Transflective displays with reflective polarizing transflector
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsAndrew J. Ouderkirk, Sanford Cobb, Jr., Brian D. Cull, Michael F. Weber, David L. Wortman
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Abstract
A transflector is described which increases efficiency and brightness under both ambient and supplemental lighting conditions in visual display applications. In one embodiment, the transflector includes a reflective polarizing element that reflects one polarization of light and transmits the other. In an alternate embodiment, the transflector includes a reflective polarizing element and a diffusing element such that the transflector diffusely reflects light of one polarization and transmits the other. The transflector is useful for both reflective and transflective liquid crystal displays.
Claims9
A reflective display, comprising
- a light modulator provided to selectively alter a polarization state of polarized light passing through the light modulator, the light modulator having a viewer side and a back side;
- a reflective polarizer positioned on the back side of the light modulator to reflect light having a first polarization state and to transmit light having a second polarization state;
- and
- a rear dichroic polarizer positioned between the light modulator and the reflective polarizer to allow at least a portion of light reflected by the reflective polarizer to be transmitted back through the light modulator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.