Display device with lens array or parallax barrier that switches between narrow view mode and wide view mode

A display device comprising:

• a display panel including a plurality of pixel groups which display respective images independently of each other,
• wherein each one of the pixel groups includes a plurality of pixels, and
• a lens array with an array of repetitively arranged lenses which limit view ranges of images displayed respectively by said pixel groups,
• wherein each one of the view ranges corresponds to a respective pixel group and comprises:
• an overlap area, in which the respective one of the view ranges overlaps with another one of the view ranges;
• and
• a non-overlap area, in which the respective one of the view ranges does not overlap with the another one of the view ranges;
• wherein said display device is selectively operable in:
• a first display mode in which a significant image is recognizable when images displayed respectively by said pixel groups are simultaneously observed in said overlap area, and in which a significant image is unrecognizable when the images displayed respectively by said pixel groups are observed individually in the view ranges except for said overlap area, respectively, wherein each of said pixel groups displays one of a plurality of image segments produced by dividing the significant image by the number of said pixel groups, and the significant image is recognizable upon combination of all the plurality of image segments in said overlap area;
• and
• a second display mode in which a significant image is recognizable both when the images displayed respectively by said pixel groups are simultaneously observed in said overlap area and when the images displayed respectively by said pixel groups are observed individually in the view ranges except for said overlap area, respectively, by changing display signals which are supplied to each pixel group, the display signals representing the images to be displayed by each pixel group.

A display device comprising:

• a display panel including a plurality of pixel groups which display respective images independently of each other,
• wherein each one of the pixel groups includes a plurality of pixels, and
• a multiple viewpoint activator which limits view ranges of images displayed respectively by said pixel groups,
• wherein each one of the view ranges corresponds to a respective pixel group and comprises:
• an overlap area, in which the respective one of the view ranges overlaps with another one of the view ranges;
• and
• a non-overlap area, in which the respective one of the view ranges does not overlap with the another one of the view ranges;
• wherein said display device is selectively operable in:
• a first display mode in which a significant image is recognizable when images displayed respectively by said pixel groups are simultaneously observed in said overlap area, and in which a significant image is unrecognizable when the images displayed respectively by said pixel groups are observed individually in the view ranges except for said overlap area, respectively, wherein each of said pixel groups displays one of a plurality of image segments produced by dividing the significant image by the number of said pixel groups, and the significant image is recognizable upon combination of all the plurality of image segments in said overlap area;
• and
• a second display mode in which a significant image is recognizable both when the images displayed respectively by said pixel groups are simultaneously observed in said overlap area and when the images displayed respectively by said pixel groups are observed individually in the view ranges except for said overlap area, respectively, by changing display signals which are supplied to each pixel group, the display signals representing the images to be displayed by each pixel group.