Channelized plate

An LCD comprising:

• a backlight producing light in a plurality of angles;
• a channelized plate in front of said backlight adapted to permit only light within a selected range of angles pass through the plate;
• a first linear polarizer in front of said channelized plate;
• a lensing element between said channelized plate and said first linear polarizer;
• a liquid crystal layer in front of said first linear polarizer;
• and
• a second linear polarizer in front of said liquid crystal layer.

A method for filtering light from a LCD towards an intended observer, the LCD comprising a backlight placed behind a liquid crystal layer, the method comprising the steps of:

• placing a channelized optical plate between the backlight and the liquid crystal layer, the channelized plate comprising a plurality of optical fibers oriented in the X-Y plane towards an intended observer of the LCD, where a desired range of angles of light within the X-Y plane has been selected;
• accepting light from the backlight where the light rays travel at a plurality of angles in the X-Y plane relative to the axis of the fibers;
• allowing light rays within the selected range of angles in the X-Y plane to pass through the fibers;
• and
• absorbing light rays which are outside of the selected range of angles in the X-Y plane.

A liquid crystal display assembly comprising:

• a liquid crystal layer;
• a backlight placed behind the liquid crystal layer;
• and
• a channelized optical plate between the backlight and the liquid crystal layer, the plate having a plurality of axially parallel optical fibers which terminate at one end in an entrance surface and at the other end in an exit surface, wherein said fibers are adapted to
• accept light through the entrance surface in a plurality of x-y angles which are defined as the angle between the axis of the fiber and the light ray within the x-y plane, and where a critical x-y angle is defined as the largest x-y angle where the corresponding light ray can substantially pass through said fiber without being absorbed;
• emit light through the exit surface if the x-y angle is less than the critical x-y angle;
• and
• substantially absorb light if the x-y angle is greater than the critical x-y angle.

An LCD comprising:

• a backlight producing light in a plurality of angles;
• a channelized plate in front of said backlight and containing optical fibers which permit light within a selected range of angles to pass through the plate while substantially absorbing light which is outside the selected range of angles;
• a light diffusing layer placed between the backlight and the channelized plate;
• a liquid crystal layer in front of the channelized plate;
• and
• a lens element placed between the channelized plate and the liquid crystal layer.