Abstract: A display (200) with aligned optical shutter and backlight cells (239, 289) uses a patterned polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) optical shutter material (230) and an electroluminescent (EL) backlight material (280) to provide a low-cost, low-current-drain display having good contrast in both bright-light and low-light conditions. The aligned, patterned optical shutter and backlight layers form pixel “windows” through which images printed on a background can be hidden or revealed. Specifically, a mask layer (250) bears the images and is inserted between the optical shutter and the backlight layers to show information images, cover inactive areas of the display, and cover electrode traces connecting active segments of the display. The display (200) is thin and flexible enough to be integrated with a touchscreen (290).

Abstract: A cholesteric liquid crystal display device with improved display images is provided. The device includes a transparent front plate (16) with a front conductive film (18) spaced apart from a back conductive film (22) by a gap filled with cholesteric liquid crystal material (24) which can be switched between a transparent state and a reflective state through application of an electric field. The front conductive film (18) is coated with an opaque mask which defines openings (36) for transmitting light. In the reflective state, ambient light entering the device (10) is reflected by the cholesteric liquid crystal (24) through openings (36) in the opaque mask (12) to form a bright image. In the transparent state, ambient light entering the device (10) passes through the cholesteric liquid crystal (24), front film (18) and back film (22) and is substantially absorbed by an underlying opaque layer (14) which is preferably color-matched to the internal mask (12) to form an single color, image-free display area.