Light sensitive display

• US 20030156230A1
• Filed: 08/12/2002
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Planar Systems Incorporated (Leyard Optoelectronic Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Abileah, Adiel, Boer, Willem den
• Granted Patent: US 7,408,598 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/42
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13312 Circuits comprising photodetectors for purposes other than feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133302 Rigid substrates, e.g. inorganic substrates
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133512 Light shielding layers, e.g. black matrix G02F1/136209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133514 Colour filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133528 Polarisers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13394 spacers regularly patterned on the cell subtrate, e.g. walls, pillars G02F1/133377 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134336 Matrix
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134345 Subdivided pixels, e.g. for grey scale or redundancy
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136286 Wiring, e.g. gate line, drain line
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1368 in which the switching element is a three-electrode device G02F1/136277 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/123 pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1611 to support document holders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04109 FTIR in optical digitiser, i.e. touch detection by frustrating the total internal reflection within an optical waveguide due to changes of optical properties or deformation at the touch location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03542 Light pens for emitting or receiving light
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 : using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1318 : using electro-optical elements or layers, e.g. electroluminescent sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0439 : Pixel structures
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0809 : Several active elements per pixel in active matrix panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0842 : forming a memory circuit, e.g. a dynamic memory with one capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/029 : by monitoring one or more pixels in the display panel, e.g. by monitoring a fixed reference pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 : for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 : the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 : using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence

Abstract

A light sensitive display.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal device comprising:

(a) a front electrode layer;

(b) a rear electrode layer;

(c) a liquid crystal material located between said front electrode layer and said rear electrode layer;

(d) changing an electrical potential between said rear electrode layer and said front electrode layer to selectively modify portions of said liquid crystal material to change the polarization of the light incident thereon; and

(e) a plurality of light sensitive elements located together with said rear electrode layer.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein each of said light sensitive elements include a transistor.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein each of said light sensitive elements includes a first transistor that senses ambient light, and a second transistor that is inhibited from sensing ambient light with respect to said first transistor.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein at least one of said first transistor and said second transistor is a thin-film transistor.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said thin-film transistor is amorphous silicon.

6. The device of claim 3 wherein a terminal of said first transistor is connected to a terminal of said second transistor with a first conductor.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said first conductor is capacitively coupled to a common line.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said common line has a voltage potential less than said first conductor.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein said device is an active matrix liquid crystal device.

10. A light sensitive display comprising:

(a) a light valve including a front polarizing element, a rear polarizing element, and light rotating material located between said first polarizing element and said rear polarizing element; and

(b) a plurality of light sensitive elements located between said rear polarizing element and said light rotating material.

11. The display of claim 10 wherein said display is an active matrix liquid crystal device.

12. The display of claim 10 wherein each of said light sensitive elements includes a first transistor that senses ambient light, and a second transistor that is inhibited from sensing ambient light with respect to said first transistor.

13. The display of claim 10 further comprising a processor that receives information from said light sensitive elements and determines at least one of regions of said display where ambient light is inhibited from reaching said light sensitive elements and regions of said display where light in excess of said ambient light reaches said light sensitive elements.

14. The display of claim 10 further comprising a processor that receives information from said light sensitive elements and determines regions of said display where ambient light is inhibited from reaching said light sensitive elements.

15. The display of claim 10 further comprising a processor that receives information from said light sensitive elements and determines regions of said display where light in excess of said ambient light reaches said light sensitive elements.

20. The display of claim 10 further comprising a processor that receives information from said light sensitive elements and determines at least one of regions of said display where ambient light is inhibited from reaching said light sensitive elements and regions of said display where light in excess of said ambient light reaches said light sensitive elements.

21. The display of claim 10 further comprising a processor that receives information from said light sensitive elements and determines regions of said display where ambient light is inhibited from reaching said light sensitive elements.

22. The display of claim 10 further comprising a processor that receives information from said light sensitive elements and determines regions of said display where light in excess of said ambient light reaches said light sensitive elements.

16. A light sensitive display comprising:

(a) a light valve including a front electrode layer, a rear electrode layer, and light rotating material located between said first electrode layer and said rear electrode layer;

(b) said front and rear electrode layer defining a plurality of pixels within said light rotating material; and

(c) a plurality of light sensitive elements located within said light sensitive display located at least partially between said pixels.

17. The display of claim 16 wherein said display is a reflective liquid crystal device.

18. The display of claim 16 wherein said plurality of light sensitive elements located said at least partially between said pixels, with respect to a perpendicular direction to the front of said display.

19. The display of claim 16 wherein each of said light sensitive elements includes a first transistor that senses ambient light, and a second transistor that is inhibited from sensing ambient light with respect to said first transistor.

23. A light sensitive display comprising:

(a) a light valve including a front polarizing element, a rear polarizing element, and light rotating material located between said first polarizing element and said rear polarizing element; and

(b) a plurality of light sensitive elements located between said front polarizing element and said light rotating material.

24. The display of claim 23 wherein each of said light sensitive elements includes a first transistor that senses ambient light, and a second transistor that is inhibited from sensing ambient light with respect to said first transistor.

25. The display of claim 23 further comprising a processor that receives information from said light sensitive elements and determines at least one of regions of said display where ambient light is inhibited from reaching said light sensitive elements and regions of said display where light in excess of said ambient light reaches said light sensitive elements.

26. A liquid crystal device comprising:

(a) a front electrode layer;

(b) a rear electrode layer comprising a plurality of pixel electrodes;

(c) a liquid crystal material located between said front electrode layer and said rear electrode layer;

(d) a front polarizing element located toward the front of said liquid crystal device relative to said front electrode layer;

(e) a rear polarizing element located toward the rear of said liquid crystal device relative to said rear electrode layer;

(f) changing an electrical potential between said rear electrode layer and said front electrode layer to selectively modify portions of said liquid crystal material to change the polarization of the light incident thereon; and

(g) a plurality of light sensitive elements located at least partially between said pixel electrodes, with respect to a perpendicular direction to the front of said device, and between said liquid crystal material and said rear polarizing element.

27. A light sensitive display comprising:

(a) said display selectively causing pixels to provide light;

(b) a plurality of light sensitive elements located within said display, wherein said light sensitive elements are transistors.

28. The display of claim 27 wherein said display is a liquid crystal display.

29. The display of claim 27 wherein said light valve includes liquid crystal material.

30. The display of claim 27 wherein each of said light sensitive elements includes a first transistor that senses ambient light, and a second transistor that is inhibited from sensing ambient light with respect to said first transistor.

31. A light sensitive display comprising:

(a) said display selectively causing pixels to provide light;

(b) a plurality of light sensitive elements located within said display;

(c) a processor that receives information from said light sensitive elements and determines regions of said display where ambient light is inhibited from reaching said light sensitive elements and regions of said display where light in excess of said ambient light reaches said light sensitive elements.

32. The display of claim 31 wherein said display is a liquid crystal display.

33. The display of claim 32 wherein said liquid crystal display is active matrix.

34. The display of claim 32 wherein said liquid crystal display is passive.

35. A light sensitive display comprising:

(a) said display selectively causing pixels to provide light;

(b) a plurality of light sensitive elements located within said display;

(c) a processor that receives information from said light sensitive elements and determines regions of said display where light in excess of said ambient light reaches said light sensitive elements.

36. The light sensitive display of claim 35 said light in excess results from an optical pointing device.

37. The light sensitive display of claim 36 wherein said optical pointing device is a laser pointer.

38. A liquid crystal device comprising:

(a) a front electrode layer;

(b) a rear electrode layer comprising a plurality of pixel electrodes;

(c) a liquid crystal material located between said front electrode layer and said rear electrode layer; and

(d) a plurality of light sensitive elements located within said display wherein each of said light sensitive elements includes a first transistor that senses ambient light, a second transistor that is inhibited from sensing ambient light with respect to said first transistor.

39. The device of claim 38 wherein a terminal of said first transistor is connected to a terminal of said second transistor with a first conductor.

40. The device of claim 39 wherein said first conductor is capacitively coupled to another line with a capacitor.

41. The device of claim 40 wherein said another line has a voltage potential less than said first conductor.

42. The device of claim 38 wherein said device is an active matrix liquid crystal device.

43. A display comprising:

(a) said display selectively causing pixels to provide light; and

(b) a plurality of light sensitive elements located within said display wherein each of said light sensitive elements includes a first transistor that senses ambient light, and a second transistor that is inhibited from sensing ambient light with respect to said first transistor.

44. The device of claim 43 wherein said device is at least one of multi-domain vertical alignment liquid crystal display, patterned vertical alignment liquid crystal display, in-plane switching liquid crystal display, super-twisted nematic type liquid crystal display, plasma display, electroluminescent display, liquid crystal on silicon display, and reflective liquid crystal device.

45. A light sensitive display comprising:

(a) said display selectively causing pixels to provide light;

(b) a backlight within said display;

(c) at least one light sensitive elements located within said display; and

(d) modifying the intensity of said backlight based upon said light sensitive element.