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US 7,057,681 B2Granted
Liquid crystal display with mirror mode having top reflective polarizer
AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation
InventorsShoji Hinata, Tsuyoshi Maeda
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a display device 100, a reflective polarizer 110, a polarizer 120, a retarder 130, a liquid crystal panel 140, a polarizer 150, and a backlight 160 are disposed sequentially from the viewing side. When the liquid crystal panel 140 is set in a light blocking state or the backlight 160 is set in an unlit state, the reflection of an outside light “O” turns the display screen into a mirror state. When the backlight 160 is set in a lit state to drive the liquid crystal panel 140, a transmitted light “T” allows a particular display screen to be visually recognized.
Claims34
A display device comprising:
- a display unit including:
- a first polarized light selecting unit on a viewing side thereof, the first polarized light selecting unit transmitting a first polarized light and reflecting a second polarized light having a polarization axis crossing a polarization axis of the first polarized light;
- a transmitting polarization axis varying unit;
- a second polarized light selecting unit disposed between the first polarized light selecting unit and the transmitting polarization axis varying unit, the second polarized light selecting unit transmitting the first polarized light and absorbing the second polarized light;
- and
- a third polarized light selecting unit disposed on a backside of the transmitting polarization axis varying unit, the third polarized light selecting unit transmits a third polarized light and absorbs a fourth polarized light having a polarization axis crossing a polarization axis of the third polarized light;
- wherein no other transmitting polarization axis varying unit is disposed on the viewing side of the first polarized light selecting unit.
4 more elements
A display device having a transmitting polarization axis varying unit, the display device including:
- a first polarized light selecting unit disposed on a viewing side of the transmitting polarization axis varying unit;
- and
- a second polarized light selecting unit disposed on a backside of the transmitting polarization axis varying unit,
- wherein the first polarized light selecting unit transmits a first polarized light and reflects a second polarized light having a polarization axis crossing a polarization axis of the first polarized light,
- the second polarized light selecting unit transmits a third polarized light and one of absorbs and reflects a fourth polarized light having a polarization axis crossing a polarization axis of the third polarized light, and
- the transmitting polarization axis varying unit converts at least a part of the third polarized light to the first polarized light;
- wherein a third polarized light selecting unit adapted to transmit the first polarized light and to absorb the second polarized light is disposed between the first polarized light selecting unit and the transmitting polarization axis varying unit;
- wherein no other transmitting polarization axis varying unit is disposed on the viewing side of the first polarized light selecting unit.
5 more elements
An electronic device comprising:
- a display unit that includes:
- a first polarized light selecting unit adapted to transmit a first polarized light and to reflect a second polarized light having a polarization axis crossing a polarization axis of the first polarized light on a viewing side thereof;
- a transmitting polarization axis varying unit;
- and
- a second polarized light selecting unit disposed between the first polarized light selecting unit and the transmitting polarization axis varying unit, the second polarized light selecting unit transmitting the first polarized light and absorbing the second polarized light;
- and
- a third polarized light selecting unit disposed on a backside of the transmitting polarization axis varying unit, the third polarized light selecting unit transmits a third polarized light and one of absorbs and reflects a fourth polarized light having a polarization axis crossing a polarization axis of the third polarized light;
- wherein the transmitting polarization axis varying unit converts at least a part of the third polarized light to the first polarized light;
- and
- wherein no other transmitting polarization axis varying unit is disposed on the viewing side of the first polarized light selecting unit.
7 more elements
A display device comprising:
- an electro-optical panel;
- a first polarizer on one side of the electro-optical panel that one of reflects and absorbs light;
- a reflective polarizer on the other side of the electro-optical panel;
- and
- a second polarizer disposed between the reflective polarizer and the electro-optical panel that absorbs light;
- wherein the reflective polarizer transmits a first polarized light and reflects a second polarized light that has a polarization axis that crosses a polarization axis of the first polarized light;
- the second polarizer transmits the first polarized light and absorbs the second polarized light;
- the first polarizer transmits a third polarized light and one of absorbs and reflects a fourth polarized light having a polarization axis crossing a polarization axis of the third polarized light;
- and
- the electro-optic panel converts at least a part of the third polarized light to the first polarized light;
- wherein no other electro-optical panel is disposed on the viewing side of the reflective polarizer.
8 more elements
A display device comprising:
- a transmitting polarization axis varying unit;
- a first polarized light selecting unit on a viewing side of the transmitting polarization axis varying unit, the first polarized light selecting unit transmitting a first polarized light and reflecting a second polarized light having a polarization axis crossing a polarization axis of the first polarized light;
- a second polarized light selecting unit disposed on a backside of the transmitting polarization axis varying unit, the second polarized light selecting unit transmits a third polarized light and absorbs a fourth polarized light having a polarization axis crossing a polarization axis of the third polarized light;
- and
- a lighting unit disposed on a backside of the second polarized light selecting unit, the lighting unit emitting light to the viewing side;
- wherein the transmitting polarization axis varying unit converts at least a part of the third polarized light to the first polarized light;
- the display device switches between a display mode, in which a display light is emitted from the transmitting polarization axis varying unit, and a mirror mode, in which the lighting unit is set in an off state or/and the transmitting polarization axis varying unit is set in a light blocking state;
- and
- no other transmitting polarization axis varying unit is disposed on the viewing side of the first polarized light selecting unit.
6 more elements
A display device comprising:
- a transmitting polarization axis varying unit;
- a first polarized light selecting unit on a viewing side of a transmitting polarization axis varying unit, the first polarized light selecting unit transmitting a first polarized light and reflecting a second polarized light having a polarization axis crossing a polarization axis of the first polarized light;
- a second polarized light selecting unit disposed on a backside of the transmitting polarization axis varying unit, the second polarized light selecting unit transmits a third polarized light and one of absorbs and or reflects a fourth polarized light having a polarization axis crossing a polarization axis of the third polarized light;
- a third polarized light selecting unit disposed between the first polarized light selecting unit and the transmitting polarization axis varying unit, the third polarized light selecting unit transmits the first polarized light and absorbs the second polarized light;
- and
- a lighting unit disposed on a backside of the second polarized light selecting unit, the lighting unit emitting light to the viewing side;
- wherein the transmitting polarization axis varying unit converts at least a part of the third polarized light to the first polarized light;
- the display device switches between a display mode, in which a display light is emitted from the transmitting polarization axis varying unit, and a mirror mode, in which the lighting unit is set in an off state;
- wherein an emission angle distribution of luminous light of the lighting unit in the display mode includes a greatest light amount emitting in a direction orthogonal to the display screen;
- and
- wherein no other transmitting polarization axis varying unit is disposed on the viewing side of the first polarized light selecting unit.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.