Switchable viewing angle display with local dimming function

A switchable viewing angle display using arrayed microlenses and a waveguide pipe with selectable light extraction pixels, the display comprising:

• a liquid crystal (LC) front panel array of display pixels arranged in a plurality of sequences;
• an array of microlenses underlying the array of display pixels, where each microlens has a focal point and each microlens is associated with a corresponding block of display pixels;
• a backlight panel including:
• a column of light emitting diodes (LEDs);
• a single layer of edge-coupled waveguide pipes, each waveguide pipe having an optical input connected to a LED;
• a top array of selectively enabled extraction pixels arranged in a plurality of sequences interposed between the waveguide pipe and the array of microlenses, each extraction pixel in the top array underlying a corresponding microlens in a vertical plane and enabled in response to an ON voltage;
• a planar minor underlying the waveguide pipe;
• a bottom array of selectively enabled extraction pixels arranged in a plurality of sequences interposed between the waveguide pipe and the planar mirror, each extraction pixel in the bottom array underling a corresponding microlens in the vertical plane and enabled in response to an ON voltage;
• a viewing angle selection switch having a wide angle setting and a narrow angle setting;
• and,
• wherein a distance between an enabled extraction pixel and a corresponding microlens focal point in a narrow viewing angle mode is less than a distance between an enabled extraction pixel and the corresponding microlens focal point in a wide viewing angle mode.

A switchable viewing angle display using arrayed microlenses and a waveguide pipe with selectable light extraction pixels, the display comprising:

• a liquid crystal (LC) front panel array of display pixels arranged in a plurality of sequences;
• an array of microlenses underlying the array of display pixels, where each microlens has a focal point and each microlens is associated with a corresponding block of display pixels;
• a backlight panel including:
• a column of light emitting diodes (LEDs);
• a single layer of edge-coupled waveguide pipes, each waveguide pipe having an optical input connected to a LED;
• a top extraction means arrayed for selectively enabling the extraction of light from the waveguide pipe to the overlying microlenses in response to an ON voltage;
• a planar minor underlying the waveguide pipe;
• a bottom extraction means arrayed for selectively enabling the extraction of light from the waveguide to the overlying microlenses, via reflection from the underlying planar minor, in response to an ON voltage;
• a viewing angle selection switch having a wide angle setting and a narrow angle setting;
• and,
• wherein a distance between an enabled extraction pixel and a corresponding microlens focal point in a narrow viewing angle mode is less than a distance between an enabled extraction pixel and the corresponding microlens focal point in a wide viewing angle mode.