Display panel with backlighting structure and selectively transmissive window therethrough

• US 20060119765A1
• Filed: 12/07/2004
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Planar Systems Incorporated (Leyard Optoelectronic Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Planar Systems Incorporated (Leyard Optoelectronic Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Abileah, Adiel
• Granted Patent: US 7,307,675 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/86
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1334 based on polymer dispersed liquid crystals, e.g. microencapsulated liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133615 Edge-illuminating devices, i.e. illuminating from the side
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13476 in which at least one liquid crystal cell or layer assumes a scattering state
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/02 reflective
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means

Abstract

A backlighting structure for use with a display comprises a light source, an illumination area, a permanently reflecting material, and a selectively reflecting material. The illumination area is bounded by a back side, a front plane on a front side, and lateral sides. The permanently reflecting material lies along a first subset of the back side, and the selectively reflecting material lies on a second subset of the back side. The selectively transparent material can controllably change between a reflecting state and a non-reflecting (e.g., transmitting) state.

Claims

1. In a display having a backlighting structure behind an LCD panel, the backlighting structure comprising a light source and having opposing front and back sides, the front side of the backlighting structure facing the LCD panel, an improvement comprising:

a permanently reflecting material along a first interior portion of the back side of the backlighting structure, the permanently reflecting material oriented to reflect light from the light source toward the LCD panel; and

a selectively transparent material along a second interior portion of the back side of the backlighting structure, the selectively transparent material capable of being selectively and reversibly made either transparent or reflecting.

2. A display according to claim 1, wherein the selectively transparent material is part of a PDLC cell.

3. A display according to claim 1, wherein said second portion has a rectangular shape.

4. A display according to claim 1, further comprising a diffuser positioned between the LCD panel and the backlighting structure, wherein the diffuser is not present in an area overlaying said second portion.

5. A display according to claim 4, wherein the diffuser comprises multiple layers.

6. A display according to claim 1, wherein the backlighting structure comprises:

a light source; and

a light guide positioned to receive light from the light source.

7. A display according to claim 6, wherein the light source comprises a reflector lamp oriented to reflect light from the light source into the light guide.

8. A display according to claim 6, wherein the light source comprises a CCFL.

9. A display according to claim 1, wherein the permanently reflecting material is diffusively reflective, and the selectively transparent material is selectively diffusively reflective.

10. A display according to claim 1, wherein the improvement further comprises a selectively reflecting material positioned behind the selectively transparent material.

11. A display according to claim 10, wherein the selectively reflecting material is selectively diffusively reflective.

12. A display according to claim 10, wherein the selectively reflecting material is selectively non-diffusively reflective.

13. A backlighting structure for use with a display, the backlighting structure comprising:

a light source;

an illumination area bounded by a back side, a front side, and lateral sides;

a permanently reflecting material along a first subset of the back side; and

a selectively reflecting material on a second subset of the back side, wherein the selectively reflecting material can controllably change between a reflecting state and a non-reflecting state.

14. A backlighting structure according to claim 13, further comprising:

a diffuser along the front side of the illumination area.

15. A backlighting structure according to claim 13, wherein the light source is positioned along at least one lateral side of the illumination area.

16. A backlighting structure according to claim 13, further comprising:

a light guide in the illumination area.

17. A backlighting structure according to claim 13, wherein the permanently reflecting material has a textured surface so as to cause diffusive reflection.

18. A backlighting structure according to claim 13, wherein the reflecting state of the selectively reflecting material is a diffusively reflective state.

19. A backlighting structure according to claim 13, wherein the selectively reflecting material comprises a laminated stack of selectively reflecting materials.

20. A backlighting structure according to claim 13, wherein the non-reflecting state of the selectively reflecting material is a transparent state.

21. A backlighting structure according to claim 20, wherein the selectively reflecting material is part of a PDLC cell.

22. A display having a controllably transmissive window therethrough, the display comprising:

a display panel, a portion of which can be made transmissive by electrical control, the display panel having a viewing side and an opposing back side; and

a backlighting structure positioned behind the back side of the display panel, the backlighting structure comprising a rear reflector oriented to reflect light toward the back side of the display panel, the rear reflector comprising;

a permanently reflecting material; and

a selectively transmissive material that can controllably change state from a transmissive state to a non-transmissive state by electrical control, at least a portion of the selectively transmissive material positioned to underlie the portion of the display panel that can be made transmissive by electrical control.

23. A display according to claim 22, wherein the selectively transmissive material is selectively transparent.

24. A display according to claim 23, wherein the selectively transparent material is a part of a PDLC cell.

25. A display according to claim 22, further comprising a diffuser positioned between the LCD panel and the backlighting structure, wherein the diffuser is not present in an area overlaying the selectively transmissive material.

26. A display according to claim 25, wherein the diffuser comprises multiple layers.

27. A display according to claim 22, wherein the backlighting structure comprises:

a light source; and

a light guide positioned to receive light from the light source.

28. A display according to claim 22, wherein the permanently reflecting material is diffusively reflective, and the selectively transmissive material is diffusively reflective in its non-transmissive state.

29. A display according to claim 22, further comprising:

a selectively reflecting material positioned behind the selectively transmissive material.

30. A display according to claim 29, wherein the selectively reflective material is selectively diffusively reflective.

31. A display according to claim 29, wherein the selectively reflective material is selectively non-diffusively reflective.

32. An apparatus comprising:

a means for electronically displaying to a user an image on at least a first portion of a display having a front viewing side and a back side;

a means for selectively making transmissive a second portion of the display;

a means for providing light along the back side of the display;

a means for permanently reflecting the light toward the back side of the display from a first area underlying the first portion of the display; and

in a second area underlying the second portion of the display, a means for selectively either reflecting light toward the back side of the display from the second area or transmitting light through the second area and thereby revealing to the user an object behind the second area.

33. An apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the object is part of a slot machine wheel.

34. An apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the object is a gauge.

35. An apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the apparatus is part of an automobile dashboard.

36. An apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the object is an electronic display.