Collimated Backlight with Absorption Collimator for Multiview Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Passive electronic displays, such as LCDs and EP displays, face limitations in practical applications due to their inability to emit light, which restricts their use in various applications where active light emission is required.
Innovation Solution
A collimated backlight system with an angle-preserving scattering feature and an absorption collimator is employed to provide emitted light with multiple principal angular directions, suitable for multiview displays, and narrow-angle emitted light for privacy displays, ensuring uniform illumination and controlled viewing angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If passive displays (LCDs, EP displays) are used, then power consumption is reduced, but light emission capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines passive display technology with an integrated backlight unit into a hybrid display system. The passive display panel maintains its low power consumption characteristics while the added backlight unit provides active light emission capability, allowing the display to function in both powered and unpowered states.
Solution Approach 2:
The display system is designed to perform multiple functions: it can operate as a traditional passive display when power is unavailable, and as an active light-emitting display when power is available. The backlight unit can be selectively activated or deactivated based on application requirements.
2Illumination intensity
If conventional backlight units are used, then light emission is achieved, but viewing angle control is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates viewing angle control filters within the backlight unit that selectively control light transmission in different angular directions. These filters create zones with different optical properties, allowing the display to provide wide viewing angles in certain directions while maintaining privacy in others.
Solution Approach 2:
The viewing angle control filters act as intermediary elements between the light source and the display panel. These filters modulate the light before it reaches the display content, enabling angular control without affecting the display's primary function.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiview display functionality is added, then multiple viewing perspectives are enabled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiview functionality directly into the backlight unit rather than adding separate optical elements in front of the display. The backlight contains multiple light sources or light guiding structures that generate multiple viewing angles simultaneously, merging the illumination function with the multiview function into a single integrated component.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables multiview displays to provide multiple perspectives with uniform illumination and privacy displays to limit viewing angles, enhancing their practicality and usability in various applications.
Implementation Method 1
an absorption collimator configured to convert light from the light source to collimated light within the light guide
Implementation Method 2
an angle-preserving scattering feature configured to scatter light while preserving an angular distribution of the collimated light
Data Source
AI summary
A collimated backlight and an electronic display employ a light guide having angle-preserving scattering feature and an absorption collimator. The angle-preserving scattering feature is configured to scatter a portion of guided light out of the light guide as emitted light. The absorption collimator includes an absorption element and is configured to convert light provided by a light source into collimated light to be guided as the guided light. The electronic display includes an array of light valves and may be configured as a multiview display or a privacy display.