Display device and method for correlating pixel updates with pixel illumination

1 . A display device, comprising:

an illumination device including light sources for emitting light and an illumination drive circuit operable to individually modulate each of said light sources;

electro-optical elements defining pixels of an image, each of said electro-optical elements being optically coupled to receive light correlated with one of said light sources; and

a controller operable to load data representing a portion of the image into ones of said electro-optical elements correlated with a modulated one of said light sources modulated to reduce the intensity thereof.

2 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein each of said light sources emits light at a different respective wavelength.

3 . The display device of claim 2 , wherein said illumination drive circuit is operable to maintain a constant average intensity of light at each said respective wavelength.

4 . The display device of claim 2 , wherein said illumination device further includes a respective waveguide for each of said light sources, each of said waveguides defining respective optical apertures spatially arranged in a respective predetermined pattern to produce a respective spatial pattern of light, and wherein said controller is operable to load data into said electro-optical elements optically coupled to receive said spatial pattern of light corresponding to said modulated one of said light sources.

5 . The display device of claim 4 , wherein each said respective waveguide includes a respective trunk waveguide for said respective one of said light sources and lateral waveguides defining said optical apertures that are optically coupled to said respective trunk waveguide.

6 . The display device of claim 4 , wherein each said respective waveguide is defined as an optical cavity within an optical substrate, said optical substrate having said optical apertures formed on a surface thereof, each said respective optical cavity being optically coupled to one or more of said optical apertures.

7 . The display device of claim 4 , wherein said electro-optical elements are spatially arranged in a plurality of zones and said light sources include sets of light sources, each optically coupled to illuminate one of said zones.

8 . The display device of claim 4 , wherein:

said light sources are light emitting diodes including a first light emitting diode emitting red light, a second light emitting diode emitting green light and a third light emitting diode emitting blue light;

said controller is operable to load data into said electro-optical elements that are optically coupled to receive said red light when said first light emitting diode is modulated;

said controller is operable to load data into said electro-optical elements that are optically coupled to receive said green light when said second light emitting diode is modulated; and

said controller is operable to load data into said electro-optical elements that are optically coupled to receive said blue light when said third light emitting diode is modulated.

9 . The display device of claim 2 , further comprising:

an array of color filters, each for transmitting light at one of a predetermined number of wavelength ranges and spatially arranged in a predetermined pattern to produce a spatial pattern of light at wavelengths corresponding to said predetermined pattern, and wherein each of said light sources emits light at one of said wavelength ranges to produce a uniform field of light optically received at said color filters.

10 . The display device of claim 9 , wherein:

said electro-optical elements are spatially arranged in said predetermined pattern to receive said spatial pattern of light; and

said controller is operable to load data into said electro-optical elements that are optically coupled to receive light at one of said wavelength ranges corresponding to said modulated one of said light sources.

11 . The display device of claim 10 , wherein:

said light sources are light emitting diodes including a first light emitting diode emitting red light, a second light emitting diode emitting green light and a third light emitting diode emitting blue light;

said color filters include green filters operable to transmit green light, blue filters operable to transmit blue light and red filters operable to transmit red light;

said controller is operable to load data into said electro-optical elements that are optically coupled to receive said red light when said first light emitting diode is modulated;

said controller is operable to load data into said electro-optical elements that are optically coupled to receive said green light when said second light emitting diode is modulated; and

said controller is operable to load data into said electro-optical elements that are optically coupled to receive said blue light when said third light emitting diode is modulated.

12 . The display device of claim 9 , wherein:

said electro-optical elements are spatially arranged in a plurality of zones;

said array of color filters includes a respective array portion for each of said zones; and

said controller is operable to load data into said electro-optical elements within one or more of said zones that are optically coupled to receive light at one of said wavelength ranges corresponding to said modulated one of said light sources.

13 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein:

said electro-optical elements are spatially arranged in a plurality of zones;

each of said light sources is optically coupled to illuminate one of said zones; and

said controller is operable to load data into said electro-optical elements within said zone that is optically coupled to receive light from said modulated one of said light sources.

14 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein said electro-optical elements comprise liquid crystal material, and wherein said electro-optical elements further comprise:

a common electrode configured to receive a common electrode signal for said electro-optical elements; and

a respective pixel electrode for each of said electro-optical elements, each of said respective pixel electrodes configured to receive a respective pixel electrode signal containing said data representing a pixel of said image, each said pixel electrode signal modulating said liquid crystal material associated with said respective electro-optical element to form said image.

15 . A method for correlating updates to pixels on a display with illumination of the pixels on the display, said method comprising:

correlating light sources with electro-optical elements defining pixels of an image;

modulating one of said light sources to reduce the intensity thereof; and

loading data representing a portion of the image into ones of said electro-optical elements correlated with said modulated one of said light sources.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein each of said light sources emits light at a different respective wavelength, and further comprising:

maintaining a constant average ratio of light at each said respective wavelength.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein said loading data further includes:

providing a respective waveguide for each of said light sources, each of said waveguides defining respective optical apertures spatially arranged in a respective predetermined pattern to produce a respective spatial pattern of light; and

loading data into said electro-optical elements optically coupled to receive said spatial pattern of light corresponding to said modulated one of said light sources.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein said light sources are light emitting diodes including a first light emitting diode emitting red light, a second light emitting diode emitting green light and a third light emitting diode emitting blue light, and wherein said loading data further includes:

loading data into said electro-optical elements that are optically coupled to receive said red light when said first light emitting diode is modulated;

loading data into said electro-optical elements that are optically coupled to receive said green light when said second light emitting diode is modulated; and

loading data into said electro-optical elements that are optically coupled to receive said blue light when said third light emitting diode is modulated.

19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

providing an array of color filters, each for transmitting light at one of a predetermined number of wavelength ranges and spatially arranged in a predetermined pattern to produce a spatial pattern of light at wavelengths corresponding to said predetermined pattern; and

providing that each of said light sources emits light at one of said wavelength ranges to produce a uniform field of light optically received at said color filters.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein said electro-optical elements are spatially arranged in said predetermined pattern to receive said spatial pattern of light, and wherein said loading further includes:

loading data into said electro-optical elements that are optically coupled to receive light at one of said wavelength ranges corresponding to said modulated one of said light sources.

21 . The method of claim 15 , wherein said electro-optical elements are spatially arranged in a plurality of zones and each of said light sources is optically coupled to illuminate one of said zones, and wherein said loading data further includes:

loading data into said electro-optical elements within said zone that is optically coupled to receive light from said modulated one of said light sources.