Light turning device with prismatic light turning features

• US 8,358,266 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2009
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Khazeni, Kasra, Kothari, Manish, Xu, Gang, Bita, Ion, Narayanan, Kollengode S.
• Primary Examiner(s): GIESY, ADAM
• Application Number:
  US12/552,124
• Publication Number:
  US 20100053148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/108
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00663 Production of light guides
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0015 provided on the surface of the light guide or in the bulk of it
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0028 Light guide, e.g. taper
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0035 provided on the surface of the light guide or in the bulk of it
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0065 Manufacturing aspects; Material aspects

Abstract

A light guide device includes a light guide body and two or more pluralities of spaced-apart slits. The slits are formed by undercuts in the light guide body. Sidewalls of the slits form facets that redirect light impinging on the facets. In some embodiments, the light guide body is attached to a light source. The light source emits light that is injected into the light guide body and the slits redirect the light out of the light guide body and towards a desired target. In some embodiments, the target is a display and a first plurality of slits directs light from the light source across the light guide body and over the face of the display. A second plurality of slits then directs light out of the light guide body and towards the display.

Claims

1. A light guide apparatus, comprising:

a light guide body formed of a light propagating material supporting propagation of light through a length of the light guide body, the light guide body defined by a plurality of exterior surfaces,

wherein a first of the exterior surfaces comprises;

a first plurality of spaced-apart slits configured to redirect light incident on the light guide body, each slit of the first plurality of spaced-apart slits formed by an undercut in the first exterior surface; and

wherein a second of the exterior surfaces comprises;

a second plurality of spaced-apart slits configured to redirect light incident on the light guide body, each slit of the second plurality of spaced-apart slits formed by an undercut in the second exterior surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light guide body is defined by first and second opposite edges, third and fourth opposite edges, and first and second opposite major sides extending between the first and second and third and fourth edges.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first exterior surface is a surface of the first major side and wherein the first plurality of slits is formed by undercuts in the first major side.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second exterior surface is a surface of the first edge and wherein the second plurality of slits is formed by undercuts in the first edge.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second plurality of slits are configured to redirect light, propagating from the third edge, across the light guide body towards the second edge and wherein the first plurality of slits is configured to redirect the light redirected by the second plurality of slits towards the second major side.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second plurality of slits is formed by undercuts in the second major side and wherein the first and second pluralities of slits are configured to redirect light, propagating from a direction of the first edge, towards the second major side.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein a density of the slits increases with increasing density from the first edge.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein a surface area of the slits increases with increasing density from the first edge.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an angle formed between a slit and the first exterior surface vary among the first plurality of slits or between the first and second pluralities of slits.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the surface area of a slit varies among the first plurality of slits or between the first and second pluralities of slits.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an anti-reflective coating on surfaces of the first and second pluralities of slits.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the slits define spaced-apart concentric semicircles.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a display;

a processor that is configured to communicate with the display, the processor being configured to process image data; and

a memory device that is configured to communicate with the processor.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a driver circuit configured to send at least one signal to the display.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a controller configured to send at least a portion of the image data to the driver circuit.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising an image source module configured to send the image data to the processor.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the image source module comprises at least one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate the input data to the processor.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the light guide body constitutes a front light for the display, the front light comprising a light source configured to propagate light through the light guide body, the first plurality of slits configured to redirect the light towards the display.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the display comprises a plurality of interferometric modulators, the interferometric modulators forming pixel elements.

21. An illumination apparatus, comprising:

a light turning body;

a first means for generating light and directing the light to propagate through the light turning body;

a second means for redirecting the light propagating through the light turning body, wherein the second means includes a plurality of slits formed by undercuts in a first surface of the light turning body; and

a third means for redirecting the light propagating through the light turning body, wherein the third means includes a plurality of slits formed by undercuts in a second surface of the light turning body.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first means comprises a light emitting diode.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the second means comprises a plurality of slits formed by undercuts in the edge of the light turning body, wherein the light emitting diode is localized at an edge of the light turning body and wherein the second means is configured to redirect light from the light emitting diode across a length of the light turning body.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a fourth means for displaying an image through the light turning body.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the fourth means comprises a plurality of interferometric modulators, the interferometric modulators forming pixel elements.

26. A method for illumination, comprising:

propagating light through a light turning body; and

redirecting the light by impinging the light on facets of a first and a second plurality of slits, the pluralities of slits formed by undercuts in two surfaces of the light turning body.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the light guide body is defined by first and second opposite edges, third and fourth opposite edges, and first and second opposite major sides extending between the first and second and third and fourth edges, wherein the first plurality of slits is disposed in the first edge,

wherein propagating the light comprises directing the light into the third edge of the light turning body,

wherein redirecting the light comprises redirecting the light coming from the third edge in a direction across the light guide body towards the second edge.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the second plurality of slits is disposed in the first major side, wherein redirecting the light further comprises redirecting the light towards the second major side.