Methods and apparatus for providing improved display components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9989692-B2
Application number	US-201314433193-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 7, 2013
Priority date	Oct 8, 2012
Publication date	Jun 5, 2018
Grant date	Jun 5, 2018

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing one or more components for a display system, particularly for producing diffused light.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a glass sheet having first and second spaced apart, planar surfaces;
at least one scattering layer having a plurality of sub-micron sized light scattering elements etched into the first surface of the glass sheet; and
a plurality of electronic display elements disposed on the scattering layer, each element operable to produce one or more pixelated portions of an image in response to one or more respective electronic command signals,
wherein light entering the glass sheet from one or more edges, borders, and/or the second surface is coupled into the glass sheet, propagates within the glass sheet in a waveguide mode, and at least a portion of light is diffused and scattered by the scattering layer as such portion of light propagates towards the electronic display elements, and
wherein light propagating back from the electronic display elements is diffused and scattered by the scattering layer, and propagates out the second surface of the glass sheet toward a viewer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a feature size of the scattering elements is one of: (i) between 100 nm to 500 nm, (ii) between 200 nm to 300 nm, and (iii) 250 nm.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a coating disposed on the first surface of the glass sheet covering the etched scattering elements.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising at least one light source disposed proximate to the glass sheet such that light therefrom is coupled into the glass sheet, propagates within the glass sheet in a waveguide mode, and at least a portion of light is diffused and scattered by the scattering layer.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the light source includes one or more light generating elements disposed along one or more edges or one or more borders of the glass sheet.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
at least one light source disposed proximate to the glass sheet such that light therefrom is coupled into the glass sheet; and
the at least one light source includes one or more light generating elements disposed along one or more edges or one or more borders of the glass sheet.

Assignees

• Corning Inc

Inventors

• Etienne Michael
• Peterson Richard Curwood
• Ravichandran Vasudha
• Wexell Kathleen Ann

Classifications

• G02B6/0065

  Manufacturing aspects; Material aspects · CPC title

• G02B5/0231

  the surface having microprismatic or micropyramidal shape (macroscopic prism arrays G02B5/045) · CPC title

• G02F1/133606

  including a specially adapted diffusing, scattering or light controlling members · CPC title

• G02B6/0025

  Diffusing sheet or layer; Prismatic sheet or layer · CPC title

• G02B6/0043 Primary

  provided on the surface of the light guide · CPC title