Abstract: A privacy display comprises a spatial light modulator and a compensated switchable liquid crystal retarder arranged between first and second polarisers arranged in series with the spatial light modulator. In a privacy mode of operation, on-axis light from the spatial light modulator is directed without loss, whereas off-axis light has reduced luminance. The visibility of the display to off-axis snoopers is reduced by means of luminance reduction over a wide polar field. In a wide angle mode of operation, the switchable liquid crystal retardance is adjusted so that off-axis luminance is substantially unmodified.

Abstract: An imaging directional backlight apparatus includes a waveguide and a light source array, providing large area directed illumination from localized light sources. The waveguide may include a stepped structure, and the steps may further include extraction features optically hidden to guided light, propagating in a forward direction. Returning light propagating in a backward direction may be refracted, diffracted, or reflected by the features to provide discrete illumination beams exiting from the top surface of the waveguide. Viewing windows are formed through imaging individual light sources and define the relative positions of system elements and ray paths. The imaging directional backlight apparatus further includes multiple waveguides with light extraction features arranged to provide uniform output luminance at the seam between the waveguides.

Abstract: Disclosed is an imaging directional backlight including an array of light sources, and a control system arranged to provide variable distribution of luminous fluxes, scaled inversely by the width associated with the respective light sources in the lateral direction, across the array of light sources. The luminous intensity distribution of output optical windows may be controlled to provide desirable luminance distributions in the window plane of an autostereoscopic display, a directional display operating in wide angle 2D mode, privacy mode and low power consumption mode. Image quality may be improved and power consumption reduced.

Abstract: A directional display may include a waveguide. The waveguide may include light extraction features arranged to direct light from an array of light sources by total internal reflection to an array of viewing windows and a reflector arranged to direct light from the waveguide by transmission through extraction features of the waveguide to the same array of viewing windows. The brightness of the directional display can be increased. An efficient and bright autostereoscopic display system can be achieved.

Abstract: Disclosed is a light guiding valve apparatus comprising an optical valve, a two dimensional light source array and a focusing optic for providing large area collimated illumination from localized light sources. A stepped waveguide may be a stepped structure, in which the steps may be extraction features optically hidden to guided light, propagating in a first forward direction. Returning light propagating in a second backward direction may be refracted, diffracted, or reflected by the features to provide discrete illumination beams exiting from the top surface of the waveguide. A two dimensional array of viewing windows may be produced. Such controlled illumination may provide for efficient, multi-user autostereoscopic displays with wide viewing freedom and low cross talk and near-eye displays that are substantially transparent.

Abstract: An imaging directional backlight apparatus including a waveguide, a light source array, for providing large area directed illumination from localized light sources. The waveguide may include a stepped structure, in which the steps may further include extraction features optically hidden to guided light, propagating in a first forward direction. Returning light propagating in a second backward direction may be refracted, diffracted, or reflected by the features to provide discrete illumination beams exiting from the top surface of the waveguide. A rear reflector is arranged to receive light transmitted by the features and to provide polarization recirculation. Viewing windows are formed through imaging individual light sources and hence defines the relative positions of system elements and ray paths. Retarder stack arrangements are provided to increase the efficiency of polarization recirculation, reduce the visibility to damage and to reduce color changes with viewing angle.

Abstract: Disclosed is an imaging directional backlight polarization recovery apparatus including an imaging directional backlight with at least a polarization sensitive reflection component with optional polarization transformation and redirection elements. Viewing windows may be formed through imaging individual light sources and hence defines the relative positions of system elements and ray paths. The base imaging directional backlight systems provide substantially unpolarized light primarily for the illumination of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) resulting in at least 50% loss in light output when using a conventional sheet polarizer as input to the display. The invention herein introduces a polarization sensitive reflecting element to separate desired and undesired polarization states for the purposes of transformation and redirection of the reflected light for usable illumination.

Abstract: Teleconferencing is performed between two telecommunication devices having a display device and a stereoscopic pair of cameras positioned outside opposed sides of the display device at the same level partway along those sides. The separation between the centers of the cameras is in a range having a lower limit of 60 mm and an upper limit of 110 mm to improve the perceived roundness in a displayed stereoscopic image of a head. In captured stereo images that are video images, a head is segmented and the segmented backgrounds are replaced by replacement images that have a lower degree of perceived stereoscopic depth to compensate for non-linear depth perception in the displayed stereo images. Images are shifted vertically to position an eye-line of a detected face at the level of the stereoscopic pair of cameras of the telecommunication device where the images are displayed, improving the naturalness of the displayed image.

Abstract: An electrical connection assembly for a directional display comprising a directional backlight may include stack of flat connectors and a strip comprising an end portion with an array of light sources and a base portion with an array of connectors. The end portion and base portion may be shaped so that the base portion extends outwardly from the end portion. Light sources of the directional display may be individually addressable by means of a highly compact arrangement of connections, achieving low thickness and small bezel width.

Abstract: An imaging directional backlight apparatus includes a waveguide and a light source array, providing large area directed illumination from localized light sources. The waveguide may include a stepped structure, and the steps may further include extraction features optically hidden to guided light, propagating in a forward direction. Returning light propagating in a backward direction may be refracted, diffracted, or reflected by the features to provide discrete illumination beams exiting from the top surface of the waveguide. Viewing windows are formed through imaging individual light sources and define the relative positions of system elements and ray paths. The imaging directional backlight apparatus further includes a control system for controlling the light output directional distribution in an automotive or vehicle environment in dependence on the output from sensors mounted on the vehicle.

Abstract: An imaging directional backlight apparatus including a waveguide, a light source array, for providing large area directed illumination from localized light sources. The waveguide may include a stepped structure, in which the steps may further include extraction features optically hidden to guided light, propagating in a first forward direction. Returning light propagating in a second backward direction may be refracted, diffracted, or reflected by the features to provide discrete illumination beams exiting from the top surface of the waveguide. Viewing windows are formed through imaging individual light sources by waveguide facets and rear reflector images in cooperation. Viewing windows may be provided at first and second different window planes to improve uniformity in a lateral direction. Further, stray light may be reduced by inner and outer portions of reflective facets with different inclinations for the rear reflector.

Abstract: A directional backlight may include a light guiding apparatus including at least one transparent optical waveguide for providing large area collimated illumination from localized light sources. The waveguide is arranged in a first part and a second part with a light injection aperture between the respective parts. Such controlled illumination may provide for efficient, multi-user autostereoscopic displays as well as improved 2D display functionality including high brightness displays and high display efficiency.

Abstract: A directional backlight may include a light guiding apparatus including at least one transparent optical waveguide for providing large area collimated illumination from localized light sources. The waveguide is arranged in a first part and a second part with a light injection aperture between the respective parts. Such controlled illumination may provide for efficient, multi-user autostereoscopic displays as well as improved 2D display functionality including high brightness displays and high display efficiency.

Abstract: Disclosed is a light guiding valve apparatus including an imaging directional backlight, an illuminator array and an observer tracking system arranged to achieve control of an array of illuminators which may provide a directional display to an observer over a wide lateral and longitudinal viewing range, wherein the luminous intensity of optical windows presented to the observer as viewing windows is controlled dependent on the lateral and longitudinal position or speed of an observer. Further an optical window control system may comprise detection of an observer's hand. An image control system may comprise a method to provide an image that can be switched from a first mode with a first brightness into a second mode with a high brightness region and low brightness region, where the brightness of the second low brightness region is matched to the first brightness.

Abstract: An imaging directional backlight apparatus including a waveguide, a light source array, for providing large area directed illumination from localized light sources. The waveguide may include a stepped structure, in which the steps may further include extraction features optically hidden to guided light, propagating in a first forward direction. Returning light propagating in a second backward direction may be refracted, diffracted, or reflected by the features to provide discrete illumination beams exiting from the top surface of the waveguide. Viewing windows are formed through imaging individual light sources and hence defines the relative positions of system elements and ray paths. The uncorrected system creates non-illuminated void portions when viewed off-axis preventing uniform wide angle 2D illumination modes.

Abstract: A directional display apparatus including a directional display device that is capable of directing a displayed image into a viewing window of variable width is provided with a privacy control function. A control system detects the presence of one or more secondary viewers in addition to a primary viewer, and decides whether the one or more secondary viewers is permitted to view the displayed image. The control system directs a displayed image into a viewing window which is adjusted, for example by decreasing the width, in dependence on that detection. In addition, the control system detects relative movement between the primary viewer and the display device, and the width of the viewing window is increased in response to detection of said relative movement.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical inline light guiding apparatus which may include a substantially parallel planar light expansion section and a light extraction section comprising a stepped structure, in which the steps may be extraction features and guiding features. Such controlled illumination may provide for efficient, multi-user autostereoscopic displays with wide viewing freedom, high efficiency and low cross talk and other directional display uses.

Abstract: A light emitting diode package for a directional display may comprise light emitting diodes and a protection diode. The protection diode may be arranged in a well that is at a different location to the well that the light emitting diodes are arranged. The directional display may include a waveguide. The waveguide may include light extraction features arranged to direct light from an array of light sources by total internal reflection to an array of viewing windows and a reflector arranged to direct light from the waveguide by transmission through extraction features of the waveguide to the same array of viewing windows. The brightness of the directional display can be increased. An efficient and bright directional display system can be achieved. Efficient light baffling for light escaping from the edge of the waveguide is achieved through light deflecting extraction films.

Abstract: An imaging directional backlight apparatus including a waveguide, a light source array, for providing large area directed illumination from localized light sources. The waveguide may include a stepped structure, in which the steps may further include extraction features optically hidden to guided light, propagating in a first forward direction. Returning light propagating in a second backward direction may be refracted, diffracted, or reflected by the features to provide discrete illumination beams exiting from the top surface of the waveguide. Viewing windows are formed through imaging individual light sources and hence defines the relative positions of system elements and ray paths. The uncorrected system creates non-illuminated void portions when viewed off-axis preventing uniform wide angle 2D illumination modes.

Abstract: Disclosed is a light guiding valve apparatus including an imaging directional backlight, an illuminator array and an observer tracking system arranged to achieve control of an array of illuminators which may provide a directional display to an observer over a wide lateral and longitudinal viewing range, wherein the number of optical windows presented to the observer as viewing windows is controlled dependent on the lateral and longitudinal position or speed of an observer.