Segmented backlight for liquid crystal display

1. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a liquid crystal layer including a plurality of liquid crystals grouped into a plurality of liquid crystal portions including at least a first liquid crystal portion and a second liquid crystal portion; and

a backlight coupled to the liquid crystal layer, the backlight including a plurality of backlight units including at least a first backlight unit and a second backlight unit, each backlight unit facing a corresponding liquid crystal portion and configured to project light towards the corresponding liquid crystal portion;

wherein the first liquid crystal portion is programmed during a first programming time period of a frame time and changes state during a first change state time period of the frame time, and wherein the second liquid crystal portion is programmed during a second programming time period of the frame time and changes state during a second change state time period of the frame time,

wherein the first backlight unit projects the light to the first liquid crystal portion during a first illumination time period, and the second backlight unit projects the light to the second liquid crystal portion during a second illumination time period after the first illumination time period, and

wherein the second programming time period overlaps, at least in part, with the first state change time period, and the second change state time period of the frame time overlaps, at least in part, with the first illumination time period of the frame time.

2. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1 , wherein each backlight unit projects the light towards the corresponding liquid crystal portion during a corresponding time period.

3. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1 , wherein a backlight unit of the plurality of backlight units projects the light to a liquid crystal portion of the plurality of liquid crystal portions, while states of liquid crystals of an adjacent liquid crystal portion are in transition, the adjacent liquid crystal portion adjacent to the liquid crystal portion.

4. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1 , wherein the second backlight unit is turned off during the first illumination time period, and wherein the first backlight unit is turned off during the second illumination time period.

5. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1 , wherein the first programming time period of the frame time is before the first illumination time period of the frame time, and wherein the second programming time period of the frame time is after the first programming time period of the frame time and before the second illumination time period of the frame time.

6. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of backlight units further include a third backlight unit, and wherein the plurality of liquid crystal portions further include a third liquid crystal portion facing the third backlight unit, the second backlight unit disposed between the first backlight unit and the third backlight unit, the second liquid crystal portion disposed between the first liquid crystal portion and the third liquid crystal portion.

7. The liquid crystal display device of claim 6 , wherein the third liquid crystal portion is programmed during a third programming time period of a frame time and the third backlight unit projects the light to the third liquid crystal portion during a third illumination time period of a subsequent time frame.

8. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1 , wherein each liquid crystal portion encompasses corresponding rows of pixels.

9. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1 , wherein a last backlight unit of the plurality of backlight units projects light to a corresponding last liquid crystal portion of the plurality of liquid crystal portions during a last illumination time period, the last illumination time period overlapping in time with a frame time of a subsequent frame.

10. A head mounted display device comprising:

a body;

a position sensor coupled to the body, the position sensor to detect an orientation of the head mounted display device; and

a liquid crystal display device coupled to the body, the liquid crystal display device to display an image according to the orientation of the head mounted display device, the liquid crystal display device including:

a liquid crystal layer including a plurality of liquid crystals grouped into a plurality of liquid crystal portions including at least a first liquid crystal portion and a second liquid crystal portion, and

a backlight coupled to the liquid crystal layer, the backlight including a plurality of backlight units including at least a first backlight unit and a second backlight unit, each backlight unit facing a corresponding liquid crystal portion and configured to project light towards the corresponding liquid crystal portion

wherein the first liquid crystal portion is programmed during a first programming time period of a frame time and changes state during a first change state time period of the frame time, and wherein the second liquid crystal portion is programmed during a second programming time period of the frame time and changes state during a second change state time period of the frame time,

wherein the first backlight unit projects the light to the first liquid crystal portion during a first illumination time period, and the second backlight unit projects the light to the second liquid crystal portion during a second illumination time period after the first illumination time period, and

wherein the second programming time period overlaps, at least in part, with the first state change time period, and the second change state time period of the frame time overlaps, at least in part, with the first illumination time period of the frame time.

11. The head mounted display device of claim 10 , wherein each backlight unit projects the light towards the corresponding liquid crystal portion during a corresponding time period.

12. The head mounted display device of claim 10 , wherein a backlight unit of the plurality of backlight units projects the light to a liquid crystal portion of the plurality of liquid crystal portions, while states of liquid crystals of an adjacent liquid crystal portion are in transition, the adjacent liquid crystal portion adjacent to the liquid crystal portion.

13. The head mounted display device of claim 10 , wherein the second backlight unit is turned off during the first illumination time period, and wherein the first backlight unit is turned off during the second illumination time period.

14. The head mounted display device of claim 10 , wherein the first programming time period of the frame time is before the first illumination time period of the frame time, and wherein the second programming time period of the frame time is after the first programming time period of the frame time and before the second illumination time period of the frame time.

15. The head mounted display device of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of backlight units further include a third backlight unit, and wherein the plurality of liquid crystal portions further include a third liquid crystal portion facing the third backlight unit, the second backlight unit disposed between the first backlight unit and the third backlight unit, the second liquid crystal portion disposed between the first liquid crystal portion and the third liquid crystal portion, wherein the third liquid crystal portion is programmed during a third programming time period of a frame time and the third backlight unit projects the light to the third liquid crystal portion during a third illumination time period of a subsequent time frame.

16. The head mounted display device of claim 10 , wherein a last backlight unit of the plurality of backlight units projects light to a corresponding last liquid crystal portion of the plurality of liquid crystal portions during a last illumination time period, the last illumination time period overlapping in time with a frame time of a subsequent frame.