Direct view display device integration techniques

• US 5,771,039 A
• Filed: 06/06/1994
• Issued: 06/23/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NetAirus Systems
• Original Assignee: Richard J. Ditzik
• Inventors: Ditzik, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang, Regina
• Application Number:
  US08/254,169
• Time in Patent Office: 1,478 Days
• Field of Search: 345/104, 345/173, 345/178, 345/179, 345/180, 345/181, 345/182, 345/183, 340/815.42, 349/159, 349/162, 349/96, 349/12, 349/95, 178/18, 178/19, 178/20
• US Class Current: 345/178
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12102 Lens
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12183 Ion-exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/08 with fibre bundle in form of plate
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13336 Combining plural substrates to produce large-area displays, e.g. tiled displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133526 Lenses, e.g. microlenses or Fresnel lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2211/44 Optical arrangements or shielding arrangements, e.g. filters or lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 29/89 Optical or photographic arrangements structurally combined or co-operating with the vessel H01J29/866 and H01J29/868 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 29/90 Leading-in arrangements; Seals therefor

Abstract

Display device integration techniques and structures are disclosed that improve display performance, usability, and reduce system cost. The improved designs and techniques involve direct view display devices, pen/stylus input devices, Integrated Circuit (IC) driver units (74), backlight devices (41) and fiberoptic faceplates (3, 6). The types of display devices, included in the inventions, may involve Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) displays, Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD), as well as other type of displays, including flat panel displays. The pen/stylus input device consists of a pen/stylus (5), a sensor/emitter film (4), and pen encoding electronics (20). One or more fiberoptic faceplates may be included. The inside surface of the fiberoptic faceplate may be reticulated, having reflective structures (28) and phosphor dots (12) applied. Distributed Index planar micro lens arrays may be incorporated instead of fiberoptic faceplates. The backlight device may include several light sources (41A, 41B), a fiber backplate (45) and several pig tail regions (56, 58). A new micro tip semiconductor tunneling technology is disclosed for the interconnection of two or more IC units or display sub-panels, without actual physical conductor-to-conductor contact.

Claims

1. An optical micro lens array sheet for use with a display device, wherein the micro lens array sheet provides improved viewing characteristics and wherein the display device defines a multiplicity of pixels and viewing screen, the optical micro lens array sheet comprising:

a. a first planar micro lens array layer made of a multiplicity of transparent micro lenses fabricated into a substrate;

b. a second planar micro lens array layer made of a multiplicity of transparent micro lenses fabricated into a substrate, wherein each micro lens of the first and second array layers are placed adjacent with their plane surfaces facing each other roughly aligned, such that each micro lens pair acts as an equivalent convex-wnvex converging micro lens;

c. said micro lenses pairs are adapted so that the second array layer has a focal length on the image side defining an image distance, and the first array layer has a focal length on the object side, defining an object distance that is greater than the thickness of the first array layer; and

d. said first and second planar micro lens array layers together act as an equivalent single micro lens array sheet to be placed over the display viewing screen with its object distance defined by the focal lengths of the micro lens pairs on the object side adapted to be roughly equal to the distance to the pixels of the display device.

2. An optical micro lens array sheet as recited in claim 1, in which the planar micro lenses have a distributed index of refraction that varies in gradient manner through a small volume which differs from the surrounding substrate material, such that each small volume act as an optically refractive lens, wherein the array of planar micro lenses are fabricated into the substrate layer.

3. An optical micro lens array sheet as recited in claim 1, in which at least one planar array layer has a light blocking means in between the planar micro lenses, such that off- axis stray light rays are blocked while light rays within the filed of view of the micro lenses are focused to their respective image points.

4. An optical micro lens array sheet as recited in claim 1, in which the first micro lens array layer and the second planar lens array layer are bonded together.

5. An apparatus for display of information having a display screen with a planar micro lens array sheet placed over the display screen, the display apparatus comprising:

a. a display device defining a multiplicity of pixels and a transparent viewing screen;

b. a first planar micro lens array sheet made of transparent micro lenses fabricated into a substrate, which is placed over the surface of the display device viewing screen;

c. a second planar micro lens array sheet made of transparent micro lenses fabricated into a substrate, wherein the plane surfaces the micro lenses of the first and second array sheets are placed facing each other and are roughly aligned, such that each micro lens pair acts an equivalent convex-convex converging micro lens;

d. said micro lens pairs are adapted so that one side has a focal length defining its image distance, and the other side has a focal length that is greater than the thickness of the first array sheet; and

e. said first and second planar micro lens array sheet combination is placed over the display screen with object distance roughly equal to the distance to the pixels of the display device.

6. An apparatus for display of information as recited in claim 5, in which the first and second planar micro lens array sheets are tightly integrated to the display screen during manufacture of the display device.

7. An apparatus for display of information as recited in claim 5, in which the display device is a cathode ray tube (CRT) display device, wherein the micro lens pairs are adapted to having varying objective distances to match the unequal thickness of the CRT screen from the screen center to its edges.

8. An apparatus for display of information as recited in claim 5, in which the display device in a Field Emission Display, wherein electrons are emitted from an large array of point cathodes which impinge onto a multiplicity of phosphorus dots, wherein light is emitted from each phosphorus dot.

9. An apparatus for display of information as recited in claim 5, further comprising means for pen input means electrically interfaced to the display device, wherein the pen input means determines and encodes the position of the pen when it is moved over the screen by the user, wherein the pen'"'"'s position is continuously encoded into electrical signals.

10. An apparatus for display of information in claim 5, in which the display device is a liquid crystal display device (LCD), wherein the micro lens pairs are adapted to having roughly equal object distances to match the roughly equal distances from the lenses to the pixels of the LCD .

11. An apparatus for display of information as recited in claim 5, in which the first planar micro lens array sheet and the second planar micro lens array sheet are bonded together.

12. An apparatus for display of information having a fiberoptic faceplate placed over its display screen for viewing by one or more users, adapted for improved viewing characteristics, such as reduction of optical glare, increased viewing angle and elimination of viewable parallax, the apparatus comprising:

a. a display device defining a multiplicity of pixels and a transparent viewing screen;

b. a fiberoptic faceplate made up of a multiplicity of optical fibers and matrix material, wherein the optical fibers are arranged transverse to the viewing direction in a coherent stack and bonded together via the matrix material, and wherein the fiberoptic faceplate is integrated to the display device and made part of the viewing screen; and

c. said optical fibers adapted so that one or more fiber ends are etched back a short distance from the surrounding matrix material forming small pits, wherein an optically reflective material is deposited onto the side walls of the pits, wherein a phosphorus material is deposited in the pits directly onto the fiber ends, and additional reflective material is deposited such as to surround the phosphor.

13. An apparatus for display of information as recited in claim 12, further comprising means for pen input means electrically interfaced to the display device, wherein the pen input means determines and encodes the position of the pen when it is moved over the screen by the user, wherein the pen'"'"'s position is continuously encoded into electrical signals.