Light sensitive display

• US 20080111780A1
• Filed: 10/26/2007
• Published: 05/15/2008
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 11,073,926 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/87
• 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 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.