Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc

Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Other

Sharp Laboratory of America, Inc.

Jiandong Huang

Apostolos T Voutsas

Steven Nabil Bathiche

Pooran Chandra Joshi

Liying Chen

Timothy Andrew Large

Hao Zhang

Ying Zheng

Liang Tang

Linghui Rao

Jason Jianzhong Chang

Changqing Zhan

Akinori Hashimura

Cynthia Sue Bell

Kevin Woo

Chang-Ching Tu

Rostislav Boltyanskiy

An electronic device includes a cover glass having a display surface, a pixelated photoemitting element array, and a pixelated photodetecting element array. The pixelated photoemitting element array emits a light signal through the cover glass to the display surface. The pixelated photodetecting element array is positioned relative to the pixelated photoemitting element array and the cover glass to receive a reflected light signal. The reflected light signal includes a portion of the emitted light signal reflected by total internal reflection from a refractive boundary at the display surface. Operation of each pixel is switched between the one or more photodetecting elements and the one or more photoemitting elements by the pixel selector signal component received from the pixel selector signal bus. A sensing trigger is configured to trigger the imaging scan by the pixelated photoemitting element array and the pixelated photodetecting element array, responsive to detection of an initiating action.

Image sensing with a display

An electronic device includes a backlight unit and a liquid crystal layer disposed proximate to the backlight unit. The backlight unit is configured to provide illumination across a viewable display area of the electronic device. The viewable display area includes a plurality of zones. The liquid crystal layer is configured to selectively filter the illumination provided by the backlight unit. A processor is coupled to the backlight unit and to the liquid crystal layer. The processor is configured to determine, based on data indicative of content to be displayed, a respective backlight brightness level of each zone of the plurality of zones and to generate liquid crystal control signaling for the liquid crystal layer. The processor is further configured to adjust the respective backlight brightness levels and/or the liquid crystal control signaling, to compensate for distortions arising from defects in the backlight unit and/or the liquid crystal layer.

Display defect compensation with localized backlighting

Pixel having a photoemitter and a photodetector triggered by a pixel selector signal bus

An image decoding system provides a phase pattern encoding a target image. A spatial light modulator is configured to emit a wavefront-shaped light signal based on the phase pattern. A first diffusive medium receives the wavefront-shaped light signal and emits a decoded scattered light signal of the target image. The target image is previously encoded in the phase pattern by transmitting another wavefront-shaped light signal shaped by a training phase pattern through a second diffusive medium to yield a scattered light signal encoding a test image. The second diffusive medium has the optical scattering characteristics of a first diffusive medium. The scattered light signal encoding the test image is emitted from the second diffusive medium and recorded. The training phase pattern is adjusted for successive iterations of the test image until the test image satisfies a compensation condition. The resulting training phase pattern yields the phase pattern.

Imaging through highly diffusive media with wavefront shaping

Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided for a backlight assembly for a display device. The backlight assembly includes a transparent waveguide layer, a plurality of light sources, and a tunable grating layer. The light sources are arranged along an edge of the waveguide layer. Each light source transmits light into the waveguide layer through the edge. The grating layer is coupled to the waveguide layer, and has multiple rows. Each row of the grating layer is segmented into a series of cells so the grating layer is sectioned into an array of cells. Each cell is independently controllable to either not extract incident light received from within the waveguide layer, or to extract the incident light for emission from the backlight assembly. In another configuration, the waveguide layer is not present, and the light sources transmit light directly into an edge of the grating layer.

Backlight assembly with tunable grating layer for local dimming

Triggered image sensing with a display

An electronic device includes a transparent cover and a light source disposed at an edge of the transparent cover. The light source is configured to inject light into the transparent cover. The transparent cover guides the light until interaction with a fingerprint ridge at the transparent cover. The electronic device further includes a filter disposed along the transparent cover. The filter is configured to selectively allow the light scattered by the fingerprint ridge to pass through the filter. A detector generates a signal indicative of the scattered light allowed through the filter.

Fingerprint detection with transparent cover

Aspects of the present invention relate to systems, methods and apparatus for converting a container into a smart bottle. According to a first aspect of the present invention, a smart-bottle apparatus may comprise a container portion comprising a plurality of individually addressable sensor pairs covering the wall of the container portion. According to a second aspect of the present invention, a smart-bottle apparatus may comprise a container portion comprising a plurality of individually addressable sensor pairs covering a neck portion of the container portion.

Systems and apparatus for container conversion

An electronic device includes a backlight unit and a liquid crystal layer adjacent the backlight unit. The backlight unit has a plurality of planar emission devices distributed over a viewable display area. The plurality of planar emission devices are disposed in a configurable zone arrangement having a plurality of zones of the viewable area. Each zone includes at least one planar emission device. The liquid crystal layer is configured to selectively filter light generated by the plurality of planar emission devices. The electronic device further includes a processor coupled to the backlight unit and configured to control a brightness level of the at least one planar emission device in each zone separately from other planar emission devices in other zones.

Configurable, localized backlighting with planar emission devices

A method is provided for controlling the collimation of light from a backlight top surface. A backlight device includes a first waveguide and a transparent top film overlying the first waveguide top surface. A plurality of bubble structures is formed in the top film bottom surface, having a refractive index less than a first waveguide medium. A plurality of lenses overlies the top film top surface, where each lens is aligned overlying a corresponding gap (W) between bubble structures. The method forms a maximum angle (&#x3b1;) of light propagation through the first waveguide medium. In response to the values W and H (bubble structure height), light, having the maximum angle (&#x3b1;) of light propagation, is reflected off the bubble structure sides, through total internal reflection, into the top film. The method collimates in a vertical direction, orthogonal to the horizontal direction, light exiting the top film through the lenses.

Waveguide with Controlled Light Collimation

Aspects of the present invention relate to an apparatus for converting a container into a smart bottle. A tapered plug comprising a channel portion, wherein a first sensor is located proximate to a first end of the channel portion and a second sensor is located proximate to a second end of the channel portion, and a non-channel portion, wherein the non-channel portion houses a processor, a memory, a battery, a power-management system, a clock and a communication interface, may replace a standard container cap, thereby providing monitoring, verification and communication capabilities.

A switchable viewing angle display method is provided. The method provides a front panel array of display pixels. Also provided is an array of microlenses underlying the array of display pixels. Each microlens has a focal point and each microlens is associated with a corresponding block of display pixels. A backlight panel has an edge-coupled waveguide pipe with an optical input connected to a column of light emitting diodes (LEDs). The backlight panel includes a top array of selectively enabled extraction pixels, a planar mirror underlying the waveguide pipe, and a bottom array of selectively enabled extraction pixels interposed between the waveguide pipe and the planar mirror. In response to accepting a display viewing angle change command, an extraction pixel is enabled from either the top array or the bottom array, and a waveguide pipe light extraction position is formed, changing the viewing angle.

Switchable viewing angle display with local dimming function

A switchable viewing angle display method is provided, using arrayed microlenses and a waveguide pipe with selectable light extraction positions. The method provides a front panel array of display pixels. Also provided is an array of microlenses underlying the array of display pixels. Each microlens has a focal point and each microlens is associated with a corresponding block of display pixels. A backlight panel has an edge-coupled waveguide pipe with an optical input connected to a column of light emitting diodes (LEDs). The backlight panel includes an array extraction pixels, each extraction pixel underlying a corresponding microlens, and the backlight panel also includes a planar mirror underlying the waveguide pipe. In response to a display viewing angle change command, a waveguide pipe's light extraction position is selected, which is the distance between the extraction pixels and their corresponding microlenses, and the display viewing angle is changed.

Switchable viewing angle display

A system and method are provided for using bubble structures to control the extraction of light from a waveguide top surface. The method determines a maximum angle (&#x3b1;) of light propagation through a waveguide medium relative to a first horizontal direction parallel to a waveguide top surface. A plurality of bubble structures is provided having a refractive index less than the waveguide medium. The bubble structures have a base, and sides formed at an acute angle upwards with respect to the base. The bubble structure bases are separated by gap (W), have a height (H), and have a top separated from a waveguide top surface by a space (h). The method varies the gap (W), the height (H), and the space (h). In response, the intensity of light extraction at even the maximum angle (&#x3b1;) of light propagation, can be controlled from the waveguide top surface.

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Vancouver, WA, United States of America

Jiandong Huang