This technology relates to dual modulator displays. Particular embodiments provide apparatus for providing light source modulation in dual modulator displays.
Dual modulator displays are described in PCT Patent Application Publication Nos. WO02/069030, WO03/077013, WO2006/010244 and WO2008/092276 (collectively, the “Dual Modulator Display Applications”) which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. In some embodiments, such displays comprise a light source modulation layer and a display modulation layer. The light source modulation layer may be driven to produce a relatively low resolution representation of an image which is subsequently provided to the relatively high resolution display modulation layer. The low resolution representation generated by the light source modulation layer may be further modulated by the higher resolution display modulation layer to provide an output image which is ultimately viewed by the observer.
In some embodiments, the light source modulation layer may comprise an array of modulated light sources, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), for example. Because the light source modulation layer typically illuminates the display modulation layer, the light source modulation layer may be referred to as a backlight or backlight modulation layer. In general, however, it is not required that the light source modulation layer be located behind the display modulation layer. The display modulation layer, which may be positioned and/or aligned to receive light from the light source modulation layer, may comprise a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, for example.
Modulation at the light source modulation layer causes a spatially varying light pattern to be received at the display modulation layer. The brightness of the pixels on the display modulation layer is therefore affected by the variable localized brightness of the light received at the display modulation layer from the light source modulation layer. Determining the driving values for the display modulation layer may comprise using the driving values for the light source modulation layer to estimate the expected luminance pattern at the display modulation layer and then using this expected luminance to derive driving values for the display modulation layer.
The light emitted by the light source modulation layer may be relatively broad bandwidth light relative to the visible spectrum. Where broad bandwidth light is used to illuminate the display modulation layer, the resulting gamut of the display may be restricted since the wide bandwith light may be unable to produce highly saturated colors. In other displays, the light source modulation layer may comprise a plurality of relatively narrow band light sources (e.g. red, green and blue (RGB) LEDs). While using narrowband light sources in the light source modulation layer may increase the gamut of the display by providing the ability to output more highly saturated colors, the narrow bandwidth sources can cause metameric issues, where a color generated by the display may produce a color match (e.g. to a sample color) for one observer, but the same display color will not produce a color match for a different observer.
There are general desires to maximize or improve the color gamut of displays and to minimize or reduce metameric issues.
Dual modulator displays may also suffer from parallax issues when viewers are located off of the optical axis of the display. Such parallax issues may result, for example, because the degree to which different elements of the light source modulation layer illuminate corresponding elements of the display modulation layer vary with viewing angle. Accordingly, when a viewer is located off of the optical axis of the display, the viewer may see visible artefacts attributable to parallax.
There is a general desire to minimize or reduce parallax issues in dual modulator displays.
In drawings which illustrate non-limiting embodiments of the invention:
Throughout the following description, specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, the invention may be practiced without these particulars. In other instances, well known elements have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense.
Particular embodiments of the invention provide dual modulator displays wherein a phosphorescent plate or the like comprising one or more phosphor materials is interposed in the optical path between a light source modulation layer and a display modulation layer. Spatially modulated light output from the light source modulation layer impinges on the phosphorescent plate and excites corresponding regions of the phosphorescent plate which in turn emit light having different spectral characteristics than the light output from the light source modulation layer. Light emitted from the phosphorescent plate is received and further modulated by the display modulation layer to provide the ultimate display output.
Advantageously, the characteristics (e.g. spectral and/or luminosity characteristics) of the light output by the phosphorescent plate may be more easily controlled and/or predicted than corresponding characteristics of the light source modulation layer. The characteristics of the phosphorescent plate may be selected to maximize or improve the color gamut of the display and/or to minimize or reduce metameric issues associated with the display, for example. The phosphorescent plate may be located in positions contiguous with, or closely spaced apart from, the display modulation layer which may minimize or reduce parallax issues associated with the display. The phosphorescent plate may also diffuse light received at the display modulation layer, which may in turn reduce or eliminate the need for a diffuser or other optics between the light source and display modulation layers.
Display 10 comprises a controller 18. Controller 18 may comprise any combination of hardware and software capable of operating as described herein. By way of non-limiting example, controller 18 may comprise one or more suitably programmed data processors, hard-wired or configurable logic elements, memory and interface hardware and/or software. The data processors of controller 18 may comprise one or more programmable computers, one or more embedded processors or the like. As explained in more detail below, controller 18 may control the operation of light source modulation layer 12 using drive signals 16 and display modulation layer 24 using drive signals 32.
In the illustrated embodiment, light source modulation layer 12 is implemented by an array of individually addressable LEDs 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D, 14E, 14F (collectively, LEDs 14). In other embodiments, LEDs 14 may be replaced with or supplemented with lasers. As described in the Dual Modulator Display Applications, light source modulator 12 may be implemented using other components. By way of non-limiting example, light source modulator 12 may be implemented by:
Light source modulation layer 12 outputs spatially modulated light in response to driving signals 16 received from controller 18. Light source modulation layer 12 may emit spatially modulated light with central wavelengths at or near the blue/violet end of the visible spectrum. Light source modulation layer 12 may additionally or alternatively emit ultraviolet light (i.e. with central wavelengths below those of the visible spectrum). At these wavelengths, the photons emitted by light source modulation layer 12 have energies that are relatively high (compared to photons in the visible spectrum). Consequently, when excited, the one or more phosphorescent materials on phosphorescent plate 22 can emit light having desired spectral characteristics in the visible spectrum. In some example embodiments where light source modulation layer 12 emits visible light, the spatially modulated light emitted by light source modulation layer 12 includes light having a central wavelength less than 490 nm. In other embodiments, this central wavelength is less than 420 nm. In other embodiments, light source modulation layer 12 may emit ultraviolet light having central wavelengths less than 400 nm.
The spatially modulated light emitted by light source modulation layer 12 is received on phosphorescent plate 22. The one or more phosphorescent materials of phosphorescent plate 22 are energized and in turn emit spatially modulated light that is received at display modulation layer 24. As discussed in more detail below, some of the light from light source modulation layer 12 may also be transmitted by phosphorescent plate 22 to display modulation layer 24.
A portion of display modulation layer 24 is shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, display 10 comprises an optional optical system 28 interposed on the optical path between light source modulation layer 12 and phosphorescent plate 22. Optical system 28 may serve to provide smoothly spatially varying and/or sufficiently diffuse light on phosphorescent plate 22 and may serve to image light from individual elements (e.g. LEDs 14) of light source modulation layer 12 onto corresponding regions 36 of phosphorescent plate 22. By way of non-limiting example, optical system 28 may comprise one or more of imaging lenses, collimators, diffusers, internally reflecting light guides and/or open space. In some embodiments, optical system 28 is not necessary.
In particular embodiments, phosphorescent plate 22 may be contiguous with, or closely spaced apart from, display modulation layer 24. In particular embodiments, the spacing between phosphorescent plate 22 and display modulation layer 24 is less than five times the minimum dimension of pixels 26 of display modulation layer 24. In other embodiments, this spacing is less than twice the minimum dimension of pixels 26. The contiguous or closely spaced nature of phosphorescent plate 22 and display modulation layer 24 may serve to minimize or reduce parallax issues, since the light modulated by display modulation layer 24 originates from locations contiguous or closely spaced from display modulation layer 24.
As shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, display 10 also comprises an optional diffuser 34 on the output side of display modulation layer 24 for scattering the outgoing light so that a viewer can see the light output from display 10 from a wider viewing angle.
Phosphorescent plate 22 may comprise any of a variety of well known materials that are excited (and emit light) in response to receiving light at the wavelength emitted by light source modulation layer 12. By way of non-limiting example, where the light emitted by light source modulation layer 12 is blue visible light (e.g. with central wavelengths of approximately 400 nm-490 nm), the materials in phosphorescent plate 22 may comprise inorganic light-emitting materials, such as: yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG); terbium aluminum garnet (TAG); sulfides, such as MGa2S2 and ZnS; aluminates, such as SrAl2O4; halides, such as Ca10(PO4)6Cl2; and/or rare earth borates, such as YBO4. To provide light-emitting excitation effects, these compounds may be mixed with trace elements of activation metal(s)—e.g. cerium (Ce), europium (Eu), terbium (Tb), bismuth (Bi), or manganese (Mn). Phosphorescent plate 22 may comprise the same phosphorescent materials used for cathode ray tube (CRT) color displays. Phosphorescent plate 22 may additionally or alternatively comprise organic light-emitting materials, such as organic pigments or organic dyes for which the light emission characteristics may be tailored by the number and the positions of their functional groups and the addition or removal of trace element(s).
In some embodiments of the
Phosphorescent plate 22 may also transmit some light emitted by light source modulation layer 12. For example, where LEDs 14 of light source modulation layer 12 emit blue light in the visible spectrum, such blue light may be transmitted through phosphorescent plate 22 and may form part of the visible light spectrum received at display modulation layer 24. References in this description to phosphorescent plate 22 emitting or providing light should be understood to include the possibility that some of the light emitted from or provided by phosphorescent plate 22 may actually be transmitted therethrough from light source modulation layer 12.
In general, the characteristics of the light emitted from a particular phosphorescent plate region 36 will depend on the light received from LED(s) 14 (or other modulation element(s)) of light source modulation layer 12—i.e. relatively intense illumination of a particular region 36 of phosphorescent plate 22 will produce correspondingly greater excitation of the materials of phosphorescent plate 22 such that the particular region 36 of phosphorescent plate 22 will emit relatively more light.
Because the resolution of display modulation layer 24 is greater than that of light source modulation layer 12, each display modulation layer region 38 comprises a plurality of pixels 26. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, each display modulation layer region 38 comprises nine pixels 26. In other embodiments, each display modulation layer region 38 may comprise a different number of pixels 26. The size of pixels 26 may be selected to provide display 10 with a desired overall resolution.
The Dual Modulator Display Applications describe how, in some embodiments, light from individual elements of the light source modulation layer may overlap when received at the display modulation layer to provide smoothly spatially varying light at the display modulation layer or, in other embodiments, light from individual elements of the light source modulation layer may be channeled by reflective walled channels to corresponding regions of the display modulation layer.
In a similar manner, in some embodiments, light from individual modulation elements (e.g. LEDs 14) of light source modulation layer 12 may overlap at phosphorescent plate 22 to provide smoothly spatially varying light at phosphorescent plate 22 and/or light from corresponding phosphorescent plate regions 36 may overlap at display modulation layer 24 to provide smoothly spatially varying light at display modulation layer 24. The spread of light from a modulation element (e.g. LED 14) of light source modulation layer 12 may be referred to as the point spread function (PSF) of that modulation element. This point spread function may be influenced by phosphorescent plate 22 interposed between light source modulation layer 12 and display modulation layer 24. In embodiments where light from individual modulation elements of display modulation layer 12 is permitted to spread, each region 36 of phosphorescent plate 22 shown in dotted outline in
In other embodiments, light from individual modulation elements (e.g. LEDs 14) of light source modulation layer 12 may be channelled by reflective walled channels (which may be part of optional optical system 28 and/or optional optical system 30) to corresponding regions 36 of phosphorescent plate 22 and ultimately to corresponding regions 38 at display modulation layer 24. While light may still extend outside regions 36, 38 in such embodiments, the extension of light outside regions 36, 38 may be reduced (relative to embodiments where this light is permitted to spread) and there may be relatively rapid changes in illumination at the boundaries between regions 36, 38.
In operation, controller 18 determines an operational value for each LED 14 (or other modulation element) of light source modulation layer 12 and outputs these drive values to LEDs 14 as drive signals 16. Drive signals 16 may be provided to LEDs 14 via suitable drive electronics (not shown). As explained in the Dual Modulator Display Applications, drive signals 16 may be determined based at least in part on image data 20. In the illustrated embodiment, light from each of LEDs 14 principally excites a corresponding region 36 of phosphorescent plate 22. Controller 18 also determines drive values for each modulation element (e.g. sub-pixels 42) of display modulation layer 24 and outputs these drive values as drive signals 32. Drive signals 32 may be provided to display modulation layer 24 via suitable drive electronics (not shown). Drive signals 32 may be determined based at least in part on one or more of: image data 20; driving signals 16; the expected light output (e.g. point spread function) for LEDs 14 of light source modulation layer 12; and the expected light output of the corresponding regions of phosphorescent plate 22. Drive signals 32 which control higher resolution display modulation layer 24 may compensate for the spatial variation of the light emitted from light source modulation layer 12 and the corresponding regions of phosphorescent plate 22.
The determination of drive signals 16 for light source modulation layer 12 and drive signals 32 for display modulation layer 24 may be similar to any of the processes described in the Dual Modulator Display Applications, except that the expected light received at display modulation layer 24 (i.e. the effective luminance at display modulation layer 24) may be adjusted to incorporate the expected response of the light output from phosphorescent plate 22. It will be appreciated that the expected light output response of phosphorescent layer 22 may be predicted by a transfer function model which relates the expected light output of phosphorescent layer 22 to the light received at phosphorescent layer 22. In some embodiments, for computational purposes, the expected light output response (e.g. transfer function) of phosphorescent plate 22 interposed between light source modulation layer 12 and display modulation layer 24 may be integrated into the point spread function of LEDs 14. In such embodiments, any of the techniques described in the Dual Modulator Display Applications may be used to determine drive signals 16, 32. By way of non-limiting example, any or all of the resolution reduction, point spread function decomposition, 8-bit segmentation and/or interpolation techniques described in PCT Patent Application Publication No. WO2006/010244 for determining the effective luminance at display modulation layer 24 may be used by modifying the point spread function of LEDs 14 to incorporate the expected light output response of phosphorescent layer 22.
Method 51 then proceeds to block 55 which involves estimating the output of light source modulation elements (e.g. LEDs 14) and the corresponding light pattern 67 received at phosphorescent plate 22. To determine light pattern 67 received at phosphorescent plate 22, block 55 may incorporate light source modulation layer control values 16 and the response characteristics 65 of the light source modulation elements (e.g. LEDs 14). Response characteristics 65 of LEDs 14 may comprise their point spread functions.
Method 51 then proceeds to block 57, which involves using the expected light pattern 67 on phosphorescent plate 22 together with the phosphorescent plate response characteristics 65 to estimate the expected light output of phosphorescent plate 22 and the corresponding effective luminance 69 at display modulation layer 24. The expected light output of phosphorescent plate 22 and the corresponding effective luminance 69 at display modulation layer 24 represent a second spatially varying light pattern (i.e. where the first spatially varying light pattern comprises the light output from light source modulation layer 12 corresponding to the light pattern 67 received at phosphorescent plate 22). Response characteristics 65 of phosphorescent plate may comprise a transfer function model or the like which describes a relationship between the light received at phosphorescent plate 22 and the light output from phosphorescent plate 22. Since the light pattern 67 received at phosphor plate 22 is spatially varying, the block 57 process of determining the effective luminance 69 at display modulation layer 24 may involve notionally breaking phosphorescent plate 22 into a plurality of spatially distinct regions and determining the contribution of each such region to effective display modulation layer luminance 69. The contribution of each such phosphorescent plate region to effective display modulation layer luminance 69 may be similar to the point spread functions of LEDs 14 and their contribution to the light pattern 67 received at phosphor plate 22. In some embodiments, the notional regions of phosphorescent plate 22 may correspond to regions 36 principally illuminate by corresponding LEDs 14 (
In some embodiments, blocks 55 and 57 may be combined to estimate effective display modulation layer luminance 69 by incorporating phosphorescent plate characteristics 65 into the characteristics 63 of light source modulation elements (e.g. LEDs 14). For example, the transfer function response of phosphorescent plate 22 may be incorporated into the point spread function of LEDs 14. In such embodiments, block 55 and 57 may be replaced by a single block where effective display modulation layer luminance 69 is determined directly from light source modulator control values 16 together with the modified point spread function of LEDs 14. In some embodiments, blocks 55 and/or 57 and/or the combination of blocks 55 and 57 may comprise using techniques for reducing the computational expense associated with these procedures, such as those techniques described in PCT patent publication No. WO2006/010244. By way of non-limiting example, any or all of the resolution reduction, point spread function decomposition, 8-bit segmentation and/or interpolation techniques may be used to determine effective display modulation layer luminance 69.
After estimating effective display modulation layer luminance 69, method 51 proceeds to block 59 which involves determining display modulator control values 32. The block 59 determination may be based at least in part on image data 20 together with the estimated effective display modulation layer luminance 69. Block 59 may involve dividing image data 20 by effective luminance pattern 69 to obtain raw modulation data for light source modulation layer 24. In some cases, block 59 may also involve modification of this raw modulation data to address issues such as non-linearities or other issues which may cause artefacts to thereby obtain display modulator control values 32. Such modification techniques may be known to those skilled in the art and may comprise, by way of non-limiting example, scaling, gamma correcting, value replacement operations etc.
Method 51 then proceeds to block 61 which involves using light source modulator control values 16 to drive light source modulation elements (e.g. LEDs 14) and display modulator control values 32 to drive the elements of display modulation layer 24 to thereby display the image. The light output from display modulation layer 24 represents a third spatially varying light pattern (i.e. where the first spatially varying light pattern comprises the light output from light source modulation layer 12 corresponding to the light pattern 67 received at phosphorescent plate 22 and the second spatially varying light pattern comprises the light emitted from phosphorescent plate 22 corresponding to the effective luminance received at display modulation layer 24).
Phosphorescent plate response characteristics 65 may be non-linear or may be different for different phosphorescent materials used in plate 22. In addition, phosphorescent plate response characteristics 65 may vary over time as plate 22 ages and such long term phosphorescent plate response characteristics 65 may be different for different phosphorescent materials used in plate 22. Method 51 may incorporate calibration techniques for response characteristics 65, material dependant response characteristics 65 and/or time varying models within response characteristics 65 to accommodate these issues.
In some embodiments, it is desirable to provide smoothly spatially varying light at display modulation layer 24 to avoid artefacts which may be created by strong spatial variance between adjacent modulation elements (e.g. LEDs 14) of light source modulator 12. To obtain smoothly spatially varying light at the display modulation layer, some dual modulator displays provide a relatively large optical path length between the light source modulation layer and the display modulation layer and/or incorporate a diffuser in the optical path between the light source modulation layer and the display modulation layer. A drawback with providing a large optical path length between the light source modulation layer and the display modulation layer in prior art dual modulator displays is that the large optical path length contributes to parallax issues. This drawback may be mitigated in display 10, as discussed above, by positioning phosphorescent plate 22 contiguous with, or closely spaced apart from, display modulation layer 24 to minimize or reduce parallax issues. Such positioning of phosphorescent plate 22 may permit light source modulation layer 12 to be spaced relatively far apart from display modulation layer 24 (thereby achieving smooth variance between light from adjacent LEDs 14 at phosphorescent plate 22) without suffering from the corresponding parallax issues associated with this spacing.
Phosphorescent plate 22 may also tend to diffuse light. For example, phosphorescent plate 22 may comprise materials which tend to diffuse the light emitted therefrom and/or transmitted therethrough. Additionally or alternatively, phosphorescent plate 22 may be provided with a surface profile (e.g. a multi-faceted surface profile) which tends to diffuse the light emitted therefrom and/or transmitted therethrough. In some embodiments, phosphorescent plate 22 may comprise a diffusing material or a diffusing surface profile at locations relatively close to light source modulation layer 12, so as to diffuse light from light source modulation layer 12 (i.e. prior to spectral conversion by the phosphorescent material of plate 22). Provision of phosphorescent plate 22 in the optical path between light source modulation layer 12 and display modulation layer 24 may eliminate the need for an additional diffuser.
In the illustrated embodiment, sub-regions 134R emit light having a central wavelength that is generally red, sub-regions 134G emit light having a central wavelength that is generally green and sub-regions 134B emit light having a central wavelength that is generally blue. For example, sub-regions 134R, 134G, 134B may comprise materials which emit light similar to the red, green and blue phosphorescent materials used in current generation CRT displays, such as those of Color Grading Professional Monitors, for example. In other embodiments, where the light emitted by light source modulation layer 12 is blue, sub-region 134B may comprise a transmissive region that passes light from light source modulation layer 12 (i.e. rather than comprising a phosphorescent material with a generally blue spectral emission distribution). In some embodiments, sub-regions 134 may comprise phosphorescent materials that cause them to emit light having other wavelengths. In the illustrated embodiment, sub-regions 134 are schematically depicted as circular, but this is not necessary. Sub-regions 134 may generally be provided with any suitable shapes. In the illustrated embodiment, sub-regions 134 are spaced apart from one another, but this is not necessary and sub-regions 134 may be contiguous with or overlap one another.
Sub-regions 134 may be grouped into regions 136, a number of which are shown in dotted outline in
Like phosphorescent plate 122 of
In the discussion that follows, display 110 is described in relation to phosphorescent plate 122, regions 136 and sub-regions 134. It should be understood, however, that phosphorescent plate 122′, regions 136′ and sub-regions 134′ may be used in a manner similar to phosphorescent plate 122, regions 136 and sub-regions 134.
In the illustrated embodiment of
The light emitted from a particular phosphorescent plate region 136 comprises a mixture of the light emitted from its corresponding sub-regions 134R, 134G and 134B. The characteristics of the light emitted from a particular phosphorescent plate region 136 and its sub-regions 134 will also depend on the light emitted by its corresponding LED 14—i.e. relatively intense illumination of a particular region 136 of phosphorescent plate 122 will produce correspondingly greater excitation of the materials of its sub-regions 134 such that its sub-regions 134 will emit more light.
The characteristics of the phosphorescent materials used in the sub-regions 134R, 134G, 134B may be selected to provide corresponding light outputs with spectral distributions broad enough to minimize or reduce metameric issues—i.e. to avoid significant intensity changes as a result of metameric shifts amongst human observers (generally found to occur with spectral distributions less than 5 mm). However, the characteristics of the phosphorescent materials used in individual sub-regions 134R, 134G, 134B may be sufficiently narrow to provide high color saturation and a correspondingly wide gamut when filtered through the color filters of display modulation layer 24.
In particular embodiments, sub-regions 134 of phosphorescent plate 22 may be designed to emulate the phosphor emission spectral distributions of CRT displays. For example, in some embodiments: sub-region 134R may comprise material(s) which emit a red mode centered approximately at 575 nm (±5%) and having a full-width half-maximum (FWHM) spread in a range of 110 nm-130 nm; sub-region 134G may comprise material(s) which emit a green mode centered approximately at 540 nm (±5%) and having a FWHM spread in a range of 90 nm-110 nm; and sub-region 134B may comprise material(s) which emit (or may transmit) a blue mode centered approximately at 450 nm (±5%) and having a FWHM spread in a range of 40 nm-60 nm. In other embodiments: sub-region 134R may comprise material(s) which emit a red mode centered approximately at 575 nm (±10%) and having a FWHM spread in a range of 110 nm-130 nm; sub-region 134G may comprise material(s) which emit a green mode centered approximately at 540 nm (±10%) and having a FWHM spread in a range of 90 nm-110 nm; and sub-region 134B may comprise material(s) which emit (or may transmit) a blue mode centered approximately at 450 nm (±10%) and having a FWHM spread in a range of 40 nm-60 nm.
In
Because the resolution of phosphorescent plate regions 136 is the same or similar to the resolution of light source modulation layer 12 and the resolution of display modulation layer 24 is greater than that of light source modulation layer 12, each display modulation layer region 138 comprises a plurality of pixels 26. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, each display modulation layer region 138 comprises nine pixels 26. In other embodiments, each display modulation layer region 138 may comprise a different number of pixels 26. In the illustrated embodiment, each display modulation region 138 is rectangular in shape, but this is not necessary and display modulation regions 138 may generally be provided with other shapes.
As is known in the art of LCD panels, sub-pixels 42 may comprise color filters (e.g. red, green and blue color filters corresponding to sub-pixels 42R, 42G, 42B), which filter the light received thereon. The color filters of sub-pixels 42R, 42G, 42B may be selected to be sufficiently narrow band to pass most or all of the light from a corresponding one of phosphorescent plate sub-regions 134R, 134G, 134B, while attenuating most or all of the light from the other ones of phosphorescent plate sub-regions 134R, 134G, 134B. The color filters of sub-pixels 42R, 42G, 42B may be selected to be sufficiently wide band to pass enough of the spectral distribution generated by their corresponding phosphorescent plate regions 134R, 134G, 134B to minimize or reduce metameric issues associated with overly narrow band colors. In some multi-primary embodiments, it may be desirable to provide a number of color filters that differs from the number of phosphorescent plate sub-regions, in which case, some of the color filters may be configured to pass a fraction of the bandwidth of the light emitted from a phosphorescent plate sub-region. Pixels 26, sub-pixels 42 and other features of display modulation layer 24 of display 110 may otherwise be similar to those described above for display 10.
Operation of display 110 may be substantially similar to operation of display 10 described above, except that because of the patterned array of regions 136 and their respective sub-regions 134, the characteristics and expected response of the regions of phosphorescent plate 122 (e.g. characteristics 59 and the expected response determined in block 57 of method 51) may differ from the characteristics and expected response of phosphorescent plate 22.
In the discussion that follows, display 210 is described in relation to phosphorescent plate 222, regions 236 and sub-regions 234. It should be understood, however, that phosphorescent plate 222′, regions 236′ and sub-regions 234′ may be used in a manner similar to phosphorescent plate 222, regions 236 and sub-regions 234.
Where the resolution of phosphorescent plate regions 236 is greater than the resolution of LEDs 14 (or other modulation elements) of light source modulation layer 12, LEDs 14 may be aligned with phosphorescent plate 222 such that light emitted from each LED 14 is principally illuminates a corresponding plurality of phosphorescent plate regions 236. Additionally or alternatively, optional optical system 28 may be constructed such that light emitted from each LED 14 is imaged to principally illuminate a corresponding plurality of phosphorescent plate regions 236. Light from particular LEDs 14 is not limited to the plurality of phosphorescent plate regions 236 that it principally illuminates. Light from a particular LED 14 may spread in accordance with its point spread function such that light from adjacent LEDs 14 overlaps at phosphorescent plate 222. Such overlapping light may help to provide smoothly spatially varying light at phosphorescent plate 222. The radiation from LEDs 14 excites the phosphorescent materials in sub-regions 234 of its corresponding plurality of phosphorescent plate regions 236 and any phosphorescent plate regions 236 into which it spreads and causes sub-regions 234 of phosphorescent plate 222 to emit light.
The characteristics of the light emitted from a particular phosphorescent plate region 236 and its sub-regions 234 in response to the light input from light source modulation layer 12 may be similar to those described above for phosphorescent plate regions 136 and sub-regions 134.
In
Pixels 26, sub-pixels 42 and other features of display modulation layer 24 of display 210 may be similar to those described above for display 110.
In operation, controller 18 controls the output of individual modulation elements (e.g. LEDs 14) of light source modulation layer 12 using drive signals 16 as described above. Light from each of LEDs 14 excites a corresponding plurality of phosphorescent plate regions 236 in phosphorescent plate 222. Controller 20 also determines drive values for each sub-pixel 42 of each pixel 26 of display modulation layer 24 and outputs these drive values as drive signals 32. Drive signals 32 may be determined based at least in part on one or more of: image data 20; driving signals 16; the expected light output for LEDs 14 of light source modulation layer 12; and the corresponding expected light output of phosphorescent plate regions 236 and their corresponding sub-regions 234. As discussed above, method 51 of
In some embodiments of display 210, where the resolution of the patterned plurality of phosphorescent plate regions 236 on phosphorescent plate 222 is the same or similar to that of pixels 26, the sub-regions 234 of phosphorescent plate regions 236 may perform the function of color filters which would otherwise be part of display modulation layer 24. In such embodiments, each sub-pixel 42 of display modulation layer 24 may be implemented with a controllable liquid crystal element but without the need for a color filter.
In such embodiments, there may be a correspondence or registration (e.g. a one-to-one relationship) between sub-regions 234 of a particular region 236 on phosphorescent plate 222 and sub-pixels 42 of a particular pixel 26/region 238 on display modulation layer 24. Light emitted from sub-regions 234 of a particular region 236 on phosphorescent plate 222 may remain substantially unmixed prior to illuminating corresponding sub-pixels 42 of display modulation layer 24. By way of non-limiting example, light from individual sub-regions 234 of a particular region 236 on phosphorescent plate 22 may be channelled by reflective walled channels (which may be part of optional optical system 30) to corresponding sub-pixels 42 of display modulation layer 24. While light may still extend outside sub-pixels 42 in such embodiments, the extension of light outside sub-pixels 42 may be relatively minimal and there may be relatively rapid changes in illumination at the boundaries between sub-pixels 42.
This registration between sub-regions 234 of phosphorescent plate 222 and sub-pixels 42 of display modulation layer is shown in FIG. 3E,www which shows individual phosphorescent plate sub-regions 234 in dotted outline in some of pixels 26 and sub-pixels 42 in some of pixels 26. Phosphorescent plate 222 may be designed or aligned relative to display modulation layer 24 such that light from each sub-region 234 of a particular phosphorescent plate region 236 principally illuminates a liquid crystal element of a corresponding sub-pixel 42 of a display modulation layer pixel 26/region 238. Additionally or alternatively, optional optical system 30 may be constructed such that light emitted from each sub-region 234 of a particular phosphorescent plate region 236 is imaged to principally illuminate a liquid crystal element of a corresponding sub-pixel 42 of a display modulation layer pixel 26/region 238.
Display 110 described above comprises a phosphorescent plate 122 having a patterned plurality of regions 136 with a resolution that is the same or similar to that of light source modulation layer 12. Display 210 comprises a phosphorescent plate 222 having a patterned plurality of regions 236 with a resolution that is the same or similar to that of display modulation layer 24. These are merely representative examples of the resolutions of patterned phosphorescent plates which may be used in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. In other embodiments, the resolution of the patterned regions on phosphorescent plates may be any suitable resolution. In particular embodiments, the resolution of the patterned regions on phosphorescent plates may be greater than or equal to that of the lesser one of light source modulation layer 12 and display modulation layer 24. For example, the resolution of patterned phosphorescent plates in some embodiments may be somewhere between the resolutions of light source modulation layer 12 and display modulation layer 24 or greater than the resolution of display modulation layer 24. It should be noted that it is not necessary for phosphorescent plates to comprise a plurality of regions. In embodiments, such as display 10 described above, the phosphorescent materials in plate 22 may be mixed so as to emit light having desirable spectral characteristics from whatever portion of plate 22 is illuminated by light from light source modulation layer 12. In some embodiments, the mixture of phosphorescent materials on a phosphorescent plate is homogeneous, though this is not necessary.
Displays 110, 210 described above comprise phosphorescent plates 122, 222 having patterned pluralities of regions 136, 236, wherein each region 136, 236 comprises a plurality of sub-regions 134, 234 having different spectral emission characteristics.
The light received at pixels 26 of display modulation layer 24 in display 310 and other similar embodiments may be similar to that received in displays 110, 210 described above in that the phosphorescent materials used in the various plates 322 may be selected to provide corresponding light outputs with spectral distributions broad enough to minimize or reduce metameric issues and sufficiently narrow to provide high color saturation and a correspondingly wide gamut when filtered through the color filters of display modulation layer 24.
Where a component (e.g. a software module, processor, assembly, device, circuit, etc.) is referred to above, unless otherwise indicated, reference to that component (including a reference to a “means”) should be interpreted as including as equivalents of that component any component which performs the function of the described component (i.e. that is functionally equivalent), including components which are not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the illustrated exemplary embodiments of the invention.
Thus, embodiments of the present invention may relate to one or more of the enumerated example embodiments below, each of which are examples, and, as with any other related discussion provided above, should not be construed as limiting any claim or claims provided yet further below as they stand now or as later amended, replaced, or added. Likewise, these examples should not be considered as limiting with respect to any claim or claims of any related patents and/or patent applications (including any foreign or international counterpart applications and/or patents, divisionals, continuations, re-issues, etc.).
Enumerated Example Embodiment (EEE) 1. A display comprising:
As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. For example:
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/707,276 filed on Feb. 17, 2010, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/154,866, filed Feb. 24, 2009, hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Child | 14215856 | US |