Multi-view display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9778470-B2
Application number	US-201113824446-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2011
Priority date	Sep 22, 2010
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

A multi-view display is switchable between single view and multi-view modes, and uses lenticular arrangement over a display panel which includes birefringent electro-optic material adjacent to a non-switchable optically transparent layer. The non-switchable optically transparent layer has a refractive index substantially equal to the extra ordinary refractive index of the birefringent electro-optic material. In the single view mode, the birefringent electro-optic material defines a non-switched state, and the polarization of the light from the display panel and incident on the lenticular arrangement is linear and aligned with the optical axis of the birefringent electro-optic material at the surface where the display output light is received. In the multi-view mode, the birefringent electro-optic material defines a switched state in which the optical axis is aligned perpendicularly to the display output surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A multi-view display device which is switchable between a single view mode and a multiple view mode, the display comprising:
a display panel;
a non-switchable optically transparent layer comprising a flat side and a lens side; and
a birefringent electro-optic material disposed between the display panel and the non-switchable optically transparent layer;
wherein the flat side is farther from the display panel than the lens side,
wherein the lens side comprises a plurality of lenticular lens elements,
wherein each lens element is convex,
wherein the non-switchable optically transparent layer has a refractive index substantially equal to the extra ordinary refractive index of the birefringent electro-optic material;
wherein a polarization direction of light from the display output side of the display panel and incident on the non-switchable optically transparent layer is linear,
wherein in the single view mode the birefringent electro-optic material is in a first state in which an optical axis of the birefringent electro-optic material is aligned with the polarization direction of the light from the display panel at a surface where the light enters the birefringent electro optic material,
wherein in the multi-view mode, the birefringent electro-optic material is in a second state in which the optical axis of the birefringent electro-optic material is aligned perpendicularly to a surface of the display panel.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the refractive index of the birefringent electro-optic material is switched by a selective application of an electric field to at least part of the birefringent electro-optic material.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein in the single view mode the optical axis of the birefringent electro-optic material at a surface of the non-switchable optically transparent layer is aligned with elongate axes of the lenticular lens elements.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the birefringent electro-optic material comprises a twisted nematic liquid crystal material.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the display panel comprises a liquid crystal display panel.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the non-switchable optically transparent layer comprises a birefringent material.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the non-switchable optically transparent layer comprises an isotropic material.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the polarization orientation of the light from the display output side of the display panel at the surface that the light enters the birefringent electro-optic material is parallel to the elongate axis of the lenticular lens elements.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a polarizer between the display output side and the non-switchable optically transparent layer.

10. The display as claimed in claim 1 comprising an autostereoscopic display device, wherein the single view mode comprises a two-dimensional mode, and the multi-view mode comprises a three-dimensional mode.

11. The display as claimed in claim 1 comprising a dual view display device, wherein the single view mode comprises a two-dimensional mode in a full field of view of the display, and the multi-view mode comprises two at least partly separated two-dimensional modes at different parts of the full field of view of the display.

12. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the polarization orientation of the light from the display output side of the display panel at the surface that the light enters the birefringent electro-optic material is in a display column direction.

13. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the polarization orientation of the light from the display output side of the display panel at the surface that the light enters the birefringent electro-optic material is in a display row direction.

14. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the polarization orientation of the light from the display output side of the display panel at the surface that the light enters the birefringent electro-optic material is at 45 degrees to the display row and column directions.

Assignees

• Pijlman Fetze
• Van Der Horst Jan
• Koninl Philips Electronics Nv

Inventors

• Pijlman Fetze
• Van Der Horst Jan

Classifications

• G02F1/29 Primary

  for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection · CPC title

• G02B30/34

  Stereoscopes providing a stereoscopic pair of separated images corresponding to parallactically displaced views of the same object, e.g. three-dimensional [3D] slide viewers · CPC title

• G02B30/27 Primary

  involving lenticular arrays · CPC title

• G02B3/12

  Fluid-filled or evacuated lenses · CPC title

• H04N13/359

  Switching between monoscopic and stereoscopic modes · CPC title