Patent Publication Number: US-2023148239-A1

Title: Floating image generation device and electronic device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial no. 110141570 filed on Nov. 8, 2021. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to a floating image generation device and an electronic device. 
     Related Art 
     With the progress of the technology, display techniques continuously evolve to satisfy users&#39; requirement of greater visual experience. In the field of three-dimensional display techniques, 3D glasses and naked-eye 3D display techniques are commonly used. With naked-eye 3D display technique, users can see 3D images directly without wearing any device. With 3D display technique using glasses, users have to see 3D image by wearing glasses having polarized lens, shutter lens, etc. Naked-eye 3D display technique is popular among customers due to its convenience and comfort, wherein floating image generation technique attracts customer&#39;s attention especially. One feature of floating image generation technique is the capability to project floating images in space, wherein floating images not only can be seen but also can have interaction with customers at close range. However, for conventional floating image generation devices, back lights are needed to see floating images. In other words, floating images vanish when back lights are extinguished. As such, conventional floating image generation devices are still improvable. 
     SUMMARY 
     One of objectives of the present invention is to provide a floating image generation device, capable of displaying images when back lights are extinguished. 
     One of objectives of the present invention is to provide an electronic device, capable of providing better user&#39;s experience. 
     The floating image generation device of the present invention includes a light source, a first image forming unit, a second image forming unit, a floating image generation unit, and transflective layer. The first image forming unit is disposed above the light source. The second image forming unit is disposed above the first image forming unit. The floating image generation unit is disposed above the second image forming unit. The transflective layer is disposed between the first image forming unit and the second image forming unit. The light source is capable of transmitting a first light to pass through the first image forming unit, the transflective layer, the second image forming unit, and the floating image generation unit for generating a floating image. At least a portion of a second light from the other side of the floating image generation unit with respect to the light source is reflected by the transflective layer to pass through the second image forming unit for generating a flat image. 
     In one embodiment, the first image forming unit is disposed above the light source. The floating image generation unit is disposed above the first image forming unit. The second image forming unit is disposed above the floating image generation unit. The transflective layer is disposed between the first image forming unit and the second image forming unit. 
     The electronic device of the present invention includes the floating image generation device and a casing. The casing includes a translucent portion. The first light is capable of passing through the first image forming unit, the second image forming unit, the floating image generation unit, the transflective layer, and the translucent portion for generating a floating image outside the casing. The second light is capable of transmitting through the translucent portion from outside the casing and is at least partially reflected by the transflective layer to pass through the second image forming unit for generating the flat image. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1 A  is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a floating image generation device according to the present invention. 
         FIG.  1 B  is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a floating image generation device generating a floating image according to the present invention. 
         FIG.  2 A  is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a second light reflected by a transflective layer in a floating image generation device according to the present invention. 
         FIG.  2 B  is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a floating image generation device generating a flat image according to the present invention. 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of first shading portions and second shading portions in a floating image generation device according to the present invention. 
         FIGS.  4  to  7    are schematic diagrams of embodiments of the floating image generation device according to the present invention. 
         FIG.  8    is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an electronic device according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Implementations of a connection assembly disclosed by the present invention are described below by using particular and specific embodiments with reference to the drawings, and a person skilled in the art may learn of advantages and effects of the present invention from the disclosure of this specification. However, the following disclosure is not intended to limit the protection scope of the present invention, and a person skilled in the art may carry out the present invention by using other different embodiments based on different viewpoints without departing from the concept and spirit of the present invention. In the accompanying drawings, plate thicknesses of layers, films, panels, regions, and the like are enlarged for clarity. Throughout the specification, same reference numerals indicate same elements. It should be understood that when an element such as a layer, film, region or substrate is referred to as being “on” or “connected” to another element, it may be directly on or connected to the another element, or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on” or “directly connected to” another element, there is no intervening element present. As used herein, “connection” may refer to a physical and/or electrical connection. Further, “electrical connecting” or “coupling” may indicate that another element exists between two elements. 
     It should be noted that the terms “first”, “second”, “third”, and the like that are used in the present disclosure can be used for describing various elements, components, regions, layers and/or portions, but the elements, components, regions, layers and/or portions are not limited by the terms. The terms are merely used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or portion from another element, component, region, layer, or portion. Therefore, the “first element”, “component”, “region”, “layer”, or “portion” discussed below may be referred to as a second element, component, region, layer, or portion without departing from the teaching of this disclosure. 
     In addition, relative terms, such as “down” or “bottom” and “up” or “top”, are used to describe a relationship between an element and another element, as shown in the figures. It should be understood that the relative terms are intended to include different orientations of a device in addition to orientations shown in the figures. For example, if a device in a figure is turned over, an element that is described to be on a “lower” side of another element is directed to be on an “upper” side another element. Therefore, the exemplary terms “down” may include orientations of “down” and “up” and depends on a particular orientation of an accompanying drawing. Similarly, if a device in a figure is turned over, an element that is described as an element “below” another element or an element “below” is directed to be “above” another element. Therefore, the exemplary terms “below” or “below” may include orientations of up and down. 
     As used herein, “about”, “approximately”, or “substantially” is inclusive of the stated value and means within an acceptable range of deviation for the particular value as determined by one of ordinary skill in the art, considering the measurement in question and the error associated with measurement of the particular quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system). For example, “about” can mean within one or more standard deviations, or within ±30%, ±20%, ±10%, ±5% of the stated value. Further, as used herein, “about”, “approximately”, or “substantially” may depend on optical properties, etch properties, or other properties to select a more acceptable range of deviations or standard deviations without one standard deviation for all properties. 
     As shown in the embodiment in  FIG.  1 A , the floating image generation device  900  of the present invention includes a light source  100 , a first image forming unit  210 , a second image forming unit  220 , a floating image generation unit  300 , and a transflective layer  400 . The light source  100  can be a point light source such as an LED or a diffused/homogenized planar light source. The first image forming unit  210  is disposed above the light source  110  and has a pattern to be generated as a desired floating image. The second image forming unit  220  is disposed above the first image forming unit  210  and has a pattern to be formed as a desired flat image. More particularly, the patterns on the first image forming unit  210  and the second image forming unit  220  can block lights. In different embodiments, the first image forming unit  210  and the second image forming unit  220  can be negative films or masks having fixed patterns, or liquid crystal layers having changeable patterns. 
     The floating image generation unit  300  is disposed above the second image forming unit. In an embodiment, the floating image generation unit  300  can be a micro-lens array, which can include single-side or dual-side converging lens structures and can be formed by processes such as UV-imprinting, injection, heat-pressing, etc. The transflective layer  400  is disposed between the first image forming unit  210  and the second image forming unit  220 , and permits lights to partially pass through and be partially reflected. In an embodiment, the transflective layer  400  is a metallic layer of materials such as silver, aluminum, copper, etc., and can be formed by processes such as evaporation, electroless plating, etc. The transflective extent can be modified by controlling conditions such as thickness, density, etc. 
     As shown in the embodiment in  FIG.  1 A , the light source  100  is capable of transmitting a first light  510  to pass through the first image forming unit  210 , the transflective layer  400 , the second image forming unit  220 , and the floating image generation unit  300  for generating a floating image. More particularly, after passing through the first image forming unit  210 , the first light  510  emitted by the light source  100  can at least partially pass through the transflective layer  400  in accordance with the transflective characteristic and, after passing through the second image forming unit  220 , generate a floating image on the side of the floating image generation unit  300  opposite to the light source  100  by the refracting of the floating image generation unit  300 . Specifically, after passes through the first image forming unit  210 , the first light  510  emitted by the light source  100  forms a pattern of the floating image and generates the floating image via refraction by the floating image generation unit  300 . In an embodiment, as shown in the embodiment in  FIG.  1 B , the floating image  610  is generated outside the top face of the floating image generation device  900 . 
     As shown in the embodiment in  FIG.  2 A , a second light  520  coming from the side of the floating image generation unit  300  opposite to the light source  100  can be at least partially reflected by the transflective layer  400  and pass through the second image forming unit  220  to generate a flat image. The second light  520  can be a light such as an ambient light or an outer projecting light. More particularly, after passing through the second image forming unit  220 , the first light  520  coming from the side of the floating image generation unit  300  opposite to the light source  100  can be at least partially reflected by the transflective layer  400  in accordance with the transflective characteristic and pass through the second image forming unit  220  again to generate the flat image. In an embodiment, as shown in the embodiment in  FIG.  2 B , the flat image  620  is displayed on the top face of the floating image generation device  900  visually. 
     Accordingly, the floating image generation device  900  of the present invention can generate a floating image when the light source emits a first light  510 , and generate a flat image by a second light  520  coming from the ambient, for example. More particularly, the first light  510  emitted by the light source  100  forms the pattern of a floating image via the first image forming unit  210  and then generates the floating image via refraction by the floating image generation unit  300 , wherein the first light  520  is reflected by the transflective layer  400  and generates the flat image by the second image forming unit  220 . In other words, even though the light source doesn&#39;t emit light, the floating image generation device  900  of the present invention can still generate a flat image via a second light  520  coming from the ambient, hence avoiding displaying without any image. 
     As shown in the embodiment in  FIG.  1 B , the floating image  610  and the flat image  620  can exist at the same time since they are generated by different lights. More particularly, as shown in the embodiment in  FIG.  3   , the first image forming unit  210  includes a plurality of first shading portions  211 , wherein a first image region is defined by the first shading portions  211  for generating the floating image  610 . The second image forming unit  220  includes a plurality of second shading portions  221 , wherein a second image region is defined by the second shading portions  221  for generating the flat image  620 . In an embodiment, the vertical projection of the first shading portions  211  and the vertical projection of the second shading portions  221  are at least partially not overlapped on the face of the light source  100  (see  FIG.  2 A ) facing the first image forming unit  210 , in order to avoid the blocking of the first light  510  passing through the first image forming unit  210  by the second shading portions  221  in the second image forming unit  220 . In an embodiment, the first image region and the second image region are substantially the same. Hence, the generated floating image  610  and flat image  620  are substantially the same (for example, they are both the shape “S” as shown in  FIG.  1 B ) for visual coherence. In different embodiments, however, the first image region and the second image region are substantially different. Hence, the generated floating image  610  and flat image  620  are substantially different for more visual variety. 
     In different embodiments, the relative position of the first image forming unit  210 , the second image forming unit  220 , the floating image generation unit  300 , and the transflective layer  400  could be modified according to the manufacturing, design, and usage requirements. More particularly, as shown in the embodiments in  FIG.  4   , the first image forming unit  210  is disposed above the light source  100 . The floating image generation unit  300  is disposed above the first image forming unit  210 . The second image forming unit  220  is disposed above the floating image generation unit  300 . The transflective layer  400  is disposed on the face of the second image forming unit  220  facing the floating image generation unit  300 . 
     Specifically, the transflective layer  400  can perform its transflective characteristic as long as the transflective layer  400  is disposed between the first image forming unit  210  and the second image forming unit  220 , hence letting the light emitted by the light source  100  pass through it to generate the floating image and reflect the light coming from outside to generate the flat image. Accordingly, the position of the transflective layer  400  could be modified. As shown in the embodiments in  FIG.  5   , the transflective layer  400  is disposed on the face of the first image forming unit  210  facing the floating image generation unit  300 . As shown in the embodiments in  FIG.  6   , the transflective layer  400  is disposed on the face of the floating image generation unit  300  facing the second image forming unit  220 . As shown in the embodiments in  FIG.  7   , the transflective layer  400  is disposed on the face of the floating image generation unit  300  facing the first image forming unit  210 . 
     As shown in the embodiments in  FIG.  8   , the floating image generation device  900  could form an electronic device  800  of the present invention with a casing  700 . The casing  700  includes a translucent portion  710 , wherein the translucent portion  710  can be hallow or disposed with a translucent unit to block moisture or dusts. The first light  510  (see  FIG.  1 A ) is capable of passing through the first image forming unit  210 , the second image forming unit  220 , the floating image generation unit  300 , the transflective layer  400 , and the translucent portion  710  to generate a floating image outside the casing  700 . The second light  520  (see  FIG.  2 A ) is capable of transmitting through the translucent portion  710  from outside the casing  700  and is at least partially reflected by the transflective layer  400  to pass through the second image forming unit  220  for generating the flat image. For example, in an embodiment, the electronic device  800  is a laptop, wherein the casing  700  is the case of the laptop and the backlight module of the laptop could be used as the light source of the floating image generation device  900 . When the laptop is in use, the light emitted by the backlight module makes the floating image generation device  900  generate the floating image. When the laptop is in stand-by/off state, the backlight module doesn&#39;t emit light, wherein the floating image generation device  900  generates the flat image by ambient light. Accordingly, the electronic device is capable of providing better user experience. 
     The present invention is described by means of the above-described relevant embodiments. However, the above-described embodiments are only examples for implementing the present invention. It should be pointed out that the disclosed embodiments do not limit the scope of the present invention. In contrast, the spirit included in the scope of the patent application and modifications and equivalent settings made within the scope are all included in the scope of the present invention.