Transparent display with diffuser backed microtextured illuminating device and method of manufacture therefor

Claim 2

A substantially planar illuminating device having an internal light source, comprising: a transparent substrate having a pair of substantially parallel major surfaces and an entry point for accepting light from said internal light source, said substrate functioning as a guide for light from said internal light source; and a plurality of microelements located on one of said pair of surfaces, each of said microelements having a continuous, substantially planar surface with a perimeter and an average roughness less than one micron and a side wall that intersects said planar surface at said perimeter and at an angle that is abnormal to said planar surface, said planar surface configured to re-direct a substantial amount of light received in said substrate from an external light source out of said substrate and said side wall configured to re-direct light from said internal light source out of said substrate.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1 wherein said side wall has a side wall area being a function of a distance of said microelements from said entry point to enhance a uniformity of said scattering of said light over an area of said pair of surfaces.

Claim 4

The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said roughness ranges from about 2.5 nm to about 0.50 nm.

Claim 5

The device as recited in claim 3 wherein said roughness is about 2.5 nm.

Claim 6

The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said microelements are substantially frustoconical indentations in said one of said pair of surfaces.

Claim 7

The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said microelements are substantially frustoconical protrusions on said one of said pair of surfaces.

Claim 8

The device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a layer of diffusing material located over said one of said pair of surfaces.

Claim 9

The device as recited in claim 7 wherein said diffusing material is selected from the group consisting of: a metallized polycrystalline diamond film, a spun bonded olefin, and paper.

Claim 10

The device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a layer of reflective material over minor surfaces of said substrate to reflect said light within said substrate.

Claim 11

The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said internal light source is a surface-emitting light emitting diode (LED).

Claim 12

The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said external light source is ambient light.

Claim 13

The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said side wall is curved.

Claim 14

The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said pair of major surfaces are spaced apart by a thickness of about 0.5 mm to about 2.0 mm.

Claim 17

The method as recited in claim 14 wherein said step of etching includes the step of etching a side wall having a side wall area thereof being a function of a distance of said microelements from said entry point to enhance a uniformity of said scattering of said light over an area of said pair of surfaces.

Claim 18

The method as recited in claim 14 wherein said step of etching includes etching said substantially planar surface such that it has a roughness ranging from about 2.5 nm to about 0.50 nm.

Claim 19

The method as recited in claim 16 wherein said roughness is about 2.5 nm.

Claim 20

The method as recited in claim 14 wherein said step of etching comprises the step of forming substantially frustoconical indentations in said one of said pair of surfaces.

Claim 21

The method as recited in claim 14 wherein said step of etching comprises the step of forming substantially frustoconical protrusion on said one of said pair of surfaces.

Claim 22

The method as recited in claim 14 further comprising the step of locating a layer of diffusing material over said one of said pair of surfaces.

Claim 23

The method as recited in claim 20 wherein said diffusing material is selected from the group consisting of: a metallized polycrystalline diamond film, a spun bonded olefin, and paper.

Claim 24

The method as recited in claim 14 further comprising the step of forming a layer of reflective material over minor surfaces of said substrate to reflect said light within said substrate.

Claim 25

The method as recited in claim 14 further comprising the step of coupling a surface-emitting light emitting diode (LED) to said entry point.

Claim 26

The method as recited in claim 14 wherein said step of forming comprises the step of providing a substrate wherein said pair of major surfaces are spaced apart by a thickness of about 0.5 mm to about 2.0 mm.

Claim 27

A substantially planar display device having an internal light source and readable by said internal light source or by a light source external to said display device, comprising: a transparent substrate having a pair of substantially parallel major surfaces and an entry point for accepting light from said internal light source, said substrate functioning as a guide for light from said internal light source; and a plurality of microelements located on one of said pair of surfaces, each of said microelements having a continuous, substantially flat surface with a perimeter and an average roughness less than about 250 angstroms and a side wall that intersects said substantially flat surface at said perimeter and at an angle that is abnormal to said substantially flat surface, said substantially flat surface configured to reflect light from said external light source and said side wall configured to re-direct light from said internal light source out of said substrate.

Claim 28

A substantially planar display device having an internal light source and readable by said internal light source or by a light source external to said display device, comprising: a transparent substrate having a pair of substantially parallel major surfaces and an entry point for accepting light from said internal light source, said substrate functioning as a guide for light from said internal light source; and a plurality of microelements located on one of said pair of surfaces, each of said microelements having a continuous, substantially flat surface with a perimeter and an average roughness less than about 250 angstroms and a side wall that intersects said substantially flat surface at said perimeter and at an angle that is abnormal to said substantially flat surface, said substantially flat surface configured to reflect light from said external light source and said side wall configured to re-direct light from said internal light source out of said substrate.

Claim 29

The device of claim 25 wherein said side wall has a side wall area being a function of a distance of said microelements from said entry point to enhance a uniformity of said scattering of said light over an area of said pair of surfaces.

Claim 30

The device as recited in claim 25 wherein said roughness ranges from about 2.5 nm to about 0.50 nm.

Claim 31

The device as recited in claim 27 wherein said roughness is about 2.5 nm.

Claim 32

The device as recited in claim 25 wherein said microelements are substantially frustoconical protrusions on said one of said pair of surfaces.

Claim 33

The device as recited in claim 25 wherein said side wall is curved.

Claim 34

A visual display, comprising: a substantially planar transparent display device for conveying a visual message by varying a relative contrast of a visual message portion of said display device and a background portion of said display device; a substantially planar illuminating device aligned with said visual display device to provide light thereto, said illuminating device including: an internal light source; a transparent substrate having a pair of substantially parallel major surfaces and an entry point, located at a corner of said substrate, for accepting light from said light source, said substrate functioning as a guide for said light, one of said pair of surfaces textured with a plurality of frustoconical microelements, said frustoconical microelements located on one of said pair of surfaces and having a substantially planar surface with an average roughness less than one micron and a side wall abnormal to said planar surface, said planar surface configured to re-direct a substantial amount of light received in said substrate from an external light source out of said substrate and said side wall configured to re-direct light from said internal light source out of said substrate; a layer of reflective material over minor surfaces of said substrate to reflect said light within said substrate; and a layer of diffusing material located over said one of said pair of surfaces.

Claim 35

A visual display, comprising: a substantially planar transparent display device for conveying a visual message by varying a relative contrast of a visual message portion of said display device and a background portion of said display device; a substantially planar illuminating device aligned with said visual display device to provide light thereto, said illuminating device including: an internal light source; a transparent substrate having a pair of substantially parallel major surfaces and an entry point, located at a corner of said substrate, for accepting light from said light source, said substrate functioning as a guide for said light, one of said pair of surfaces textured with a plurality of frustoconical microelements, said frustoconical microelements located on one of said pair of surfaces and having a substantially planar surface with an average roughness less than one micron and a side wall abnormal to said planar surface, said planar surface configured to re-direct a substantial amount of light received in said substrate from an external light source out of said substrate and said side wall configured to re-direct light from said internal light source out of said substrate; a layer of reflective material over minor surfaces of said substrate to reflect said light within said substrate; and a layer of diffusing material located over said one of said pair of surfaces.

Claim 36

The device of claim 31 wherein said side wall has a side wall area being a function of a distance of said microelements from said entry point to enhance a uniformity of said scattering of said light over an area of said pair of surfaces.

Claim 37

The device as recited in claim 31 wherein said roughness ranges from about 2.5 nm to about 0.50 nm.

Claim 38

The device as recited in claim 33 wherein said roughness is about 2.5 nm.

Claim 39

The device as recited in claim 31 wherein said frustoconical microelements are substantially frustoconical indentations in said one of said pair of surfaces.

Claim 40

The device as recited in claim 31 wherein said frustoconical microelements are substantially frustoconical protrusions on said one of said pair of surfaces.

Claim 41

The device as recited in claim 31 wherein said internal light source is a surface-emitting light emitting diode (LED).

Claim 42

The device as recited in claim 31 wherein said external light source is ambient light.

Claim 43

The device as recited in claim 31 wherein said side wall is curved.

Claim 44

The device as recited in claim 31 wherein said pair of major surfaces are spaced apart by a thickness of about 0.5 mm to about 2.0 mm.