Illumination device including a meta-surface, electronic apparatus including the same, and illumination method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11933916-B2
Application number	US-202217946441-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2022
Priority date	Sep 7, 2018
Publication date	Mar 19, 2024
Grant date	Mar 19, 2024

Abstract

Provided is an illumination device including a display panel including a first surface and a second surface that is opposite to the first surface, the display panel being configured to output light including image information through the first surface, a light source configured to emit light, the light source being spaced apart from the display panel in a direction away from and normal to the second surface of the display panel, a window panel including a first area configured to transmit the light output from the display panel and a second area configured to transmit the light emitted from the light source, and a light transmitting unit provided between the window panel and the light source, the light transmitting unit configured to transmit the light emitted from the light source to an object through the second area, the light transmitting unit including at least one meta-surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An illumination device comprising:
a display panel configured to output light comprising image information;
a light source configured to emit light, the light source being spaced apart from the display panel;
a window panel comprising a first area configured to transmit the light output from the display panel and a second area configured to transmit the light emitted from the light source; and
a light transmitting unit configured to transmit the light emitted from the light source to an object through the second area, the light transmitting unit comprising at least one meta-surface.

2. The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein the light transmitting unit is provided between the window panel and the light source.

3. The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one meta-surface of the light transmitting unit comprises:
a first meta-surface configured to deflect the light emitted from the light source such that the light deflected by the first meta-surface has a first directivity;
a second meta-surface configured to deflect the light deflected by the first meta-surface and having the first directivity such that the light deflected by the second meta-surface has a second directivity that is different from the first directivity; and
a third meta-surface configured to diffuse the light deflected by the second meta-surface.

4. The illumination device of claim 3 , wherein a center portion of the second meta-surface and a center portion of the third meta-surface face the second area in a direction normal to the second area.

5. The illumination device of claim 4 , wherein a center portion of the first meta-surface is closer to the display panel than the center portion of the second meta-surface is to the display panel.

6. The illumination device of claim 5 , wherein the first directivity corresponds to a direction from the center portion of the first meta-surface toward the center portion of the second meta-surface.

7. The illumination device of claim 5 , wherein the second directivity corresponds to a direction from the center portion of the second meta-surface toward the center portion of the third meta-surface.

8. The illumination device of claim 5 , wherein the second directivity is equal to a direction in which the light emitted from the light source propagates toward the first meta-surface.

9. The illumination device of claim 3 , wherein the light transmitting unit further comprises a first substrate provided between the first meta-surface and the second meta-surface, and a second substrate provided between the second meta-surface and the third meta-surface.

10. The illumination device of claim 3 , wherein the first meta-surface comprises:
a plurality of first nanostructures having a shape dimension which is less than a wavelength of the light emitted from the light source.

11. The illumination device of claim 10 , wherein the first meta-surface is configured to collimate the light emitted from the light source based on a shape and a distribution of each of the plurality of first nanostructures.

12. The illumination device of claim 3 , wherein the second meta-surface comprises a plurality of second nanostructures having a shape dimension which is less than a wavelength of the light from the light source.

13. The illumination device of claim 12 , wherein the second meta-surface is configured to collimate the light output from the first meta-surface based on a shape and a distribution of each of the plurality of second nanostructures.

14. The illumination device of claim 3 , wherein the third meta-surface comprises a plurality of third nanostructures having a shape dimension which is less than a wavelength of the light from the light source.

15. The illumination device of claim 14 , wherein the third meta-surface is configured to diffuse and transmit the light output from the second meta-surface to radiate the object with flood illumination based on a shape and a distribution of each of the plurality of third nanostructures.

16. The illumination device of claim 15 , wherein the flood illumination has a field of view of 80 degrees.

17. The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises a plurality of light-emitting elements.

18. The illumination device of claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of light-emitting elements comprises a vertical cavity surface emitting laser.

19. The illumination device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a support substrate provided on a lower side of the light source opposite to the light transmitting unit;
a plurality of support portions provided between the support substrate and the light transmitting unit and configured to provide a space in which the light source is provided; and
a housing surrounding the window panel, the light transmitting unit, the support substrate, and the plurality of support portions.

20. An electronic apparatus comprising:
an illumination device comprising:
a display panel configured to output light comprising image information;
a light source configured to emit light, the light source being spaced apart from the display panel;
a window panel comprising a first area configured to transmit the light output from the display panel and a second area configured to transmit the light emitted from the light source; and
a light transmitting unit configured to transmit the light emitted from the light source to an object through the second area, the light transmitting unit comprising at least one meta-surface; and

a sensor configured to receive light reflected from the object; and
a processor configured to acquire information about the object based on the light received by the sensor.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• You Jangwoo
• KWON Namseop
• Na Byunghoon
• Lee Minkyung
• Lee Suyeon
• Han Seunghoon

Classifications

• G01S7/4815 Primary

  using multiple transmitters · CPC title

• G01S17/08

  for measuring distance only (indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48) · CPC title

• G02B1/00

  Optical elements characterised by the material of which they are made; Optical coatings for optical elements · CPC title

• G02B5/1809

  with pitch less than or comparable to the wavelength · CPC title

• G02F1/13

  based on liquid crystals, e.g. single liquid crystal display cells · CPC title