Optical Waveguide Patents (Class 362/610)
  • Patent number: 8939596
    Abstract: Disclosed is a condensing type optical sheet for use in a liquid crystal display, which prevents the generation of a yellow band or a rainbow phenomenon without using a protective sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Kolon Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Hyun Soo Lee, Chang Pyo Hong, Chung Seock Kang
  • Patent number: 8920015
    Abstract: A backlight includes a visible light transmissive body having a light guide portion and a light input portion. The visible light transmissive body primarily propagates light by TIR and includes a light input surface and a light output surface. The light guide portion has a light reflection surface and a light emission surface. The light input portion has opposing side surfaces that are not parallel. A light source is disposed adjacent to the light input surface and emits light into the light input portion. A specularly reflective layer is disposed adjacent to but not in intimate contact with the opposing side surfaces and reflects more than 80% of visible light incident on the specularly reflective layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Patrick R. Destain
  • Patent number: 8915635
    Abstract: A backlight to emit light from a surface thereof includes a light guide to guide light, first and second collimating reflectors and a light source to produce light. The first collimating reflector is at a first edge of the light guide to collimate the light from the light source in a vertical direction and to direct the collimated light into the light guide. The second collimating reflector is at a second edge of the light guide to further collimate the collimated light in a horizontal direction and to redirect the further collimated light back into the light guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Marco Fiorentino, David A Fattal
  • Patent number: 8905615
    Abstract: A light source module includes a first frame, a second frame, a light guide plate, a light source, at least one positioning element and at least one buffer element. The second frame is disposed corresponding to the first frame and has at least one through hole. The light guide plate is disposed between the first frame and the second frame and has a light incident surface and a side surface, and the side surface faces to the through hole of the second frame. The light source is disposed on the light incident surface of the light guide plate. The positioning element is disposed in the through hole of the second frame. The buffer element is located between the positioning element and the side surface of the light guide plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Shih-Chieh Chen, Yao-Chi Liu
  • Patent number: 8905566
    Abstract: A flat-panel display (such as a liquid crystal display) includes one or more features that reduce temperature changes in an array of light valves disposed on a substrate. In particular, heat generated in a light source and/or electronics is conducted away from the light values. For example, a light-source holder, which contains the light source, may include holes that increase the thermal resistance between the light source and the substrate. Alternatively, the light-source holder may include a material having a thermal conductivity that is higher than that of stainless steel. In addition, the flat-panel display may include materials and/or a geometry that increases the thermal resistance along a direction in a plane of the substrate. By reducing temperature changes in the flat-panel display, these features can reduce or eliminate color changes and other visual artifacts that can degrade the quality of displayed images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ihtesham H. Chowdhury, Frank F. Liang, Amaury J. Heresztyn, Jeremy C. Franklin, Benjamin M. Rappoport, Derek W. Wright
  • Patent number: 8899816
    Abstract: A backlight module includes a light guide plate and a light emitting unit. The light guide plate has a first side surface, a second side surface, and a third side surface. The first side surface is located opposite to the second side surface. A height of the first side surface is greater than a height of the second side surface. The third side surface is located between the first side surface and the second side surface and has a light entrance surface and a light exit surface. The light entrance surface is connected to the first side surface and the light exit surface. The light exit surface is connected to the second side surface. An included angle is formed between the light entrance surface and the light exit surface. The light emitting unit is disposed on the light entrance surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corp.
    Inventors: Ya-Lan Lin, Ching-Feng Chen, Cheng-Min Tsai, Ming-Sheng Lai, Ren-Wei Huang
  • Patent number: 8894210
    Abstract: An optical element is provided with: first polarization-separation layer (13) that is laminated on first surface (12b) of light guide body (12) and that, of the light incident from light guide body (12), transmits X-polarized light and reflects Y-polarized light that is orthogonal to the X-polarized light; polarization hologram layer (14) that is laminated on first polarization-separation layer (13) and that diffracts to a prescribed diffraction angle the X-polarized light that is incident within a prescribed range of angles of incidence and converts the X-polarized light to Y-polarized light; second polarization-separation layer (15) that is laminated on polarization hologram layer (14) and that, of the light incident from polarization hologram layer (14) transmits Y-polarized light and reflects X-polarized light; reflection layer (18) provided on second surface (12c) side of light guide body (12); and phase difference layer (17) that is provided between first surface (12b) of light guide body (12) and refle
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Shin Tominaga
  • Publication number: 20140340933
    Abstract: A light guide element includes a wedge-shaped light coupling member and a rectangular light guide plate. The light coupling member includes a first bottom surface, a top surface opposite to the first bottom surface, a light incident surface interconnected between the first bottom surface and the top surface, a first connecting surface parallel with and opposite to the light incident surface, a slanted surface connecting the first connecting surface to the top surface, and a reflection film formed on the top surface and the slanted surface. The light guide plate includes a second bottom surface, a light output surface opposite to the second bottom surface, and a second connecting surface perpendicularly interconnected between the second bottom surface and the light output surface. The second connecting surface connects and overlaps the first connecting surface. The height of the light incident surface is larger than that of the second connecting surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chen-Han LIN
  • Patent number: 8870431
    Abstract: A mixing light module includes a matrix, a fluorescent film, and a plurality of micro-structures. The matrix includes an incidence surface, an emission surface and a reflective surface. The fluorescent film disposed on or above the emission surface has an upper surface and a lower surface and includes a plurality of fluorescent particles. The matrix receives a first light having a first wavelength, and the reflective surface reflects the first light to make the first light to be emitted from the emission surface. Since the plurality of fluorescent particles receives a part of the first light from the emission surface, the plurality of fluorescent particles is excited to emit a second light having a second wavelength. The second light and the first light are mixed into a predetermined light. The plurality of micro-structures is used to make the first light or the second light uniform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Hui-Hsiung Lin, Chiun-Lern Fu, Hsiao-Wen Hung, Wen-Hsun Yang, Chi-Hung Liao, Wen-Jung Chen
  • Patent number: 8864360
    Abstract: A lighting assembly includes a light guide having opposed major surfaces between which light propagates by total internal reflection and a light input edge. The light assembly also includes a light engine. The light engine has a heat conductive armature having a receptacle for a portion of the light guide that includes the light input edge and a light source retained by and thermally coupled to the armature. The armature functions as a heat sink for dissipating heat generated by the light source. The light guide is mechanically retained in the receptacle, and the light guide and the armature cooperate to align the light input edge with the light source for inputting light from the light source into the light guide through the light input edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Rambus Delaware LLC
    Inventors: Jeffery R. Parker, Timothy A. McCollum, Martin E. Ligas, Joseph Crookston, Fumitomo Hide, Alexey Titov, Ian Hardcastle
  • Patent number: 8864359
    Abstract: An ultra thin lighting element including at least one light source (1b). A lightguide element (2c) includes one lightguide layer comprising a plurality of discrete fine optic surface relief structures (3e) on at least one portion of at least one surface. Each surface relief structure (3e) includes basic structural features on the order of about 10 microns or less in height, and on the order of about 10 microns or less in each lateral dimension. The number, arrangement and size of each surface relief structure (3e) and height and lateral dimensions of the structural features of the surface relief structures (3e) being varied to provide a desired degree of outcoupling modulation of light incoupled into the light guide element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Modilis Holdings LLC
    Inventor: Kari J. Rinko
  • Patent number: 8860910
    Abstract: The present invention provides a backlight module and a display apparatus. The display apparatus comprises the backlight module and a display panel. The backlight module comprises a light collector, at least one optical fiber bundle, a fiber light-outputting substrate, a light guide plate and a fiber holding plate. The optical fiber bundle is connected between the light collector and the fiber light-outputting substrate. The light guide plate is disposed at one side of the fiber light-outputting substrate, and the fiber holding plate is configured to hold optical fibers of the optical fiber bundle. The present invention can use ambient light rays to form a backlight source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shih Hsiang Chen, Li-Yi Chen, Dehua Li, Guofu Tang
  • Publication number: 20140293647
    Abstract: A luminous body is described, in particular in the form of a planar lighting device for general lighting or for backlighting of displays, which luminous body comprises a plurality of light sources, for example LED elements, arranged in a housing, in particular an optical waveguide plate. The optical waveguide plate forms a first optical medium with a first optical scattering power, into which the light of the light sources is coupled. Furthermore, at least one second optical medium with a second optical scattering power is provided, such that the light propagating in the second optical medium is at least substantially coupled in from the first optical medium, and the scattering power of at least one of the media is chosen for the purpose of influencing the flow of light in the housing such that a given brightness distribution of the light on the light emission surface is achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventor: Horst GREINER
  • Patent number: 8848137
    Abstract: The present invention provides a backlight module and a display apparatus. The display apparatus comprises the backlight module and a display panel. The backlight module comprises a light collector, optical fibers, a fiber light-outputting substrate and a light guide plate. The optical fibers are connected between the light collector and the fiber light-outputting substrate. The light guide plate is disposed at one side of the fiber light-outputting substrate. The light guide plate includes light diffusion recessions, and the light diffusion recessions face the light-outputting openings of the fiber light-outputting substrate. The present invention can use ambient light rays to form a backlight source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chechang Hu, Hu He
  • Patent number: 8848135
    Abstract: The liquid crystal display device has a liquid crystal display panel, a backlight for illuminating the liquid crystal display panel where the outer shape of the backlight in a plane has at least one corner of which the angle is greater than 90°, and a light guide plate LG having approximately the same form as the outer shape of the backlight, wherein a number of light emitting diodes are aligned along two sides (s1, s3) of the light guide plate LG that form a corner A of which the angle is greater than 90°, and the main light for illumination (L2 to L4, L6 and L7) from the light emitting diodes aligned along the two sides propagates through the light guide plate LG in the same direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Koganezawa
  • Patent number: 8842366
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for transmitting, collimating and redirecting light from a point-like source to produce a collimated optical signal in a substantially planar form are provided. In one embodiment, the apparatus is manufactured as a unitary transmissive body comprising a collimation element and a redirection element, and optionally a transmissive element. In another embodiment, the apparatus is assembled from one or more components. The apparatus and method are useful for providing sensing light for an optical touch input device or for providing illumination for a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Zetta Research and Development LLC—RPO Series
    Inventors: Kenneth Edmund Arnett, Robert Bruce Charters, Chan Hong Wang, Graham Roy Atkins, Ian Andrew Maxwell, Duncan Ian Ross
  • Patent number: 8840292
    Abstract: The present invention provides a backlight module and a display apparatus. The display apparatus comprises the backlight module and a display panel. The backlight module comprises a light collector, optical fibers, a fiber light-outputting substrate, a light guide plate and a light coupling device. The optical fibers are connected between the light collector and the fiber light-outputting substrate. The light guide plate is disposed at one side of the fiber light-outputting substrate. The light coupling device is disposed between the fiber light-outputting substrate and the light guide plate, wherein light diffusion recessions of the light coupling device face the light-outputting openings of the fiber light-outputting substrate. The present invention can use ambient light rays to form a backlight source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chechang Hu, Hu He
  • Patent number: 8842238
    Abstract: A backlight unit being scan-driven is discussed. The backlight unit according to an embodiment includes light sources configured to emit light, and a light guide plate disposed parallel to the light sources and configured to convert spotted lights entered from the light sources into two-dimensional light. The light guide plate includes a plurality of air barriers arranged at a fixed interval and configured to guide lights from the light sources in blocks with a width of the fixed interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hee Kyung Lee, Byoung Ku Kim, Jun Ho Bae, Yong Ik Hwang
  • Patent number: 8833999
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a base having two opposite sidewalls, two carriers connected pivotally and respectively to the sidewalls, and two light guide plates respectively disposed on the carriers. The carriers are rotatable relative to the base between a first position, where the carriers cooperatively define a carrier surface, and a second position, where the carriers are parallel to each other. A flexible screen is superposed on the light guide plates, is expanded to a planar state when move along with the carriers to the first position, and is folded when move along with the carriers to the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventors: Yi-Kai Wang, Tarng-Shiang Hu, Yu-Jung Peng, Chih-Hao Chang
  • Patent number: 8807817
    Abstract: Extended area lighting devices include a light guide and diffractive surface features on a major surface thereof. The diffractive surface features include diffractive features of different pitches in non-overlapping regions of the major surface tailored to extract guided-mode light of different colors from the light guide in different directions. The diffractive features extract light such that an ordinary user observes substantially different colors in different regions of the light guide, providing a colorful appearance. Notwithstanding this, the diffractive features also extract light such that the lighting device illuminates a reference surface, disposed at an intermediate distance from the light guide, with illumination light that is substantially uniform in color and substantially white. Optical films having diffractive features that can be used to construct such devices and light guides are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Zhaohui Yang, David S. Thompson, Vivian W. Jones
  • Publication number: 20140204313
    Abstract: A light guiding system, an edge type backlight module and a liquid crystal display are disclosed. The light guiding system includes an ambient light collection system facing toward ambient light to absorb the ambient light and to generate absorbed light, a plurality of light guiding devices, and at least a first and a second light guiding bar. Each of the light guiding devices includes a light emitting end and a light incident end. The light incident ends of the optical fibers are arranged close to the ambient light collection system, and the lights entered from the light incident ends are propagated toward the light emitting ends. Each of the light guiding bars includes a light emitting surface, a light incident surface connected to the light emitting surface, and a first lateral side opposite to the light incident surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Che-chang Hu, Kuang-yao Chang, Chao Ning, Yong Fan
  • Patent number: 8777472
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus 1 is provided with an apparatus main body 2 for performing a predetermined process on a sheet, a cover 34 openable and closable relative to the apparatus main body 2, a light emitting unit 51 provided in the apparatus main body 2 and including an emission source 511 for generating light, a control board 512 for controlling the emission source 511 and causing it to generate the light and wiring 513 electrically connected to the control board 512, and a display member 52 provided in the cover 34, arranged to face the emission source 511 and including an incident portion 521 on which the light is incident, an output portion 522 for outputting the light to the outside and a light guide portion 523 for guiding the light from the incident portion 521 to the output portion 522.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Takehiko Okada
  • Publication number: 20140185319
    Abstract: The present invention provides a backlight module and a display apparatus. The display apparatus comprises the backlight module and a display panel. The backlight module comprises a light collector, at least one optical fiber, a fiber arrangement substrate and a light guide plate. The optical fiber is connected between the light collector and the fiber arrangement substrate. The light guide plate is disposed at one side of the fiber arrangement substrate. The present invention can use ambient light rays to form a backlight source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2012
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chechang Hu, Li-Yi Chen, Kuangyao Chang, Yong Fan, Chao Ning
  • Publication number: 20140185320
    Abstract: An optical coupling device is used for optically coupling light sources with a light guide plate. The optical coupling device includes transparent light guide portions. Each light guide portion has a light incident surface, a light emitting surface, a top surface, and a bottom surface. The light incident surface is opposite to the light emitting surface. The top surface is opposite to the bottom surface. Along a direction perpendicular to the top surface, a thickness of the light incident surface is greater than a thickness of the light emitting surface. The light incident surface is optically coupled with a corresponding one of the light sources. The light emitting surface is optically coupled with the light guide plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: LI-YING WANG HE
  • Patent number: 8755092
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes an array substrate in which a plurality of point light sources is mounted along the main scanning direction, a light guide member disposed on a surface of the array substrate that mounts the plurality of point light sources, and guiding light from the plurality of point light sources to the document surface, a frame for fixing the light guide member and the array substrate, a positioning unit that determines the positional relationship of the frame with the light guide member and the array substrate in a configuration in which the incident surface of the light guide member is in proximity to or in contact with the plurality of point light sources; and an image reading unit that uses reflected light when illuminating light from the plurality of point light sources through the light guide member onto the document surface to thereby read the document image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20140160792
    Abstract: A backlight module includes a light guide plate, a light source emitting light rays, and an optical fiber group corresponding to the light source. The light source has a light luminance surface. The light guide plate has a light incident surface. The optical fiber group has a number of optical fibers. Each of the optical fibers has a first end and a second end. The first end directly contacts with the light emitting surface. The second end directly contacts with the light incident surface, and thus the light rays from the second end directly enter the light guide plate through the light incident surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: PO-CHOU CHEN
  • Patent number: 8746931
    Abstract: Light incoupling structures for lighting applications, such as lightguides, are described herein. The incoupling structures include an optically substantially transparent medium for transporting light emitted by a light source and an optical element including at least one hole in the medium for coupling light together with optional further optical elements. A lighting element includes a light source with related integrated optics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Modilis Holdings LLC
    Inventor: Kari J. Rinko
  • Patent number: 8740434
    Abstract: A light guide element, a light source module, and a display are provided. The display includes a display panel and the light source module. The light source module includes a light source and the light guide element, wherein light emitted by the light source is guided toward the display panel by the light guide element. The light guide element includes a plurality sidewalls and a bottom wall. The sidewalls surround the bottom wall and are connected with each other to form a light entering opening, a light exiting opening, and an inner reflection room. Each of the sidewalls and the bottom wall has at least one reflection surface, wherein the reflection surface faces the inner reflection room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignees: Kinpo Electronics, Inc., Cal-Comp Electronics & Communications Company Limited
    Inventor: Chun-Hsien Cho
  • Patent number: 8740441
    Abstract: A backlight unit includes light emitting diodes (LED's) and light guide plate which guides light from the light emitting diodes to liquid crystal panel and is constructed so that light is emitted from light emission plane of light guide plate opposite to liquid crystal panel toward liquid crystal panel. Area of light emission plane of light guide plate is smaller than effective display area of liquid crystal panel and predetermined shape for diffusing or dispersing light is formed on a lateral side perpendicular to light emission plane of light guide plate and/or at an edge portion near the lateral side of the light emission plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Consumer Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoji Yamamoto, Satoshi Ouchi
  • Publication number: 20140126241
    Abstract: The present invention provides a backlight module and a display apparatus. The display apparatus comprises the backlight module and a display panel. The backlight module comprises a light collector, optical fibers, a fiber light-outputting substrate, a light guide plate and a light coupling device. The optical fibers are connected between the light collector and the fiber light-outputting substrate. The light guide plate is disposed at one side of the fiber light-outputting substrate. The light coupling device is disposed between the fiber light-outputting substrate and the light guide plate, wherein light diffusion recessions of the light coupling device face the light-outputting openings of the fiber light-outputting substrate. The present invention can use ambient light rays to form a backlight source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chechang Hu, Hu He
  • Publication number: 20140126242
    Abstract: The present invention provides a backlight module and a display apparatus. The display apparatus comprises the backlight module and a display panel. The backlight module comprises a light collector, optical fibers, a fiber light-outputting substrate and a light guide plate. The optical fibers are connected between the light collector and the fiber light-outputting substrate. The light guide plate is disposed at one side of the fiber light-outputting substrate. The fiber light-outputting substrate includes a plurality of light-outputting openings and a plurality of light sources. The present invention can use ambient light rays to form a backlight source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shih Hsiang Chen, Li-Yi Chen, Dehua Li
  • Patent number: 8687937
    Abstract: A light-guide module includes a light-guide strip having opposite first and second ends, a light-entry surface disposed at the first end, a light-exit surface extending between the first and second ends, and first and second working surfaces disposed parallel to each other and extending between the first and second ends. One of the first and second working surfaces defines a light-scatter zone and includes a plurality of micro-scatter structures that are disposed within the light-scatter zone and that configure the light-scatter zone with a light-scattering ability that varies from the first end to the second end. The light-guide module also includes a reflecting element disposed to reflect light that exits from the light-guide strip via the first and second working surfaces back into the light-guide strip via the first and second working surfaces, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Genius Electronic Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ming-Sen Tsao, Kuo-Wen Chang
  • Patent number: 8680492
    Abstract: A light guide plate comprises a light incidence surface for receiving light rays; a transforming fluorescent powder disposed on the light incidence surface for converting the light rays into white rays; a reflection surface for reflecting the light rays and destroying total internal reflection formed inside the light guide plate to generate planar light rays; a light emitting surface for emitting the planar light rays; and a lateral reflection surface disposed away from the light incidence surface for reflecting the light rays from the light incidence surface and the reflection surface; the lateral reflection surface having a compensative fluorescent powder disposed thereon for adjusting a color of the planar light rays. The light guide plate can reduce the backlight color difference for a panel of a single-end incident type to improve visual quality level and the quality of products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jie Ren, Po-iem Lin, Gang Yu
  • Publication number: 20140078778
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a display apparatus includes a first step of arranging a display panel (110) inside a housing (130); a second step including a light guide lens formation step of forming a curved surface (151b) of a light guide lens (151) into a concave-convex surface having surface roughness of 40-250 ?m, and a cover layer formation step of forming a light guide member (150) in such a manner that the curved surface (151b) of the light guide lens (151) is covered by a cover layer (152) to form an image-display-side surface of the cover layer (152) into a non-concave-convex surface; and a third step of bonding the light guide member (150) to a surface of an outer peripheral edge part of the display panel (110) and a surface of the window frame (130).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Moriwaki, Kenya Ito
  • Publication number: 20140063848
    Abstract: According to the present disclosure, there are provided a backlight module and a display device. With the backlight module, a heat dissipating device can be saved, and a light guide plate is prevented from being warped and deformed due to heat generation of a light source. The backlight module comprises a light source, a light guide plate and a side-glowing optical fiber. The side-glowing optical fiber includes: a light emitting section which is fixed to at least one side of the light guide plate; and a light guide section, which extends from the light emitting section to the outside of the light guide plate, and a terminal of which is connected to the light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicants: Beijing Boe Chatani Electronics Co. Ltd, BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Weixin Zheng, Dongsheng Yang, Zhonglian Qiao, Xiuzhen Li
  • Patent number: 8662729
    Abstract: Disclosed is a light unit. The light unit includes: a light guide plate having a plurality of grooves formed on one side thereof; a light guide extension formed at one side of the groove; and at least one light emitting diode allowing light to be incident on the light guide plate through the light guide extension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Nam Seok Oh
  • Patent number: 8662727
    Abstract: An apparatus for efficiently coupling light from a light source into a thin object such as a rod or a sheet is disclosed. In an embodiment, the apparatus comprises a sheet and a linear light source placed along the edge of the sheet. The light from linear light source is coupled into the sheet using one or more concentrator blocks. In another embodiment, the apparatus comprises a rod and a point light source placed near one end of the rod. The light from point light source is coupled into the rod using one or more concentrator blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: I2iC Corporation
    Inventors: Udayan Kanade, Pushkar Apte, Ruby Rama Praveen, Sanat Ganu, Sumeet Katariya, Alok Deshpande, Parag Khairnar
  • Publication number: 20140049983
    Abstract: A light emitting device includes a film-based lightguide and coupling lightguides having ends stacked and aligned. In one embodiment, the light emitting device comprises a relative position maintaining element that extends beyond the light input surface defined by the stacked ends of an array of coupling lightguides. In another embodiment, a light emitting device comprises an alignment guide or cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Inventors: Anthony John Nichol, Zane Coleman
  • Patent number: 8646960
    Abstract: A backlight includes a light guide and a first and second light source adapted for independent operation and arranged to inject a first and second light beam, respectively, into the light guide through different portions of the light injection surface. Each light source includes a lamp and a concave reflector to partially collimate light from the lamp. One major surface of the light guide includes prismatic structures that are parallel to a first axis. Another major surface of the light guide includes lenticular structures that are parallel to each other but perpendicular to the prismatic structures. The lenticular structures limit spatial spreading for light that remains in the light guide. Each light source cooperates with the light guide to provide light that is substantially laterally confined to a transverse band of the light guide, even though the light guide contains no gaps that define slats to accomplish such confinement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Erik A. Aho, John C. Schultz
  • Patent number: 8641215
    Abstract: A display device with switchable viewing includes a backlight module and a display panel. The backlight module includes a light guide plate, first optical structures, a reflector, a first light source, and a second light source. The light guide plate includes a bottom surface, a light exit surface, a first light incident surface, and a second light incident surface. The display panel is disposed on the light exit surface. The first optical structures are disposed on the bottom surface and each includes a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface. The angle between the first inclined surface and the bottom surface is smaller than that between the second inclined surface and the bottom surface. Lights from the first light source and the second light source enter the light guide plate from the first light incident surface and the second light incident surface, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Chih-Kang Tung, Wen-Chieh Liu
  • Patent number: 8616751
    Abstract: A light guide for interfacing between a light source having a light emitting surface with a first shape and a light receiver with a light receiving surface of a second shape. The light guide has a light emitting end having a first shape of substantially the same size as the first shape of the light emitting surface. A light receiving end has a second shape of substantially the same size as the second shape of the light receiving surface. A free form body between the light emitting end and the light receiving end causes a transition between the first and second shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Excelitas Technologies Corp.
    Inventor: Wei Li
  • Publication number: 20130321913
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: REALD INC.
    Inventors: Jonathan Harrold, Graham J. Woodgate, Michael G. Robinson, Miller H. Schuck
  • Patent number: 8593588
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid crystal display device, including: a liquid crystal panel, a light guide plate disposed in a rear direction of the liquid crystal panel, a lamp disposed along at least one side edge of the light guide plate, a lamp housing covering a portion of a circumference of the lamp, and a reflecting plate disposed at a rear surface of the light guide plate, wherein a protrusion portion is disposed at an inner surface of the lamp housing adjacent to the reflecting plate, and an end portion of the reflecting plate is curved to extend toward the protrusion portion, thus to provide a liquid crystal display panel which can obtain uniform luminance and minimized light leakage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Guen-Taek Oh
  • Patent number: 8585268
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light-guide panel for an LCD with a laser backlight. The panel comprises a laser light source and a main ridge waveguide with a plurality of first holograms that change the direction of the laser light that propagates along the main ridge waveguide to the direction perpendicular to the latter. The first holograms are associated with thee light of predetermined wavelengths and are optically connected to respective transverse waveguides that lie in the same plane but are perpendicular to the main ridge waveguide. Each transverse ridge waveguide has a plurality of second holograms designed so that they change the direction of laser light that propagates along the transverse ridge waveguide in the direction at an angle to the plane of the LGP substrate. This angle should be close to 90° and may be obtained in the range of 70° to 85°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Ergophos, LLC
    Inventors: Vladmir Yankov, Alexander Goltsov, Igor Ivonin, Konstantin Kravtsov, Leonid Velikov
  • Patent number: 8568013
    Abstract: A backlight module includes a light guide plate (LGP) and a light emitting unit. The LGP has a first surface, a second surface, a light incident surface, a first curved convex surface, a first plane, a second curved convex surface and a second plane. The first surface has a visual area. The second surface is opposite to the first surface. The light incident surface, the first curved convex surface, the first plane, the second curved convex surface, and the second plane connects the first surface and the second surface. The light incident surface connects the first plane and the second plane. The light emitting unit is disposed beside the light incident surface for emitting a light beam, wherein the light beam is capable of entering the LGP through the light incident surface, and being transmitted out of the LGP through the visual area of the first surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventor: Liang-Kang Chang
  • Patent number: 8550684
    Abstract: In one aspect, an illumination source includes a socket formed by the union of a sub-assembly platform and a light-guide element, and a discrete light source received in the socket. In another aspect, the light-guide element includes a concentration region proximate an in-coupling region opposite an out-coupling region, the concentration region directing multidirectional light from the in-coupling region toward the out-coupling region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Oree, Inc.
    Inventors: Noam Meir, Micha Zimmermann, Eran Fine
  • Patent number: 8545305
    Abstract: Gaming devices, gaming systems, methods of conducting a wagering game, and computer programs for initiating a wagering game are presented herein. A gaming device is presented that includes a wager input device for receiving wagers from players to play a wagering game, and a display for displaying outcomes of the wagering game. The gaming device also includes a multi-layer composite lighting assembly with a first light-emitting layer, a second light-emitting layer, and a spacer. The first light-emitting layer emits light of a first color in a first direction, whereas the second light-emitting layer emits light of a second color in a second direction. The spacer, which is interposed between the first and second light-emitting layers, diffuses and focuses light emitted by the second light-emitting layer through the light emitted by the first light-emitting layer to thereby create a three-dimensional simulation of a component of the wagering game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: WMS Gaming Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth M. Ross, Emilio D. Perez, Norma C. Rodriguez, Sean E. Hayes, Vito M. Caporusso
  • Patent number: 8540400
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an encoding device, such as an optical position encoder, for encoding input from an object, and a method for encoding input from an object, for determining a position of an object that interferes with light of the device. The encoding device comprises a light source, a waveguide, a number of redirecting structures, and a detector. By means of the waveguide and the number of redirecting structures, light from the light source is guided towards the detector along a path that includes traversing an area in a space next to the planar waveguide. An object may be positioned in the area in the space and may interfere with the light, which interference may be encoded into a position or activation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: O-Net Wavetouch Limited
    Inventors: Michael Linde Jakobsen, Vagn Steen Gruner Hanson, Henrik Chresten Pedersen
  • Patent number: 8538217
    Abstract: A lighting system for generating an illumination product comprises an excitation source, blue/UV LED, operable to generate excitation radiation and a remotely located phosphor, photo luminescent material. Excitation radiation is guided from the excitation source to the phosphor by a waveguiding medium, the waveguiding medium being configured such that the distance the radiation travels from the excitation source to the phosphor layer is at least one centimeter in length. The UV/blue excitation source provides excitation radiation to the phosphor(s), causing the phosphor(s) to photo luminesce, and it may also provide a component of the final illumination product. The configuration of the waveguide allows a greater flexibility in lighting system configurations, such as hanging lighting fixtures, desk lighting fixtures, floor standing lighting fixtures, desk lamps, track lighting, spot lighting, accent lighting, lighting panels, inspection lamps and endoscopes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Intematix Corporation
    Inventor: Yi-Qun Li
  • Patent number: 8534897
    Abstract: An optical waveguide device is provided which is capable of distributing light beams from a light source equally to long and short sides of a rectangular panel and which does not require a high degree of accuracy for alignment between the light source and a core. The optical waveguide device includes the light source provided on an edgewise extending frame part of a rectangular panel, and an optical waveguide provided on the frame part and including the branched core having a common portion closer to the light source, the branched core being divided from the common portion into a first core portion and a second core portion orthogonal to each other. The common portion is disposed at a corner of the frame part. The second core portion has a width greater than the width of the first core portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Akiko Nagafuji, Noriyuki Juni