# US 2019/0317346 A1 · Thin two-dimensional dimming backlight with low zone visibility > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0317346 A1 - Document ID: US20190317346A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/951,297 - Filed: 2018-04-12 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-12 - Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: David James Montgomery; Hywel Hopkin; Jiyun Yu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190317346A1 ## CPC - G02F 1/134309: {characterised by their geometrical arrangement} - G02F 1/134336: {Matrix} - G02F 1/1347: Arrangement of liquid crystal layers or cells in which the final condition of one light beam is achieved by the addition of the effects of two or more layers or cells - G02B 6/0053: {Prismatic sheet or layer; Brightness enhancement element, sheet or layer} - G02B 6/0055: {Reflecting element, sheet or layer} - G02F 1/133601: {for spatial active dimming} - G02F 2201/122: having a particular pattern - G02F 2201/40: Arrangements for improving the aperture ratio - 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 - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract A passive matrix display has corrugated electrode edges to reduce zone visibility within a display system. A passive matrix display includes a first substrate and a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer positioned between the first and second substrates; a patterned electrode layer formed on the first substrate comprising a plurality of individual electrodes, wherein adjacent individual electrodes are separated by an electrode gap; and a second electrode layer formed on the second substrate. At least a portion of opposing edges of adjacent individual electrodes at the electrode gap include corrugations. The elements of the corrugations may be any suitable shapes and/or sizes as may be suitable for any particular application. The corrugations may be uniformly shaped or varying, symmetric or asymmetric about a horizontal axis, and/or may have a regular or irregular pattern. Another aspect is a display system including the enhanced passive matrix display that reduces zone visibility. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A passive matrix display comprising: a first substrate and a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate; a patterned electrode layer formed on the first substrate comprising a plurality of individual electrodes, wherein adjacent individual electrodes are separated by an electrode gap; and a second electrode layer formed on the second substrate; wherein at least a portion of opposing edges of adjacent individual electrodes at the electrode gap include corrugations; and wherein the corrugations are included on all edges of at least a portion of the plurality of the individual electrodes, and corrugations of a first individual electrode tesselate with corrugations of a second adjacent individual electrode along the electrode gap. ### Claim 2 (canceled) ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The passive matrix display of claim 1, wherein elements of the corrugations have a same shape. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The passive matrix display of claim 1, wherein elements of the corrugations have a same size. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The passive matrix display of claim 1, wherein elements of the corrugations are different shapes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The passive matrix display of claim 1, wherein elements of the corrugations are different sizes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The passive matrix display of claim 1, wherein the corrugations are symmetric about a horizontal axis. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The passive matrix display of claim 1, wherein the corrugations are asymmetric about a horizontal axis. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The passive matrix display of claim 1, wherein the corrugations have a regular pattern. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The passive matrix display of claim 1, wherein the corrugations have an irregular pattern. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The passive matrix display of claim 10, wherein a random shape line of positioning of the corrugations is implemented such that a probability that the line is away from a horizontal axis of the corrugations follows a probability distribution comprising one of a Poisson, Normal, or Gaussian distribution. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The passive matrix display of claim 1, wherein the second electrode layer comprises a common electrode. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The passive matrix display of claim 1, wherein the first substrate with the patterned electrode layer is on a viewing side relative to the LC layer, and the second substrate with the second electrode layer is on a non-viewing side relative to the LC layer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The passive matrix display of claim 1, wherein the LC layer is a pixelated LC layer. ### Claim 15 A display system comprising: a backlight, a main liquid crystal display; and a passive matrix display located between the backlight and the main liquid crystal display, wherein the backlight is on a non-viewing side and the main liquid crystal display is on a viewing side relative to the passive matrix display; the passive matrix display comprising: a first substrate and a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate; a patterned electrode layer formed on the first substrate comprising a plurality of individual electrodes, wherein adjacent individual electrodes are separated by an electrode gap; and a second electrode layer formed on the second substrate; wherein at least a portion of opposing edges of adjacent individual electrodes at the electrode gap include corrugations; and wherein the corrugations are included on all edges of at least a portion of the plurality of the individual electrodes, and corrugations of a first individual electrode tesselate with corrugations of a second adjacent individual electrode along the electrode gap. ### Claim 16 (canceled) ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The display system of claim 15, wherein the main liquid crystal display includes a front polarizer and a rear polarizer, and the passive matrix display is located between the rear polarizer and the backlight. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The display system of claim 17, further comprising another polarizer on a viewing side of the backlight, and the passive matrix display is located between the another polarizer and the rear polarizer of the main liquid crystal display. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The display system of claim 15, wherein the first substrate of the passive matrix display with the patterned electrode layer is on a viewing side relative to the LC layer of the passive matrix display, and the second substrate of the passive matrix display with the second electrode layer is on a non-viewing side of the passive matrix display relative to the LC layer of the passive matrix display. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The display system of claim 15, wherein the LC layer of the passive matrix display is a pixelated LC layer.