Led-based LCD backlight with extended color space

• US 6,608,614 B1
• Filed: 06/22/2000
• Issued: 08/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Johnson, Rick J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Saras, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): AWAD, AMR A
• Application Number:
  US09/602,066
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• Field of Search: 345/102, 345/82, 345/83, 345/46, 345/48, 345/39, 345/49, 345/690, 349/61, 362/30, 362/246, 362/247, 362/248, 362/800
• US Class Current: 345/102
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0043 provided on the surface of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0068 Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/041 Temperature compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0666 for control of colour parameters, e.g. colour temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/145 the light originating from the display screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3413 Details of control of colour illumination sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light

Abstract

A backlight for a liquid-crystal display is disclosed. The backlight includes a first LED array that provides light with a first chromaticity and a second LED array that provides light with a second chromaticity. A combining element combines the light from the first LED array and the second LED array and directs the combined light toward the liquid crystal display. A control system is operationally connected to the second LED array. The controller adjusts the brightness of at least one LED in the second LED array to thereby adjust the chromaticity of the combined light.

Claims

1. A backlight for a liquid-crystal display, comprising:

a first light-emitting diode (LED) array that provides light with a first chromaticity;

a second LED array that provides light with a second chromaticity that is different from the first chromaticity, wherein the second LED array includes at least one LED;

a combining element that combines the light from the first LED and second LED arrays and directs the combined light toward the liquid crystal display; and

a control system that is operationally connected to the second LED array, wherein the control system selectively varies the brightness of the at least one LED independent of the brightness of the first LED array, thereby adjusting the chromaticity of the combined light, wherein the control system includes a processor that calculates the difference between a target chromaticity of the combined light and an actual chromaticity of the combined light, the control system selectively varying the brightness of the at least one LED to reduce said difference.

2. The backlight of claim 1, wherein the first LED array comprises a plurality of LEDs that emit substantially white light, and wherein the at least one LED in the second LED array emits substantially non-white light.

3. The backlight of claim 1, wherein the chromaticity of the combined light is varied by varying the power to the at least one LED.

4. The backlight of claim 1, wherein the combining element is a substantially planar waveguide.

5. The backlight of claim 4, wherein the waveguide has a first major surface, and wherein the first LED array emits light into the waveguide through the first major surface.

6. The backlight of claim 5, wherein the waveguide has an edge surface that is disposed at a non-parallel angle to the first major surface, and wherein the second LED array emits light into the waveguide through the edge surface.

7. The backlight of claim 5, wherein the second LED array emits light into the waveguide through the first major surface.

8. The backlight of claim 5, wherein the waveguide has a second major surface that is generally parallel to the first major surface, and wherein light that is combined from the first and second LED arrays exits the waveguide through the second major surface to provide light to the liquid crystal display.

9. The backlight of claim 8, wherein the waveguide has a plurality of light-scattering strips disposed on the first major surface, wherein the light hitting the light-scattering strips is substantially reflected toward the second major surface.

10. The backlight of claim 9, wherein the plurality of light-scattering strips are disposed upon the first major surface such that light from the-first LED array is substantially permitted to enter the waveguide through the first major surface, wherein the light in the waveguide hitting the light-scattering strips is substantially reflected toward the second major surface.

11. The backlight of claim 4, wherein the waveguide has an edge surface, and wherein the first LED array and the second LED array emit light into the waveguide through the edge surface.

12. The backlight of claim 1, wherein the control system includes a chromaticity-measuring means that measures the actual chromaticity of the combined light from the first and second LED arrays.

13. A backlight for a liquid-crystal display, comprising:

a first light-emitting diode (LED) array that provides light with a first chromaticity;

a second LED-array that provides light with a second chromaticity that is different from the first chromaticity, wherein the second LED array includes at least one LED;

a combining element that combines the light from the first LED and second LED arrays and directs the combined light toward the liquid crystal display; and

a control system that is operationally connected to the second LED array, wherein the control system selectively varies the brightness of the at least one LED independent of the brightness of the first LED array, thereby adjusting the chromaticity of the combined light, wherein the control system includes a brightness-measuring means that measures the brightness of at least one of the first and second LED arrays at two predetermined times, the control system selectively varying the brightness of the least one LED of the second LED array in response to a difference in the brightness measured at the two predetermined times, thereby adjusting the chromaticity of the combined light.

14. A method of adjusting the chromaticity of an LCD backlight, the LCD backlight providing light combined from a first light-emitting diode (LED) array and a second LED array, the method comprising:

obtaining a target chromaticity for the LCD backlight by measuring the brightnesses of the first and second LED arrays;

determining an actual chromaticity of the LCD backlight;

calculating a difference between the target chromaticity and the actual chromaticity by determining the change in the ratio of the brightnesses of the first and second LED arrays as measured at two predetermined times; and

adjusting the brightness of at least one LED in the second LED array, thereby changing the chromaticity of the light combined from the first and second LED arrays and decreasing the difference between the target chromaticity and the actual chromaticity.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining, calculating, and adjusting steps are repeated until the difference between the target chromaticity and the actual chromaticity is substantially zero.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the LCD backlight includes a power supply that supplies power to the second LED array, and wherein the brightness of the at least one LED in the second LED array is adjusted by varying the power to the at least one LED.