Segmented backlight for liquid crystal display

1. A backlight of a display device comprising:

a first backlight unit corresponding to a first liquid crystal portion of a liquid crystal layer of the display device, the first backlight unit including:

one or more light sources, and

a first light guide for guiding light generated by the one or more light sources of the first backlight unit onto the first liquid crystal portion, wherein the one or more light sources of the first backlight unit are disposed on a first side of the first light guide;

a second backlight unit corresponding to a second liquid crystal portion of the liquid crystal layer, the second backlight unit including:

one or more light sources, and

a second light guide for guiding light generated by the one or more light sources of the second backlight unit onto the second liquid crystal portion, wherein the one or more light sources of the second backlight unit are disposed on a second side of the second light guide, opposite to the first side of the first light guide; and

a third backlight unit corresponding to a third liquid crystal portion of the liquid crystal layer, the third backlight unit including:

one or more light sources, and

a third light guide for guiding light generated by the one or more light sources of the third backlight unit onto the third liquid crystal portion, wherein the one or more light sources of the third backlight unit are disposed on a third side of the third light guide, perpendicular to the first side of the first light guide and the second side of the second light guide.

2. The backlight of claim 1 , wherein the backlight further comprises:

an air gap between the first backlight unit and the third backlight unit, the air gap reducing an amount of light transferring between the first backlight unit into the third backlight unit.

3. The backlight of claim 1 ,

wherein the first light guide is disposed on a first side of the third light guide,

wherein the second light guide is disposed on a second side of the third light guide, opposite to the first side of the third light guide.

4. The backlight of claim 1 , further comprising:

a controller for controlling the liquid crystal layer and the backlight, the controller providing a first pulse to the first liquid crystal portion during a first portion of a frame, and providing a second pulse to the second liquid crystal portion during a second portion of the frame, the first and second pulses for programming the first and second liquid crystal portions.

5. The backlight of claim 4 , wherein the controller further provides a third pulse to the first backlight unit during the second portion of the frame, and provides a fourth pulse to the second backlight unit during the first portion of the frame, the third and fourth pulses for instructing the first and second backlight units to emit light.

6. The backlight of claim 1 , wherein the first light guide comprises a plurality of scattering elements, wherein a density of the scattering elements increases as a distance between a scattering element and the one or more light sources increases.

7. The backlight of claim 1 , wherein the first light guide comprises a plurality of scattering elements, wherein a size of scattering elements increases as a distance between the scattering element and the one or more light sources increases.

8. The backlight of claim 1 , further including a homogenizing strip disposed on portions of the first and third backlight units where the first and third backlight units adjoin.

9. A method comprising:

providing a first pulse to a first liquid crystal portion of a liquid crystal layer during a first portion of a frame, the first pulse for programming the first liquid crystal portion;

providing a second pulse to a second liquid crystal portion of the liquid crystal layer during a second portion of the frame, the second pulse for programming the second liquid crystal portion;

providing a third pulse to a third liquid crystal portion of the liquid crystal layer during a third portion of the frame, the third pulse for programming the third liquid crystal portion;

providing a fourth pulse to a first backlight unit corresponding to the first liquid crystal portion during the second portion of the frame, the fourth pulse for instructing the first backlight unit to emit light from a first side of the first backlight unit;

providing a fifth pulse to a second backlight unit corresponding to the second liquid crystal portion during the third portion of the frame, the fifth pulse for instructing the second backlight unit to emit light from a second side of the second backlight unit, opposite to the first side of the first light guide; and

providing a sixth pulse to a third backlight unit corresponding to the third liquid crystal portion during the first portion of the frame, the sixth pulse for instructing the third backlight unit to emit light from a third side of the third backlight unit, perpendicular to the first side of the first light guide and the second side of the second light guide.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein further comprising:

providing a first plurality of electrical signals to the first liquid crystal portion during the first portion of the frame, the first plurality of electrical signals causing the first liquid crystal portion to have a state according to an image data; and

providing a second plurality of electrical signals to the second liquid crystal portion during the second portion of the frame, the second plurality of electrical signals causing the second liquid crystal portion to have a state according to the image data.

11. A display device comprising:

a liquid crystal layer, the liquid crystal layer including:

a first liquid crystal portion, the first liquid crystal portion including a first plurality of pixels,

a second liquid crystal portion, the second liquid crystal portion including a second plurality of pixels, and

a third liquid crystal portion between the first liquid crystal portion and the second liquid crystal portion, the third liquid crystal portion including a third plurality of pixels; and

a backlight, the backlight including:

a first backlight unit corresponding to the first liquid crystal portion, the first backlight unit including:

one or more light sources, and

a first light guide for guiding light generated by the one or more light sources of the first backlight unit onto the first liquid crystal portion, wherein the one or more light sources of the first backlight unit are disposed on a first side of the first light guide, and

a second backlight unit corresponding to the second liquid crystal portion, the second backlight unit including:

one or more light sources, and

a second light guide for guiding light generated by the one or more light sources of the second backlight unit onto the second liquid crystal portion, wherein the one or more light sources of the second backlight unit are disposed on a second side of the second light guide, opposite to the first side of the first light guide, and

a third backlight unit corresponding to the third liquid crystal portion, the third backlight unit comprising:

one or more light sources, and

a third light guide for guiding light generated by the one or more light sources of the third backlight unit onto the third liquid crystal portion, wherein the one or more light sources of the third backlight unit are disposed on a third side of the third light guide, perpendicular to the first side of the first light guide and the second side of the second light guide.

12. The display device of claim 11 , wherein the backlight further comprises:

an air gap between the first light guide and the third light guide, the air gap reducing an amount of light transferring between the first light guide into the third light guide.

13. The display device of claim 11 , wherein the first backlight unit further comprises:

a coating at a side of the first light guide facing the third light guide, the coating preventing light from transferring between the first light guide and the third light guide.

14. The display device of claim 11 , further comprising:

a controller for controlling the liquid crystal layer and the backlight, the controller providing a first pulse to the first liquid crystal portion during a first portion of a frame, and providing a second pulse to the second liquid crystal portion during a second portion of the frame, the first and second pulses for programming the first and second liquid crystal portions.

15. The display device of claim 14 , wherein the controller further provides a third pulse to the first backlight unit during the second portion of the frame, and provides a fourth pulse to the second backlight unit during the first portion of the frame, the third and fourth pulses for instructing the first and second backlight units to emit light.

16. The display device of claim 11 , wherein the first light guide comprises a plurality of scattering elements, wherein a density of the scattering elements increases as a distance between a scattering element and the one or more light sources increases.

17. The display device of claim 11 , wherein the first light guide comprises a plurality of scattering elements, wherein a size of scattering elements increases as a distance between the scattering element and the one or more light sources increases.

18. The display device of claim 11 , further including a homogenizing strip disposed on portions of the first and third backlight units where the first and third backlight units adjoin.