Abstract: A vehicle may have a light-field head-up display that produces a light-field output allowing a viewer in the vehicle to observe three-dimensional content. An array of light-field display units and corresponding lenses may be used to direct the light-field output towards the viewer. The head-up display may have a transmissive display such as a liquid crystal display or other display with an array of backlit pixels. The pixels may have subpixels of different colors and may have elongated shapes extending along a given dimension. Lenticular lenses in the transmissive display that overlap the pixels may extend along the given dimension. A directional backlight may be used to adjust the direction of the light-field output produced by a light-field display unit. The directional backlight may be adjusted to alternately provide light-field output to the left and right eyes of a viewer.

Abstract: A vehicle may have optical structures such as windows and mirrors that have the potential to allow glare from external objects to shine into the eyes of a driver or other vehicle occupant. A control circuit may gather information on where the eyes of the driver are located using a camera mounted in the vehicle and may gather information on where the sun or other source of glare are located outside of the vehicle. Based on this information, the control circuit may direct a light modulator on a window or mirror to selectively darken an area that prevents the glare from reaching the eyes of the driver. The light modulator may have a photochromic layer that is adjusted by shining light onto the photochromic layer, may be a liquid crystal modulator, an electrochromic modulator, or other light modulator layer.

Abstract: A vehicle may have a head-up display that produces a display output allowing a viewer in the vehicle to observe two-dimensional or three-dimensional content. The head-up display may include a display unit that produces the display output and an optical combiner on a vehicle window that directs the display output towards the viewer. The optical combiner may be a holographic or diffractive optical element or may be an array of angled reflectors such as micromirrors embedded in an index-matching material. Optical combiners formed from holographic elements may be configured to reflect light at an angle of reflection that is different than the angle of incidence, thereby allowing light to reach a viewer's eyes even when the head-up display reflects light off of a side window on a vehicle door. A holographic optical element may include volume holographic media such as photopolymers or holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal.

Abstract: An electronic device may generate content that is to be displayed on a display. The display may have an array of liquid crystal display pixels for displaying image frames of the content. The display may be operated in at least a normal viewing mode, a privacy mode, an outdoor viewing mode, and a power saving mode. The different view modes may exhibit different viewing angles. In one configuration, the display may include a backlight unit that generates a collimated light source and that includes a switchable diffuser film for selectively scattering the collimated light source depending on the current viewing mode of the display. In another configuration, the display may include a backlight unit that generates a scattered light source that includes a switchable microarray structure such as a switchable mirror structure or a tunable microlens array for selectively collimating the scattered light source depending on the current viewing mode.

Abstract: An electronic device may generate content that is to be displayed on a display. The display may have an array of liquid crystal display pixels for displaying image frames of the content. The display may be operated in at least a normal viewing mode, a privacy mode, an outdoor viewing mode, and a power saving mode. The different view modes may exhibit different viewing angles. In one configuration, the display may include a backlight unit that generates a collimated light source and that includes a switchable diffuser film for selectively scattering the collimated light source depending on the current viewing mode of the display. In another configuration, the display may include a backlight unit that generates a scattered light source that includes a switchable microarray structure such as a switchable mirror structure or a tunable microlens array for selectively collimating the scattered light source depending on the current viewing mode.

Abstract: An electronic device may generate content that is to be displayed on a display. The display may have an array of liquid crystal display pixels for displaying image frames of the content. The display may be operated in at least a normal viewing mode, a privacy mode, an outdoor viewing mode, and a power saving mode. The different view modes may exhibit different viewing angles. In one configuration, the display may include a switchable phase retarder that can be selectively activated to help reduce contrast ratios at higher viewing angles. A rotated pixel design that includes one or more groups of parallel fingers can be used to help properly align the low contrast regions. In another configuration, the display may include multiple electrically controlled birefringence (ECB) layers that can be selectively activated to provide a desired cone of vision, a region outside of which exhibits substantially reduced contrast ratios.

Abstract: An electronic device may generate content that is to be displayed on a display. The display may have an array of liquid crystal display pixels for displaying image frames of the content. The display may be operated in at least a normal viewing mode, a privacy mode, an outdoor viewing mode, and a power saving mode. The different view modes may exhibit different viewing angles. In one configuration, the display may include a backlight unit that generates a collimated light source and that includes a switchable diffuser film for selectively scattering the collimated light source depending on the current viewing mode of the display. In another configuration, the display may include a backlight unit that generates a scattered light source that includes a switchable microarray structure such as a switchable mirror structure or a tunable microlens array for selectively collimating the scattered light source depending on the current viewing mode.

Abstract: A vehicle may have a head-up display that produces a display output allowing a viewer in the vehicle to observe two-dimensional or three-dimensional content. The head-up display may include a display unit that produces the display output and an optical combiner on a vehicle window that directs the display output towards the viewer. The optical combiner may be a holographic or diffractive optical element or may be an array of angled reflectors such as micromirrors embedded in an index-matching material. Optical combiners formed from holographic elements may be configured to reflect light at an angle of reflection that is different than the angle of incidence, thereby allowing light to reach a viewer's eyes even when the head-up display reflects light off of a side window on a vehicle door. A holographic optical element may include volume holographic media such as photopolymers or holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal.

Abstract: A vehicle may have optical structures such as windows and mirrors that have the potential to allow glare from external objects to shine into the eyes of a driver or other vehicle occupant. A control circuit may gather information on where the eyes of the driver are located using a camera mounted in the vehicle and may gather information on where the sun or other source of glare are located outside of the vehicle. Based on this information, the control circuit may direct a light modulator on a window or mirror to selectively darken an area that prevents the glare from reaching the eyes of the driver. The light modulator may have a photochromic layer that is adjusted by shining light onto the photochromic layer, may be a liquid crystal modulator, an electrochromic modulator, or other light modulator layer.

Abstract: An electronic device may generate content that is to be displayed on a display. The display may have an array of liquid crystal display pixels for displaying image frames of the content. The display may be operated in at least a normal viewing mode, a privacy mode, an outdoor viewing mode, and a power saving mode. The different view modes may exhibit different viewing angles. In one configuration, the display may include a backlight unit that generates a collimated light source and that includes a switchable diffuser film for selectively scattering the collimated light source depending on the current viewing mode of the display. In another configuration, the display may include a backlight unit that generates a scattered light source that includes a switchable microarray structure such as a switchable mirror structure or a tunable microlens array for selectively collimating the scattered light source depending on the current viewing mode.

Abstract: An electronic device may generate content that is to be displayed on a display. The display may have an array of liquid crystal display pixels for displaying image frames of the content. The display may be operated in at least a normal viewing mode, a privacy mode, an outdoor viewing mode, and a power saving mode. The different view modes may exhibit different viewing angles. In one configuration, the display may include a switchable phase retarder that can be selectively activated to help reduce contrast ratios at higher viewing angles. A rotated pixel design that includes one or more groups of parallel fingers can be used to help properly align the low contrast regions. In another configuration, the display may include multiple electrically controlled birefringence (ECB) layers that can be selectively activated to provide a desired cone of vision, a region outside of which exhibits substantially reduced contrast ratios.

Abstract: A display characterization system may be used to gather display flatness data and light leakage data from a display. The display characterization system may include a camera system that includes flatness measurement cameras and a light leakage measurement camera. The camera system may include a light guide plate covered with a patterned opaque layer or other planar light-emitting structures for emitting patterned light that is reflected from the display. A controller may use the light leakage measurement camera to capture light leakage data while a display backlight unit is on, a reference light source is on, and the planar light-emitting structures are not emitting light. The controller may use the flatness measurement cameras to capture flatness data while the backlight unit is off, the reference light source is off, and the light-emitting structures are reflecting light from the display.