System for collimating backlight
First Claim
1. A collimating device for use in a system having a backlight, the collimating device comprising:
- an immersing layer;
a reflecting layer; and
an optical element layer formed from a plurality of three-dimensional, optical elements,each optical element having a light input end and a light output end, each optical element being tapered towards the backlight such that the light input end has a horizontal plane cross-sectional area that is less than that of the light output end,wherein each optical element has a vertical plane cross-section that includes at least one curved section that is an approximation of a compound parabolic concentrator and includes at least one linear section, such that uncollimated light entering the light input end of the optical element from multiple angles emerges from the light output end of the optical end as a substantially uniform sheet, and wherein the curved section is defined by an arc of a circle, and a slope of the curved section matches a slope of the at least one linear section at the intersection point of the curved section and the at least one linear section, andwherein the reflecting layer has apertures therein which correspond to the position and shape of the light input ends of the optical elements.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A collimating device and a transflector for use in a system having a backlight is disclosed herein. In one embodiment of the application, the collimating device and the transflector each include an immersing layer, a reflecting layer, and an optical element layer formed from a plurality of three-dimensional, optical elements. Each optical element is tapered such that a small area end has a horizontal plane cross-sectional area that is less than that of a wide area end. The optical elements of the collimating device are tapered towards the backlight and the optical elements of the transflector are tapered away from the backlight. The reflecting layer has apertures which correspond to the position and shape of the light input ends of the optical elements.
138 Citations
31 Claims
-
1. A collimating device for use in a system having a backlight, the collimating device comprising:
-
an immersing layer; a reflecting layer; and an optical element layer formed from a plurality of three-dimensional, optical elements, each optical element having a light input end and a light output end, each optical element being tapered towards the backlight such that the light input end has a horizontal plane cross-sectional area that is less than that of the light output end, wherein each optical element has a vertical plane cross-section that includes at least one curved section that is an approximation of a compound parabolic concentrator and includes at least one linear section, such that uncollimated light entering the light input end of the optical element from multiple angles emerges from the light output end of the optical end as a substantially uniform sheet, and wherein the curved section is defined by an arc of a circle, and a slope of the curved section matches a slope of the at least one linear section at the intersection point of the curved section and the at least one linear section, and wherein the reflecting layer has apertures therein which correspond to the position and shape of the light input ends of the optical elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A transflector configured to reflect light arriving from a first direction and to transmit light arriving from a second direction opposite the first direction, the transflector comprising:
-
at least one immersing layer, including a first immersing layer having a first and second side, wherein the first side faces a backlight that projects light in the first direction and the second side faces light arriving from the second direction; at least one reflective layer, including a first reflective layer having a first and second side, wherein the first side faces the backlight and the second side faces light arriving from the second direction; at least one optical element layer, including a first optical element layer having a first set of optical elements, wherein each of the first set of optical elements are tapered towards the light arriving from the second direction, such that each optical element has a small area end and a large area end, wherein the large area end of each of the first set of optical elements contacts the large area end of another of the first set of optical elements, and wherein the first reflective layer has apertures therein which correspond to the positioning and shape of the small area ends of each of the first set of optical elements. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A collimating device for use in a system having a backlight, the collimating device comprising:
-
a reflecting layer; and an optical element layer formed from a plurality of three-dimensional, optical elements, each optical element having a light input end and a light output end, each optical element being tapered towards the backlight such that the light input end has a horizontal plane cross-sectional area that is less than that of the light output end, wherein each optical element has a vertical plane cross-section that includes at least one curved section that is an approximation of a compound parabolic concentrator and includes at least one linear section, such that uncollimated light entering the light input end of the optical element from multiple angles emerges from the light output end of the optical end as a substantially uniform sheet, and wherein the curved section is defined by an arc of a circle, and a slope of the curved section matches a slope of the at least one linear section at the intersection point of the curved section and the at least one linear section, and wherein the reflecting layer has apertures therein which correspond to the position and shape of the light input ends of the optical elements. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A device comprising:
-
transflective pixels having a reflective surface; and an optical element layer having a plurality of light containing regions, wherein each light containing region is tapered along a curved path towards the transflective pixels, such that each light containing region has a small area end and a wide area end, wherein the small area ends are aligned with the transflective pixels. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
-
Specification