Light sensitive display

• US 20080062157A1
• Filed: 10/25/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Planar Systems Incorporated (Leyard Optoelectronic Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Abileah, Adiel, den Boer, Willem
• Application Number:
  US11/978,031
• Publication Number:
  US 20080062157A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/204
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• 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 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means

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;

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

(f) a light blocking layer forwardly disposed from said front electrode layer that inhibits ambient light from striking a plurality of said light sensitive elements while defining openings therein to permit ambient light to strike a plurality of other said light sensitive elements.

2. 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;

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

(f) a light blocking layer forwardly disposed from said front electrode layer that defines openings therein to permit ambient light to strike a plurality of said light sensitive elements, wherein said openings are smaller in at least one dimension than at least one dimension of the channel of said light sensitive element.

3. 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;

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

(f) a substantially non-filtered optical path from said plurality of said light sensitive elements to a viewer of said display.

4. 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;

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

(f) a light blocking layer forwardly disposed from said front electrode layer that defines openings therein to permit ambient light to strike a plurality of said light sensitive elements, wherein said openings include a portion of said light blocking layer.

5. 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;

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

(f) a light blocking layer forwardly disposed from said front electrode layer that defines a non-continuous opening therein to permit ambient light to strike a respective said light sensitive element.