Autostereoscopic display device
View Patent ↗A switchable autostereoscopic display device comprising: a display panel having an array of display pixels for producing a display, the display pixels being arranged in rows and columns; an array of lens elements arranged over the display panel for directing the light output of the display pixels so as to provide a stereoscopic image, the lens elements comprising an electro-optic material whose refractive index is switchable by selective application of an electric field between a first value that maintains the light output directing function and a second value that removes the light output directing function; and electrode arrangements provided above and below the lens elements for applying the electric field across the lens elements. At least one of the electrode arrangements comprises first and second electrode layers separated by a dielectric layer, and each electrode layer comprises a plurality of parallel elongate electrodes separated by gaps. The electrodes of each electrode layer are aligned with the gaps of the other electrode layer. In this way, the effect of the gaps on the electric field in the lens elements is reduced.
1. A lenticular element arrangement comprising:
an array of lens elements for directing the light output, the lens elements comprising an electro-optic material whose refractive index is switchable by selective application of an electric field between a first value that maintains the light output directing function and a second value that removes the light output directing function; and
electrode arrangements provided above and below the lens elements for applying the electric field across the lens elements, wherein at least one of the electrode arrangements comprises first and second electrode layers separated by a dielectric layer, each electrode layer comprising a plurality of electrodes in which each pair of adjacent electrodes of said plurality of electrodes are separated from each other by a gap, wherein an electrode in the first electrode layer is aligned with a corresponding gap of the second electrode layer for each electrode in the first electrode layer, such that the effect of the gaps on the electric field in the lens elements is reduced.
2. The lenticular element arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the electrodes are parallel elongate electrodes.
3. The lenticular element arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the electrodes of the electrode layer positioned further from the lens elements are electrically connected together.
4. The lenticular element arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the electrodes of each electrode layer are at least as wide as the gaps of the other electrode layer.
5. The lenticular element arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein a spacing between the electrode layers is less than a maximum gap between the electrodes of each electrode layers.
6. The lenticular element arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein first and second ones of the electrode arrangements face profiled and substantially flat surfaces of the lens elements, respectively.
7. The lenticular element arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein electrodes of the first electrode arrangement are provided perpendicular to electrodes of the second electrode arrangement.
8. The lenticular element arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the second electrode arrangement comprises the first and second electrode layers separated by the dielectric layer, the first electrode arrangement comprising a single electrode layer.
9. The lenticular element arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising a controller for selectively applying an electrical potential to selected electrodes of the first and second electrode layers for applying the electric field across the lens elements.
10. A switchable autostereoscopic display device, comprising:
a display panel having an array of display pixels for producing a display, the display pixels being arranged in rows and columns; and
a lenticular element arrangement including:
an array of lens elements for directing the light output, the lens elements comprising an electro-optic material whose refractive index is switchable by selective application of an electric field between a first value that maintains the light output directing function and a second value that removes the light output directing function; and
electrode arrangements provided above and below the lens elements for applying the electric field across the lens elements, wherein at least one of the electrode arrangements comprises first and second electrode layers separated by a dielectric layer, each electrode layer comprising a plurality of electrodes in which each pair of adjacent electrodes of said plurality of electrodes are separated from each other by a gap, wherein an electrode in the first electrode layer is aligned with a corresponding gap of the second electrode layer for each electrode in the first electrode layer such that the effect of the gaps on the electric field in the lens elements is reduced,
wherein the lenticular arrangement is provided over the display panel for directing light output of the display pixels to provide a stereoscopic image.