Multimedia Projectors

A Multimedia Projector Optical System Offering Compact Size and High Image Quality

Canon mounts its own reflective liquid crystal panels, LCOS (Liquid Crystal On Silicon) in its multimedia projector image display devices.*1 LCOS panels are the ideal type of reflective liquid crystal panel for displaying high-resolution images, but they must be used with a polarization beam splitter (PBS). However, it is difficult to achieve brightness in a compact body design when using LCOS and PBS together. Canon took on the challenge of solving this problem by developing the unique Aspectual Illumination System (AISYS) optical system.

• *1

  Image display devices
  Liquid crystal panels can be either transmissive or reflective. Since drive circuits lie between the pixels on transmissive panels, the non-transmissive parts create a grid-like pattern in the projected image. With reflective panels, the drive circuits are behind the pixels, enabling the panel to project a smooth, seamless image.

• *2

  Light leakage
  The leakage of light onto the image surface when displaying black.
  In LCOS panels and the PBS, light beams entering at a high angle of incidence results in light leakage and reduced contrast.

• *3

  Fly-eye lens
  A lens composed of multiple single lenses packed closely together, both vertically and horizontally, resembling a fly's eye.