Optical device and system for privacy or contrast enhancement and methods of use thereof
AssigneeReflexite Corporation
InventorsMichael F. Foley, James F. Munro
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to an optical device for privacy or contrast enhancement of a viewing display. Also disclosed are a system including the optical device and methods of improving privacy or contrast of a viewing display, such as a plasma display panel, a liquid crystal display panel, an inorganic light emitting diode display panel, or an organic light emitting diode display panel.
Claims55
An optical device having first and second opposing surfaces, wherein the optical device comprises a first portion having a first plurality of transparent protrusions extending from the first surface and a second portion having a second plurality of transparent protrusions extending from the second surface, wherein the first plurality of transparent protrusions directly engage to mate and self-align with the second plurality of transparent protrusions to form a plurality of spaced openings, said openings being at least partially filled with an opaque material and positioned to create alternating opaque and transparent sections.
A system comprising:
- an optical device having first and second opposing surfaces, wherein the optical device comprises a first portion having a first plurality of transparent protrusions extending from the first surface and a second portion having a second plurality of transparent protrusions extending from the second surface, wherein the first plurality of transparent protrusions directly engage to mate and self-align with the second plurality of transparent protrusions to form a plurality of spaced openings, said openings being at least partially filled with an opaque material and positioned to create alternating opaque and transparent sections;
- and
- a viewing display, wherein the second surface of the optical device is proximate at least a portion of the viewing display.
A method for improving privacy or contrast of viewing display comprising:
- providing an optical device having first and second opposing surfaces, wherein the optical device comprises a first portion having a first plurality of transparent protrusions extending from the first surface and a second portion having a second plurality of transparent protrusions extending from the second surface, wherein the first plurality of transparent protrusions directly engage to mate and self-align with the second plurality of transparent protrusions form a plurality of spaced openings, said openings being at least partially filled with an opaque material and positioned to create alternating opaque and transparent sections;
- and
- positioning at least a portion of the second surface of the optical device proximate at least a portion of an output surface of a viewing display, wherein a portion of ambient light is absorbed by the optical device before reaching the viewing display and a portion of ambient light reflected from the viewing display is absorbed by the optical device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.