Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Thomas Wynne Powell

Jonathan Francis Mather

Emma Jayne Walton

Grant Bourhill

Diana Ulrich Kean

Neil Barratt

A directional backlight, a multiple view display and a multi-direction display A multiple view display () comprises a directional display device () for displaying a first image or sequence of images so as to be mainly visible from a first range of directions relative to the device and for simultaneously displaying a second image or sequence of images so as to be mainly visible from a second range of directions relative to the device different from the first range. The display () further comprises a directional backlight () for directing light through the display device () at least mainly in the first and second ranges. Since the directional backlight () directs light through the display device () at least mainly in the first and second ranges, the display provides users located in the first and second ranges with images of greater intensity than a conventional display. The backlight may be arranged to direct substantially no light in at least part of a third range of directions that lies between the first range of directions and the second range of directions. This provides a 'black window' between the first and second ranges in which the intensity of the display is lower than in other ranges. The intensity of the display in the black window is possibly zero, or close to zero, so that an observer located in this window will not perceive an image.

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Oxford, United Kingdom

Thomas Wynne Powell