LCD Backlight Optics for Luminance Uniformity and Local Dimming

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing liquid crystal displays using high-directivity light sources like LEDs suffer from issues with luminance uniformity, which leads to ineffective control of the light sources, resulting in reduced luminance and luminance uniformity, impacting the effectiveness of local dimming control.

Innovation Solution

A liquid crystal display design incorporating a backlight with a substrate, lens member, and diffuser plate, where the lens member anisotropically diffuses light and the diffuser plate enhances luminance uniformity by controlling the distance between the lens member and diffuser plate, combined with reflectors to manage light distribution and local dimming control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If high-directivity light sources like LEDs are used in the backlight, then luminance can be increased, but luminance uniformity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveluminanceVSAvoidluminance uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a light guide plate as an intermediary component between the LED light sources and the display panel. This light guide plate diffuses the high-directivity light from LEDs to achieve uniform luminance distribution across the display area, resolving the contradiction between high luminance and luminance uniformity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes the distance parameter between the lens member and diffuser plate (0 to 72 mm) to control light distribution characteristics. By adjusting this distance parameter, the system achieves both high luminance and uniform luminance distribution simultaneously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Illumination intensity

If local dimming control is implemented, then display contrast can be improved, but luminance uniformity control becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay contrastVSAvoidluminance uniformity control
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the backlight into multiple independently controllable light emitter regions. This segmentation enables local dimming control where different zones can be adjusted independently to improve display contrast while maintaining overall luminance uniformity through coordinated control of each segment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The light guide plate serves as a mediator that distributes light from segmented LED regions uniformly across the display area. This allows local dimming control to be implemented while preventing visible non-uniformity, as the light guide plate blends the light from different controlled zones

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 achieves higher luminance and luminance uniformity, enabling effective local dimming control and improved display performance, particularly in virtual image display devices like head-up displays.

Implementation Method 1

The lens member is configured to anisotropically diffuse light emitted from the backlight

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAnisotropic diffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 2

The diffuser plate is configured to diffuse the light emitted from the lens member

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Data Source

PatentEP4668008A1Liquid crystal display device and virtual image display device
Publication Date: 2025.12.24 KYOCERA CORP
  • EP4668008A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4668008A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4668008A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6A

AI summary

A liquid crystal display includes a backlight, a lens member, a diffuser plate, and a liquid crystal panel. The backlight includes a substrate including a first surface and a plurality of light emitters located on the first surface. The lens member is configured to anisotropically diffuse light emitted from the backlight. The diffuser plate is configured to diffuse the light emitted from the lens member. The liquid crystal panel is configured to receive the light emitted from the diffuser plate. The lens member and the diffuser plate are at a distance of 0 to 72 mm inclusive.