Patent ID: 7706050

Claim:
A spatial light modulator, comprising: an array of display elements configured to modulate light in accordance with image data, said array of display elements comprising interferometric modulators; a display panel comprising a transparent substrate having forward and rearward surfaces arranged adjacent to the array of display elements such that the rearward surface is directly adjacent the array of display elements to allow a viewer to view an image produced by modulation of light, the substrate including a plurality of edges defined between said forward and rearward surfaces; a light source comprising an edge light, the edge light disposed laterally with respect to at least one of said edges of the transparent substrate, the light source configured to inject light into at least one edge of said substrate such that light is guided through the substrate due to total internal reflection; and reflective elements disposed on the forward surface of the substrate, the reflective elements configured to reflect the light guided due to total internal reflection through the substrate, thereby directing said light guided through the substrate due to total internal reflection to the array of display elements.