SWITCHED EMISSIVE TRANSPARENT DISPLAY WITH CONTROLLABLE PER-PIXEL OPACITY

Number: 20170041598
Published: 2017-02-09
Filed: 2015-08-05
Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
Inventors: SMITHWICK; QUINN Y.
CPC: H04N13/30; G09G3/3406
Verdict: Medium Hardware
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

The keeper's note

Switched emissive transparent display hardware with controllable per-pixel opacity — novel display technology.

Abstract

A display system adapted to use rapid switching techniques to switch between displaying content and displaying a mask for that content so as to provide per-pixel opacity control. The display system may employ rapid synchronized switching of both a non-emissive, transparent display and a transparent backlight. In a first state, the display is operated to display content with the backlight acting as a scattering luminous backlight. In the other or second state, the display is operated to display one or more masks (for some or all objects or items of the content displayed in the first state) with the backlight functioning as a clear and unlit backlight. The display system is capable of producing opaque emissive content on a transparent field to provide a novel display and/or for use in compact spatial augmented reality applications.

Background

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram or schematic of a display system of the present description;

FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate front perspective views of a display system operating in a first state (or State A), in a second state (or State B), and with rapid switching between the first and second states (State A to State B to State A to State B and so on over an operating period);

FIG. 3 illustrates a display system with an alternative backlight assembly from that used in the display system of FIGS. 2A-2C;

FIG. 4 illustrates, similar to FIG. 3, a display system with another exemplary backlight assembly;

FIG. 5 illustrates a display assembly including components of the display assembly of FIGS. 2A-2C and showing additional controller details; and

FIG. 6 is a graph showing synchronization of control signals in more detail (such as by the controller or control components ofFIGS. 1 and 5).DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Briefly, the following description is directed toward a switched emissive transparent display system or assembly that is adapted to provide controllable per-pixel opacity. The display system includes a display element that has a screen/panel switchable between a first state in which it is operated to display contentand a second state in which it displays one or more masks for one or more objects/items in the displayed content. The displayed masks may be wholly opaque or only partially opaque, e.g., a dis

Claims

1. A display system, comprising: a display element including a non-emissive display panel; a backlight assembly; and a display controller operable toswitch operations of the display element between first and second operating states and toswitch operations of the backlight assembly between first and second operating states, wherein the non-emissive display panel displays content in the first operating state of the display element and displays a mask for the content in the second operating state of the display element, and wherein the backlight assembly is luminous in the first operating state of the backlight assembly to direct light onto a surface of the non-emissive display panel and is transparent in the second operating state of the backlight assembly. 15. A display with per-pixel opacity, comprising: a display panel operable in a first state to display content with a first set of pixels and in a second state to display a mask with at leasta portion of the first set of pixels and to be transparent in a second set of pixels differing at least partially from the first set of pixels; a backlight assembly positioned adjacent a back surface of the display panel, wherein the backlight assembly is operable in afirst state to be luminous to light the back surface of the display panel and to be opaque to light from a background space and wherein the backlight assembly is operable in a second state to be transparent to the light from the background space; and a controller generating control signals to operate the display panel and the backlight assembly in synchronization and in a switched manner at a predefined switching rate, whereby the display panel and the backlight assembly at least partially concurrently operate in the first and secondstates. 25. A method for providing a 3D effect, comprising: with a non-emissive display, displaying content with a set of pixels; with a backlight assembly during the displaying of the content, backlighting the non-emissive display and, concurrent with the backlighting, blocking light from sources outside the backlight assembly; with the non-emissive display, displaying a mask for the content using the set of pixels; with the backlight assembly during the displaying of the mask, transmitting the light from the sources outside the backlight assembly; and switching between the displaying of the content and the displaying ofthe mask. 30. The method of clam 29, wherein the feedback includes controlling or modifying the content or the mask.