Wide color-gamut vehicle infotainment display system with quantum dot element

• US 10,656,465 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2017
• Issued: 05/19/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Rao, Rashmi, Auger, Elijah
• Primary Examiner(s): Cariaso, Alan B
• Application Number:
  US15/836,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20180107070A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0023 provided by one optical element, or plurality thereof, placed between the light guide and the light source, or around the light source
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0028 Light guide, e.g. taper
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0043 provided on the surface of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/005 provided by one optical element, or plurality thereof, placed on the light output side of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0073 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133614 using photoluminescence, e.g. phosphors illuminated by UV or blue light
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133617 Illumination with ultraviolet light; Luminescent elements or materials associated to the cell
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133624 characterised by their spectral emissions
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/3556 Semiconductor materials, e.g. quantum wells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/36 Micro- or nanomaterials
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/02 reflective

Abstract

A display device includes a light source that includes a blue light-emitting diode (LED) configured to generate a blue output light; a nanocrystal material that is disposed between the light source and a liquid crystal module, and a light guide assembly. The nanocrystal material receives the blue output light, converts a first portion of the blue output light to a green light emission, converts a second portion of the blue output light to a red light emission, and transmits a remainder portion of the blue output light. The light guide assembly includes a planar light guide optically coupled to a light-receiving surface of the liquid crystal module and a curved light guide optically coupled to the planar light guide and configured to receive light from the light source and direct the light toward the planar light guide.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

a light source that includes a blue light-emitting diode (LED) configured to generate a blue output light;

a nanocrystal material that is disposed between the light source and a liquid crystal module, the nanocrystal material configured to;

receive the blue output light,

convert a first portion of the blue output light to a green light emission,

convert a second portion of the blue output light to a red light emission, and

transmit a remainder portion of the blue output light;

a liquid crystal module configured to receive the green light emission, the red light emission, and the remainder portion of the blue output light and generate an image that includes a portion of the green light emission, a portion of the red light emission, and a portion of the remainder portion of the blue output light; and

a light guide assembly, comprising;

a planar light guide optically coupled to a light-receiving surface of the liquid crystal module and configured to;

receive incident light traveling in a first direction, and

direct the incident light in a second direction toward the light-receiving surface of the liquid crystal module,

wherein the nanocrystal material is disposed outside of a region defined between (i) a first plane defined by a front surface of the planar light guide, and (ii) a second plane defined by a rear surface of the planar light guide opposite the front surface; and

a curved light guide optically coupled to the planar light guide and configured to;

receive light traveling in a third direction from the light source, and

direct the light in the first direction toward the planar light guide,

wherein the third direction is different than the first direction.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein the curved light guide is configured to direct the light in the first direction via total internal reflection.

3. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first direction is substantially parallel to the light-receiving surface of the liquid crystal module.

4. The display device of claim 1, wherein the third direction is substantially perpendicular to the light-receiving surface of the liquid crystal module.

5. The display device of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a set of blue LEDs that are disposed outside of the region.

6. The display device of claim 5, wherein the set of blue LEDs includes a linear array of blue LEDs.

7. The display device of claim 5, wherein the set of blue LEDs includes a planar array of blue LEDs, the planar array being arranged parallel to the light-receiving surface of the liquid crystal module.

8. The display device of claim 1, wherein the nanocrystal material is disposed on an output surface of the light source.

9. The display device of claim 8, wherein the light source includes a linear array of blue LEDs, and the nanocrystal material is disposed on an outer surface of the linear array of blue LEDs.

10. The display device of claim 8, wherein the output surface of the light source comprises a transparent encapsulant of the blue LED, and the nanocrystal material is disposed within the transparent encapsulant of the blue LED.

11. The display device of claim 1, wherein the light source is mounted on a first printed circuit board, and the display device comprises a back panel comprising the light guide assembly, an emission surface disposed on a front surface of the back panel, and a reflector panel disposed on a rear surface of the back panel, wherein the first printed circuit board is external to the back panel.

12. A vehicle infotainment system, comprising:

a processor configured to generate digital images; and

a display device for displaying the digital images, the display device comprising;

a light source that includes a blue light-emitting diode (LED) configured to generate a blue output light;

a nanocrystal material that is disposed between the light source and a liquid crystal module, the nanocrystal material configured to;

receive the blue output light,

convert a first portion of the blue output light to a green light emission,

convert a second portion of the blue output light to a red light emission, and

transmit a remainder portion of the blue output light;

a liquid crystal module configured to receive the green light emission, the red light emission, and the remainder portion of the blue output light and generate an image that includes a portion of the green light emission, a portion of the red light emission, and a portion of the remainder portion of the blue output light; and

a light guide assembly comprising;

a planar light guide optically coupled to a light-receiving surface of the liquid crystal module and configured to;

receive incident light traveling in a first direction, and

direct the incident light in a second direction toward the light-receiving surface of the liquid crystal module,

wherein the nanocrystal material is disposed outside of a region defined between (i) a first plane defined by a front surface of the planar light guide, and (ii) a second plane defined by a rear surface of the planar light guide opposite the front surface; and

a curved light guide optically coupled to the planar light guide and configured to;

receive light traveling in a third direction from the light source, and

direct the light in the first direction toward the planar light guide,

wherein the third direction is different than the first direction.

13. The vehicle infotainment system of claim 12, wherein the light source comprises a set of blue LEDs that are disposed outside of the region.

14. The vehicle infotainment system of claim 13, wherein the set of blue LEDs includes a linear array of blue LEDs.

15. The vehicle infotainment system of claim 13, wherein the set of blue LEDs includes a planar array of blue LEDs, the planar array being arranged parallel to the light-receiving surface of the liquid crystal module.

16. The vehicle infotainment system of claim 12, wherein the nanocrystal material is disposed on an output surface of the light source.

17. The vehicle infotainment system of claim 16, wherein the light source includes a linear array of blue LEDs, and the nanocrystal material is disposed on an outer surface of the linear array of blue LEDs.

18. The vehicle infotainment system of claim 16, wherein the nanocrystal material is disposed on a light-emitting surface of the blue LED.

19. A display device, comprising:

a nanocrystal material that is disposed between a light source and a liquid crystal module, the nanocrystal material configured to;

receive blue output light from the light source, wherein the light source is mounted on a first printed circuit board,

convert a first portion of the blue output light to a green light emission,

convert a second portion of the blue output light to a red light emission, and

transmit a remainder portion of the blue output light;

a liquid crystal module configured to receive the green light emission, the red light emission, and the remainder portion of the blue output light and generate an image that includes a portion of the green light emission, a portion of the red light emission, and a portion of the remainder portion of the blue output light; and

a light guide assembly, comprising;

a planar light guide optically coupled to a light-receiving surface of the liquid crystal module and configured to;

receive incident light traveling in a first direction, and

direct the incident light in a second direction toward the light-receiving surface of the liquid crystal module,

wherein the nanocrystal material is disposed outside of a region defined between (i) a first plane defined by a front surface of the planar light guide, and (ii) a second plane defined by a rear surface of the planar light guide opposite the front surface; and

a curved light guide optically coupled to the planar light guide and configured to;

receive light traveling in a third direction from the light source, and

direct the light in the first direction toward the planar light guide,

wherein the third direction is different than the first direction.

20. The display device of claim 19, wherein the nanocrystal material includes at least one of quantum dots or quantum rods.