Sioptica Gmbh

Phoenix 3D, Inc.

X3d Technologies Gmbh

Markus Klippstein

André Heber

Uwe Schroeter

Ambrose Peter Nari

Juergen Schwarz

Ingo Relke

Stepan Alkhimenko

Yannick Bourgin

Andreas Bregulla

Stephan Otte

Wolfgang Tzschoppe

Thomas Bruggert

Bernd Riemann

Falk Doerfel

Armin Grasnick

Uwe Schröter

Uwe Jahrmarkt

Andreas Holz

Sven-Martin Scherzberg-Naujokat

Rudyard Isaac Urtecho Valverde

Eric Günl

Chin Tien Yang

Thomas Brueggert

Uwe Hofmann

Jürgen Schwarz

Thomas Brüggert

Falk Dorfel

A display screen including an image reproduction unit with a control unit and detector for detecting a translation of the image reproduction unit relative to an initial position and/or a rotation of the image reproduction unit relative to an initial orientation and/or for detecting an absolute or relative position of the image reproduction unit with respect to a reference system. The image reproduction unit changes, for a portion of its image surface, the relative luminance distribution curve for contents displayed thereon along a direction R which is selectable but fixedly oriented with respect to the image reproduction unit when a translation path detected by the detector relative to the initial position is above a threshold value and/or a detected angle of rotation relative to the initial orientation is above a respective threshold value and/or the absolute position or relative position with respect to a reference system is outside a tolerance.

Display screen having a variable relative luminance distribution curve

The invention relates to a switchable light filter (), comprising a first optical element (), in turn comprising a plurality of light-absorbing transition dipole moments, so that light, which is incident into the first optical element (), is transmitted or at least partially absorbed as a function of its direction of incidence with respect to the first optical element () and its polarization state, means for optionally generating a first electric field (EF) or a second electric field (EF), a liquid crystal layer (), onto which the first electric field (EF) or the second electric field (EF) acts, so that the transmission properties of the switchable light filter () differ between a first operating mode B. The invention further discloses lighting devices and screen, which use an afore-described switchable light filter ().

Switchable light filter, lighting device and screen

An illumination device for a display screen operable in an open-viewing mode Band a restricted-viewing mode Bwhere light is emitted in a limited angular range. It includes a backlight emitting the limited-angular-range light, a plate-shaped light guide with large surfaces and narrow connecting sides in front of the backlight in a viewing direction. The light guide has outcoupling elements on the surfaces or within its volume, and is at least 50% transparent to backlight light. Outcoupling elements have a function surface for coupling out light guide light. Illuminants are arranged laterally of the narrow sides. The backlight is on and the illuminants off in mode B, and the illuminants are on in mode B. Some outcoupling elements have a structure causing scattering in a preferential direction that is stronger by a factor of at least 1.2 than in a direction perpendicular to the preferential direction, yielding anisotropic scattering.

Lighting device for a free viewing mode and a restricted viewing mode

A display screen which can be operated in at least two operating modes, B1 for an unrestricted viewing mode and B2 for a restricted viewing mode, including a transmissive image rendering device which modulates light that is incident upon it for displaying image content and which can be operated in a first operating mode B1 for an unrestricted viewing mode and in a second operating mode B2 for a restricted viewing mode. The display screen includes an illumination device arranged behind the transmissive image rendering device and which can be operated in at least two operating modes B1 and B2. The illumination device emits light in an unrestricted viewing angle range in mode B1 and emits light in a restricted viewing angle range in mode B2. The display screen further includes a control for the transmissive image rendering device and the illumination device for switching between modes B1 and B2.

Screen for a free viewing mode and a restricted viewing mode

An optical element comprising a planar substrate with a first large surface functioning as a light-entrance surface, and a second large surface functioning as a light-exit surface. The optical element further comprises a liquid or skeleton matrix arranged between the first and second large surface, and electrophoretically or magnetophoretically movable particles that interact with light of one or several wavelengths or wavelength ranges. The optical element also comprises an electromagnetic switching structure configured in a planar shape in the substrate on one or both large surfaces and/or between the large surfaces, these electromagnetic switching structures generating, in a switched-on state, an electromagnetic field, whereby the particles are moved in the liquid or the skeleton matrix, thus causing, due to the interaction with the particles, a change of an angle-dependent transmission, by the optical element, of light of the wavelengths or wavelength ranges that enters the substrate through the light-entrance surface.

Optical element with variable transmission and screen comprising such an optical element

An optical element including: a substrate with first and second large surfaces and a second; a plurality of opaque surfaces near or on the first large surface; in a first alternative, a plurality of surfaces near or on the second large surface which are switchable between an opaque state and a transparent state, or, in a second alternative, a plurality of chambers in the substrate which are filled with a fluid, wherein the fluid contains up to 30 volume percent of electrophoretically movable particles which absorb light and can be localized in two different states in the chambers by a variable electromagnetic field so that, in a first state the optical element limits the propagation directions of light which impinges on the light entry surface and in a second state, the optical element does not limit the propagation directions of light impinging on the light entry surface.

Optical element

A two-dimensionally extensive optical element having a light entry side and a light exit side. The optical element includes alternating transparent first regions and second regions having materials with different first refractive indices and second refractive indices. The first refractive index is higher than the second refractive index. First layers and second layers which are opaque or are switchable to be opaque are arranged at the light entry surfaces and light exit surfaces of the second regions. When the layers are opaque, the propagation directions of light passing through the optical element are limited compared to layers which are switched to be transparent.

Optical element and method for producing same

A method for the nondestructive inspection of a surface structure, including: preparing the surface structure; wetting a portion of the surface structure with a liquid, the variation in the thickness of the liquid above the portion of the surface structure being at most 50% of the maximum thickness of the liquid above the surface structure, so that the liquid forms a light guide which has, and is bounded by, the inverse shape of the surface structure at a first large surface and is bounded by air at a second large surface; coupling light into the light guide so that the inverse shape of the surface structure at the first large surface is impinged by light such that light coupled into the light guide is coupled out of the light guide via the second large surface; capturing an image of the light coupled out and; evaluating the captured image.

Method and assembly for non-destructively inspecting a surface structure

An optical element which can be utilized in various versions and implementations of switchable light filters having, in addition, polarization filters and/or other means for varying the polarization characteristics of light, for example, liquid crystal layers. A combination of switchable light filter and imaging display device makes possible a private viewing effect that can be switched on and off. The optical element comprises a first layer or a first layer and a plurality of further layers, each layer including a material with a plurality of light-absorbing transition dipole moments. At least in a first state, each transition dipole moment is oriented, with a tolerance of 10° at the maximum, parallel to a selectable preferential direction or fluctuates around it so that light which is incident in the optical element is transmitted or at least partially absorbed depending on its incident direction.

Switchable light filter and use thereof

An optical element including a plate-shaped substrate with a light-entrance surface and a light-exit surface, a multiplicity of imaging elements formed on the light-exit surface and a multiplicity of diaphragms formed on the light-entrance surface. Each diaphragm includes a transparent geometric region in an opaque region. The optical element can be switched between two operating modes Band Bsuch that some of the imaging elements change their focal length between values fand fand/or, some of the diaphragms change their aperture width and/or their position. Exactly one diaphragm is associated with each imaging element in mode Bso that light passing through the diaphragm is imaged or collimated by the associated imaging element. Consequently, light arriving in the optical element through the diaphragms and then through the light-entrance surface has, after passing through the associated imaging elements in the two operating modes Band B, different propagation angles.

Optical element for influencing light directions, arrangement for imaging a multiplicity of illuminated or self-luminous surfaces, and illumination device

A screen having a free-viewing mode and a restricted-viewing mode, comprising a backlight emitting light into an unrestricted angular range in the free-viewing mode, and into a restricted angular range in the restricted-viewing mode. A transmissive imager is in front of the backlight. Light sources are outside the display area of the imager, and a transparent plate-shaped light guide scattering particles distributed therein is in front of the imager. In the free-viewing mode, the light sources are off, so that light from the backlight passing the imager passes the light guide unaffected. In the restricted-viewing mode, the lights are on, so that light radiating into a restricted angular range and passing the imager is superimposed by light that is scattered into the viewing space due to irradiation of light from the light guide. Thereby, the visibility of an image on the imager is reduced outside the restricted angular range.

Screen for a free and restricted operating mode

A method for manipulation of image data for a display screen that can be operated in two operating modes, viz Bfor a free viewing mode and Bfor a restricted viewing mode, comprising: a) switching on the operating mode B, b) monitoring the eye position of a viewer in a given angular range A, with a signal S being set if the eye position signifies that the viewer is looking at the screen, and being deleted if not looking at the screen, c) manipulating the image data with regard to image parameters, wherein the said manipulation i) is performed to the effect that the quality of the restricted viewing mode Bis enhanced, ii) is dynamically implemented in a control unit of the display screen, and iii) is performed exclusively while the signal S remains set, and d) repeating steps b) and c) until operating mode Bconcluded.

Method for the manipulation of image data for a screen

A method for presenting image content in two operating modes, Bfor a viewing mode with a restricted viewing angle, and Bfor a viewing mode with an unrestricted viewing angle, comprising: providing a first image generator radiating image content into a restricted viewing angle; providing a second image generator radiating image content into an unrestricted viewing angle, wherein the second generator is in front of the first, and is partially transparent to light from the first, and deflects, on at least 50% of its surface, at least 90% of the light passed by it, by maximally 10&#xb0;; switching on the first generator to start mode B, wherein the second generator is switched to a transparent state and scatters only a negligible portion of light from the first generator, to retain the restricted viewing angle; and switching on the second generator to start mode B

Method and display for the presentation of image contents in at least two operation modes

A method for checking an operating mode of a display screen switchable between a free-viewing operating mode Band a restricted-viewing operating mode B, comprising: in operating mode B, determining a brightness value H of a surface and/or edge of a transparent light guide; then, depending on the brightness value H: i) unchanged use of operating mode Bif the brightness value lies within a range of specified Hg values; ii) switching off operating mode Bif the brightness value lies within a range of specified Hs values; or iii) changed use of operating mode Bif the brightness value lies within a range of specified Hm values, with the control unit exerting an influence on the image content perceptible on the display screen by reducing the latter's brightness and/or contrast, with the range Hm lying between the ranges Hs and Hg, and with the ranges bordering on each other.

Method and assembly for checking the operating mode of a screen

An illuminating apparatus for a display screen with a transmissive image generator, having a free-viewing mode and a restricted-viewing mode, comprising a background illuminator radiating light in a wide angular range, a plate-shaped light guide in front of the background illuminator with outcoupling elements, and light sources. Outcoupling element dimensions are smaller than the width and height of subpixels of the image generator, parts of the surface of two outcoupling elements are below each subpixel and the filling factor of the outcoupling elements is maximally 50% of the large surface of the light guide, and at least 80% of the light coupled out is radiated within an angular range of 60&#xb0;, and more than 50% of the light is radiated away from or toward the background illuminator, and in the restricted mode, the background illuminator and light sources are off, and in the free-viewing mode, the background illuminator is on.

Growing community of inventors

Jena, Germany

Markus Klippstein