APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING ENHANCED CONTRAST IN PROJECTED IMAGES USING DIGITAL MICROMIRROR DEVICES

摘要

A system for projecting digital images of ultraviolet, visible, and infrared scenes in which two or more digital micromirror devices (DMDs) are employed to create projected images which have greater contrast and bit depth than can be achieved with comparable prior art devices. A source DMD creates an image of the digital scene which is used to illuminate a projector DMD, so that the projector DMD is illuminated to an extent proportionate to the corresponding scene brightness, thereby reducing the amount of undesired radiation which would otherwise illuminate the projected scene via scattering, diffraction, and/or spurious reflections from within the projection system. By including dichroic beam-splitters and additional projector DMDs it is possible to project multi-spectral-band images having enhanced contrast and bit depth relative to prior art digital projection systems.