Method and apparatus for front-lit semi-retro-reflective display
AssigneeCLEARink Displays, Inc.
InventorLorne A. Whitehead
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The disclosure generally relates to a front-lit display having transparent and selectively emissive light directionality. The disclosed semi-retro-reflective, semi-specular and specular displays include directional front light systems that reflect light in a manner to preserve the non-Lambertian characteristic of the light output. This leads to brighter displays with a higher degree of luminance as compared to conventional microencapsulated electrophoretic displays with substantially Lambertian reflectance where much of the light is not reflected back towards the viewer.
Claims24
A reflective display device, comprising:
- a semi-retro-reflective display sheet having one or more convex protrusions to reflect light in a narrow angle relative to the direction of the incident light;
- a light guide;
- a light source to emit light to the light guide, the light guide configured to redirect light in a substantially perpendicular direction towards a surface of the semi-retro-reflective display sheet;
- a front electrode;
- a rear electrode;
- an optically transparent fluid disposed between the front and the rear electrodes;
- and
- a plurality of electrophoretically mobile particles suspended in the optically transparent fluid.
A reflective display, comprising:
- a transparent outer sheet;
- a light guide;
- a light source to emit light into the light guide, the light guide configured to redirect light in a substantially perpendicular direction-towards a surface of the transparent outer sheet;
- a rear electrode;
- a perforated sheet situated between the light source and the rear electrode;
- a front electrode disposed over the perforated sheet;
- a semi-retro-reflective surface over the perforated sheet;
- a medium disposed within the cavity formed between the transparent outer sheet and the rear electrode;
- and
- a plurality of electrophoretically mobile particles suspended in the medium.
A reflective display device, comprising:
- a transparent outer sheet;
- a light guide;
- a light source to emit light into the light guide, the light guide to redirect light in a substantially perpendicular direction towards a surface of the transparent outer sheet;
- a rear electrode;
- a perforated sheet situated between the light guide and the rear electrode;
- a reflective layer disposed over the perforated sheet;
- a transparent front electrode disposed over the perforated sheet;
- a medium disposed within the cavity formed between the transparent outer sheet and the rear electrode;
- and
- a plurality of electrophoretically mobile particles suspended in the medium.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.