Abstract: A light source includes an optical emitter configured to emit light toward an output aperture of the light source. The light source further includes a partially reflective layer at the output aperture. The partially reflective layer is configured to receive the emitted light from the optical emitter and to reflect a portion of the received light as reflected light. The light source additionally includes a scattering medium located between the partially reflective layer and the optical emitter. The scattering medium is configured to scatter the reflected light as scattered light having a different direction from the reflected light. A portion of the scattered light is redirected toward the partially reflective layer as recycled light to be emitted from the light source. A multiview backlight that employs the light source is also provided, along with a method for operating the light source.

Abstract: An apparatus (2) can comprise an optical slab (4) comprising a rigid substrate of substantially transmissive material. The apparatus (2) can also comprise a WDM multiplexer (6) to receive and combine a plurality of optical signals (14, 16 and 20) at different wavelengths to form a combined optical signal (24) in the optical slab (4) having an aggregate power. The apparatus can further comprise a broadcaster (28) to distribute the combined optical signal (24) from the optical slab (4) to each of a plurality of different optical receivers (30, 32 and 34) with a fraction of the aggregate power of the combined optical signal (24).

Abstract: Color-scanning grating-based backlighting includes a color scanning protocol to provide different colors of light in different regions of a plate light guide with an intervening dark region. A color-scanning grating-based backlight includes the plate light guide and a diffraction grating configured to diffractively couple out a portion of a guided light beam as a coupled-out light beam directed away from a plate light guide surface at a predetermined principal angular direction. The backlight further includes a multicolor light source configured to provide the different colors of light to the plate light guide as the guided light beam according to the color scanning protocol. Provided light of a first color in a first region is separated from provided light of a second color in a second region one or both by the intervening dark region and by a light-confining wall of the plate light guide.

Abstract: Grating-based backlighting includes a light guide and a plurality of reflective grating islands spaced apart from one another and optically coupled to the light guide. The light guide is to guide a light beam at a non-zero propagation angle and a reflective grating island includes a reflection mode diffraction grating that is configured to diffractively couple out a portion of the guided light beam as a coupled-out light beam at a predetermined principal angular direction.

Abstract: A multiview backlight includes a first array active emitters configured to provide a first plurality of directional light beams and a second array of active emitters configured to provide a second plurality of directional light beams. The second array of active emitters is interleaved between active emitters of the first array of active emitters. Further, directional light beams of each of the first and second directional light beam pluralities have directions corresponding to view directions of a multiview display. A multiview display further includes an array of light valves configured to modulate the directional light beams to display a multiview image. An image resolution of the multiview image is configured to be dynamically selectable according to operational mode.

Abstract: A multiview backlight and a multiview display employ active emitters configured to provide a plurality of light beams having different principal angular directions corresponding to different view directions of the multiview display. A size of the active emitter is comparable to a size of a view pixel in the multiview display. A distance between active emitters is commensurate with a distance between adjacent multiview pixels of the multiview display. A multiview display further includes an array of light valves configured to modulate the directional light beams to display a multiview image.

Abstract: A multiview backlight and a multiview display employ a microstructured multibeam element to emit a plurality of directional light beams having principal angular directions corresponding to view directions of the multiview display. The multiview backlight includes a light guide and the microstructured multibeam element adjacent and external to a surface of the light guide. The microstructured multibeam element has an input aperture configured to receive a portion of guided light from the light guide and an output aperture configured to emit the plurality of directional light beams. The microstructured multibeam element comprises a microstructure having an interior surface configured to reflect the received guided light portion to provide the plurality of directional light beams at the output aperture. The multiview display includes the multiview backlight and an array of multiview pixels configured to provide different views of the multiview display.

Abstract: A head-tracking multiview display and a system provide a plurality of views of a scene as a multiview image. The plurality of views includes a set of primary views of the scene and a secondary view representing a perspective view of the scene that is angularly adjacent to the primary view set. The display and system are multibeam diffraction grating-based and configured to selectively provide the primary view set and an augmented set of views that includes the secondary view and a subset of the views of the primary view set based on a tracked position of a user or a user's head. At a first position the display is configured to provide the primary view set and at a second position the display is configured to provide the augmented view set.

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 multiview backlight and mode-switchable backlight employ a planar backlight to emit scattered light and light-blocking layer having a plurality of apertures to provide a plurality of directional light beams from the scattered light. The mode-switchable backlight further includes another planar backlight configured to provide diffuse light in a two-dimensional (2D) operational mode, the plurality of directional light beams being provided in a three-dimensional (3D) mode. A 2D/3D mode-switchable display includes the mode-switchable backlight and a light valve array. A method of backlight operation includes directing scattered light from a planar backlight toward a light-blocking layer having a plurality of apertures and providing a plurality of directional light beams using an aperture of the aperture plurality.

Abstract: A unilateral backlight and a unilateral multiview display employ an array of unilateral diffractive elements configured to provide directional light beams having a unilateral direction. A unilateral diffractive element of the unilateral diffractive element array comprises a slanted diffraction grating configured to provide a directional light beam by diffractive scattering of light guided in a light guide. The unilateral multiview display further includes light valves configured to modulate a plurality of directional light beams as multiview image having the unilateral direction.

Abstract: Multiview backlighting having a color-tailored emission pattern provides directional light beams corresponding to a plurality of different views of a multiview image. A multiview backlight includes a light guide configured to guide light as guided light and a color-tailored multibeam element. The color-tailored multibeam element is configured to provide emitted light having the color-tailored emission pattern from the guided light. The emitted light includes a plurality of directional light beams having different principal angular directions corresponding to respective different view directions of a multiview display. The color-tailored emission pattern corresponds to an arrangement of color sub-pixels of a view pixel in the multiview display.

Abstract: A dual view zone backlight and dual-mode display employ a first backlight region to provide directional emitted light toward a first view zone and a second backlight region 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-selectable backlight and display employ a plurality of directional scattering features to provide emitted light. The mode-selectable backlight includes a light guide, a first directional scattering feature to provide first emitted light from guided light having a first propagation direction within the light guide in a first operational mode, and a second directional scattering feature to provide second light from guided light having a second propagation direction within the light guide in a second operational mode. The second emitted light comprises a plurality of directional light beams having different principal angular directions from one another and the first propagation direction differing from the second propagation direction. The mode-selectable display further includes a plurality of light sources to provide the guided light and an array of light valves configured to modulate the emitted light as a displayed image.

Abstract: A backlight and a multiview display employ a light guide having angle-preserving scattering feature and a tapered collimator. The angle-preserving scattering feature is configured to scatter a portion of guided light out of the light guide as emitted light. The tapered collimator is configured to collimate light provided by a light source as collimated light and to communicate the collimated light to the light guide to be guided as the guided light. The collimated light has a collimation factor configured to provide a predetermined angular spread of the guided light, the collimation factor being a function of a taper of the tapered collimator. The multiview display includes multiview pixels that include view pixels as well as the angle-preserving scattering feature that includes a multibeam element having a size that is comparable to a size of a view pixel.

Abstract: A mode-switchable backlight and mode-switchable 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 is configured to provide the narrow-angle emitted light during both of the first mode and second mode, while the second directional backlight is 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 as a private displayed image during the first or privacy mode and to modulate broad-angle emitted light as a public displayed image during the second or public mode.

Abstract: A directional backlight, backlit display and method of directional backlight operation employ diffraction grating to provide emitted light collectively scattered out by diffraction gratings having a uniform intensity and angular spread. The directional backlight includes a light guide configured to guide plurality of guided light beams and a light source configured to provide the guided light beam plurality having the different radial directions. The directional backlight further includes an array of diffraction gratings configured to configured to scatter out a portion of a guided light beam of the guided light beam plurality as emitted light having an intensity and an angular spread that is uniform across the light guide surface. The backlit display further includes an array of light valves configured to modulate the emitted light to provide a displayed image.

Abstract: A multiview camera and multiview imaging system provide a plurality of different cropped images corresponding to a virtual screen located in a scene. The multiview camera includes a plurality of cameras configured to capture different images of a scene that have an overlapping portion in common. The multiview camera further includes an image processor configured to provide cropped images from the captured images according to a cropping window defined within the overlapping portion. The cropping window corresponds to a virtual screen located within the scene. An arrangement of the cameras corresponds to an arrangement of views of a multiview display configured to display the cropped images. The multiview imaging system further includes the multiview display.

Abstract: In a supersampling technique, an adjacent pair of pixels in a three-dimensional (3D) electronic display is driven based on angular combinations. In particular, a pixel in the pair is driven by an angular combination of a pixel in a 3D view of a 3D image and at least one product of a pixel in an intermediate 3D view and an associated weight. Moreover, the 3D views applied to the pair have different associated angular ranges with different principal angular directions, and the intermediate 3D view has an associated intermediate angular range with an intermediate principal angular direction that is between the principal angular directions. When viewing the 3D electronic display along a principal angular direction in the principal directions of the 3D view, a viewer sees the 3D view, and when viewing the 3D electronic display along the intermediate principal angular direction, the viewer sees the intermediate 3D view.

Abstract: Multiview backlighting employs a plasmonic multibeam element having a color-tailored emission pattern to provide directional light beams corresponding to a plurality of different views of a multiview image. A multiview backlight includes a light guide configured to guide light as guided light and a plasmonic multibeam element. The plasmonic multibeam element includes a plasmonic material and is configured to provide emitted light having a color-tailored emission pattern from the guided light. The emitted light includes a plurality of directional light beams having different principal angular directions corresponding to respective different view directions of a multiview display and the color-tailored emission pattern corresponds to an arrangement of color sub-pixels of a view pixel in the multiview display.