LCD backlight using two-dimensional array LEDs

1. A display device comprising:

a housing comprising reflective surfaces and a top opening through which light is emitted for backlighting a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel;

an array of substantially identical light emitting diodes (LEDs) supported on a reflective bottom surface in the housing, the LEDs being separated from one another by a distance greater that the width of a single LED, wherein the housing has a height, and wherein a ratio of the height to a pitch of the LEDs is between approximately 0.3 to 1.2; and

a diffuser above the LEDs for providing diffused light to an LCD panel.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising an LCD panel over the diffuser.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein a pitch of the LEDs is greater than 20 mm.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein each of the LEDs output light having red, green, and blue components.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the LEDs comprise only blue LEDs.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the LEDs comprise only UV or near-UV LEDs.

7. The device of claim 1 further comprising phosphor over the LEDs to convert light output by the LEDs into at least red and green light.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising phosphor over the LEDs to convert light output by the LEDs into red, green, and blue light.

9. The device of claim 1 further comprising a phosphor layer beneath the diffuser.

10. The device of claim 1 further comprising a phosphor layer deposited on the diffuser.

11. The device of claim 1 further comprising phosphor surrounding top and side portions of each LED for color-converting light emitted by the LEDs.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the diffuser comprises a phosphor, and the phosphor performs a diffusing function.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein a number of LEDs are connected in series, a total voltage drop across the serially connected LEDs approximately equaling a publicly supplied standard voltage.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein a number of LEDs are connected in series, a total voltage drop across the serially connected LEDs approximately equaling a publicly supplied standard AC supply voltage that has been rectified and filtered to be DC.

15. A display device comprising:

a housing comprising reflective surfaces and a top opening through which light is emitted for backlighting a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel;

an array of substantially identical light emitting diodes (LEDs) supported on a reflective bottom surface in the housing, the LEDs being separated from one another by a distance greater that the width of a single LED; and

a diffuser above the LEDs for providing diffused light to an LCD panel,

wherein a number of LEDs are connected in series, a total voltage drop across the serially connected LEDs approximately equaling a publicly supplied standard AC supply voltage that has been rectified and filtered to be DC, wherein LEDs in the array are connected to perform a rectification of the AC supply voltage.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein the LEDs are arranged in a rectangular grid.

17. The device of claim 1 wherein the LEDs are arranged in a hexagonal grid.

18. The device of claim 1 wherein the LEDs are connected in groups of series-connected LEDs.

19. The device of claim 1 wherein the LEDs are connected such that a light output of individual LEDs or a portion of the LED array can be independently controlled to adjust the light output to improve uniformity of the light applied to the LCD panel.

20. The device of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of light sensors in the housing for detecting an intensity of light, the sensors being coupled to a controller for controlling a brightness of LEDs associated with a sensor.

21. The device of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of light sensors in the housing for detecting an intensity of light, the sensors being coupled to a controller for controlling a gray scale level of pixels in the LCD panel.

22. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a first type of phosphor above the LEDs for converting light emitted by the LEDs to a first color, and

a second type of phosphor on the bottom surface in the housing for converting light emitted by the LEDs to a second color.

23. The device of claim 22 wherein a combination of the light emitted by the LEDs, the first type of phosphor, and the second type of phosphor produces a substantially white light for backlighting the LCD panel.

24. The device of claim 22 wherein the first type of phosphor is in the form of dots.

25. The device of claim 24 wherein the dots are deposited on the diffuser.

26. The device of claim 22 wherein the first type of phosphor converts blue light to one of red light or green light, and the second type of phosphor converts blue light to the other of red light and green light.

27. The device of claim 1 further comprising a phosphor layer for converting light from the LEDs to one or more other colors, the phosphor layer being formed on the LCD panel.

28. The device of claim 27 wherein the phosphor layer is formed on a thin film transistor transparent layer in the LCD panel.

29. The device of claim 1 wherein the reflective bottom surface in the housing comprises a bottom surface forming the housing.

30. A method for constructing a display comprising:

providing a housing comprising reflective surfaces and a top opening through which light is emitted for backlighting a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel;

providing an array of substantially identical light emitting diodes (LEDs) supported on a reflective bottom surface in the housing, the LEDs being separated from one another by a distance greater that the width of a single LED, wherein the housing has a height, and wherein a ratio of the height to a pitch of the LEDs is between approximately 0.3 to 1.2; and

providing a diffuser above the LEDs for providing diffused light to an LCD panel.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising an LCD panel over the diffuser.