LCD APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ENHANCING LUMINANCE EFFICIENCY THEREOF

• US 20070263147A1
• Filed: 05/09/2007
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InnoLux Corporation
• Original Assignee: Chi Mei Optoelectronics (InnoLux Corporation)
• Inventors: Ho, I-Lin, LIU, Chien-Cheng, LIN, Tsung-Hsien, WANG, Tzu-Chang, Yang, I-Lung
• Granted Patent: US 8,107,041 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/117
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133533 Colour selective polarisers G02F1/1347 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13362 providing polarized light, e.g. by converting a polarisation component into another one
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13363 Birefringent elements, e.g. for optical compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133638 Waveplates, i.e. plates with a retardation value of lambda/n
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2413/02 Number of plates being 2
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2413/07 All plates on one side of the LC cell

Abstract

An LCD apparatus includes a first polarizer, a half-wavelength retardation plate, a liquid crystal unit and a second polarizer. The LCD apparatus further has a backlight module for generating first polarized light. The first polarizer is disposed downstream of the backlight module, and the first polarizer has a transmission axis. The half-wavelength retardation plate is disposed between the backlight module and the first polarizer. Second polarized light parallel to the transmission axis is generated from the first polarized light passing through the half-wavelength retardation plate. The second polarizer is disposed downstream of the first polarizer. The liquid crystal unit is disposed between the first polarizer and the second polarizer, and the second polarized light emits out of the LCD apparatus through the first polarizer, the liquid crystal unit and the second polarizer.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display (LCD) apparatus, comprising:

a backlight module for generating first polarized light;

a first polarizer disposed downstream of the backlight module and having a transmission axis;

a half-wavelength retardation plate disposed between the backlight module and the first polarizer, for converting the first polarized light passing through the half-wavelength retardation plate into second polarized light parallel to the transmission axis;

a second polarizer disposed downstream of the first polarizer; and

a liquid crystal unit disposed between the first polarizer and the second polarizer, wherein the second polarized light is transmittable out of the LCD apparatus through the first polarizer, the liquid crystal unit and the second polarizer.

2. The LCD apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the backlight module comprises a V-cut film.

3. The LCD apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the backlight module further comprises a light source for generating a light ray, and the light ray is converted into the first polarized light after passing through the V-cut film.

4. The LCD apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first polarized light is elliptically polarized light.

5. The LCD apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second polarized light is elliptically polarized light.

6. The LCD apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a long axis of the elliptically polarized light is parallel to the transmission axis of the first polarizer.

7. The LCD apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the half-wavelength retardation plate has a slow axis, and an angle of the slow axis is substantially equal to one half of a sum of an angle of the first polarized light and an angle of the transmission axis of the first polarizer, all of said angles being relative to a common reference line.

8. The LCD apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first polarizer and the half-wavelength retardation plate form a composite optical film.

9. A method for enhancing luminance efficiency of a liquid crystal display (LCD) apparatus, the method comprising steps of:

generating first polarized light by a backlight module of the LCD apparatus;

converting the first polarized light into second polarized light parallel to a transmission axis of a first polarizer of the LCD apparatus; and

emitting the second polarized light out of the LCD apparatus sequentially through the first polarizer, as well as a liquid crystal unit and a second polarizer of the LCD apparatus.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the first polarized light is converted into the second polarized light by a half-wavelength retardation plate.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the half-wavelength retardation plate has a slow axis, and an angle of the slow axis is substantially equal to one half of a sum of an angle of the first polarized light and an angle of the transmission axis of the first polarizer, all of said angles being relative to a common reference line.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the first polarized light is elliptically polarized light.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the second polarized light is elliptically polarized light.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein a long axis of the elliptically polarized light is parallel to the transmission axis of the first polarizer.

15. An optical structure for enhancing luminance efficiency of a liquid crystal display (LCD) apparatus having a backlight module for generating first polarized light, the optical structure comprising:

a first polarizer adapted to be disposed downstream of the backlight module and having a transmission axis; and

a half-wavelength retardation plate having a slow axis,

wherein

an angle of the slow axis is substantially equal to one half of a sum of an angle of the first polarized light and an angle of the transmission axis of the first polarizer, all of said angles being relative to a common reference line; and

the half-wavelength retardation plate is adapted to be disposed between the backlight module and the first polarizer and to generate second polarized light parallel to the transmission axis from the first polarized light passing through the half-wavelength retardation plate.

16. The optical structure according to claim 15, further comprising a V-cut film adapted to convert light generated by the backlight module into the first polarized light.

17. The optical structure according to claim 15, wherein the first polarized light is elliptically polarized light.

18. The optical structure according to claim 15, wherein the second polarized light is elliptically polarized light.

19. The optical structure according to claim 18, wherein a long axis of the elliptically polarized light is parallel to the transmission axis of the first polarizer.

20. The optical structure according to claim 15, wherein the first polarizer and the half-wavelength retardation plate form a composite optical film.