TRANSREFLECTORS, TRANSREFLECTOR SYSTEMS AND DISPLAYS AND METHODS OF MAKING TRANSREFLECTORS
First Claim
1. A transreflector and backlight system comprising a backlight including a light emitting panel member having at least one input edge for receiving light from a light source and at least one panel surface for emitting light, and a transreflector for transmitting light emitted by the panel surface incident on at least one side of the transreflector and for reflecting ambient light incident on at least the opposite side of the transreflector, at least one of the sides of the transreflector having reflective surfaces for reflecting ambient light incident on at least the opposite side of the transreflector and light transmissive surfaces for transmitting light emitted by the panel surface incident on at least the one side of the transreflector, and the panel member having a pattern of optical deformities that are projections or depressions on or in the panel member that vary and are quite small relative to the length and width of the panel member, the optical deformities being shaped to cause light to be emitted from the panel surface at low angles away from the light source such that the emitted light passes through the light transmissive surfaces of the transreflector at low loss.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The transreflectors may comprise a transparent substrate having reflective surfaces and other light transmissive surfaces for respectively reflecting and transmitting a greater portion of the light striking opposite sides of the substrate. Alternatively, the transreflectors may comprise two or more transparent substrates of different indices of refraction bonded together, with a pattern of optical deformities in the mating side of one of the substrates and an inverse pattern of optical deformities in the mating side of an other substrate in mating engagement with each other. The transreflectors are used in a transreflector system or display to transmit more of the light emitted by a backlight or other light source incident on one side of the transreflectors and reflect more of the light incident on the opposite side of the transreflectors. The transreflectors and backlight may be tuned to each other to enable the transreflectors to better transmit more of the light emitted by the backlight.
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Citations
20 Claims
- 1. A transreflector and backlight system comprising a backlight including a light emitting panel member having at least one input edge for receiving light from a light source and at least one panel surface for emitting light, and a transreflector for transmitting light emitted by the panel surface incident on at least one side of the transreflector and for reflecting ambient light incident on at least the opposite side of the transreflector, at least one of the sides of the transreflector having reflective surfaces for reflecting ambient light incident on at least the opposite side of the transreflector and light transmissive surfaces for transmitting light emitted by the panel surface incident on at least the one side of the transreflector, and the panel member having a pattern of optical deformities that are projections or depressions on or in the panel member that vary and are quite small relative to the length and width of the panel member, the optical deformities being shaped to cause light to be emitted from the panel surface at low angles away from the light source such that the emitted light passes through the light transmissive surfaces of the transreflector at low loss.
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18. The system of clam 1 wherein the light transmissive surfaces have angles that vary as the distance from the input edge increases to account for the way the backlight emits light differently as the distance from the input edge increases.
Specification