Patent ID: 9164219
Filing Date: 2015-10-20
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. A frontlight unit for interaction with a reflective display having pixels arranged in a matrix pattern, comprising: an optically transparent waveguide medium having an external surface; a core embedded in the optically transparent waveguide medium, the optically transparent waveguide medium functioning as a cladding for the core; a net of planar ridge waveguides formed by the core and the cladding; at least one source of laser light optically coupled with aforementioned net of planar ridge waveguides for delivery of laser light to the optically transparent waveguide medium, the net comprising light-separation means for separating laser light into individual lightbeams propagating in the planar ridge waveguides of the net and light-distribution means for receiving individual lightbeams and for distributing individual lightbeams to predetermined places of the net; first individual lightbeam redirection means formed on the surface of the core in the aforementioned predetermined places of the net for redirecting individual lightbeams that propagate through the light-distribution means in the first direction to the planar ridge waveguide medium and in the second direction to the planar ridge waveguide medium; and second lightbeam redirection means located on the external surface of the optically transparent waveguide medium which receive beams emitted from the first individual lightbeam redirection means in the first direction and which redirect these beams in the second direction into the optically transparent waveguide medium and then into the reflective display with which the frontlight unit interacts, whereby all of the light delivered to the frontlight unit from at least one laser source of light is sent to the reflective display for enhancement of the image reproduced by the reflective display, wherein the light-separation means comprise first holograms, and the first individual lightbeam redirection means comprise the second holograms, said second holograms being arranged in a matrix pattern that coincides with the matrix pattern of the reflective display when the frontlight unit is interposed onto the reflective display.