Display backlighting using ambient light

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10119666-B2
Application number	US-201615146160-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2016
Priority date	May 4, 2016
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

An example optical device for backlighting includes a receiver disposed in a mobile device to receive ambient light. The optical device also includes a concentrator to concentrate the received ambient light received through the receiver. The optical device further includes a channeler to direct the ambient light beneath a surface of the mobile device to a digital display of the mobile device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical device for backlighting, comprising:
a receiver disposed in a mobile device to receive ambient light;
a concentrator to concentrate the received ambient light received through the receiver, wherein the concentrator comprises a first parabolic mirror to reflect the ambient light to a second parabolic mirror, wherein the second parabolic mirror is to reflect the light back through a slot in the first parabolic mirror; and
a channeler to direct the ambient light beneath a surface of the mobile device to a digital display of the mobile device.

2. The optical device of claim 1 , wherein the receiver comprises a portion of the surface of the mobile device.

3. The optical device of claim 1 , wherein the channeler comprises a diffraction film beneath the display.

4. The optical device of claim 1 , wherein the channeler comprises a tilted mirror between two reflective surfaces under the display.

5. The optical device of claim 1 , wherein the channeler comprises a stepped mirror between two reflective surfaces under the display.

6. The optical device of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) mirrors to switch between the ambient light and an electrical backlight.

7. The optical device of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) mirrors at the receiver to adjust angles to create a reflex angle between the MEMS mirrors and the ambient light.

8. The optical device of claim 1 , further comprising a diffuser to allow light to enter a display and prevent light from escaping the display.

9. A method for backlighting digital displays, comprising:
detecting a reflex angle at an optical device;
enabling reflex backlighting to illuminate a display of a mobile device using ambient light received via a receiver of the optical device based on the detected reflex angle; and
concentrating, via a concentrator, the ambient light received via the receiver, wherein the concentrator comprises a first parabolic mirror to reflect the ambient light to a second parabolic mirror, wherein the second parabolic mirror is angled to reflect light back through a space between the first parabolic mirror and a neighboring third parabolic mirror.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
detecting a departure from the reflex angle; and
disabling the reflex backlighting based on the detected departure.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the reflex backlighting is further enabled or disabled based on a comparison of ambient light with an electronic backlight.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the reflex angle comprises an angle within a predetermined threshold range of angles with respect to a vertical axis.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the reflex angle is based on a source of light.

14. At least one computer readable medium for backlighting a display using ambient light having instructions stored therein that, in response to being executed on a computing device, cause the computing device to:
detect a reflex angle at an optical device;
enable a reflex backlight to illuminate a display of a mobile device using ambient light received via a receiver of the optical device in response to detecting the reflex angle; and
concentrate, via a concentrator, the ambient light received via the receiver, wherein the concentrator comprises a first parabolic mirror to reflect the ambient light to a second parabolic mirror, and wherein the second parabolic mirror is to reflect the light back through a slot in the first parabolic mirror.

15. The at least one computer readable medium of claim 14 , comprising instructions to:
detect a departure from the reflex angle; and
disable a reflex backlight in response to detecting the departure from the reflex angle.

16. The at least one computer readable medium of claim 14 , comprising instructions to enable a reflex backlight based on a detected intensity of ambient light as compared to a threshold electronic backlight intensity.

17. The at least one computer readable medium of claim 14 , comprising instructions to switch between an electronic backlight and a reflex backlight based on a detected ambient light intensity.

18. The at least one computer readable medium of claim 14 , comprising instructions to reduce an intensity of an electronic backlight based on a detected ambient light intensity.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Keates Andrew

Classifications

• G02B19/0038

  for use with ambient light (G02B19/009, G02B19/0095 take precedence) · CPC title

• F21V7/0033

  with successive reflections from one reflector to the next or following · CPC title

• F21V7/06

  with parabolic curvature · CPC title

• G02B26/0833

  the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD (G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B) · CPC title

• F21S11/002 Primary

  characterised by the means for collecting or concentrating the sunlight, e.g. parabolic reflectors or Fresnel lenses · CPC title