Directional backlight unit and image display apparatus including the same

US2018188439A1 · US · A1

Patent metadata
FieldValue
Publication numberUS-2018188439-A1
Application numberUS-201815860202-A
CountryUS
Kind codeA1
Filing dateJan 2, 2018
Priority dateJan 2, 2017
Publication dateJul 5, 2018
Grant date

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  1. Title

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  2. Abstract

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  3. Assignees and inventors

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  4. Key dates

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  5. First independent claim

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  6. CPC / IPC classifications

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  7. Citations and related patents

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Abstract

Official abstract text for this publication.

Provided are a directional backlight unit and an image display apparatus including the same. The directional backlight unit includes at least one light source, a light guide plate arranged at a side of the at least one light source and configured to guide light emitted from the at least one light source by total reflection, a plurality of diffraction gratings arranged in a pattern at a surface of the light guide plate and configured to diffract the light and to emit the light diffracted by the plurality of diffraction gratings at a predetermined angle from a front surface; and a mirror arranged at a rear surface of the light guide plate and configured to reflect the light diffracted by the plurality of diffraction gratings toward the light guide plate, the rear surface of the light guide plate being opposite to the front surface of the light guide plate.

First claim

Opening claim text (preview).

What is claimed is: 1 . A directional backlight unit comprising: at least one light source; a light guide plate arranged at a side of the at least one light source, and configured to guide light emitted from the at least one light source by total reflection; a plurality of diffraction gratings arranged in a pattern at a surface of the light guide plate and configured to diffract the light emitted from the at least one light source and to emit the light diffracted by the plurality of diffraction gratings at a predetermined angle from a front surface of the light guide plate; and a mirror arranged at a rear surface of the light guide plate and configured to reflect the light diffracted by the plurality of diffraction gratings toward the light guide plate, the rear surface of the light guide plate being opposite to the front surface of the light guide plate. 2 . The directional backlight unit of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of diffraction gratings are arranged at the front surface of the light guide plate. 3 . The directional backlight unit of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of diffraction gratings are arranged at the rear surface of the light guide plate. 4 . The directional backlight unit of claim 1 , wherein the mirror is arranged over a total area of the rear surface of the light guide plate. 5 . The directional backlight unit of claim 1 , wherein the mirror is arranged over a portion of the rear surface of the light guide plate. 6 . The directional backlight unit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light source comprises at least one of a red light source, a green light source, and a blue light source. 7 . The directional backlight unit of claim 6 , wherein the mirror comprises a dichroic mirror. 8 . The directional backlight unit of claim 7 , wherein the dichroic mirror comprises at least one of a red dichroic mirror configured to reflect only red light, a green dichroic mirror configured to reflect only green light, and a blue dichroic mirror configured to reflect only blue light. 9 . The directional backlight unit of claim 8 , wherein the dichroic mirror is arranged over a portion of the rear surface of the light guide plate. 10 . The directional backlight unit of claim 9 , wherein the red dichroic mirror is arranged at a side of the rear surface of the light guide plate opposite to the red light source, the green dichroic mirror is arranged at a side of the rear surface of the light guide plate opposite to the green light source, and the blue dichroic mirror is arranged at a side of the rear surface of the light guide plate opposite to the blue light source. 11 . An image display apparatus comprising: at least one light source; a light guide plate arranged at a side of the at least one light source, and configured to guide light emitted from the at least one light source by total reflection; a plurality of diffraction gratings arranged in a pattern at a surface of the light guide plate and configured to diffract the light emitted from the at least one light source and to emit the light diffracted by the plurality of diffraction gratings at a predetermined angle from a front surface of the light guide plate; a mirror arranged at a rear surface of the light guide plate and configured to reflect the light diffracted by the plurality of diffraction gratings toward the light guide plate, the rear surface of the light guide plate being opposite to the front surface of the light guide plate; and a display panel arranged on the front surface of the light guide plate. 12 . The image display apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of diffraction gratings are arranged at the front surface of the light guide plate. 13 . The image display apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of diffraction gratings are arranged at the rear surface of the light guide plate. 14 . The image display apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the mirror is arranged over a total area of the rear surface of the light guide plate. 15 . The image display apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the mirror is arranged over a portion of the rear surface of the light guide plate. 16 . The image display apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the at least one light source comprises at least one of a red light source, a green light source, and a blue light source. 17 . The image display apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the mirror comprises a dichroic mirror. 18 . The image display apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the dichroic mirror comprises at least one of a red dichroic mirror configured to reflect only red light, a green dichroic mirror configured to reflect only green light, and a blue dichroic mirror configured to reflect only blue light. 19 . The image display apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the dichroic mirror is arranged over a portion of the rear surface of the light guide plate. 20 . The image display apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the red dichroic mirror is arranged at a side of the rear surface of the light guide plate opposite to the red light source, the green dichroic mirror is arranged at a side of the rear surface of the light guide plate opposite to the green light source, and the blue dichroic mirror is arranged at a side of the rear surface of the light guide plate opposite to the blue light source.

Assignees

Inventors

Classifications

  • G02B6/0061Primary

    to provide homogeneous light output intensity · CPC title

  • Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources · CPC title

  • G02B6/0038Primary

    Linear indentations or grooves, e.g. arc-shaped grooves or meandering grooves, extending over the full length or width of the light guide · CPC title

  • Reflecting element, sheet or layer · CPC title

  • using dichroic mirrors · CPC title

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What does patent US2018188439A1 cover?
Provided are a directional backlight unit and an image display apparatus including the same. The directional backlight unit includes at least one light source, a light guide plate arranged at a side of the at least one light source and configured to guide light emitted from the at least one light source by total reflection, a plurality of diffraction gratings arranged in a pattern at a surface …
Who is the assignee on this patent?
Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
What technology area does this patent fall under?
Primary CPC classification G02B6/0061. Mapped technology areas include Physics.
When was this patent published?
Publication date Thu Jul 05 2018 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (A1). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
What related patents are in patentsdb?
We list 3 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).