Zonal illumination with photonic circuits for displays

A method comprising:

• transmitting light through an active photonic circuit comprising optical switches and having a plurality of light outputs;
• using a passive photonic circuit, receiving the plurality of light outputs from the active photonic circuit and illuminating zones of a display;
• and
• using a control circuit, controlling the optical switches so that each zone of the zones of the display is illuminated with an intensity based on a content shown by the zone of the display, and scanning light through illumination zones of the display so that a single illumination zone at a time is illuminated, the scan being time synchronized with a raster scan.

A system comprising:

• a display comprising at least one of a reflective display and a transmissive display;
• an active photonic circuit comprising optical switches;
• a passive photonic circuit configured to receive light from the active photonic circuit and direct the light towards the display;
• and
• a control circuit configured to control the optical switches so that an illumination zone of the display is illuminated with a light intensity based on a displayed content shown within the illumination zone, and to scan light through illumination zones of the display so that a single illumination zone at a time is illuminated, the scan being time synchronized with a raster scan.