IP Library Granted Patent US 10,146,004
Granted Patent B2
US 10,146,004 · App. 15/872,188 · Granted Dec 4, 2018

Segmented backlight for dynamic contrast

Inventors: Thanh-Son Nguyen (Santa Clara, CA); Hsienhui Cheng (Sunnyvale, CA)
Assignee: zSpace, Inc.
G02B6/0068G02B6/00G02B6/0073G02B6/0078H04N13/302
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,146,004
App. No.
15/872,188
Granted
Dec 4, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for increasing dynamic contrast in a liquid crystal display (LCD) may include a segmented backlight that may include one or more segments and one or more sets of light emitting diodes (LEDs). Each set of LEDs may be configured to illuminate a corresponding segment and each segment may include a notch(es) configured as a light barrier to reduce light leakage to non-adjacent segments. The notch(es) may be of variable length, depth, and width and may be three-dimensional, having a width the varies along the depth and length of the notch and a depth that varies along the width and length of the notch. In some embodiments, the notch(es) may be reflective, some degree of opaque, and/or blackened.

Claims (51)

1. A segmented backlight, comprising:

one or more segments; and

one or more sets of light emitting diodes (LEDs) configured to illuminate the segmented backlight, wherein each set of LEDs illuminates a corresponding segment of the one or more segments;

wherein each segment of the one or more segments comprise:

one or more notches, wherein each notch of the one or more notches is configured as a light barrier, wherein the light barrier reduces light leakage to non-adjacent segments.

2. The segmented backlight of claim 1 ,

wherein at least one dimension of at least a portion of the one or more notches varies along the at least one dimension.

3. The segmented backlight of claim 1 ,

wherein at least two dimensions of at least a portion of the one or more notches independently vary along each of the at least two dimensions.

4. The segmented backlight of claim 1 ,

wherein at least a portion of the one or more notches is arranged to be perpendicular to the one or more sets of LEDs.

5. The segmented backlight of claim 1 ,

wherein at least a portion of the one or more notches are three-dimensional, having a width that varies along the depth and length of the notch and a depth that varies along the width and length of the notch.

6. The segmented backlight of claim 1 ,

wherein at least a portion of the one or more notches is configured to be reflective.

7. The segmented backlight of claim 1 ,

wherein at least a portion of the one or more notches is configured to be opaque.

8. The segmented backlight of claim 1 ,

wherein at least a portion of the one or more notches is configured to be blackened.

9. The segmented backlight of claim 1 ,

wherein the segmented backlight is comprised in a liquid crystal display (LCD).

10. The segmented backlight of claim 9 ,

wherein the LCD is comprised in a wireless station.

11. The segmented backlight of claim 9 ,

wherein the segmented backlight is comprised in an LCD comprised in a three-dimensional stereoscopic display system.

12. The segmented backlight of claim 11 ,

wherein the three-dimensional stereoscopic display system is a wireless station.

13. A liquid crystal display (LCD) system, comprising:

an LCD panel;

a light source configured to illuminate the LCD panel, wherein the light source comprises:

one or more segments, wherein each segment of the one or more segments comprise one or more notches, wherein each notch of the one or more notches is configured as a light barrier, wherein the light barrier reduces light leakage to non-adjacent segments; and

one or more sets of light emitting diodes (LEDs), wherein each set of LEDs illuminates a corresponding segment of the one or more segments; and

control circuitry in communication with the light source and the LCD panel, wherein the control circuitry is configured to provide a voltage signal to the one or more sets of LEDs to illuminate the one or more segments of the light source.

14. The LCD system of claim 13 ,

wherein at least one dimension of at least a portion of the one or more notches varies along the at least one dimension.

15. The LCD system of claim 13 ,

wherein at least two dimensions of at least a portion of the one or more notches independently vary along each of the at least two dimensions.

16. The LCD system of claim 13 ,

wherein at least a portion of the one or more notches is arranged to be perpendicular to the one or more sets of LEDs.

17. The LCD system of claim 13 ,

wherein at least a portion of the one or more notches is configured to be reflective.

18. The LCD system of claim 13 ,

wherein at least a portion the one or more notches is configured to be opaque.

19. The LCD system of claim 13 ,

wherein at least a portion of the one or more notches is configured to be blackened.

20. A wireless station, comprising:

at least one antenna;

at least one radio, wherein the at least one radio is configured to perform wireless communication via the at least one antenna using at least one radio access technology (RAT);

a liquid crystal display system, comprising an LCD panel and a light source,

wherein the light source is configured to illuminate the LCD panel, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of segments, wherein at least one segment of the plurality of segments comprises at least one notch, wherein the at least one notch is configured to reduce light leakage to non-adjacent segments of the plurality of segments, wherein the at least one segment is illuminated via a set of light emitting diodes (LEDs); and

one or more processors coupled to the at least one radio and the LCD display system, wherein the one or more processors are configured to cause the wireless station to provide a voltage signal to the set of LEDs to illuminate the at least one segment of the light source.

Assignments (8)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 14, 2025
From: ZSPACE, INC.
To: 3I, L.P.
Reel/Frame 070826/0887 →
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 6, 2023
From: EAST WEST BANK
To: ZSPACE, INC.
Reel/Frame 062640/0162 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 17, 2021
From: ZPACE, INC.
To: EAST WEST BANK
Reel/Frame 057651/0222 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2019
From: ZSPACE, INC.
To: BSPACE INVESTMENTS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 049259/0533 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 8, 2019
From: RUNWAY GROWTH CREDIT FUND INC.
To: ZSPACE, INC. (F/K/A INFINITE Z, INC.)
Reel/Frame 049113/0898 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 9, 2019
From: NGUYEN, THANH-SON
To: ZSPACE, INC.
Reel/Frame 048828/0763 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 26, 2019
From: ZSPACE, INC. (F/K/A INFINITE Z, INC.)
To: RUNWAY GROWTH CREDIT FUND INC.
Reel/Frame 048431/0985 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 14, 2018
From: CHENG, HSIENHUI
To: ZSPACE, INC.
Reel/Frame 045794/0287 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62447291 · Jan 17, 2017
Related Publication 20180203179A1 · Jul 19, 2018