Methods and devices for lighting displays

• US 8,411,026 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2011
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sampsell, Jeffrey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): OSORIO, RICARDO
• Application Number:
  US13/224,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20120062575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 345/102, 345/204, 345/175, 455/566
• US Class Current: 345/102
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/001 based on interference in an adjustable optical cavity interference filters G02B5/28; devices or arrangements using multiple reflections in spectrometry or monochromators G01J3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0028 Light guide, e.g. taper
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0036 2-D arrangement of prisms, protrusions, indentations or roughened surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133342 for double-sided displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133615 Edge-illuminating devices, i.e. illuminating from the side
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133616 Front illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials

Abstract

Various devices and methods of lighting a display are disclosed. In one embodiment, for example, a display device includes a transmissive display configured to be illuminated through a back surface and a reflective display configured to be illuminated through a front surface. A light source is disposed with respect to the back of the transmissive display to illuminate the transmissive display through the back surface. A light pipe is disposed with respect to the light source to receive light from the light source and is configured to propagate the light such that this light provides front illumination of the reflective display.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a first display including a front surface and a back surface and an edge;

a second display including a front surface and a back surface and an edge, wherein the back surface of the first display faces the back surface of the second display;

a light source disposed at the edge of the first display and optically coupled to the edge of the first display to provide light for illuminating the first display; and

a light pipe disposed to receive light from the light source, wherein the light pipe is optically coupled to the edge of the second display to illuminate the second display.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first display is reflective, and wherein the light source is optically coupled to the edge of the first display to illuminate the first display by propagating light through the front surface of the first display.

3. The display device of claim 2, wherein a light pipe, an optical plate, an optical sheet, an optical film, or a substrate of the first display receives the light from the light source to illuminate the first display by directing light through the front surface of the first display.

4. The display device of claim 2, further comprising optical features configured to redirect the light from the light source toward the front surface of the first display.

5. The display device of claim 4, wherein the optical features includes mini-prisms, micro-lenses, a hologram, a diffractive optical element, or a diffuser.

6. The display device of claim 2, wherein the first display includes a plurality of interferometric modulators.

7. The display device of claim 1, wherein the second display is reflective, and wherein the light pipe is optically coupled to the edge of the second display to illuminate the second display by propagating light through the front surface of the second display.

8. The display device of claim 7, wherein a light guide, an optical plate, an optical sheet, an optical film, or a substrate of the second display receives the light from the light pipe to illuminate the second display by directing light through the front surface of the second display.

9. The display device of claim 7, further comprising optical features configured to redirect the light from the light pipe toward the front surface of the second display.

10. The display device of claim 9, wherein the optical features includes mini-prisms, micro-lenses, a hologram, a diffractive optical element, or a diffuser.

11. The display device of claim 7, wherein the second display includes a plurality of interferometric modulators.

12. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first display is reflective, wherein the light source is optically coupled to the edge of the first display to illuminate the first display by propagating light through the front surface of the first display, wherein the second display is reflective, and wherein the light pipe is optically coupled to the edge of the second display to illuminate the second display by propagating light through the front surface of the second display.

13. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first display is configured to be illuminated through the back surface, and wherein the light source is optically coupled to the edge of the first display to illuminate the first display by propagating light through the back surface of the first display.

14. The display device of claim 1, wherein the second display is configured to be illuminated through the back surface, and wherein the light pipe is optically coupled to the edge of the second display to illuminate the second display by propagating light through the back surface of the second display.

15. The display device of claim 1, further comprising:

a processor that is configured to communicate with at least one of the first display and the second display, the processor being configured to process image data; and

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

16. The display device of claim 15, further comprising a driver circuit configured to send at least one signal to at least one of the first display and the second display.

17. The display device of claim 16, further comprising a controller configured to send at least a portion of the image data to the driver circuit.

18. The display device of claim 15, further comprising an image source module configured to send the image data to the processor.

19. The display device of claim 18, wherein the image source module includes at least one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter.

20. The display device of claim 15, further comprising an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate the input data to the processor.

21. A display device comprising:

a first display including a front surface and a back surface and an edge;

a second display including a front surface and a back surface and an edge, wherein the back surface of the first display faces the back surface of the second display;

means for providing light disposed at the edge of the first display and being optically coupled to the edge of the first display to transfer light for illuminating the first display; and

means for propagating light disposed to receive light from the light providing means, wherein the light propagating means is optically coupled to the edge of the second display to illuminate the second display.

22. The display device of claim 21, wherein the first display is reflective, and wherein the light providing means is optically coupled to the edge of the first display to illuminate the first display by propagating light through the front surface of the first display.

23. The display device of claim 21, wherein the second display is reflective, and wherein the light propagating means is optically coupled to the edge of the second display to illuminate the second display by propagating light through the front surface of the second display.

24. The display device of claim 21, wherein the light providing means includes a light source or wherein the light propagating means includes a light pipe.

25. A method of manufacturing a display device, the method comprising:

providing a first display, the first display having a front surface, a back surface, and an edge;

providing a second display, the second display having a front surface, a back surface, and an edge, wherein the back surface of the second display faces the back surface of the first display;

optically coupling a light source to the edge of the first display so that light emitted by the light source illuminates the first display, the light source being disposed near an edge of the first display;

providing a light pipe disposed to receive light from the light source; and

optically coupling the light pipe to the edge of the second display so that light emitted by the light pipe illuminates the second display.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the first display is reflective, and wherein the light source is optically coupled to the edge of the first display to illuminate the first display by propagating light through the front surface of the first display.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the second display is reflective, and wherein the light pipe is optically coupled to the edge of the second display to illuminate the second display by propagating light through front surface of the second display.

28. A method of illuminating displays, the method comprising:

providing a first display, the first display having a front surface, a back surface, and an edge;

providing a second display, the second display having a front surface, a back surface, and an edge, wherein the back surface of the second display faces the back surface of the first display;

emitting light from a light source that is optically coupled to the edge of the first display to illuminate the first display;

collecting a portion of the light emitted by the light source into a light pipe that is optically coupled to the edge of the second display; and

emitting light from the light pipe to illuminate the second display.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the first display is reflective, and wherein the method further includes directing light from the light source to the front surface of the first display to illuminate the first display by propagating light through the front surface of the first display.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the second display is reflective, and wherein the method further includes directing light from the light pipe to the front surface of the second display to illuminate the second display by propagating light through the front surface of the second display.