# US 9,753,361 B2 · Transparent display including a screen with patterned light deflective elements > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,753,361 B2 - Document ID: US9753361B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/529,711 - Filed: 2014-10-31 - Published: 2016-05-05 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2014-10-31 - Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: David James Montgomery - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9753361B2 ## CPC - G03B 21/625: Lenticular translucent screens - G02B 3/0006: {Arrays (G02B3/02, G02B5/188 take precedence)} - G02B 3/0056: {arranged along two different directions in a plane, e.g. honeycomb arrangement of lenses (G02B3/0043 takes precedence; miniaturised objectives for electronic devices employing wafer level optics G02B13/0085)} - G02B 13/16: for use in conjunction with image converters or intensifiers {, or for use with projectors, e.g. objectives for projection TV} - G02B 13/22: Telecentric objectives or lens systems - G03B 21/10: Projectors with built-in or built-on screen - G03B 21/60: characterised by the nature of the surface - G03B 21/62: Translucent screens - G02B 30/40: giving the observer of a single two-dimensional [2D] image a perception of depth - G09F 9/302: characterised by the form or geometrical disposition of the individual elements - G09F 19/18: involving the use of optical projection means, e.g. projection of images on clouds (projection apparatus per se G03B) - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G09F: DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS ## Abstract A transparent display device includes a screen that has a plurality of light deflecting elements that are separated by transparent areas, and a projector device. The projector device is configured to direct light onto the light deflecting elements and not onto the transparent areas. The display device may include a first screen and a second screen separated longitudinally relative to the projector, wherein each screen respectively has a plurality of light deflecting elements. The projector is configured to direct light onto the light deflecting elements and not onto the transparent areas of the two screens such that light from the first and second light deflecting elements appear in different virtual depth planes. Alternatively, a single screen may have first and second pluralities of light deflecting elements of different optical powers, such that light from the first and second light deflecting elements appear in different virtual depth planes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A display device comprising: at least one screen that has a plurality of light deflecting elements that are separated by transparent areas, the screen comprising a sheet of a clear material on which are patterned the plurality of light deflective elements; and a projector device; wherein the projector device is configured to direct light onto the light deflecting elements and not onto the transparent areas; and wherein an area of the transparent areas is substantially greater than an area of the light deflecting elements. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, wherein the plurality light deflecting elements comprises at least one of light scattering elements, prisms that deflect light from the projector on axis or off axis, lens structures that diverge light from the projector, or phosphor or nanophosphor layers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The display device of claim 2, wherein the plurality of light deflecting elements comprises more than one type of light deflective elements. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light deflecting elements are arranged in the screen in a rectangular array. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light deflecting elements are arranged in the screen in an irregular pattern. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light deflecting elements are arranged in different patterns in different sections of the screen. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, wherein the projector device is configured to generate multiple repeating patterns corresponding to a group of pixels with an average brightness, and an image is generated by combining the multiple repeating patterns. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, wherein pixels of the projector device are directly aligned with the light deflecting elements of the screen. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The display device of claim 8, wherein the projector device comprises in a light emitting direction: a lamp projector; a telecentric lens; a microlens array that generates a pixel array corresponding to an alignment of the light deflecting elements on the screen; and a projection lens that projects the pixel array onto the light deflecting elements. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The display device of claim 9, wherein the projector device further comprises an aperture mask behind the microlens array that enhances the alignment of the pixel array and the light deflecting elements. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, wherein the screen comprises a transparent base material and the light deflecting elements are deformations formed in the base material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A display device of claim 1, comprising: a first screen and a second screen separated longitudinally relative to the projector device, wherein the first screen and the second screen respectively has a first plurality and a second plurality of light deflecting elements that are separated by transparent areas; and wherein the projector device is configured to direct light onto the light deflecting elements and not onto the transparent areas of the first screen and the second screen such that light from the first and second light deflecting elements appear in different virtual depth planes. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The display device of claim 12, wherein the first light deflecting elements of the first screen and the second light deflecting elements of the second screen do not overlap from a point of view of the projector device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The display device of claim 13, wherein the projector device is configured to direct light of a first image onto the first light deflecting elements of the first screen interlaced with light of a second image directed onto the second light deflecting elements of the second screen such that the first and second images appear in different virtual depth planes. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The display device of claim 14, wherein pixels for the first and second images respectively are aligned with the first and second light deflecting elements. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The display device of claim 14, further comprising a transparent reflector that reflects the first and second images into a viewing direction.