ALTERING SURFACES OF DISPLAY SCREENS

• US 20080152842A1
• Filed: 03/11/2008
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Pure Depth Limited
• Inventors: Searle, Mark John
• Granted Patent: US 8,154,691 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/1.3
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2323/03 Viewing layer characterised by chemical composition
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/10 Optical coatings produced by application to, or surface treatment of, optical elements G02B1/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133502 Antiglare, refractive index matching layers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133528 Polarisers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13363 Birefringent elements, e.g. for optical compensation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor

Abstract

A matte surface of a display screen is converted to an optically flat surface, for example, via an epoxy resin coating or the like which has a refractive index equal to that of the matte surface. A film with a substantially flat surface may be applied to the matte surface. Alternatively, the matte surface may be removed from the screen, and replaced with an optically smooth surface. The matte surface may be a diffusive surface formed on a birefringent film of an LCD screen. The display screen is the front screen of a multilevel three-dimensional display comprising layered screens, and altering the surface from matte to flat reduces the blurring of displayed images.

Claims

1. A multi-component display comprising:

a first display screen;

a second display screen overlapping said first display screen;

a matte surface overlapping said first and second display screens; and

a substantially smooth surface disposed above said matte surface,

wherein said substantially smooth surface comprises a surface of a material physically coupled with said matte surface.

2. The multi-component display of claim 1, wherein said material is disposed upon said matte surface.

3. The multi-component display of claim 2, wherein said material comprises a refractive index which is substantially the same as a refractive index of a material comprising said matte surface.

4. The multi-component display of claim 2, wherein said material is formed from a flowable substance which is subsequently hardened.

5. The multi-component display of claim 2, wherein said material interfaces with a feature of said matte surface, and wherein said feature is selected from a group consisting of an optical irregularity, distortion, protrusion, and discontinuity.

6. The multi-component display of claim 2, wherein said material comprises a material applied to said matte surface by an operation selected from a group consisting of painting, spraying, sputtering, vapor deposition, slurry coating, chemical deposition, screen printing, and roll coating.

7. The multi-component display of claim 1, wherein said material comprises a film applied to said matte surface using an adhesive.

8. The multi-component display of claim 7, wherein said adhesive is disposed upon said matte surface and said material.

9. The multi-component display of claim 7, wherein said material comprises a refractive index which is substantially the same as a refractive index of a layer selected from said adhesive and a material comprising said matte surface.

10. The multi-component display of claim 7, wherein said adhesive interfaces with a feature of said matte surface, and wherein said feature is selected from a group consisting of an optical irregularity, distortion, protrusion, and discontinuity.

11. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to said processor; and

a multi-component display coupled to said processor, said multi-component display comprising;

a first display screen;

a second display screen overlapping said first display screen;

a matte surface disposed above said first and second display screens; and

a substantially smooth surface disposed above said matte surface, wherein said substantially smooth surface comprises a surface of a material physically coupled with said matte surface.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said material is disposed upon said matte surface.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said material comprises a refractive index which is substantially the same as a refractive index of a material comprising said matte surface.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said material is formed from a flowable substance which is subsequently hardened.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein said material interfaces with a feature of said matte surface, and wherein said feature is selected from a group consisting of an optical irregularity, distortion, protrusion, and discontinuity.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein said material comprises a material applied to said matte surface by an operation selected from a group consisting of painting, spraying, sputtering, vapor deposition, slurry coating, chemical deposition, screen printing, and roll coating.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein said material comprises a film applied to said matte surface using an adhesive.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said adhesive is disposed upon said matte surface and said material.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein said material comprises a refractive index which is substantially the same as a refractive index of a layer selected from said adhesive and a material comprising said matte surface.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein said adhesive interfaces with a feature of said matte surface, and wherein said feature is selected from a group consisting of an optical irregularity, distortion, protrusion, and discontinuity.

21. A method of altering a matte surface of a multi-component display, said method comprising:

applying a material to said matte surface of said multi-component display, said multi-component display comprising a first display screen and a second display screen, wherein said second display screen overlaps said first display screen, and wherein said matte surface overlaps said first and second display screens; and

processing said material to form a substantially smooth surface.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said material comprises a refractive index which is substantially the same as a refractive index of a material comprising said matte surface.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said material interfaces with a feature of said matte surface, and wherein said feature is selected from a group consisting of an optical irregularity, distortion, protrusion, and discontinuity.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein said applying said material further comprises an operation selected from a group consisting of painting, spraying, sputtering, vapor deposition, slurry coating, chemical deposition, screen printing, and roll coating.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein said processing further comprises:

allowing said material to harden to form said substantially smooth surface.

26. A method of altering a matte surface of a multi-component display, said method comprising:

accessing said multi-component display, said multi-component display comprising a first display screen and a second display screen, wherein said second display screen overlaps said first display screen; and

applying a film to said matte surface of said multi-component display using an adhesive, said matte surface overlapping said first and second display screens.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

applying said adhesive to said film prior to applying said film to said matte surface.

28. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

applying said adhesive to said matte surface prior to applying said film to said matte surface.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein said film comprises a refractive index which is substantially the same as a refractive index of a layer selected from said adhesive and a material comprising said matte surface.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein said adhesive interfaces with a feature of said matte surface, and wherein said feature is selected from a group consisting of an optical irregularity, distortion, protrusion, and discontinuity.