초록 ▼

The disclosure generally involves an optical (perhaps flat panel) display utilizing backside reflection for time-multiplexed optical shuttering. One display comprises a side-illuminated light guide associated with conditions for total internal reflection. A first surface of the light guide is elasto

The disclosure generally involves an optical (perhaps flat panel) display utilizing backside reflection for time-multiplexed optical shuttering. One display comprises a side-illuminated light guide associated with conditions for total internal reflection. A first surface of the light guide is elastomeric. Disposed against this elastomeric surface is an active layer that selectively deforms the elastomeric surface in locations that can correspond to display pixels. This resulting change in the geometry of the elastomeric surface can be sufficient to defeat the conditions for total internal reflection. When appropriate, light is reflected by the particular deformation and is ejected from another surface of the light guide. In this case, each location that allows light to exit could represent an activated display pixel. In certain situations, color flat panel displays of varying sizes may further implement field sequential color and time-multiplexed optical shuttering.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An optical component comprising: a rigid light guide adapted to conduct light under conditions of total internal reflection; a deformable layer adapted to conduct light under conditions of total internal reflection, the deformable layer having an upper surface disposed on a f

What is claimed is: 1. An optical component comprising: a rigid light guide adapted to conduct light under conditions of total internal reflection; a deformable layer adapted to conduct light under conditions of total internal reflection, the deformable layer having an upper surface disposed on a first surface of the light guide; and an active layer disposed in a spaced-apart relationship to the deformable layer, the active layer configured to physically move between an inactive state position and an active state position, wherein during the inactive state position the active layer is positioned in a spaced-apart relationship to the deformable layer, and wherein during the active state position the active layer is selectively repositioned so as to cause a deformation in a lower surface of the deformable layer such that the light within the deformable layer is reflected off the deformation and ejected from some portion of a second surface of the light guide, at least a portion of the active layer coated with a plurality of small asperities. 2. The optical component of claim 1, wherein the deformable layer comprises an elastomer. 3. The optical component of claim 2, wherein the elastomer comprises silicone. 4. The optical component of claim 1, the active layer operable to be actuated by means of electrostatic attraction. 5. The optical component of claim 1, the active layer operable to be actuated by means of piezoelectric deformation. 6. The optical component of claim 1, at least a portion of the active layer comprising a piezoelectric film. 7. The optical component of claim 1, at least a portion of the active layer comprising a plurality of microelectromechanical systems. 8. The optical component of claim 1, at least a portion of the active layer comprising a plurality of nanoelectromechanical systems. 9. The optical component of claim 1, the plurality of small asperities operable to cause multiple reflection points across substantially all of the deformation of the deformable layer. 10. The optical component of claim 1, wherein the deformation is a physical deformation. 11. The optical component of claim 1, wherein the rigid light guide is not deformable. 12. The optical component of claim 1, wherein the deformation is configured so that the light reflected off the deformation is directed to pass through the upper surface of the deformable layer and the first surface of the light guide before crossing a thickness of the light guide to exit from the second surface of the light guide. 13. The optical component of claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the deformable layer and the first surface of the light guide remain parallel to the second surface of the light guide when the lower surface of the deformable layer is deformed by the active layer. 14. The optical component of claim 1, wherein the second surface of the rigid light guide has a curved shape. 15. An optical component comprising: a light guide adapted to conduct light under conditions of total internal reflection, at least a portion of the light guide being deformable; and an active layer disposed in spaced-apart relationship to the light guide, the active layer configured to physically move between an inactive state position and an active state position, wherein during the inactive state position the active layer is positioned in a spaced-apart relationship to the deformable layer, and wherein during the active state position the active layer is selectively repositioned so as to cause a deformation in a first surface of the light guide such that the light within the light guide is reflected off the deformation and ejected from some portion of a second surface of the light guide, at least a portion of the active layer coated with a plurality of small asperities, the plurality of small asperities configured to cause multiple reflection points across substantially all of the deformation in the first surface of the light guide. 16. An optical display comprising: a light source capable of outputting alternating pulses of light; a light guide coupled with the light source and adapted to conduct light under conditions of total internal reflection, each of a plurality of portions of the light guide being selectively deformable; an active layer disposed on a deformable first surface of the light guide; a driving layer coupled with the active layer and operable to selectively deform portions of the active layer such that light is ejected from a second surface of the light guide in a controlled fashion, wherein at least a portion of the active layer is coated with a plurality of small asperities operable to cause multiple reflection points within the light guide to promote the ejection of the light from the second surface of the light guide; and a plurality of standoffs, each standoff situated between two of the plurality of deformable portions. 17. The optical display of claim 16, at least one of the standoffs having a surface roughness of at least 100 nanometers. 18. The optical display of claim 16, wherein the second surface of the light guide has a curved shape. 19. An optical display comprising: a light source capable of outputting alternating pulses of light; a light guide coupled with the light source and adapted to conduct light under conditions of total internal reflection, at least a portion of the light guide being deformable; a plurality of modular active layers disposed in an arrayed manner and in a spaced-apart relationship to a deformable first surface of the light guide, each of the plurality of modular active layers comprising a plurality of small asperities on the surface of the active layer, the active layer selectively reflects light by contacting the plurality of small asperities with the deformable first surface of the light guide thereby forming multiple reflection points in the deformable first surface of the light guide such that the light within the light guide is reflected off the multiple reflection points and ejected from some portion of a second surface of the light guide; and a plurality of modular driving layers, each driving layer module coupled with at least one of the modular active layers and operable to selectively deform at least a portion of the particular active layer to cause a deformation in the deformable first surface of the light guide. 20. The optical display of claim 19, the light source outputting infrared light. 21. The optical display of claim 19, wherein the second surface of the light guide has a curved shape. 22. A method for fabricating an optical display comprising: selecting a rigid light guide adapted to conduct light under conditions of total internal reflection; selecting a deformable layer adapted to conduct light under conditions of total internal reflection, the deformable layer having an upper surface disposed on a first surface of the light guide, the entire upper surface parallel to a second surface of the light guide; coupling a light source capable of outputting alternating pulses of light to the light guide; and arranging a plurality of modules on the deformable layer, each module comprising an active layer and a driving layer, wherein the active layer is disposed on a lower surface of the deformable layer such that upon selective deformation of the active layer by the driving layer the active layer forms a deformation in the lower surface of the deformable layer that reflects the light and causes the light to eject from the second surface of the light guide, at least a portion of the active layer coated with a plurality of small asperities, the plurality of small asperities configured to cause multiple reflection points across substantially all of the deformation of the deformable layer. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the light guide is manufactured by a first manufacturer and at least a portion of the modules are manufactured by a second manufacturer. 24. The method of claim 22, wherein the deformable layer comprises a deformable elastomer layer. 25. The method of claim 22, further comprising using a computer to cause the light source to output alternating pulses of light to the light guide. 26. The method of claim 22, further comprising using a computer to selectively apply a stimuli to the active layer to cause the selective deformation of the active layer. 27. The method of claim 26, the stimuli being selected from one of the following: electrostatic attraction; electromagnetic attraction; electromagnetic repulsion; piezoelectric deformation; thermal expansion; and thermal contraction. 28. The method of claim 22, wherein the second surface of the rigid light guide has a curved shape. 29. An optical component comprising: a light guide adapted to conduct light under conditions of total internal reflection; a deformable layer adapted to conduct light under conditions of total internal reflection, the deformable layer having an upper surface disposed on a first surface of the light guide, the entire upper surface parallel to a second surface of the light guide; and an active layer comprising a plurality of small asperities on the surface of the active layer, the active layer disposed in a spaced-apart relationship to the deformable layer, the active layer configured to physically move between an inactive state position and an active state position, wherein during the inactive state position the active layer is positioned in a spaced-apart relationship to the deformable layer, and wherein during the active state position the active layer is repositioned so as to selectively reflect light by contacting the plurality of small asperities with a lower surface of the deformable layer thereby forming multiple reflection points in the lower surface of the deformable layer such that the light within the deformable layer is reflected off the multiple reflection points and ejected from some portion of the second surface of the light guide. 30. The optical component of claim 29, wherein the deformable layer comprises an elastomer. 31. The optical component of claim 30, wherein the elastomer comprises silicone. 32. The optical component of claim 29, wherein the small asperities comprise glass. 33. The optical component of claim 29, the active layer operable to be actuated by means of electrostatic attraction. 34. The optical component of claim 29, the active layer operable to be actuated by means of piezoelectric deformation. 35. The optical component of claim 29, at least a portion of the active layer comprising an electro-active polymer. 36. The optical component of claim 29, further comprising an anisotropic conductive film adhesive on at least a portion of the active layer. 37. An optical component comprising: a light guide adapted to conduct light under conditions of total internal reflection; a deformable layer adapted to conduct light under conditions of total internal reflection, the deformable layer having an upper surface disposed on a first surface of the light guide, wherein the first surface of the light guide is not deformable; and an active layer disposed in a spaced-apart relationship to the deformable layer, the active layer configured to physically move between an inactive state position and an active state position, wherein during the inactive state position the active layer is positioned in a spaced-apart relationship to the deformable layer, and wherein during the active state position the active layer is selectively repositioned so as to cause a deformation in a lower surface of the deformable layer such that the light within the deformable layer is reflected off the deformation and ejected from some portion of a second surface of the light guide, wherein at least a portion of the active layer is coated with a plurality of small asperities. 38. The optical component of claim 37, wherein the first surface of the light guide does not deform in response to deformation of the lower surface of the deformable layer by the active layer. 39. The optical component of claim 38, wherein the deformation is a physical deformation. 40. The optical component of claim 39, wherein the deformation is configured so that the light reflected off the deformation is directed to pass through the upper surface of the deformable layer and the first surface of the light guide before crossing a thickness of the light guide to exit from the second surface of the light guide. 41. The optical component of claim 37, wherein the upper surface of the deformable layer and the first surface of the light guide remain completely parallel to the second surface of the light guide when the lower surface of the deformable layer is deformed by the active layer. 42. The optical component of claim 37, wherein the active layer is actuated by means of thermal expansion. 43. The optical component of claim 37, wherein at least a portion of the active layer comprises an electro-active polymer. 44. The optical component of claim 37, wherein the active layer is actuated by means of electrostatic attraction. 45. The optical component of claim 37, the plurality of small asperities configured to cause multiple reflection points across substantially all of the deformation of the deformable layer. 46. An optical display comprising: a light guide adapted to conduct light under conditions of total internal reflection; a deformable layer adapted to conduct light under conditions of total internal reflection, the deformable layer having an upper surface disposed on a first surface of the light guide; and an active layer disposed in a spaced-apart relationship to the deformable layer, the active layer configured to physically move between a pixel inactivation state and a pixel activation state, wherein during the pixel inactivation state the active layer is positioned in the spaced-apart relationship to the deformable layer, and wherein during the pixel activation state the active layer is selectively repositioned so as to cause a deformation in a lower surface of the deformable layer, the active layer further comprising a plurality of small asperities on the surface of the active layer, wherein during the pixel activation state the active layer reflects light by contacting the plurality of small asperities with the lower surface of the deformable layer thereby forming multiple reflection points in the lower surface of the deformable layer such that the light within the deformable layer is reflected off the multiple reflection points and ejected from some portion of the second surface of the light guide.