Patent US5609939A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5609939A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Viewing screen formed using coherent light
Assignee: Luminit LLC
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Filing: 1994-12-14
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Granted: 1997-03-11
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Expires: 2014-12-14
Abstract
Abstract A viewing screen for incident light including a sheet of embossable material in which a first micro-sculpted surface relief structure that controls the direction in which light propagates has been formed by replicating in the sheet of embossable material a second micro-sculpted surface structure that controls the direction in which light propagates, the second micro-sculpted surface structure having been formed in a photosensitive medium having a refractive index by (i) generating random, disordered and non-planar speckle in the photosensitive medium with coherent light which has been diffused through a holographic diffuser so as to define non-discontinuous and smoothly varying changes in the refractive index of the photosensitive medium which scatter collimated light into a controlled pattern with smooth brightness variation and (ii) developing the photosensitive medium, the incident light being incident on and returned from the viewing screen to a viewing area, the viewing screen controlling the direction of the incident light that is emanating from the viewing screen to the viewing area and increasing brightness in the viewing area relative to an area outside the viewing area.
Inventors
- 👤 Joel Petersen
- 👤 Jeremy Lerner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 10:58
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B21/00; G03B21/54; G03B21/56; G03B21/60; G03B21/62; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/0005; G03F7/001; G03H; G03H1/00; G03H1/32; G03H2223/00; G03H2223/14; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/913; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24355; Y10T428/24479; Y10T428/31504; Y10T428/31511; Y10T428/31529
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
134 words
A viewing screen produced by a process comprising: A. generating a micro-sculpted surface structure that controls the direction in which light propagates on a photosensitive medium having a refractive index by (i) generating random, disordered and non-planar speckle in said photosensitive medium using coherent light which has been diffused through a holographic diffuser and then directly transmitted to said photosensitive medium so as to define non-discontinuous and smoothly varying changes in said refractive index of said photosensitive medium which scatter collimated light into a controlled pattern with smooth brightness variation; and (ii) developing said photosensitive medium; and B. making a replica of said micro-sculpted surface structure that controls the direction in which light propagates, wherein light scattered from said replica of said micro-sculpted surface structure is characterized by said random, disordered and non-planar speckle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
134 words
A viewing screen produced by a process comprising: A. generating a micro-sculpted surface structure that controls the direction in which light propagates on a photosensitive medium having a refractive index by (i) generating random, disordered and non-planar speckle in said photosensitive medium using coherent light which has been diffused through a holographic diffuser and then directly transmitted to said photosensitive medium so as to define non-discontinuous and smoothly varying changes in said refractive index of said photosensitive medium which scatter collimated light into a controlled pattern with smooth brightness variation; and (ii) developing said photosensitive medium; and B. making a replica of said micro-sculpted surface structure that controls the direction in which light propagates, wherein light scattered from said replica of said micro-sculpted surface structure is characterized by said random, disordered and non-planar speckle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
204 words
A viewing screen having a normal axis, a horizontal direction, a vertical direction and a viewing area, said viewing screen comprising: a. a sheet of deformable material including a first micro-sculpted surface structure that controls the direction in which light propagates, said first micro-sculpted surface structure having been formed by replicating in said sheet of deformable material a second micro-sculpted surface structure that controls the direction in which light propagates, said second micro-sculpted surface structure having been formed in a photosensitive medium having a refractive index by (i) generating random, disordered and non-planar speckle in said photosensitive medium with coherent light that has been diffused through a holographic diffuser and then directly transmitted to said photosensitive medium so as to define non-discontinuous and smoothly varying changes in said refractive index of said photosensitive medium which scatter collimated light into a controlled pattern with smooth brightness variation and (ii) developing said photosensitive medium; and b. a reflective layer deposited on and conforming to said first micro-sculpted surface structure, whereby light incident on said viewing screen is reflected into said viewing area by said first micro-sculpted surface structure, wherein light scattered from said first micro-sculpted surface structure is characterized by said random, disordered and non-planar speckle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
204 words
A viewing screen having a normal axis, a horizontal direction, a vertical direction and a viewing area, said viewing screen comprising: a. a sheet of deformable material including a first micro-sculpted surface structure that controls the direction in which light propagates, said first micro-sculpted surface structure having been formed by replicating in said sheet of deformable material a second micro-sculpted surface structure that controls the direction in which light propagates, said second micro-sculpted surface structure having been formed in a photosensitive medium having a refractive index by (i) generating random, disordered and non-planar speckle in said photosensitive medium with coherent light that has been diffused through a holographic diffuser and then directly transmitted to said photosensitive medium so as to define non-discontinuous and smoothly varying changes in said refractive index of said photosensitive medium which scatter collimated light into a controlled pattern with smooth brightness variation and (ii) developing said photosensitive medium; and b. a reflective layer deposited on and conforming to said first micro-sculpted surface structure, whereby light incident on said viewing screen is reflected into said viewing area by said first micro-sculpted surface structure, wherein light scattered from said first micro-sculpted surface structure is characterized by said random, disordered and non-planar speckle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
67 words
The viewing screen as defined in claim 2 wherein said photosensitive medium comprises photoresist and said first micro-sculpted surface structure is made by recording said second micro-sculpted surface structure in said photosensitive medium, making a replica of said second micro-sculpted surface structure from said photosensitive medium, making a metal master of said replica from said replica, and embossing said sheet of deformable material with said metal master.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The viewing screen as defined in claim 2 wherein said photosensitive medium comprises dichromated gelatin.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The viewing screen as defined in claim 2 wherein said viewing area has a viewing area normal axis which is off said normal axis of said viewing screen.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
The viewing screen as defined in claim 2 wherein said reflective layer returns said incident light structured so that said incident light is viewable in a well defined field of view up to ±89° from said viewing area normal axis in said horizontal direction and up to ±60° from said viewing area normal axis in said vertical direction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
212 words
In a liquid crystal display, the improvement comprising a viewing screen having a normal axis, a horizontal direction, a vertical direction and a viewing area, said viewing screen including: a. a sheet of deformable material including a first micro-sculpted surface structure which controls the direction in which light propagates, said first micro-sculpted surface structure having been formed by replicating in said sheet of deformable material a second micro-sculpted surface structure that controls the direction in which light propagates, said second micro-sculpted surface structure having been formed in a photosensitive medium having a refractive index by (i) generating random, disordered and non-planar speckle in said photosensitive medium with coherent light that has been diffused through a holographic diffuser and then directly transmitted to said photosensitive medium so as to define non-discontinuous and smoothly varying changes in said refractive index of said photosensitive medium which scatter collimated light into a controlled pattern with smooth brightness variation and (ii) developing said photosensitive medium; and b. a reflective layer deposited on and conforming to said first micro-sculpted surface structure, whereby light incident on said viewing screen is reflected into said viewing area by said first micro-sculpted surface structure, wherein light scattered from said first micro-sculpted surface structure is characterized by said random, disordered and non-planar speckle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
212 words
In a liquid crystal display, the improvement comprising a viewing screen having a normal axis, a horizontal direction, a vertical direction and a viewing area, said viewing screen including: a. a sheet of deformable material including a first micro-sculpted surface structure which controls the direction in which light propagates, said first micro-sculpted surface structure having been formed by replicating in said sheet of deformable material a second micro-sculpted surface structure that controls the direction in which light propagates, said second micro-sculpted surface structure having been formed in a photosensitive medium having a refractive index by (i) generating random, disordered and non-planar speckle in said photosensitive medium with coherent light that has been diffused through a holographic diffuser and then directly transmitted to said photosensitive medium so as to define non-discontinuous and smoothly varying changes in said refractive index of said photosensitive medium which scatter collimated light into a controlled pattern with smooth brightness variation and (ii) developing said photosensitive medium; and b. a reflective layer deposited on and conforming to said first micro-sculpted surface structure, whereby light incident on said viewing screen is reflected into said viewing area by said first micro-sculpted surface structure, wherein light scattered from said first micro-sculpted surface structure is characterized by said random, disordered and non-planar speckle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
211 words
In a laptop computer, the improvement comprising a viewing screen having a normal axis, a horizontal direction, a vertical direction and a viewing area, said viewing screen including: a. a sheet of deformable material including a first micro-sculpted surface structure which controls the direction in which light propagates, said first micro-sculpted surface structure having been formed by replicating in said sheet of deformable material a second micro-sculpted surface structure that controls the direction in which light propagates, said second micro-sculpted surface structure having been formed in a photosensitive medium having a refractive index by (i) generating random, disordered and non-planar speckle in said photosensitive medium with coherent light that has been diffused through a holographic diffuser and then directly transmitted to said photosensitive medium so as to define non-discontinuous and smoothly varying changes in said refractive index of said photosensitive medium which scatter collimated light into a controlled pattern with smooth brightness variation and (ii) developing said photosensitive medium; and b. a reflective layer deposited on and conforming to said first micro-sculpted surface structure, whereby light incident on said viewing screen is reflected into said viewing area by said first micro-sculpted surface structure, wherein light scattered from said first micro-sculpted surface structure is characterized by said random, disordered and non-planar speckle.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
211 words
In a laptop computer, the improvement comprising a viewing screen having a normal axis, a horizontal direction, a vertical direction and a viewing area, said viewing screen including: a. a sheet of deformable material including a first micro-sculpted surface structure which controls the direction in which light propagates, said first micro-sculpted surface structure having been formed by replicating in said sheet of deformable material a second micro-sculpted surface structure that controls the direction in which light propagates, said second micro-sculpted surface structure having been formed in a photosensitive medium having a refractive index by (i) generating random, disordered and non-planar speckle in said photosensitive medium with coherent light that has been diffused through a holographic diffuser and then directly transmitted to said photosensitive medium so as to define non-discontinuous and smoothly varying changes in said refractive index of said photosensitive medium which scatter collimated light into a controlled pattern with smooth brightness variation and (ii) developing said photosensitive medium; and b. a reflective layer deposited on and conforming to said first micro-sculpted surface structure, whereby light incident on said viewing screen is reflected into said viewing area by said first micro-sculpted surface structure, wherein light scattered from said first micro-sculpted surface structure is characterized by said random, disordered and non-planar speckle.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
204 words
A viewing screen for incident light comprising: a sheet of embossable material in which a first micro-sculpted surface relief structure that controls the direction in which light propagates has been formed by replicating in said sheet of embossable material a second micro-sculpted surface structure that controls the direction in which light propagates, said second micro-sculpted surface structure having been formed in a photosensitive medium having a refractive index by (i) generating random, disordered and non-planar speckle in said photosensitive medium with coherent light which has been diffused through a holographic diffuser and then directly transmitted to said photosensitive medium so as to define non-discontinuous and smoothly varying changes in said refractive index of said photosensitive medium which scatter collimated light into a controlled pattern with smooth brightness variation and (ii) developing said photosensitive medium, said incident light being incident on and returned from said viewing screen to a viewing area, said viewing screen controlling the direction of said incident light that is emanating from said viewing screen to said viewing area and increasing brightness in said viewing area relative to an area outside said viewing area, wherein light scattered from said first micro-sculpted surface structure is characterized by said random, disordered and non-planar speckle.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
204 words
A viewing screen for incident light comprising: a sheet of embossable material in which a first micro-sculpted surface relief structure that controls the direction in which light propagates has been formed by replicating in said sheet of embossable material a second micro-sculpted surface structure that controls the direction in which light propagates, said second micro-sculpted surface structure having been formed in a photosensitive medium having a refractive index by (i) generating random, disordered and non-planar speckle in said photosensitive medium with coherent light which has been diffused through a holographic diffuser and then directly transmitted to said photosensitive medium so as to define non-discontinuous and smoothly varying changes in said refractive index of said photosensitive medium which scatter collimated light into a controlled pattern with smooth brightness variation and (ii) developing said photosensitive medium, said incident light being incident on and returned from said viewing screen to a viewing area, said viewing screen controlling the direction of said incident light that is emanating from said viewing screen to said viewing area and increasing brightness in said viewing area relative to an area outside said viewing area, wherein light scattered from said first micro-sculpted surface structure is characterized by said random, disordered and non-planar speckle.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
47 words
The viewing screen as defined in claim 9 wherein said first micro-sculpted surface relief structure is characterized by peaks and valleys provided in a surface of said viewing screen so as to yield returned light that is selected from the group consisting of circular, elliptical, and rectangular.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The viewing screen as defined in claim 10 wherein said viewing area is elliptical and said peaks and valleys are straight and of random length.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
The viewing screen as defined in claim 10 wherein said viewing area is rectangular and said micro-sculpted surface relief structure which controls the direction in which light propagates formed in said embossable material comprises two intersecting sets of peaks and valleys.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The viewing screen as defined in claim 9 having an output intensity which is constant over a field of view.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
212 words
In a liquid crystal display, the improvement comprising a viewing screen for incident light including: a sheet of embossable material in which a first micro-sculpted surface relief structure that controls the direction in which light propagates has been formed by replicating in said sheet of embossable material a second micro-sculpted surface structure that controls the direction in which light propagates, said second micro-sculpted surface structure having been formed in a photosensitive medium having a refractive index by (i) generating random, disordered and non-planar speckle in said photosensitive medium with coherent light which has been diffused through a holographic diffuser and then directly transmitted to said photosensitive medium so as to define non-discontinuous and smoothly varying changes in said refractive index of said photosensitive medium which scatter collimated light into a controlled pattern with smooth brightness variation and (ii) developing said photosensitive medium, said incident light being incident on and returned from said viewing screen to a viewing area, said viewing screen controlling the direction of said incident light that is emanating from said viewing screen to said viewing area and increasing brightness in said viewing area relative to an area outside said viewing area, wherein light scattered from said first micro-sculpted surface structure is characterized by said random, disordered and non-planar speckle.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
212 words
In a liquid crystal display, the improvement comprising a viewing screen for incident light including: a sheet of embossable material in which a first micro-sculpted surface relief structure that controls the direction in which light propagates has been formed by replicating in said sheet of embossable material a second micro-sculpted surface structure that controls the direction in which light propagates, said second micro-sculpted surface structure having been formed in a photosensitive medium having a refractive index by (i) generating random, disordered and non-planar speckle in said photosensitive medium with coherent light which has been diffused through a holographic diffuser and then directly transmitted to said photosensitive medium so as to define non-discontinuous and smoothly varying changes in said refractive index of said photosensitive medium which scatter collimated light into a controlled pattern with smooth brightness variation and (ii) developing said photosensitive medium, said incident light being incident on and returned from said viewing screen to a viewing area, said viewing screen controlling the direction of said incident light that is emanating from said viewing screen to said viewing area and increasing brightness in said viewing area relative to an area outside said viewing area, wherein light scattered from said first micro-sculpted surface structure is characterized by said random, disordered and non-planar speckle.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
211 words
In a laptop computer, the improvement comprising a viewing screen for incident light including: a sheet of embossable material in which a first micro-sculpted surface relief structure that controls the direction in which light propagates has been formed by replicating in said sheet of embossable material a second micro-sculpted surface structure that controls the direction in which light propagates, said second micro-sculpted surface structure having been formed in a photosensitive medium having a refractive index by (i) generating random, disordered and non-planar speckle in said photosensitive medium with coherent light which has been diffused through a holographic diffuser and then directly transmitted to said photosensitive medium so as to define non-discontinuous and smoothly varying changes in said refractive index of said photosensitive medium which scatter collimated light into a controlled pattern with smooth brightness variation and (ii) developing said photosensitive medium, said incident light being incident on and returned from said viewing screen to a viewing area, said viewing screen controlling the direction of said incident light that is emanating from said viewing screen to said viewing area and increasing brightness in said viewing area relative to an area outside said viewing area, wherein light scattered from said first micro-sculpted surface structure is characterized by said random, disordered and non-planar speckle.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
211 words
In a laptop computer, the improvement comprising a viewing screen for incident light including: a sheet of embossable material in which a first micro-sculpted surface relief structure that controls the direction in which light propagates has been formed by replicating in said sheet of embossable material a second micro-sculpted surface structure that controls the direction in which light propagates, said second micro-sculpted surface structure having been formed in a photosensitive medium having a refractive index by (i) generating random, disordered and non-planar speckle in said photosensitive medium with coherent light which has been diffused through a holographic diffuser and then directly transmitted to said photosensitive medium so as to define non-discontinuous and smoothly varying changes in said refractive index of said photosensitive medium which scatter collimated light into a controlled pattern with smooth brightness variation and (ii) developing said photosensitive medium, said incident light being incident on and returned from said viewing screen to a viewing area, said viewing screen controlling the direction of said incident light that is emanating from said viewing screen to said viewing area and increasing brightness in said viewing area relative to an area outside said viewing area, wherein light scattered from said first micro-sculpted surface structure is characterized by said random, disordered and non-planar speckle.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
58 words
The liquid crystal display as defined in claim 7 wherein said reflective layer returns said incident light structured so that said incident light is viewable in a well defined field of view to ±89° from said viewing area normal axis in said horizontal direction and up to ±60° from said viewing area normal axis in said vertical direction.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
58 words
The laptop computer as defined in claim 8 wherein said reflective layer returns said incident light structured so that said incident light is viewable in a well defined field of view up to ±89° from said viewing area normal axis in said horizontal direction and up to ±60° from said viewing area normal axis in said vertical direction.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
48 words
The liquid crystal display as defined in claim 14 wherein said first micro-sculpted surface relief structure is characterized by peaks and valleys provided in a surface of said viewing screen so as to yield returned light that is selected from the group consisting of circular, elliptical, and rectangular.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
47 words
The laptop computer as defined in claim 15 wherein said first micro-sculpted surface relief structure is characterized by peaks and valleys provided in a surface of said viewing screen so as to yield returned light that is selected from the group consisting of circular, elliptical, and rectangular.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
The laptop computer as defined in claim 19 wherein said viewing area is elliptical and said peaks and valleys are straight and of random length.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-03-10 | 2000-09-09 | 2001-03-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-03-10 | 2004-09-09 | 2005-03-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-03-10 | 2008-09-09 | 2009-03-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |