# US 11,994,765 B2 · Display with polarization dependent diffusive properties > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,994,765 B2 - Document ID: US11994765B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/072,078 - Filed: 2022-11-30 - Published: 2023-06-01 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2021-12-01 - Assignees: New Vision Display, Inc. - Applicants: New Vision Display, Inc. - Inventors: Guy P. Bryan-Brown; Richard M. Amos; Emma L. Graham; Matthias T. Pfeiffer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11994765B2 ## CPC - G02F 1/133536: {Reflective polarizers (G02F1/13362 takes precedence)} - G02F 1/133504: {Diffusing, scattering, diffracting elements (associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133606)} - G02F 1/133553: {Reflecting elements (associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133605)} - G02F 1/1391: {Bistable or multi-stable liquid crystal cells (G02F1/141 takes precedence)} - G02F 1/133548: {Wire-grid polarisers} - G02F 2203/02: reflective - G02F 2203/07: Polarisation dependent - G02F 2203/11: involving infrared radiation - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS ## Abstract Systems, apparatuses, and methods for an electronic display are disclosed. More specifically, the invention and disclosure relates to an electronic display that has a diffuse, paper-like reflectance characteristic for visible light, while being retroreflective and non-diffuse for infrared light, for easy image detection and analysis with infrared cameras, while preserving viewing properties of an electronic paper display for humans. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic display that is diffuse reflective to visible light and non-diffuse retro-reflective to infrared light comprising: a plurality of optical layers, the plurality of optical layers comprising: a front polarizer for polarizing visible light incident on the electronic display and for polarizing infrared light incident on the electronic display; a liquid crystal layer comprising a plurality of liquid crystals, wherein: the liquid crystal layer introduces a plurality of retardation levels in the visible light; and the liquid crystal layer introduces a plurality of retardation levels in the infrared light; a transmissive diffuser layer, wherein: the transmissive diffuser layer diffuses visible light having a first polarization and diffuses infrared light having the first polarization; the transmissive diffuser layer does not substantially diffuse visible light having a second polarization and does not substantially diffuse infrared light having the second polarization; and the second polarization is substantially orthogonal to the first polarization; a reflective rear polarizer for transmitting the first polarization and reflecting the second polarization; an absorption layer; wherein: the absorption layer is transparent to infrared light; and the absorption layer is opaque to visible light; and a retroreflecting layer; wherein the retroreflecting layer reflects visible light and reflects infrared light. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electronic display of claim 1 wherein: the visible light has a spectral range of greater than or equal to 400 nanometers and less than or equal to 700 nanometers; and the infrared light has a spectral range of greater than or equal to 700 nanometers and less than or equal to 1100 nanometers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electronic display of claim 1, wherein the front polarizer further comprises: a visible light absorbing polarizer; a visible infrared reflective transmissive polarizer; and wherein the visible light absorbing polarizer is located in front of the visible infrared reflective transmissive polarizer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electronic display of claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal layer operates using a monostable mode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electronic display of claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal layer operates using a bistable mode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electronic display of claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal layer operates using a multistable mode. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electronic display of claim 1, wherein the absorption layer contains a dye that is opaque to visible light. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electronic display of claim 1, wherein the absorption layer comprises an absorbing polarizer, and wherein the absorbing polarizer is oriented with a transmission axis orthogonal to a transmission axis of the reflective rear polarizer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electronic display of claim 1, wherein the retroreflecting layer further comprises a plurality of dielectric stacks. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The electronic display of claim 1, wherein the retroreflecting layer comprises a plurality of corner-cube reflectors with total internal reflection. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The electronic display of claim 1, wherein the retroreflecting layer comprises a plurality of corner-cube reflectors with mirrored surfaces. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The electronic display of claim 1, wherein the retroreflecting layer comprises a plurality of microsphere reflectors with total internal reflection. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The electronic display of claim 1, wherein the retroreflecting layer comprises a plurality of microsphere reflector with mirrored surfaces. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The electronic display of claim 1, wherein the retroreflecting layer comprises a plurality of hemisphere reflectors employing total internal reflection. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The electronic display of claim 1, wherein the retroreflecting layer comprises a plurality of hemisphere reflectors with mirrored surfaces. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The electronic display of claim 1, wherein: the front polarizer is a visible light polarizer; the reflective rear polarizer is a visible light polarizer; and the electronic display is illuminated with a polarized light from an automatic license plate recognition system.