Patent ID: 8052286

Claim:
A method for utilizing a scanning beam to display an image, comprising: generating a first beam that illuminates a first portion of an active area of a spatial light modulator, the spatial light modulator having a first dimension of a first length and a second dimension of a second length, the first beam spanning a portion of the first length of the first dimension and a portion of the second length of the second dimension; generating a second beam that illuminates a second portion of the active area of the spatial light modulator, the second beam spanning a portion of the first length of the first dimension and a portion of the second length of the second dimension; generating a third beam that illuminates a third portion of the active area of the spatial light modulator, the third beam spanning a portion of the first length of the first dimension and a portion of the second length of the second dimension; scrolling the first, second and third beams along the second dimension of the spatial light modulator while maintaining at least a first gap between each of the first, second and third beams; upon the first beam scrolling off a first overscan area of the spatial light modulator that is outside of the active area, continuing to scroll the first beam onto a second overscan area of the spatial light modulator that is outside of the active area such that as the portion of the first beam within the first overscan area decreases the portion of the first beam within the second overscan area increases; upon the second beam scrolling off a first overscan area of the spatial light modulator that is outside of the active area, continuing to scroll the second beam onto a second overscan area of the spatial light modulator that is outside of the active area such that as the portion of the second beam within the first overscan area decreases the portion of the second beam within the second overscan area increases; and upon the third beam scrolling off a first overscan area of the spatial light modulator that is outside of the active area, continuing to scroll the third beam onto a second overscan area of the spatial light modulator that is outside of the active area such that as the portion of the third beam within the first overscan area decreases the portion of the third beam within the second overscan area increases.