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US 8,284,476 B2Granted
Backlight utilizing desiccant light turning array
AssigneeQUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
InventorJonathan Charles Griffiths
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An interferometric display comprises a backlight with light extraction features formed from a desiccant material within the display. A light source is positioned at one or more edges or corners of the back glass, and the desiccant based features patterned in or on the back glass remove unwanted moisture and create uniform light extraction from the back glass.
Claims21
An apparatus, comprising:
- an optical waveguide;
- a light source configured to provide light to the optical waveguide;
- desiccant material disposed upon and/or in the optical waveguide and configured to extract light from the optical waveguide;
- and
- an array of interferometric light modulators, wherein the desiccant material is further configured to provide at least some light extracted from the optical waveguide to the array of interferometric light modulators.
2 more elements
A display apparatus, comprising:
- a first substantially transparent substrate disposed at a front side of the display;
- an array of interferometric modulation elements disposed on the first substantially transparent substrate, the interferometric modulation elements including two layers that define a cavity, a first layer being movable relative to a second layer through a range of positions, the layers causing the cavity to operate interferometrically in at least one of the positions, producing an optical response to visible light;
- a plurality of electrodes configured for conducting electrical signals to the array of interferometric modulation elements;
- control circuitry configured to apply electrical signals for controlling the array of interferometric modulation elements via the plurality of electrodes;
- a second substrate disposed at a back portion of the display;
- a light source located at an edge of the second substrate;
- and
- a plurality of light turning features upon and/or in the second substrate, the light turning features formed of a desiccant and arranged upon and/or in the second substrate so as to act as a light guide and transmit the light received at the edge away from a face of the substrate and towards the array of interferometric modulation elements.
5 more elements
A method of making an interferometric display, comprising:
- providing a first substantially transparent substrate disposed at a front side of the display;
- providing an array of interferometric modulation elements disposed on the first substantially transparent substrate, the interferometric modulation elements including two layers that define a cavity, a first layer being movable relative to a second layer through a range of positions, the layers causing the cavity to operate interferometrically in at least one of the positions, producing an optical response to visible light;
- providing a plurality of electrodes configured for conducting electrical signals to the array of interferometric modulation elements;
- providing control circuitry configured to apply electrical signals for controlling the array of interferometric modulation elements via the plurality of electrodes;
- providing a second substrate disposed at a back portion of the display;
- providing a light source located at an edge of the second substrate;
- and
- providing a desiccant upon and/or in the second substrate, the desiccant arranged upon and/or in the second substrate so as to act as a light guide and transmit the light received at the edge away from a face of the substrate and towards the array of interferometric modulation elements.
5 more elements
A display apparatus, comprising:
- a first substantially transparent substrate disposed at a front side of the display;
- an array of interferometric modulation elements disposed on the first substantially transparent substrate, the interferometric modulation elements including two layers that define a cavity, a first layer being movable relative to a second layer through a range of positions, the layers causing the cavity to operate interferometrically in at least one of the positions, producing an optical response to visible light;
- a plurality of electrodes configured for conducting electrical signals to the array of interferometric modulation elements;
- control circuitry configured to apply electrical signals for controlling the array of interferometric modulation elements via the plurality of electrodes;
- a second substrate disposed at a back portion of the display;
- means for removing moisture within the display apparatus, the means for removing moisture configured to extract light from a light guide and direct the light towards the array of interferometric modulation elements.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.