Video projector and optical light valve therefor

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a linear, reflective, array which is used with an illumination system and an optical scanning projection system to form a video projector having substantially higher resolution than other projectors presently on the market.
This projector is particularly useful in flight simulator visual systems.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved reflective type MEM light valve.
This light valve is preferably embodied in a linear array of individually addressable elements, scanned optically in the orthogonal direction to the array, to form a two-dimensional image.
To accomplish the foregoing and other objects features and advantages of the invention, in accordance with the invention there is provided a video projector apparatus that comprises a linear array of digitally and individually addressable reflective active elements, an optical system including a light source and providing a linear light pattern focused on said linear array and from which is created an image of the linear array, an optical scanning system for receiving the image of the linear array including a scanning member that successively scans said array to provide a two-dimensional image, and a projection system receiving said two-dimensional image and including a screen upon which the two-dimensional image is displayed.
More particularly, the two-dimensional image may have its width proportional to the length of the linear array and its height proportional to a scanning range of the scanning member.
The optical system may further comprise a mirror for directing the linear light pattern on to the linear array.
Each active element has an "on" state and an "off" state.
For the "off" state of the active element substantially all light reflected from the active element is directed toward said optical system and reflected from the mirror.
For the "on" state of the active element part of the light reflected from the active element bypasses the mirror to define a pixel of the image, having a given brightness