Frontlight

Abstract: A multi-layered arrangement according to the invention provide emission of polarized light At least one of the interfacing surfaces between the layers is provided with a microstructure In one embodiment, a first layer in the form of a lightguide substrate (401) receives unpolarized light from a lamp (420) A birefringent second layer (402) is provided with a microstructure (410) in the form of parallel grooves On top of the birefringent layer a third layer (403), ie a coating layer, is located Light is outcoupled by way of selective Total Internal Reflection, TIR, at the micro-structured surface of the birefringent layer, yielding a highly linearly polarized emission at near normal angles The polarized light may be emitted out through the coating or in an opposite direction through the lightguide, which in an advantageous manner allow any configuration of transmissive (backlight), transflective (backlight)or reflective (frontlight) display arrangement

Abstract: The present invention relates to a head mounted display that is constructed such that stereoscopic images can be seen on a liquid crystal display screen disposed adjacent to two human eyes The present invention provides an optical system for a head mounted display, comprising a light source; a light guide panel which has a side portion, a top portion and a bottom portion, which receives light rays emitted from the light source through the side portion, reflects the light rays substantially perpendicular to a direction of the light rays, and emits the light rays toward the top portion, and which emits most of the light rays incident on the top portion through the bottom portion; a frontlight liquid crystal display screen which is disposed to face the top portion of the light guide panel and on which images are displayed by reflecting the light rays emitted from the top portion of the light guide panel and causing the light rays to be incident on the top portion of the light guide panel; and a free-form-surface prism disposed in front of the bottom portion of the light guide panel for magnifying the images on the liquid crystal display screen by reflecting and focusing the light rays which are reflected from the frontlight liquid crystal display screen and emitted toward the bottom portion of the light guide panel According to the an optical system for a head mounted display of the present invention, there is an advantage in that its production costs can be reduced, since the optical system for the head mounted display of the present invention employs the frontlight liquid crystal display screen which is inexpensive and has a high pixel density Further, there is another advantage in that the use efficiency of the light source can be enhanced, since the optical system of the present invention includes the inexpensive light emitting diode and the light guide panel for reflecting the light rays emitted from the light emitting diode and focusing the light rays within a range of the predetermined angles

Abstract: An optical code reading system and method are provided for reading optical codes imprinted or displayed on, or behind, reflective surfaces. The system includes an extended light source, including one of a backlight assembly and a frontlight assembly, emitting an extended-beam light for directly illuminating an optical code, at least one image sensor for sensing light reflected by the optical code and generating signals related to at least one image of the optical code, and at least one processor for processing at least a portion of the signals, generating a decodable image corresponding to the signals, and decoding at least a portion of the decodable image.

Abstract: A display includes a reflective spatial light modulator having a reflective surface, a lightguide comprising a core layer, a first cladding layer, and a light emitting region comprising a plurality of light extraction features arranged in a pattern that varies spatially in the light emitting region to frustrate totally internally reflected light propagating within the core layer such that light exits the core layer in the light emitting region into the first cladding layer. A light redirecting optical element is optically coupled to the second side of the first cladding layer, and includes a plurality of light redirecting features directing frustrated totally internally reflected light from the plurality of light extraction features toward the reflective spatial light modulator.