Large area wide aspect ratio flat panel monitor having high resolution for high information content display

• US 6,816,145 B1
• Filed: 07/22/1998
• Issued: 11/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Silicon Graphics Incorporated (Graphics Properties Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Evanicky, Daniel E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisen, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US09/120,983
• Time in Patent Office: 2,302 Days
• Field of Search: 345/87, 345/30, 345/33, 345/48, 345/50, 345/55, 345/84, 345/102, 345/905, 349/142, 349/62-69
• US Class Current: 345/102
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0043 provided on the surface of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0061 to provide homogeneous light output intensity
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0068 Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0076 Stacked arrangements of multiple light guides of the same or different cross-sectional area
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133308 Support structures for LCD panels, e.g. frames or bezels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133609 including means for improving the color mixing, e.g. white
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133634 the refractive index Nz perpendicular to the element surface being different from in-plane refractive indices Nx and Ny, e.g. biaxial or with normal optical axis

Abstract

A large area wide aspect ratio flat panel display having high resolution for high information content display. The present invention includes a liquid crystal flat panel display monitor having a wide aspect ratio. In one embodiment, the wide aspect ratio is substantially 1.6:1, having 1,600 pixels across the horizontal and 1,024 across the vertical. In this embodiment, the present invention is an SXGA-wide flat panel display monitor having high resolution for high information content display. The monitor of the present invention is particularly well suited for the display of text, graphics and other types of still and/or motion audio/visual works. The wide aspect ratio allows the display of multiple pages, side-by-side, thereby facilitating certain tasks such as desktop publishing, presentation of interactive windows, presentation of menus, chart viewing, digital photography, tactical military displays and weather and aircraft monitoring. The novel wide aspect ratio monitor also provides compensation film layers, rather than dual domain technology, for providing off axis viewing capability in both the horizontal and vertical directions. The novel wide aspect ratio monitor also provides white color balance adjustment. The white color balancing mechanisms include the provision of two or more light sources, of differing color temperature, whose brightness is varied (and distributed through a light distribution mechanism) to adjust color temperature without altering the grayscale resolution of the RGB colors.

Claims

1. A monitor comprising:

a large area wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen, said large area wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen having a liquid crystal layer, said large area wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen including optical compensation film for providing increased off axis angle viewing capability in both the vertical and horizontal directions, said large area wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen including a brightness enhancement layer operable to re-direct light radiating at extreme angles in order to increase light to said liquid crystal layer, said large area wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen including a first light pipe operable to illuminate said liquid crystal layer, said large area wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen having an air gap disposed between said brightness enhancement layer and said optical compensation film with said brightness enhancement layer being disposed between said first light pipe and said air gap; and

electronic circuitry for receiving signals from a digital computer system and for driving said large area wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen.

2. A monitor as described in claim 1 wherein said large area wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen has an aspect ratio of approximately 1.6:

1.

3. A monitor as described in claim 1 further comprising a height adjustable stand coupled to support said large area wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen.

4. A monitor as described in claim 1 wherein said large area wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen has high resolution for displaying high information content, said high information content includes text information.

5. A monitor as described in claim 1 wherein said large area wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen has high resolution for displaying high information content, said high information content includes graphics image information.

6. A monitor as described in claim 1 wherein said liquid crystal layer provides in-plane switching for improved viewing angle.

7. A monitor as described in claim 1 wherein said liquid crystal layer includes anti-ferroelectric material for improved viewing angle.

8. A monitor as described in claim 1 wherein said large area wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen comprises a plurality of pixels having a uniform pixel pitch of approximately 0.23 mm.

9. A monitor as described in claim 1 wherein said large area wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen is non-emissive and further comprising:

a first light source of a first color temperature; and

a second light source of a second color temperature different from said first color temperature, said first and second light sources positioned to illuminate said large area wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen with light having a net color temperature that is dependent on an intensity of said first light source and an intensity of said second light source wherein said first and said second light sources alter said net color temperature of said light, within a predetermined color temperature range, by controlling said intensity of said first light source and said intensity of said second light source.

10. A monitor as described in claim 9, wherein said first and second light pipes include an extraction pattern operable to provide uniform illumination from the first and second light sources.

11. A monitor as described in claim 10, wherein the extraction pattern of each of the first and second light pipes includes extraction dots of varying sizes.

12. A monitor as described in claim 9 wherein the first and second light sources are composed of light emitting diodes (LEDs) of different color temperatures.

13. A monitor as described in claim 9 wherein the first and second light sources are each an array of low voltage or high voltage phosphors with two color temperature mixes, each energized by two separately controlled arrays of field emission cathode devices.

14. A monitor as described in claim 9 wherein the first and second light sources are each an array of light emitting polymers with two color temperatures each energized by two separately controlled energy sources.

15. A monitor comprising:

a wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen, said wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen having a liquid crystal layer, said wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen including optical compensation film for providing increased off axis angle viewing capability in both the vertical and horizontal directions, said wide aspect ratio flat panel display screen including a brightness enhancement layer operable to re-direct light radiating at extreme angles in order to increase light to said liquid crystal layer, said wide aspect ratio flat panel display screen including a first light pipe liquid crystal layer, said wide aspect ratio flat panel display screen having an air gap disposed between said brightness enhancement layer and said optical compensation film with said brightness enhancement layer being disposed between said first light pipe and said air gap; and

electronic circuitry for receiving signals from an information originating source and for driving said wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen.

16. A monitor as described in claim 15 wherein said wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen has a pixel pitch of approximately 0.23 mm.

17. A monitor as described in claim 15 further comprising a height adjustable stand coupled to support said wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen and wherein said information originating source is a computer system.

18. A monitor as described in claim 15 wherein said wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen having high resolution for displaying high information content wherein said high resolution is compatible with the SXGA-Wide standard, said high information content includes text information.

19. A monitor as described in claim 18, wherein said high information content also includes graphics image information.

20. A monitor as described in claim 15 wherein said liquid crystal layer provides in-plane switching.

21. A monitor as described in claim 15 wherein said liquid crystal layer includes an anti-ferroelectric material for improved viewing angle.

22. A monitor as described in claim 15 wherein said wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen is non-emissive and further comprising:

a first light source optically coupled to provide light to said first light pipe, said first light source having a color temperature that is below the minimum color temperature of a predetermined color temperature range;

a second light source optically coupled to provide light to a second light pipe, said second light source having a color temperature that is above the maximum color temperature of said color temperature range; and

a circuit coupled to said first and said second light sources for setting a color temperature of said flat panel display by selectively and independently varying the brightness of said first light source and the brightness of said second light source.

23. A monitor comprising:

a wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen, said wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen having high resolution for displaying high information content wherein said high resolution comprises 1600 pixels horizontally and 1024 pixels vertically, said wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen including birefringence compensation film for providing increased off axis angle viewing capability in both the vertical and horizontal directions, said wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen including a brightness enhancement layer operable to re-direct light radiating at extreme angles in order to increase light to said large area wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen, said wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen including a first light pipe operable to illuminate said wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen, said wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen having an air gap disposed between said birefringence compensation film and said brightness enhancement layer with said brightness enhancement layer being disposed between said first light pipe and said air gap; and

electronic circuitry for receiving signals from an information originating source and for driving said wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen.

24. A monitor as described in claim 23 wherein said information originating source is a computer system.

25. A monitor as described in claim 23 wherein said high information content includes text information.

26. A monitor as described in claim 25 wherein said high information content also includes graphics image information.

27. A monitor as described in claim 23 wherein said wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen comprises an in-plane switching liquid crystal layer.

28. A monitor as described in claim 23 wherein said wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen comprises a liquid crystal layer of an anti-ferroelectric material for improved viewing angle.

29. A monitor as described in claim 23 wherein said wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen is non-emissive and further comprising:

a first light source of a first color temperature; and

a second light source of a second color temperature different from said first color temperature, said first and second light sources positioned to illuminate said wide aspect ratio liquid crystal flat panel display screen with light having a net color temperature that is dependent on an intensity of said first light source and an intensity of said second light source wherein said first and said second light sources alter said net color temperature of said light, within a predetermined color temperature range, by controlling said intensity of said first light source and said intensity of said second light source.

30. A monitor comprising:

a lighting configuration comprising;

a first “

L”

shaped light source of a first color temperature;

a second “

L”

shaped light-source of a second color temperature;

a first planar light pipe coupled to receive light from said first “

L”

shaped light source wherein two sides of said first planar light pipe receive light from said first “

L”

shaped light source; and

a second planar light pipe coupled to receive light from said second “

L”

shaped light source wherein two sides of said second planar light pipe receive light from said second “

L”

shaped light source, said second planar light pipe being separated from said first planar light pipe by an air gap to maintain light distribution independence between said first and second planar light pipes; and

a wide aspect large area liquid crystal flat panel display operable to receive light from said lighting configuration, said wide aspect large area liquid crystal flat panel display having a net color temperature that is dependent on the intensity of said first and second “

L”

shaped light sources with respect to each other, said wide aspect large area liquid crystal flat panel display including optical compensation film for providing increased off axis angle viewing capability in both the vertical and horizontal directions, said wide aspect large area liquid crystal flat panel display including a brightness enhancement layer operable to re-direct light radiating at extreme angles in order to increase light to said wide aspect large area liquid crystal flat panel display, said wide aspect large area liquid crystal flat panel display including an air gap between said optical compensation film and said brightness enhancement layer with said brightness enhancement layer being disposed between said first planar light pipe and said air gap.