Modular, high-intensity fiber optic backlight for color displays
First Claim
1. A high-intensity, fiber optic color backlight module for color displays comprising:
- a light source;
a plurality of individual, side-emitting optical fibers arranged in parallel and connected to said light source thereby forming a first layer of optical fibers such that light emitted from the light source is conducted by the optical fibers and emitted out a side of the fibers; and
a plurality of column isolators, one situated between each adjacent one of said individual side-emitting optical fibers, such that said column isolators isolate light emitted out from the side of each fiber of said first layer within said module and conduct said isolated light emitted from the side of each fiber out of said module.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A modular, high-intensity fiber optic color backlight for color displays wherein light is distributed to the display through side-emitting optical fibers. The optical fibers are ordered into an array of channels, wherein each channel contains a number of optical fibers. Each of the individual channels are separated by reflective channel isolators and each channel preferably carries light of a single color. Light detecting fibers are optionally installed in the module so that intensity data may be collected. Each module includes a mechanical and electrical interconnect so that individual modules may be combined, thereby producing displays of arbitrary size.
64 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A high-intensity, fiber optic color backlight module for color displays comprising:
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a light source; a plurality of individual, side-emitting optical fibers arranged in parallel and connected to said light source thereby forming a first layer of optical fibers such that light emitted from the light source is conducted by the optical fibers and emitted out a side of the fibers; and a plurality of column isolators, one situated between each adjacent one of said individual side-emitting optical fibers, such that said column isolators isolate light emitted out from the side of each fiber of said first layer within said module and conduct said isolated light emitted from the side of each fiber out of said module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A high-intensity, fiber optic color backlight module for color displays comprising:
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a light source; a plurality of individual, side-emitting optical fibers arranged in parallel and connected to said light source thereby forming a first layer of optical fibers such that light emitted from the light source is conducted by the optical fibers and emitted out a side of the fibers; a plurality of column isolators, one situated between each adjacent one of said individual side-emitting optical fibers, such that said column isolators isolate light emitted from the side of each fiber of said first layer within said module and conduct said isolated light out of said module; a light selection means, positioned between said light source and said individual side-emitting optical fibers such that adjacent optical fibers conduct and emit light of different color; and one or more additional layers of side-emitting optical fibers, overlying said first layer of optical fibers such that each individual optical fiber within the additional layer is parallel with individual fibers in all underlying layers and situated between said column isolators thereby forming a vertical column of optical fibers wherein each one of said individual fibers in the vertical column of optical fibers conducts light of the same color. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A high-intensity, fiber optic color backlight module for color displays comprising:
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a light source; a plurality of individual, side-emitting optical fibers arranged in parallel and connected to said light source thereby forming a first layer of optical fibers such that light emitted from the light source is conducted by the optical fibers and emitted out a side of the fibers; and a plurality of column isolators, one situated between each adjacent one of said individual side-emitting optical fibers, such that said column isolators isolate light emitted from the side of each fiber of said first layer within said module and conduct said isolated light out of said module, wherein a particular optical fiber conducts RED light, an adjacent optical fiber conducts GREEN light and a next adjacent optical fiber conducts BLUE light.
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Specification