Reflective display system with enhanced color gamut

Abstract

A display system includes a reflective display panel and a light source tailored to enhance the color gamut of the system. The panel, which may be a Cholesteric liquid crystal display panel, includes an array of reflective pixels, each pixel comprising a first, second, and third subpixel of different first, second, and third colors. The light source illuminates a front of the display panel with source light to enable observers to view images formed by the panel. The light source includes a lamp and an enhancing element. The lamp, which may be a metal halide lamp, emits lamp light that includes the first, second, and third colors. The enhancing element may be an optical filter, a supplemental LED light source or other light source, or both. The enhancing element enhances the system color gamut, for example, by increasing the color gamut area relative to illumination with the lamp alone.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 12 / 685,330, filed Jan. 11, 2010, now pending, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates generally to display systems, with particular application to reflective display systems in which the display is illuminated from the front. The invention also relates to associated articles, systems, and methods.BACKGROUND[0003]Display systems of various types are known. Many such systems utilize a display panel that must be backlit with a large area backlight in order for the user to perceive the image generated by the display panel. Such systems are popular in display screens for laptop computers, mobile communication devices, and similar electronic devices. The backlight, which may include one or more diffusing film, reflecting film, prismatic film, light guide, and light source, for example, emits white...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a display system that uses a reflective display panel and a special light source to enhance the color range of the system. The panel has pixels that produce different colors, and the light source illuminates the front of the display with a combination of light from a lamp and a special filter or LED to enhance the color range and make it brighter. This creates a more vivid and accurate colors on the screen.

Problems solved by technology

We have found that the performance of reflective display systems can be disappointing in some respects depending on the combination of components selected for the various system functions.

Images