Surface light source which selectively irradiates two linearly polarized light beams in polarized states different from each other and liquid crystal display apparatus using the same
First Claim
1. A surface light source comprising:
- a light source which selectively irradiates two polarized light beams in polarized states different from each other;
a light guide plate comprising a transparent plate having two plate surfaces facing each other, the light guide plate guiding two light beams selectively irradiated from the light source into the transparent plate upon allowing the light to enter from an end face of the light guide plate, and irradiating the light from an irradiation surface which comprises one of the two plate surfaces; and
an optical element which irradiates irradiated light from the irradiation surface of the light guide plate in a direction substantially normal to the light guide plate upon changing a propagation direction of the irradiated light;
wherein the light source comprises;
a first light-emitting element and a second light-emitting element which are arranged on the end face of the light guide plate so as to face each other;
a first polarizing element which is provided between the first light-emitting element and the end face of the light guide plate and has a transmission axis in a direction substantially perpendicular to the irradiation surface of the light guide plate; and
a second polarizing element which is provided between the second light-emitting element and the end face of the light guide plate and has a transmission axis in a direction substantially parallel to the irradiation surface of the light guide plate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surface light source includes a light source which selectively irradiates two polarized light beams in polarized states different from each other, a light guide plate which includes a transparent plate having two plate surfaces facing each other and end faces surrounding the plate surfaces, and irradiates the two polarized light beams form an irradiation surface, and an optical element which irradiates irradiated light from the irradiation surface of the light guide plate toward a direction substantially normal to the light guide plate upon changing the propagation direction of the irradiated light. A liquid crystal display apparatus includes this surface light source, a polarization control element which is placed on the observation side of the surface light source and rotates the polarization plane of linearly polarized light transmitted through one of partitioned first and second areas through a predetermined angle, and a liquid crystal display device placed on the observation side.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A surface light source comprising:
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a light source which selectively irradiates two polarized light beams in polarized states different from each other; a light guide plate comprising a transparent plate having two plate surfaces facing each other, the light guide plate guiding two light beams selectively irradiated from the light source into the transparent plate upon allowing the light to enter from an end face of the light guide plate, and irradiating the light from an irradiation surface which comprises one of the two plate surfaces; and an optical element which irradiates irradiated light from the irradiation surface of the light guide plate in a direction substantially normal to the light guide plate upon changing a propagation direction of the irradiated light; wherein the light source comprises; a first light-emitting element and a second light-emitting element which are arranged on the end face of the light guide plate so as to face each other; a first polarizing element which is provided between the first light-emitting element and the end face of the light guide plate and has a transmission axis in a direction substantially perpendicular to the irradiation surface of the light guide plate; and a second polarizing element which is provided between the second light-emitting element and the end face of the light guide plate and has a transmission axis in a direction substantially parallel to the irradiation surface of the light guide plate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A liquid crystal display apparatus comprising:
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a surface light source which selectively applies first illumination light comprising first linearly polarized light having a polarization plane in a predetermined direction and second illumination light comprising linearly polarized light having a polarization plane substantially perpendicular to the polarization plane of the first linearly polarized light; a polarization control element provided on a surface side of the surface light source from which illumination light is irradiated, wherein the polarization control element has an area which corresponds to an illumination light irradiation surface of the surface light source and is partitioned into a first area corresponding to a predetermined range and a second area other than the first area, and rotates a polarization plane of linearly polarized light transmitted through one of the partitioned first and second areas by a predetermined angle; a liquid crystal display device comprising a polarizing plate which is provided on a light irradiation surface side of the polarization control element so as to correspond to both the first and second areas and which has a transmission axis substantially parallel to a polarization plane of linearly polarized light irradiated to the irradiation surface side upon being transmitted through one of the first and second areas of the polarization control element, wherein the liquid crystal display device comprises a screen area in which pixels which control transmission of light are arrayed in row directions and column directions, and wherein the liquid crystal display device displays, in the screen area, an image corresponding to image data supplied to the pixels; and a driving unit which, in one frame for display a one-frame image, causes the surface light source to apply one of the first illumination light and the second illumination light in a period during which the image data are supplied to pixels on each row corresponding to the first area of the polarization control element, and causes the surface light source to apply the other of the first illumination light and the second illumination light in a period during which the image data are supplied to pixels on each row corresponding to the second area of the polarization control element. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification