Backlighting transmissive displays
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsGary Timothy Boyd, Leland Ray Whitney, Richard A. Miller, Keith Michael Kotchick
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A backlight assembly for use in a transmissive display system is described. The backlight assembly includes a light source that illuminates a light chamber. A transmissive display is positioned adjacent the light chamber so that light that exits the chamber illuminates the transmissive display. The backlight assembly may include one or more specular reflectors and one or more other optical elements to ensure that the light that exits the light chamber has the desired spatial uniformity, polarization, color, and/or angular distribution
Claims29
A backlight assembly for a transmissive display device comprising:
- a light chamber;
- a light source that emits light into the light chamber;
- a first conditioner disposed between the light source and the light chamber, wherein the first conditioner alters light entering the light chamber and wherein the first conditioner includes a horn shaped cavity formed with a hole on a first side of the cavity, wherein light from the light source enters the cavity trough the hole;
- a reflector within the light chamber that reflects light altered by the first conditioner;
- and
- a second conditioner that alters light reflected by the reflector, wherein light exists the light chamber through the second conditioner.
A transmissive display system comprising:
- a backlight assembly including:
- a light chamber,
- a light source that emits light into the light chamber,
- a first conditioner disposed between the light source and the light chamber that alters light that enters the light chamber, wherein the first conditioner includes a horn shaved cavity formed with a hole on a first side of the cavity, wherein light from the light source enters the cavity though the hole,
- a reflector within the light chamber that reflects the light altered by the first conditioner, and
- a second conditioner that alters light reflected by the reflector;
- and
- a display adjacent the second conditioner.
A backlight assembly for a transmissive display comprising:
- a light chamber,
- a light source means adjacent the light chamber for emitting light into the light chamber,
- a first conditioning means for altering light that enters the light chamber wherein the first conditioning means includes a horn shaped cavity formed with a hole on a first side of the cavity, wherein light from the light source enters the cavity through the hole,
- a reflecting means within the light chamber for reflecting light altered by the first conditioner, and
- a second conditioning means for altering light reflected by the reflector means, wherein light exists the light chamber through the second conditioning means.
A backlight assembly for a transmissive display comprising:
- a light chamber;
- at least one light emitting diode that emits light into the light chamber;
- a first conditioner disposed between the light source and the light chamber, wherein the first conditioner includes a horn shaped cavity formed with a hole on a first side of the cavity, wherein light from the light source enters the cavity through the hole, and wherein the first conditioner includes a first diffuser film positioned on a second side of the cavity, wherein the second side is opposite the first side,
- a specular reflector within the light chamber that reflects light altered by the first conditioner;
- and
- a second conditioner that alters light reflected by the reflector, wherein the second conditioner includes a Fresnel lens, a prismatic film, a second diffuser film, a reflective polarizer, and a polarizer.
A backlight assembly for a transmissive display device comprising:
- a light chamber;
- a light source that emits light into the light chamber;
- a first conditioner disposed between the light source and the light chamber, wherein the first conditioner alters light entering the light chamber;
- a reflector within the light chamber that reflects light altered by to first conditioning;
- and
- a second conditioner that alters light reflected by the reflector, wherein light exists the light chamber through the second conditioner, and wherein the second conditioner includes a reflective polarizer to reflect light having undesired polarization back into the chamber.
A transmissive display system comprising:
- a backlight assembly including:
- a light chamber,
- a light source that emits light into the light chamber,
- a first conditioner disposed between the light source and the light chamber that alters light that enters the light chamber,
- a reflector within the light chamber that reflects the light altered by the first conditioner, and
- a second conditioner that alters light reflected by the reflector, wherein the second conditioner includes a reflective polarizer to reflect light having undesired polarization back into the chamber;
- and
- a display adjacent the second conditioner.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.