System and apparatus for see-through display panels

• US 8,922,897 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2010
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovega Inc.
• Original Assignee: Innovega Inc.
• Inventors: Sprague, Randall
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, James
• Application Number:
  US12/756,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20110096100A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,727 Days
• Field of Search: 359/630
• US Class Current: 359/630
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1006 for splitting or combining different wavelengths G02B27/1086, G02B27/141 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/286 for controlling or changing the state of polarisation, e.g. transforming one polarisation state into another G02B5/3083 takes precedence; light guide coupling means utilising polarising elements G02B6/34
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/1876 Diffractive Fresnel lenses; Zone plates; Kinoforms G02B5/1842, G02B5/1847 take precedence; optical systems having diffractive correction means G02B27/0037; Fresnel lenses operating by refraction G02B3/08
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/20 Filters polarising elements G02B5/30
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/30 Polarising elements light-modulating devices with active elements G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/20 Diffractive and Fresnel lenses or lens portions
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/04 Contact lenses for the eyes disinfection or sterilisation of contact lenses A61L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/086 Auxiliary lenses located directly on a main spectacle lens or in the immediate vicinity of main spectacles
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/101 having an electro-optical light valve electro-optical elements per se G02F
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/102 Photochromic filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/12 Polarisers
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0478 related to liquid crystal pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3607 for displaying colours or for displaying grey scales with a specific pixel layout, e.g. using sub-pixels display of colours in flat matrix panels other than liquid crystal displays G09G3/2003; grey scales specific for television H04N3/127

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention provide for systems and apparatus directed toward using a contact lens and deflection optics to process display information and non-display information. In one embodiment of the invention, a display panel assembly is provided, comprising: a transparent substrate that permits light to pass through substantially undistorted; a reflector disposed on the transparent substrate; and a display panel aimed toward the reflector and substantially away from a human visual system, wherein the reflector reflects light emitted from the display panel toward the human visual system. The reflector may comprise a narrow band reflector or a polarization reflector.

Claims

1. A display panel assembly, comprising:

a transparent substrate having a semi-reflective surface that reflects light in multiple directions;

a transparent cover bonded to the semi-reflective surface using an adhesive, wherein the adhesive has a refraction coefficient similar to that of the transparent substrate;

a polarizer affixed to the transparent cover;

a liquid crystal pixel array affixed to the polarizer; and

a polarized illumination source having a first polarization orientation, wherein the polarized illumination source illuminates the semi-reflective surface through the liquid crystal pixel array.

2. The display panel assembly of claim 1, wherein the semi-reflective surface is a narrow spectral band reflector.

3. A display panel assembly, comprising:

a transparent substrate having a semi-reflective surface that reflects light in multiple directions;

a transparent cover bonded to the semi-reflective surface using an adhesive, wherein the adhesive has a refraction coefficient similar to that of the transparent substrate;

a light spreading relay configured to relay in a uniform manner light entering from a first relay side onto the semi-reflective surface;

a liquid crystal pixel array affixed nearer the viewer;

a polarizer affixed to the liquid crystal pixel array nearest the viewer; and

a polarized illumination source having a first polarization orientation, wherein the polarized illumination source illuminates the semi-reflective surface through the light spreading relay.

4. The display panel assembly of claim 3, wherein a second polarizer is affixed to the transparent substrate and has a second polarization orientation.

5. The display panel assembly of claim 3, wherein the semi-reflective surface is a narrow spectral band reflector.