Abstract: A multiview backlight and display employ diffusion of directional light beams to provide an image of color regions of a color-tailored multibeam element having a size comparable to a size of the color-tailored multibeam element. The multiview backlight includes an array of color-tailored multibeam elements configured to provide the directional light beams and an optical diffuser configured to spread out directional light beams to provide the color region image. The multiview display includes an array of the color-tailored multibeam elements and the optical diffuser. The multiview display further includes an array of light valves configured to modulate the directional light beams as a multiview image.

Abstract: A multiview backlight, multiview display, and method of multiview backlight operation include reflective multibeam elements configured to provide emitted light having directional light beams with directions corresponding to view directions of a multiview image. The multiview backlight includes a light guide configured to guide light and an array of the reflective multibeam elements, each reflective multibeam element including a plurality of reflective sub-elements and being configured to reflectively scatter out a portion of the guided light as the emitted light. The multiview display includes the multiview backlight and an array of light valves to modulate the directional light beams to provide the multiview image.

Abstract: A multicolor static multiview display and method of multicolor static multiview display operation provide a color static multiview image using diffractive gratings to diffractively scatter light from guided light beams having a selectable color and different radial directions. The multicolor static multiview display includes a light guide configured to guide plurality of guided light beams and a multicolor light source configured to provide the guided light beam plurality having the selectable color and the different radial directions. The multicolor static multiview display further includes a plurality of diffraction gratings configured to provide from a portion of the guided light beams directional light beams having a color, intensities, and principal angular directions corresponding to color view pixels of the color static multiview image.

Abstract: A multiview display includes an array of light valves having rows of a repeating plurality of color sub-pixels and arranged as a plurality of multiview pixels configured to modulate directional light beams as color pixels of views of a multiview image. A first row of the repeating plurality of color sub-pixels is offset from a second row of the repeating plurality of color sub-pixels in a row direction by an integer multiple of a width of a color sub-pixel. The offset of the first and second rows is configured to provide corresponding color sub-pixels in adjacent multiview pixels having different colors to mitigate color fringing associated with the color pixel of the multiview image.

Abstract: A dual view zone backlight and dual-mode display employ a first backlight region including a directional emitter to provide directional emitted light toward a first view zone and a second backlight region including a broad-angle emitter to provide broad-angle emitted light toward the first and a second view zone in a first mode. The dual-mode display includes a second backlight to provide broad-angle light toward both the first view zone and the second view zone in a second mode.

Abstract: A mode-switchable backlight and privacy display provide narrow-angle emitted light during a first mode and broad-angle emitted light in a second mode, the broad-angle emitted light being a combination of the narrow-angle emitted light and bidirectional emitted light. The mode-switchable backlight includes a first directional backlight and a second directional backlight. The first directional backlight includes an array of narrow-angle emitters configured to provide the narrow-angle emitted light during both of the first mode and second mode, while the second directional backlight includes an array of bidirectional emitters configured to provide the bidirectional emitted light exclusively during the second mode. The mode-switchable privacy display includes an array of light valves configured to modulate the narrow-angle emitted light during the first mode and to modulate broad-angle emitted light during the second mode.

Abstract: A privacy-mode backlight includes a light guide configured to guide light having a predetermined collimation factor orthogonal to a length of the light guide and a plurality of scattering line elements arranged along the light guide length. Scattering line elements of the scattering line element plurality are configured to scatter out through an emission surface of the light guide a portion of the guided light as emitted light having an illumination beamwidth in the orthogonal direction determined by the collimation factor. The privacy-mode backlight further includes a directional optical diffuser configured to provide directional diffusion of the emitted light in a direction corresponding to the light guide length. The directional diffusion may provide uniform illumination in the light guide length direction. A privacy display further includes an array of light valves configured to modulate the emitted light to provide a private image.

Abstract: A collimated backlight and an electronic display employ a light guide having angle-preserving scattering feature and an absorption collimator. The angle-preserving scattering feature is configured to scatter a portion of guided light out of the light guide as emitted light. The absorption collimator includes an absorption element and is configured to convert light provided by a light source into collimated light to be guided as the guided light. The electronic display includes an array of light valves and may be configured as a multiview display or a privacy display.

Abstract: A holographic reality system and multiview display monitor a user position and provide virtual haptic feedback to the user. The holographic reality system includes a multiview display configured to display a multiview image, a position sensor configured to monitor the user position, and a virtual haptic feedback unit configured to provide the virtual haptic feedback. An extent of the virtual haptic feedback corresponds to an extent of a virtual control within the multiview image. The holographic reality multiview display includes an array of multiview pixels configured to provide different views of the multiview image by modulating directional light beams having directions corresponding to the different views and an array of multibeam elements configured to provide the directional light beams to corresponding multiview pixels.

Abstract: A privacy display provides a private image exclusively visible within a viewing cone of a viewbox. The privacy display includes a light guide to guide light, a diffraction grating configured to diffractively couple out a portion of the guided light as diffractively coupled-out light and to direct the diffractively coupled-out light into the viewbox, and a light valve array configured to modulate the diffractively coupled-out light to provide the private image. An extent of the viewbox is determined by a collimation factor of the guided light. A dual-mode privacy display system further includes a broad-angle backlight configured to provide broad-angle light to separately provide a public image visible both inside and outside the viewing cone. The private image may be provided in a privacy mode and the public image may be provided in a public mode of the dual-mode privacy display system.

Abstract: A multicolor static multiview display and method of multicolor static multiview display operation provide a color static multiview image using diffractive gratings to diffractively scatter light from guided light beams having a selectable color and different radial directions. The multicolor static multiview display includes a light guide configured to guide plurality of guided light beams and a multicolor light source configured to provide the guided light beam plurality having the selectable color and the different radial directions. The multicolor static multiview display further includes a plurality of diffraction gratings configured to provide from a portion of the guided light beams directional light beams having a color, intensities, and principal angular directions corresponding to color view pixels of the color static multiview image.

Abstract: A backlit transparent display and a transparent display system provide a displayed image while enabling a background scene to be visible through the display. The backlit transparent display includes a light guide, a plurality of scattering elements, and an array of light valves configured to modulate emitted light scattered from the light guide to provide modulated emitted light representing a displayed image. Transparency of the backlit transparent display is configured to enable the background scene to be visible through the backlit transparent display. The transparent display system includes the array of light valves and a transparent backlight. The transparent display system is configured to provide the displayed image as superimposed on the background scene visible through the transparent display system.

Abstract: Time-multiplexed backlighting includes a time-multiplexed light source to provide a light beam having a first non-zero propagation angle during a first time interval and a second non-zero propagation angle during a second time interval. A time-multiplexed backlight includes a light guide configured to guide the light beam and a diffraction grating configured to coupled out a portion of the guided light beam with a different principal angular direction in each of the first time interval and the second time interval. A multiview display includes the time-multiplexed light source and a multibeam backlight to provide coupled-out light beams during each of the first and second time intervals, wherein the principal angular directions of the coupled-out light beams correspond to different view directions of the multiview display.

Abstract: A head-up display and a multiview head-up display system provide a plurality of different views of a multiview image combined with a view of a physical environment to an eye box as a combined view. The head-up display includes a multibeam element-based display configured to provide the different views of the multiview image and an optical combiner configured to relay the different views to the eye box along with the view of the physical environment view. The multibeam element-based display includes an array of multibeam elements configured to provide a plurality of directional light beams having directions corresponding to respective view directions of the plurality of different views and an array of light valves configured to modulate the plurality of directional light beams to provide the multiview image.

Abstract: A multi-directional backlight and a multi-user multiview display provide emitted light and associated multiview images having different mutually exclusive angular ranges and different user-specific view zones. The multi-directional backlight includes first and second multiview backlights, each of which includes multibeam elements configured to provide emitted light having directional light beams with directions corresponding to view directions of a respective multiview images. The emitted light provided by the first multiview backlight has a first angular range that is mutually exclusive of a second angular range of emitted light provided by the second multiview backlight, at respective first and second convergence distances. The multi-user multiview display includes a first multiview display configured to provide a first multiview image to a first user in a first view zone and a second multiview display configured to provide a second multiview image to a second user in a second view zone.

Abstract: A multilayer static multiview display and method of multilayer multiview display operation provide a plurality of multiview images using diffractive scattering of light from guided light beams having different radial directions. The static multiview display includes a first multiview display layer configured to emit directional light beams representing a first multiview image by diffractive scattering light from a radial pattern of guided light beams within the first multiview display layer. The static multiview display further includes a second multiview display layer configured to emit directional light beams representing a second static multiview image by diffractive scattering light from a radial pattern of guided light beams within the second multiview display layer. The provided plurality of multiview images may include a composite color multiview image, a static multiview image, or an animated or quasi-static multiview image.

Abstract: A method of aligning a multiview backlight with a light valve array of a multiview display employs an alignment pattern that includes unit cells spaced apart from one another and having view blocks corresponding to different views of the multiview display. The method of aligning includes establishing the alignment pattern on the light valve array, illuminating the light valve array using the multiview backlight to display the alignment pattern, and adjusting a relative position of the multiview backlight and the light valve array to minimize an error measure of the unit cells within the displayed alignment pattern. A multiview display backlight alignment system includes the multiview display and a positioning stage configured to adjust the relative position to minimize the error measure. An automated multiview display backlight alignment system further includes a feedback controller, the positioning stage being motorized.

Abstract: A static multiview display and method of static multiview display operation provide a static multiview image using diffractive gratings to diffractively scatter light from guided light beams having different radial directions provided by a horizontal diffuser. The static multiview display includes a light guide configured to guide the light beams; the horizontal diffuser configured to provide the guided light beams with the different radial directions using light from a directional light source; and a plurality of diffraction gratings configured to scatter out light from the guided light beam plurality as directional light beams representing the static multiview image. The method of static display operation includes providing and diffusing directional light to provide guided light beams having different radial directions, and further scattering out light from the guided light beam as directional light beams representing the static multiview image.

Abstract: A multiview display includes a multiview backlight configured to emit directional light beams configured to converge at points within a convergence plane, and an array of light valves configured to modulate the directional light beams at the convergence plane. A distance between the multiview backlight and the light valve array is configured to be adjustable to shift a corresponding location of the convergence plane relative to the multiview display.

Abstract: A mixed-format backlight and display employ a multiview zone to provide directional emitted light corresponding to a multiview portion of a mixed-format displayed image and a two-dimensional (2D) zone to provide broad-angle emitted light corresponding to a 2D portion of the mixed-format displayed image. A size of a multibeam emitter of the multiview zone is comparable to a size of a light valve of the mixed-format display.