OPTICAL RETARDER

• US 20100201921A1
• Filed: 04/22/2010
• Published: 08/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Pure Depth Limited
• Inventors: Bell, Gareth Paul
• Application Number:
  US12/765,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20100201921A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/77
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/40 giving the observer of a single two-dimensional [2D] image a perception of depth
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13363 Birefringent elements, e.g. for optical compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13471 in which all the liquid crystal cells or layers remain transparent, e.g. FLC, ECB, DAP, HAN, TN, STN, SBE-LC cells G02F1/13475 takes precedence

Abstract

A display including a first-order optical retarder and a method for assembling the same is disclosed. A display includes a first display screen operable to display a first image using a first plurality of pixels. A second display screen is operable to display a second image using a second plurality of pixels, wherein the first and second display screens overlap. The display also includes a first-order optical retarder disposed between the first and second display screens.

Claims

1. A display comprising:

a first display screen operable to display a first image using a first plurality of pixels;

a second display screen operable to display a second image using a second plurality of pixels, wherein said first and second display screens overlap; and

a first-order optical retarder disposed between said first and second display screens.

2. The display of claim 1 further comprising:

an optical component disposed between said first and second display screens.

3. The display of claim 2, wherein said optical component is operable to perform at least one light processing operation other than retardation of light.

4. The display of claim 2, wherein said first-order optical retarder and said optical component are integrated into a common component.

5. The display of claim 2, wherein said optical component is physically separate from said first-order optical retarder.

6. The display of claim 2, wherein said optical component is adhered, by adhesive, to a display screen selected from a group consisting of said first display screen and said second display screen.

7. The display of claim 6, wherein said adhesive comprises a predetermined thickness.

8. The display of claim 1, wherein said optical component comprises a diffuser, wherein said diffuser comprises a surface with at least one diffusive effect, and wherein said diffusive effect is selected from a group consisting of a chemical etching, an embossing, an impressing, and a calendered surface structure.

9. The display of claim 1 further comprising:

a light source operable to illuminate said first and second display screens.

10. The display of claim 9, wherein said light source comprises a backlight operable to illuminate said first and second images.

11. The display of claim 1, wherein said first-order optical retarder is operable to cause a linear displacement of a type selected from a group consisting of a linear displacement equal to one wavelength of light incident on said display and a linear displacement of less than one wavelength of light incident on said display.

12. The display of claim 11, wherein said wavelength of light is approximately 560 nanometers.

13. The display of claim 1, wherein said first-order optical retarder is operable to cause a phase angle retardation selected from a group consisting of a phase angle retardation equal to one wavelength of light incident on said display and a phase angle retardation of less than one wavelength of light incident on said display.

14. The display of claim 1, wherein said first-order optical retarder comprises a clear flexible film.

15. The display of claim 1, wherein said first-order optical retarder comprises biaxial polypropylene.

16. The display of claim 1, wherein a surface of said first-order optical retarder comprises at least one diffusive effect, said diffusive effect is selected from a group consisting of a chemical etching, an embossing, an impressing, and a calendered surface structure.

17. The display of claim 1, wherein said first and second display screens each comprise a liquid crystal display.

18. The display of claim 1, wherein said first display screen further comprises a first polarizer, and wherein said first-order optical retarder is further disposed between said first polarizer and said second display screen.

19. The display of claim 18, wherein said second display screen further comprises a second polarizer, and wherein said first-order optical retarder is further disposed between said first polarizer and said second polarizer.

20. The display of claim 1, wherein each of said first plurality of pixels comprises a respective red color filter, a respective green color filter and a respective blue color filter.

21. A method of assembling a display, said method comprising:

positioning a first display screen and a second display screen in an overlapping arrangement, wherein said first display screen is operable to display a first image using a first plurality of pixels; and

disposing a first-order optical retarder between said first and second display screens.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

disposing an optical component between said first and second display screens.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said optical component is operable to perform at least one light processing operation other than retardation of light.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said first-order optical retarder and said optical component are integrated into a common component.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein said optical component is physically separate from said first-order optical retarder.

26. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

adhering said optical component, using adhesive, to a display screen selected from a group consisting of said first display screen and said second display screen.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said adhesive comprises a predetermined thickness.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein said optical component comprises a diffuser, wherein said diffuser comprises a surface with at least one diffusive effect, and wherein said diffusive effect is selected from a group consisting of a chemical etching, an embossing, an impressing, and a calendered surface structure.

29. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

disposing a light source behind a display screen selected from said first and second display screens.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said light source comprises a backlight operable to illuminate said first and second images.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein said first-order optical retarder is operable to cause a linear displacement of a type selected from a group consisting of a linear displacement equal to one wavelength of light incident on said display and a linear displacement of less than one wavelength of light incident on said display.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said wavelength of light is approximately 560 nanometers.

33. The method of claim 21, wherein said first-order optical retarder is operable to cause a phase angle retardation selected from a group consisting of a phase angle retardation equal to one wavelength of light incident on said display and a phase angle retardation of less than one wavelength of light incident on said display.

34. The method of claim 21, wherein said first-order optical retarder comprises a clear flexible film.

35. The method of claim 21, wherein said first-order optical retarder comprises biaxial polypropylene.

36. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

creating at least one diffusive effect on a surface of said first-order optical retarder using an operation selected from a group consisting of chemical etching, embossing, impressing, and calendaring; and

wherein said at least one diffusive effect is operable to diffuse light passing through said first-order optical retarder.

37. The method of claim 21, wherein said first and second display screens each comprise a liquid crystal display.

38. The method of claim 21, wherein said first display screen further comprises a first polarizer, and further comprising:

disposing said first-order optical retarder between said first polarizer and said second display screen.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein said second display screen further comprises a second polarizer, and further comprising:

disposing said first-order optical retarder between said first polarizer and said second polarizer.

40. The method of claim 21, wherein each of said first plurality of pixels comprises a respective red color filter, a respective green color filter and a respective blue color filter.