The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 03, 2015
Filed:
Jun. 25, 2012
Jiandong Huang, Vancouver, WA (US);
Jiandong Huang, Vancouver, WA (US);
Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc., Camas, WA (US);
Abstract
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 (α) of light propagation through the first waveguide medium. In response to the values W and H (bubble structure height), light, having the maximum angle (α) 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.