Abstract: An enhanced illumination system for a micro-display comprises an illuminator for a reflective display panel having a light source and a prism. The prism has a first substantially planar face proximate to the light source and to the display panel, so that light propagates from the light source into the prism through the first face and is redirected to the display panel through the first face. A second face of the prism is positioned opposite the light source so that light reflected from the display panel impinges on the second face and propagates to imaging optics. The illuminator may also include an auxiliary prism optically coupled to the second face of the first prism to correct for astigmatism of the reflected light from the display panel and a beam splitter between the first prism and the auxiliary prism.

Abstract: A compact and efficient illumination system is provided that is particularly suitable for illuminating a micro display and places the light source within the view of the display. In one embodiment, the illumination system comprises a light source, a package for the light source having a reflective surface on at least one side of the light source, and a diffuser opposite the reflective surface in direct view of the light source. The invention further comprises a film stack to receive light through the diffuser, the film stack transmitting light within a maximum exit angle and reflecting substantially all other light to the diffuser.

Abstract: The invention provides an illumination system for a head-mounted display. The illumination system includes a plurality of illuminators which irradiate light over an area. The area has a central region where the light has a selective intensity, and outer regions on opposing sides of the central regions where the light has higher intensities than the selective intensity.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of fabricating a light modulation system having a semiconductor substrate. In one exemplary method, an optical layer is applied over a semiconductor substrate which includes a plurality of integrated circuits. Each of these integrated circuits is capable of creating a separate display device. A protective layer is then applied over the optical layer. The plurality of integrated circuits is then singulated. Various other embodiments of apparatuses and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a flat panel display, such as a liquid crystal microdisplay having a plurality of square and rectangular pixel electrodes that are addressable separately to produce a fine resolution display or addressable in combination to create a lower resolution display. By providing an array of square pixel electrodes with adjacent rectangular electrodes, the display is capable of displaying, for example, XGA or SXGA video data, full-size undistorted and in its native display format, thus obviating the need for expensive image processing chips to convert the image data from one format to another.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for protecting a display from fault conditions. An oscillator independent of a display clock of a display to be protected is formed on a substrate with the display. The oscillator generates a periodic signal which is used to define a period during which a register collects indicators of normal system operation. Combinational logic is used to determine if the set of indicators collected matches the set of indicators expected during the time period. If the set matches, operation is deemed normal and no action is taken. If an indicator is missing, the combinational logic generates a signal that causes the display to be driven into a safe state until such time as all indicators are again collected within the defined time period.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a flat panel display, such as a liquid crystal microdisplay having a plurality of square and rectangular pixel electrodes that are addressable separately to produce a fine resolution display or addressable in combination to create a lower resolution display. By providing an array of square pixel electrodes with adjacent rectangular electrodes, the display is capable of displaying, for example, XGA or SXGA video data, full-size undistorted and in its native display format, thus obviating the need for expensive image processing chips to convert the image data from one format to another.

Abstract: A virtual image display system is provided which comprises a non-emissive, reflective microdisplay which forms a source object; an optical system which forms a magnified, virtual image of the source object from light reflected off the microdisplay; a light source system which produces light to illuminate the display system; and an illumination system which forms at least two virtual light sources to illuminate the display system.

Abstract: Liquid crystal display devices having display screens with an improved black frame is provided. The microdisplay of the LCD is formed of a matrix of pixels disposed on the top surface of a silicon substrate, a layer of glass, and a layer of a reflective metal, preferably aluminum, which is disposed between the silicon substrate and layer of glass. The layer of reflective metal has a pattern, which forms a frame around the matrix of pixels, and is involved in generating the black frame when viewed by the user on the display screen. The reflective material functions to reflect light back to the light generating source, and thus displays a pure black image to the user. In another embodiment, a layer of reflective metal, preferably black chromium, patterned to form a frame around the matrix of pixels, is disposed on the top surface of the glass.

Abstract: A test method and apparatus for liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, and in particular LCoS (liquid crystal on silicon) display devices, to achieve a pass/fail determination based upon user-defined tolerances of the LCD devices. The test apparatus side-illuminates the LCD device to provide reliable pixel defect detection and uniformity measurement. The test method is adaptable for LCD devices that have light emitting devices (LEDs) integrated into the LCD or separated from the LCD. The side-illumination provides a gradient of brightness that is further discernable into red, green, and blue colors. A monochromatic image can be driven by the LEDs using one of two drive schemes. The first drive scheme illuminates a single color according to a monochrome test mode. The second drive scheme drive a white image with a single LED illuminated such that a monochromatic image results. A module can reorder the testing according to the rate of failures for each test.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display cell having improved cell gap uniformity is made by depositing a plurality of spacer particles on the cell substrate then subjecting the substrate to an external energy source to selectively dislodge and remove the larger particles, such as by immersing the substrate in and ultrasonic bath. Because the larger particles will inherently have a lesser attraction to the substrate relative to their mass, subjecting the entire substrate to the ultrasonic bath will inherently preferentially remove the larger particles, resulting in a distribution having a smaller standard deviation than the initial mixture of particles deposited on the substrate as well as an asymmetric reduction in the number of gap-dominating large particles.

Abstract: A very low stress attachment method for attaching a microelectronic device to a flexible substrate comprises use of a photo initiated anisotropic conductive adhesive, preferably an infrared photo initiated anisotropic paste, which can be applied to the bonding terminals of a microelectronic device. The flex circuit is then aligned with the corresponding pads on the device. The flex circuit is then biased against the microelectronic device and the infrared photo initiated anisotropic adhesive is exposed to infrared light by means of a dual purpose light guide that presses against the back side of the polyimide flex circuit and simultaneously receives and guides light energy from an Nd: YAG laser to the back side of the polyimide flex circuit. Light energy from the laser passes through the polyimide substrate and between the circuit tracks of the flex circuit to excite the photo initiator of the photo initiated ACA material, thereby causing it to cure.

Abstract: A method of modifying the polarization state of light exiting a Liquid Crystal Display that is effected without altering the optical image of the display comprises reducing the select voltage to the LCD cell to less than the saturation select voltage. In one embodiment of an apparatus incorporating features of the present invention, a color LCD display is constructed using two or more LCD cells that are aligned to produce an optimum image through the display optics. One or more of the LCD cells are then driven to the dark state at a select voltage that is less than the saturation select voltage for that cell. By operating the LCD cell at less than the saturation select voltage, the polarization state of the light exiting a dark selected pixel compensates for the misalignment between the saturation voltage polarization axis of the display and the system polarization axis of the optics. Accordingly, the selected pixel appears darker than would the same pixel driven at the saturation voltage.

Abstract: An optical docking station comprises an optical frame and a detachable virtual image display module. The display module comprises a low power light source such as a light emitting diode, one or more beam splitters, polarizers, a liquid crystal display panel and an imaging lens. When the display module is detached from the optical frame, the light emitting diode provides the primary illumination for the image formed by the liquid crystal display panel. The image thus formed is a magnified virtual image of the liquid crystal display panel. When the display module is attached to the projector frame, however, a more powerful light source mounted to the optical frame provides the primary illumination. The more powerful light source forms a real image of the liquid crystal display module, which is capable of being projected onto a screen.

Abstract: An LCD backlight (30) comprises generally rectangular parallelepiped light guide (36) with an exit aperture (31) that is smaller than the surface area light guide (36) and illuminates a LCD (49). The light guide is illuminated by a plurality of Light Emitting Diodes (LED) dies (32) disposed along at least one edge of the light guide. A translucent fluorescent film (40) is disposed immediately above the exit aperture to diffuse the light exiting the exit aperture and also the change in the dominant wavelengths. Further, the light guide (36), the LEDs (32), fluorescent film (40), and additional light redirecting layers (42 and 44) are completely surrounded by and optically coupled to a diffusively reflective film (50), which covers the back surface, the edges, and the front surface of the light guide except for the exit aperture. This diffusively reflective shielding is covered by a conventional reflective material layer (51) to ensure no light escapes the backlight except through the exit aperture.

Abstract: A dot matrix liquid crystal display has a low multiplex ratio and utilizes electrode leads which extend between adjacent electrodes on a glass plate substrate in the liquid crystal display.