Method and apparatus pertaining to display backlighting

• Main Authors: RAHAMIM REUVEN, SOUTER JOHN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 27.05.2014
• Subjects: BLASTING; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS, THE OPTICAL OPERATION OF WHICH ISMODIFIED BY CHANGING THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIUM OF THEDEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF THE INTENSITY,COLOUR, PHASE, POLARISATION OR DIRECTION OF LIGHT, e.g.SWITCHING, GATING, MODULATING OR DEMODULATING; FREQUENCY-CHANGING; FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMSTHEREOF; HEATING; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICS; PHYSICS; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHERARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TECHNIQUES OR PROCEDURES FOR THE OPERATION THEREOF; WEAPONS

An apparatus comprises a display backlight having a substrate and a plurality of light-receiving channels formed in that substrate. At least some of these channels have a depth that varies as a gradient along a longitudinal axis of the channel that is substantially axially aligned with a light-receiving input for the channel. These channels can be formed substantially parallel to one another. The aforementioned light-receiving inputs can, if desired, be formed at either end of each such channel and can be disposed inwardly of an edge of the substrate. Also if desired, at least some of these channels can be disposed other than at an orthogonal angle with respect to such substrate edges. So configured, light rays that orthogonally enter the light-receiving inputs will have an opportunity to contact the edges of the channels and be reflected outwardly of the channel to provide the desired backlighting effect.