each dot location on the screen. Alternate embodiments are disclosed to illustrate the flexibility of the system for different optical fiber output head spacings, and for different types of laser, modulation, and scanning components.
Images(73) Claims(165)
1. A method for projecting an image onto a viewing surface, comprising the steps of:
emitting at least three separately modulated light beams from at least one light source; sweeping the light beams to substantially illuminate at least three lines of locations on the viewing surface; thereafter sweeping the light beams to substantially overwrite at least one line of locations on the viewing surface illuminated by at least one other of said light beams during at least one other sweeping step. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the emitting step further comprises emitting at least two of the light beams at substantially different wavelengths and exhibiting a desired perceived composite color at locations on the viewing surface that are illuminated during different sweeping steps by at least two different light beams of substantially different wavelengths.
3. A method for projecting a frame of an image onto a viewing surface, comprising the steps of:
emitting at least three modulated light beams; directing the light beams to substantially simultaneously illuminate different locations on the viewing surface; sweeping the light beams during each of a preponderance of scan passes during the projection of such frame in a sweep direction to substantially illuminate lines of apparent locations along each of at least three desired sweep paths on the viewing surface; and overwriting a substantial portion of a preponderance of the sweep paths written during the projection of such frame with at least one other of such light beams during at least one other sweeping step. 4. The method of claim 3 wherein the emitting step further comprises emitting at least two of the light beams of substantially different wavelengths and the overwriting step further comprises exhibiting a desired perceived composite color at given apparent locations along sweep paths on the viewing surface that are each illuminated by the at least two light beams of substantially different wavelengths during different sweeping steps.
5. The method of claim 3 wherein the emitting step further comprises emitting at least two of the light beams at substantially the same wavelength, and the overwriting step further comprises exhibiting a desired increased perceived intensity at such same wavelength at given apparent locations along sweep paths on the viewing surface that are each illuminated by the at least two light beams of substantially the same wavelength during different sweeping steps.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the emitting step further comprises emitting at least two of the light beams at substantially different wavelengths and the overwriting step further comprises illuminating each of a preponderance of the apparent locations along given sweep paths on the viewing surface with two or more light beams of substantially different wavelengths during different sweeping steps, thereby exhibiting a desired perceived composite color at such apparent locations.
7. The method of claim 4 or 6 wherein at least two of the different wavelengths each approximate one of the primary colors.
8. The method of claim 3 wherein the overwriting step further comprises illuminating each line of apparent locations most proximate a given sweep path of such preponderance of sweep paths with different light beams than any light beam illuminating such given sweep path.
9. The method of claim 3, 4, 5, 6 or 8, wherein the moving step further comprises moving the light beams in the direction transverse of the desired sweep paths substantially continuously during the projection of such frame.
10. The method of claim 3, 4, 5, 6 or 8, further comprising the step of emitting each light beam from an optical fiber.
11. A method for projecting an image onto a viewing surface, comprising the steps of:
sweeping at least three rows of separately modulated light beams having at least one light beam per row in a sweep direction along three substantially parallel desired sweep paths on a viewing surface, and moving the rows of light beams in a frame direction transverse of the sweep direction; then repeating the sweeping and moving steps a desired number of times at a desired rate until a desired number of different sweep paths have been swept by such rows of light beams to write a frame within a desired frame period, wherein during at least one sweeping step at least one of the rows of light beams substantially overwrites the sweep path swept by another of said rows of light beams during another sweeping step. 12. A method for projecting an image onto a viewing surface, comprising the steps of:
sweeping at least three rows of separately modulated light beams having one light beam per row in a sweep direction along three substantially parallel desired sweep paths on a viewing surface, and moving the rows of light beams in a frame direction transverse of the sweep direction; then repeating the sweeping and moving steps a desired number of times at a desired rate until a desired number of different sweep paths have been swept by such rows of light beams to write a frame within a desired frame period, wherein during at least one sweeping step at least one of the rows of light beams substantially overwrites the sweep path swept by another of said rows of light beams during another sweeping step. 13. The method of claim 11 or 12 wherein at least two of the light beams are of substantially different wavelengths and a desired perceived composite color is formed at each of a plurality of locations on the viewing surface that are illuminated during different sweeping steps by at least two of the light beams of substantially different wavelengths.
14. A method for projecting a frame of an image onto a viewing surface, comprising the steps of:
directing at least three light beams to substantially simultaneously illuminate different apparent locations on the viewing surface; sweeping the light beams during each of a preponderance of scan passes during the projection of said frame to substantially simultaneously illuminate at least three sweep paths along desired lines of apparent locations of such frame on the viewing surface associated with such image frame, and moving the light beams in a direction substantially transverse to the sweep paths; such that a substantial portion of each of a preponderance of the sweep paths written during the projection of said frame is substantially overwritten by at least one other of said light beams during at least one other scan pass. 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the emitting step further comprises emitting at least two of the light beams at substantially different wavelengths and the moving step further comprises exhibiting a desired perceived composite color at given apparent locations along sweep paths on the viewing surface that are each illuminated by the at least two light beams of substantially different wavelengths during different sweeping steps.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein the emitting step further comprises emitting at least two of the light beams at substantially the same wavelength, and the moving step further comprises exhibiting a desired increased perceived intensity at such same wavelength at given apparent locations along sweep paths on the viewing surface that are each illuminated by the at least two light beams of substantially the same wavelength during different sweeping steps.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the emitting step further comprises emitting at least two of the light beams at substantially different wavelengths and the moving step further comprises exhibiting a desired perceived composite color at given apparent locations along sweep paths on the viewing surface that are each illuminated by the at least two light beams of substantially different wavelengths during different sweeping steps.
18. The method of claim 15 or 17 wherein at least two of the different wavelengths each approximate one of the primary colors.
19. The method of claim 14 wherein the moving step further comprises moving the light beams such that each line of apparent locations most proximate any given sweep path of such preponderance of sweep paths is illuminated with different light beams than any light beam illuminating such given sweep path.
20. The method of claim 14 wherein during a plurality of such sweeping steps, the locations illuminated on the viewing surface are substantially aligned along a line that is substantially non-perpendicular to the sweep paths.
21. The method of claim 20 wherein adjusting the time at which the illumination of the path is initiated to position the beginning of the path at a desired location.
22. The method of claim 14, 15, 16, 17, 19 or 20, wherein the moving step further comprises moving the light beams in the direction transverse of the desired sweep paths substantially continuously during the projection of such frame.
23. The method of claim 14, 15, 16, 17, 19 or 20, wherein each light beam is emitted from an optical fiber.
24. A method for projecting an image onto a viewing surface, comprising the steps of:
emitting at least two rows of substantially parallel light beams having at least one light beam per row; sweeping the rows of light beams in a sweep direction substantially along at least two scan lines of a planned frame on the viewing surface, and moving the rows of light beams in a frame direction transverse of the sweep direction a desired number of scan lines; and repeating the sweeping and moving steps a desired number of times at a desired rate until all of the scan lines of a frame are swept within a desired frame period, wherein during each of a preponderance of the sweeping steps at least one of the rows of light beams substantially overwrites the sweep path swept by at least one other of said rows of light beams of a substantially different wavelength during at least one other sweeping step. 25. A method for projecting an image onto a viewing surface, comprising the steps of:
emitting at least four rows of modulated light beams, wherein each row of light beams has one light beam, and such rows comprise at least two groups of rows, with each group of rows including at least two light beams and each light beam within each group having a different wavelength; sweeping the rows of light beams in a sweep direction substantially along at least four scan lines of a plurality of scan lines of a planned frame on the viewing surface, and moving the rows of light beams in a frame direction transverse of the sweep direction; and repeating the sweeping and moving steps a desired number of times at a desired rate until all of the scan lines of such frame are swept within a desired frame period, wherein during each of a preponderance of such sweeping steps during such frame period at least one of the rows of light beams substantially overwrites the sweep path swept by at least one other of said light beams during at least one other sweeping step, and wherein the emitting step further comprises emitting at least two of the light beams at substantially different wavelengths, and exhibiting a desired perceived composite color at locations on the viewing surface that are illuminated by both of the light beams having substantially different wavelengths. 26. A method for projecting a frame of an image onto a viewing surface, comprising the steps of:
directing at least four modulated light beams to form at least four corresponding rows of spots on the viewing surface, wherein each of such spots is of one of at least two different selected wavelengths; sweeping all spots of each row along one of at least three sweep paths substantially corresponding to lines of apparent locations on the viewing surface during each of a substantial number of scan passes during the projection of such frame, wherein such rows are arranged in two or more groups of rows with the rows of each group swept along lines of apparent locations most proximate each other and each of such groups includes at least one spot of each of such different selected wavelengths, and moving the rows of spots transverse of the sweep paths; and repeating the sweeping and moving steps a desired number of times at a desired rate until a desired number of different sweep paths have been swept by such rows of spots to write such frame within a desired frame period, such that during each of a preponderance of such sweeping steps at least one of the rows of spots substantially overwrites the sweep path swept by at least one other of said rows of spots during at least one other sweeping step, wherein the wavelengths of such spots are selected so that when apparent locations are overwritten at desired intensities by two or more spots of at least two of such different selected wavelengths, desired perceived composite color spots are formed substantially at such apparent locations. 27. The method of claim 26 wherein at least one of such corresponding rows of spots on the viewing surface includes only one spot.
28. The method of claim 26 wherein at least one of such corresponding rows of spots on the viewing surface includes at least two spots.
29. The method of claim 26 wherein each group includes the same number of spots of the same corresponding different selected wavelengths.
30. The method of claim 26 wherein at least two of the light beams within each group are of substantially the same wavelength.
31. The method of claim 26 wherein all of the light beams within each group are of substantially different wavelengths.
32. The method of claim 26, 29, 30 or 31, wherein each of the selected wavelengths approximates one of the primary colors.
33. The method of claim 26, 29, 30 or 31, wherein the selected wavelengths are capable at selected intensities of forming composite spots at locations on the viewing surface within a desired color space.
34. The method of claim 26, 27 or 28 further comprising the step of illuminating each line of apparent locations most proximate a given sweep path of such preponderance of sweep paths with different light beams than any light beam illuminating such given sweep path.
35. A method for projecting a frame of an image onto a viewing surface, comprising the steps of:
directing at least four modulated light beams to form at least four corresponding rows of spots on the viewing surface, wherein each of such spots is of one of at least two different selected wavelengths; sweeping all spots of each row along one of at least three sweep paths substantially corresponding to lines of apparent locations on the viewing surface during each of a substantial number of scan passes during the projection of such frame, wherein such rows are arranged in two or more groups of rows with the rows of each group swept along lines of apparent locations most proximate each other and each of such groups includes spots of one of such different selected wavelengths and the wavelength of each group is different, and moving the rows of spots transverse of the sweep paths; and repeating the sweeping and moving steps a desired number of times at a desired rate until a desired number of different sweep paths have been swept by such rows of spots to write such frame within a desired frame period, such that during each of a preponderance of such sweeping steps at least one of the rows of spots substantially overwrites the sweep path swept by at least one other of said rows of spots during at least one other sweeping step, wherein the wavelengths of such groups are selected so that when apparent locations are overwritten at desired intensities by spots of two or more groups, desired perceived composite color spots are formed substantially at such apparent locations. 36. The method of claim 35 wherein at least one of such corresponding rows of spots on the viewing surface includes only one spot.
37. The method of claim 35 wherein at least one of such corresponding rows of spots on the viewing surface includes at least two spots.
38. The method of claim 35 wherein each group includes the same number of spots.
39. The method of claim 35 or 38, wherein each of the selected wavelengths approximates one of the primary colors.
40. The method of claim 35 or 38, wherein the selected wavelengths are capable at selected intensities of forming composite spots at locations on the viewing surface within a desired color space.
41. A method for projecting a frame of a video image onto a screen comprising the steps of:
producing at least three light beams; individually modulating said beams to correspond beam intensity to input data; inserting each of said beams into an optical fiber associated with each beam; transmitting said beams within the fibers; emitting said beams from emitting ends of the fibers; sweeping said beams in a first direction to illuminate at least three lines of locations on the screen; and moving said beams in a second direction transverse of the first direction, wherein a preponderance of the lines of locations illuminated by the light beams during the projection of such frame are each substantially overwritten by at least two other of said light beams during at least two other sweeping steps. 42. A method for projecting a frame of a video image onto a screen comprising the steps of:
producing at least three light beams; individually modulating said beams to correspond beam intensity to input data; inserting each of said beams into an optical fiber associated with each beam; transmitting said beams within the fibers; emitting said beams from emitting ends of the fibers; sweeping the beams in a first direction to illuminate at least three lines of apparent locations on a screen; and moving the beams in a second direction transverse of the first direction such that a substantial portion of each of such lines written during the projection of such frame is substantially overwritten by at least two other of said light beams during at least two other sweeping steps. 43. A method of projecting a frame of an image onto a viewing surface, such image frame having lines of apparent locations extending from one edge of the frame to an other edge of the frame, and such lines of apparent locations arrayed in a direction transverse of such lines to fill the frame from an additional edge to another additional edge,. comprising the steps of:
receiving input data having intensity and color values for pixels of a pixel frame; arranging the input data to associate such intensity and color values of such pixel frame to such apparent locations of the image frame; sweeping at least three beams of light modulated in accordance with the color and intensity values for such associated apparent locations substantially along at least three paths of such apparent locations from one edge of the image frame to the other edge of the image frame, and adjusting the light beams in a direction transverse to the swept paths; and repeating the sweeping and adjusting steps until the lines of apparent locations of the entire image frame are swept by such beams from an additional edge to a further additional edge, and with at least one beam traversing lines of apparent locations from before or at the additional edge to at or beyond the further additional edge. 44. The method of claim 43 further comprising the step of illuminating each line of apparent locations most proximate a given sweep path of such preponderance of sweep paths with different light beams than any light beam illuminating such given sweep path.
45. The method of claim 43 wherein the light beam overwriting the sweep path swept by another light beam has a substantially different wavelength than the light beam having previously swept the sweep path.
46. The method of claim 43 wherein the directing step further comprises directing at least four of such light beams to form at least four of such corresponding rows of spots, with such rows arranged in two or more groups of rows and with the spots of the rows of each such group being swept along lines of apparent locations most proximate each other during said sweeping steps, wherein each of such spots is of one of at least two different selected wavelengths, such wavelengths being selected so that when apparent locations are overwritten at desired intensities by two or more spots of at least two of such different selected wavelengths, desired perceived composite color spots are formed substantially at such apparent locations, and wherein each of such groups includes at least one spot of each of such different selected wavelengths.
47. The method of claim 46 wherein the spots of each group include the same number of spots of the same corresponding different selected wavelengths.
48. The method of claim 47 wherein at least two of the light beams within each group are of substantially the same wavelength.
49. The method of claim 46 wherein all of the light beams within each group are of substantially different wavelengths.
50. The method of claim 46, 47, 48 or 49, wherein each of the selected wavelengths approximates one of the primary colors.
51. The method of claim 46, 47, 48 or 49, wherein the selected wavelengths are capable at selected intensities of forming composite spots at locations on the viewing surface within a desired color space.
52. The method of claim 43 wherein the directing step further comprises directing at least four of such light beams to form at least four of such corresponding rows of spots, with such rows arranged in two or more groups of rows and with the spots of the rows of each such group being swept along lines of apparent locations most proximate each other during said sweeping steps, wherein each of such spots is of one of at least two different selected wavelengths, such wavelengths being selected so that when apparent locations are overwritten at desired intensities by two or more spots of at least two of such different selected wavelengths, desired perceived composite color spots are formed substantially at such apparent locations, and the spots of each of such groups are of the same wavelength, and the wavelength of each group is different.
53. The method of claim 52 wherein the spots of each group includes the same number of spots.
54. The method of claim 52 or 53, wherein each of the selected wavelengths approximates one of the primary colors.
55. The method of claim 52 or 53, wherein the selected wavelengths are capable at selected intensities of forming composite spots at locations on the viewing surface within a desired color space.
56. A system for projecting a frame of an image onto a viewing surface, comprising:
at least three modulated light beams; a scanner positioned to direct the light beams to substantially simultaneously illuminate separate locations on the viewing surface, said scanner adapted to sweep the light beams to substantially illuminate lines of apparent locations along at least three desired paths on the viewing surface during a number of scan passes needed to write such frame, the light beams positioned in an array such that as said scanner sweeps the light beams along the desired paths on the viewing surface during each of a preponderance of such scan passes, at least one of said light beams overwrites a substantial portion of locations along one of the desired paths on the viewing surface previously illuminated by another of said light beams during another scan pass. 57. The system of claim 56 wherein at least two of the light beams are of different wavelengths, such that each of the locations on the viewing surface overwritten by two or more light beams of such different wavelengths during such different scan passes exhibits a desired perceived composite color.
58. A system for projecting a frame of an image onto a viewing surface, comprising:
at least three modulated light beams; and a scanner positioned to direct the light beams to substantially simultaneously illuminate different apparent locations on the viewing surface, said scanner being adapted to sweep the light beams to substantially illuminate lines of apparent locations along each of at least three desired sweep paths on the viewing surface during each of a preponderance of scan passes during the projection of such frame, such that a substantial portion of each of a preponderance of the lines of apparent locations of said frame is substantially overwritten by at least one other of said light beams during at least one other scan pass. 59. The system of claim 58 wherein at least two of the light beams are each of different wavelengths, such that each line of apparent locations on the viewing surface substantially overwritten by two or more light beams having such different wavelengths exhibits a desired perceived composite color.
60. The system of claim 58 wherein said scanner is further adapted to move the light beams transverse of the sweep paths to illuminate different lines of apparent locations on the viewing surface during different scan passes.
61. The system of claim 58 or 60 wherein a substantial portion of each of a preponderance of the lines of apparent locations of said frame is substantially overwritten by at least two other of said light beams during at least two other scan passes.
62. The system of claim 58 or 60 wherein said scanner is further adapted such that during each of such preponderance of scan passes at least one of such light beams illuminates a line of apparent locations adjacent to lines of apparent locations that were illuminated by at least one other of such light beams during other scan passes.
63. The system of claim 58 or 60 wherein the lines of apparent locations on the viewing surface illuminated by the sweep paths during such preponderance of scan passes are spaced one line of apparent locations apart.
64. The system of claim 58 or 60 wherein each light beam forms a spot on the viewing surface, and the light beams and said scanner are arranged such that during a plurality of scan passes the spots are substantially aligned along a line that is substantially non-perpendicular to the scan paths on the viewing surface.
65. The system of claim 64, wherein the lines of apparent locations on the viewing surface illuminated during each of such plurality of scan passes are spaced one line of apparent locations apart.
66. The system of claim 64 wherein the light beam forming each spot is swept substantially along a different line of apparent locations on the viewing surface.
67. The system of claim 66, wherein the lines of apparent locations on the viewing surface illuminated during each of such plurality of scan passes are spaced one line of apparent locations apart.
68. The system of claim 58 or 60 wherein for each of a preponderance of given sweep paths of such frame, each line of apparent locations of such frame that is most proximate to such given sweep path is not substantially illuminated by the same light beams that illuminate such given sweep path during the projection of such frame.
69. A system for projecting an image onto a viewing surface, comprising:
a source of at least three modulated light beams; a scanner positioned to direct the light beams to illuminate a pattern of spots on the viewing surface, said scanner including a line scanning component adapted to substantially simultaneously sweep the light beams in a sweep direction to move the pattern of spots along at least three different lines of locations on the viewing surface during each of a number of scan passes required to write a frame of such image, and a frame scanning component adapted to move the light beams in a direction transverse of the sweep direction such that each spot of the pattern of spots sweeps a different line of locations on the viewing surface during a preponderance of such scan passes; and the source of light beams is configured such that when swept by said scanner along the lines of locations on the viewing surface during each of a preponderance of such scan passes, at least one spot substantially overwrites the same locations on the viewing surface illuminated by at least one other of the light beams during at least one other of such scan passes. 70. The system of claim 69 wherein at least two of the light beams are of different wavelengths, such that each of the locations on the viewing surface overwritten by two or more spots of such different wavelengths during such different scan passes exhibits a desired perceived composite color.
an input signal having intensity and color values for specified locations on the viewing surface, said input signal arranged in a succession of frames, each frame being a matrix of pixels ordered to be written in a succession of lines from one edge of the frame to an opposite edge of the frame, with each line written in a succession of pixels from a different edge of the frame to another opposite edge of the frame; and a controller adapted to initiate the illumination of a location on the viewing surface by sending a modulation signal to the modulator for a selected light beam, said controller further adapted to rearrange the input signal for each frame to correspond the pixel value of the input signal to the desired intensity of the light beam directed to the corresponding location on the screen at a desired time. 72. The system claimed in claim 70 wherein said controller is further adapted to cause the illumination of a location along the desired path with a light beam of an intensity to produce a spot corresponding to the intensity and color value of the input signal, and to cause the illumination of the same location with an other light beam deflected along the same desired path during a different scan pass.
73. A system for projecting a frame of an image onto a viewing surface, comprising:
at least three modulated light beams; a scanner positioned to direct the light beams to substantially simultaneously illuminate a pattern of spots on the viewing surface, said scanner including a line scanning portion adapted to sweep the pattern of spots along at least three different desired sweep paths to substantially illuminate corresponding lines of apparent locations on the viewing surface during a scan pass, and a frame scanning portion adapted to move the pattern of spots in a direction substantially transverse of the sweep paths such that the desired sweep paths are written at different places on the viewing surface during different scan passes, wherein a substantial portion of each of a preponderance of the lines of apparent locations of said frame written during a preponderance of such scan passes is substantially overwritten by at least one other light beam during at least one other scan pass. 74. The system of claim 73 wherein a substantial portion of each line of apparent locations of such frame written during each of a preponderance of such scan passes is substantially overwritten by at least two other of said light beams during at least two other scan passes.
75. The system of claim 73 wherein said scanner is further adapted such that during each of such preponderance of scan passes at least one given line of apparent locations illuminated during such scan pass is between two lines of apparent locations adjacent to such given line that were illuminated during other scan passes.
76. The system of claim 73 or 74, wherein at least two of the light beams are each of different wavelengths, such that each line of apparent locations on the viewing surface substantially overwritten by two or more light beams having such different wavelengths exhibits a desired perceived composite color.
77. The system of claim 73 wherein the lines of apparent locations written during a plurality of scan passes are spaced one line of apparent locations apart on the viewing surface.
78. The system of claim 77 wherein the light beams and said scanner are arranged such that during a plurality of scan passes the spots of the pattern of spots are substantially aligned along a line that is substantially non-perpendicular to the scan paths on the viewing surface.
79. The system of claim 72, wherein for each of a preponderance of given sweep paths of such frame, each line of apparent locations of such frame that is most proximate to such given sweep path is not substantially illuminated by any light beam that illuminates such given sweep path during the projection of such frame.
80. A system for projecting a frame of an image onto a viewing surface, comprising:
a source of modulated light beams; a scanner positioned to simultaneously direct the light beams to illuminate a pattern of spots arranged in at least three rows of at least three spots per row on the viewing surface, said scanner including a line scanning component adapted to simultaneously sweep the plurality of light beams in a sweep direction to sweep each row of spots of the pattern of spots along a different line of desired apparent locations on the viewing surface during each of a plurality of scan passes, and a frame scanning component adapted to adjust the light beams in a direction transverse of the line direction such that each row of spots sweeps a sweep path substantially along a different line of apparent locations on the viewing surface during a plurality of such scan passes; and the source of said light beams and said scanner being configured such that during each of a preponderance of such scan passes during the projection of said frame at least one of the rows of light beams illuminates a line of apparent locations between lines of apparent locations adjacent to such given line that were illuminated by different rows of light beams during other scan passes. 81. The system of claim 79 wherein at least two of the light beams of at least one row are of substantially different wavelengths.
82. The system of claim 79 wherein the pattern of spots is arranged in at least three rows of at least four spots per row.
83. The system of claim 82 wherein at least two of the light beams of at least one row are of substantially different wavelengths.
84. The system of claim 80, 81, 82 or 83 wherein at least two of the light beams of at least one row are of substantially the same wavelength.
85. The system claimed in claim 80 wherein said scanner is further adapted to cause the illumination of at least one apparent location along the sweep path with two or more spots during the same scan pass.
86. A system for projecting a frame of an image onto a viewing surface, such image frame having lines of apparent locations extending from one edge of the frame to an other edge of the frame, and such lines of apparent locations arrayed in a direction transverse of such lines to fill the frame from an additional edge to another additional edge, comprising:
at least three modulated light beams; and a scanner positioned to direct the light beams to form spots on the viewing surface, said scanner including a line scanning portion adapted to sweep the spots substantially from before or at one edge of the frame to at or beyond another edge of the frame along at least three sweep paths substantially corresponding to such lines of desired apparent locations during each of a preponderance of scan passes during the illumination of such frame, and a frame scanning portion adapted to move the spots in a frame direction substantially transverse of the lines of apparent locations such that at least one of such spots moves from before or at a different edge of the frame to at or beyond another different edge of such frame. 87. The system of claim 86 wherein the spots swept along sweep paths during a plurality of scan passes on the viewing surface are spaced one line of apparent locations apart.
88. The system of claim 87 wherein the light beams and said scanner are arranged such that during a plurality of scan passes the spots are substantially aligned along a line that is substantially non-perpendicular to the scan paths on the viewing surface.
89. The system of claim 86 wherein said scanner is further adapted to cause the illumination of at least one apparent location along the sweep path with two or more spots during different scan passes.
90. The system claimed in claim 89 wherein said scanner is further adapted to cause the illumination of at least one apparent location along the sweep path with two or more spots during the same scan pass.
91. The system claimed in claim 86, 87, 89 or 90, further comprising input data having intensity and color values for pixels of a pixel frame, wherein each of a preponderance of such desired apparent locations is substantially illuminated with two or more of such spots during the same or different scan passes to form a desired perceived composite color spot associated with the input pixel data.
92. The system of claim 91, wherein each of said composite spots corresponds to the input pixel data for one or more of such pixels associated with one or more of said apparent locations.
93. The system of claim 91 further comprising:
a controller adapted to initiate the substantial illumination of such apparent locations on the viewing surface by sending modulation signals to the modulators for selected light beams; said controller further adapted to rearrange the input data of such pixel frame to initiate such illumination of the apparent locations on the viewing surface at the desired times to form such desired perceived composite color spots associated with the intensity and color value of the input data. 94. The system of claim 93 wherein the light beams and said scanner are arranged such that during a plurality of scan passes the spots of the pattern of spots are substantially aligned along a line that is substantially non-perpendicular to the scan paths on the viewing surface.
95. The system of claim 94 wherein said controller is further adapted to initiate the illumination of each sweep path when the scanner has moved the light beams to illuminate the apparent location of such sweep path most proximate such one edge of the frame.
96. A system for projecting a frame of an image onto a viewing surface, comprising:
at least three modulated light beams; a scanner adapted to sweep the light beams in a line direction to substantially simultaneously illuminate at least three sweep paths on the viewing surface during a scan pass and adapted to adjust the position of the light beams in a frame direction transverse of the sweep paths during a sequence of scan passes; the light beams being positioned in an array such that as said scanner sweeps the light beams along the sweep paths on the viewing surface, at least one light beam overwrites a substantial portion of a location on the viewing surface previously illuminated by another light beam during a different scan pass; a controller adapted to receive input data having intensity and color values for pixels of a pixel frame, said controller further adapted to rearrange the input data to illuminate each location of each such sweep path with a light beam modulated to project a spot having an intensity and color value corresponding to the values of the pixel data for such location on the viewing surface; and at least two of the light beams being of substantially different selected wavelengths, such that the locations on the viewing surface successively overwritten by such spots of different wavelengths exhibit desired perceived composite color spots associated with the input data for such location. 97. The system of claim 96 wherein the spot of each row of the pattern of spots swept along sweep paths during a plurality of scan passes on the viewing surface are spaced one line of apparent locations apart.
98. The system of claim 97 wherein the light beams and said scanner are arranged such that during a plurality of scan passes the spots are substantially aligned along a line that is substantially non-perpendicular to the scan paths on the viewing surface.
99. The system of claim 58, 60, 73, 86 or 96 wherein at least four of said light beams are arranged in two or more groups of at least two light beams swept along different lines of apparent locations most proximate each other during such preponderance of scan passes, with each of the light beams being of one of at least two different selected wavelengths, the wavelengths being selected so that when apparent locations of such frame are overwritten at desired intensities by two or more spots of at least two of such different selected wavelengths, desired perceived composite color spots are formed substantially at such apparent locations, and each group includes light beams of each of such different selected wavelengths.
100. The system of claim 99 wherein the effective row spacing of all the sweep paths swept by the light beams of each group is one.
101. The system of claim 99 wherein all of the light beams within each group are of substantially different wavelengths.
102. The system of claim 99 wherein each group includes the same number of spots of the same corresponding different selected wavelengths.
103. The system of claim 102 wherein all of the light beams within each group are of substantially different wavelengths.
104. The system of claim 102 wherein at least two of the light beams within each group are of substantially the same wavelength.
105. The system of claim 99, 100, 101, 102, 103 or 104, wherein each of the selected wavelengths approximates one of the primary colors.
106. The system of claim 58, 60, 73, 86 or 96 wherein at least four of said light beams are arranged in two or more groups of at least two light beams swept along different lines of apparent locations most proximate each other during such preponderance of scan passes, with each light beam being of one of at least two different selected wavelengths, the wavelengths being selected so that when apparent locations of such frame are overwritten at desired intensities by two or more spots of at least two of such different selected wavelengths, desired perceived composite color spots are formed substantially at such apparent locations, and the spots of each of such groups are of the same wavelength, and the wavelength of each group is different.
107. The system of claim 106 wherein the effective row spacing of all the sweep paths swept by the light beams of such groups is one.
108. The system of claim 106 wherein the spots of each group includes the same number of spots.
109. The system of claim 106 wherein each of the selected wavelengths approximates one of the primary colors.
110. The system of claim 106 wherein each of such groups includes at least three of said beams.
111. The system of claim 58, 60, 64, 73, 86 or 96, wherein at least three of the light beams are arranged in at least three rows of one light beam per row.
112. The system of claim 111 wherein the effective row spacing of two or more of such rows is one.
113. The system of claim 111 wherein the effective row spacing of two or more of such rows is not one.
114. The system of claim 111, wherein the light beams and said scanner are arranged such that during a plurality of scan passes the spots of the pattern of spots are substantially aligned along a line that is substantially non-perpendicular to the scan paths on the viewing surface.
115. The system of claim 58, 60, 73, 86 or 96 wherein at least three of said light beams are arranged such that when swept by said scanner during each of said preponderance of scan passes, each of at least three of said sweep paths is swept by only one of such light beams and said light beams are grouped in one group of at least three light beams swept along adjacent lines of apparent locations.
116. The system of claim 58, 60, 73, 86 or 96, wherein twelve of the light beams are arranged in twelve rows of one light beam per row.
117. The system of claim 116 wherein the effective row spacing of the sweep paths swept by all light beams is one.
118. The system of claim 73, 80, 82, 84, 86 or 96, wherein the movement of said spots by said scanner in the direction transverse of the sweep direction is substantially continuous.
119. The system of claim 58, 60, 73, 80, 82, 84, 86 or 96, wherein the scanner is a continuous raster scanner.
120. The system of claim 58, 60, 73, 86 or 96, wherein at least two of the light beams are of substantially the same wavelength.
121. The system of claim 58, 60, 73, 80, 82, 84, 86 or 96, wherein at least two of the light beams are of substantially different wavelengths.
122. The system of claim 121 wherein at least two of the different wavelengths each approximate one of the primary colors.
123. The system of claim 58, 73, 80, 84, 86 or 96, further comprising:
at least three optical fibers, each fiber adapted to emit one of said modulated light beams from an emitting end of each of said fibers. 124. The system of claim 123 wherein said emitting ends are substantially aligned along a line that is substantially non-perpendicular to the direction in which the scanner sweeps the emitted light beams.
125. The system of claim 124 wherein the spot formed by each of such light beams is in a different line of apparent locations on the viewing surface.
126. The system of claim 124 wherein the lines of apparent locations on the viewing surface illuminated during each of such plurality of scan passes are spaced one line of apparent locations apart.
127. The system of claim 123 further comprising twelve emitting ends.
128. The system of claim 123 further comprising a focusing optic positioned between the emitting ends and the scanner.
129. The system of claim 128 wherein said focusing optic causes the light beams to be substantially parallel.
130. The system of claim 128 wherein said focusing optic focuses the light beams through said scanner in a pattern of spots on the viewing surface corresponding to the configuration of the emitting ends.
131. The system of claim 58, 60, 73, 86 or 96 further comprising at least four light beams, and said scanner is adapted to sweep at least four spots of the pattern of spots along at least three sweep paths during each of a plurality of scan passes such that at least two of suc