Patent ID: 8905578

Claim:
An optical device for providing illumination from a plurality of light sources to a pupil of an optical system, the optical device comprising: a plurality of optical beam combiners disposed as an array, wherein the array comprises: a plurality of rows formed of optical beam combiners disposed in a row direction, wherein each row of optical beam combiners is staggered in a first direction toward the pupil such that, within each row, each successive beam combiner is offset toward the pupil with respect to the previous beam combiner; and a plurality of columns formed of optical beam combiners disposed in a column direction, wherein each column of optical beam combiners is staggered in the first direction toward the pupil such that, within each column, each successive beam combiner is offset toward the pupil with respect to the previous beam combiner; wherein the row direction and the column direction are different and define a two-dimensional plane, wherein the first direction is not parallel to the two-dimensional plane, wherein each optical beam combiner comprises: a first reflective surface operable to reflect a respective first light beam incident in a second direction into the first direction, the second direction being in the row direction; and a second reflective surface operable to reflect a respective second light beam incident in a third direction into the first direction, the third direction opposing the second direction; a third reflective surface operable to reflect a respective third light beam incident in a fourth direction into the first direction, the fourth direction being in the column direction; and a fourth reflective surface operable to reflect a respective fourth light beam incident in a fifth direction into the first direction, the fifth direction opposing the fourth direction; a plurality of first light sources, each first light source operable to emit a respective first light beam for a respective first surface; a plurality of second light sources, each second light source emit to provide a respective second light beam for a respective second surface; a plurality of third light sources, each third light source operable to emit a respective third light beam for a respective third surface; and a plurality of fourth light sources, each fourth light source operable to emit a respective fourth light beam for a respective fourth surface.