Patent ID: 7430358

Claim:
A display apparatus comprising: a light guide comprising substantially optically transmissive material that can propagate light therein, said light guide further comprising an output face for output of said light, said light output from said output face having an angular distribution; a plurality of anamorphic optical elements disposed forward of said front output face such that light from said output face of said light guide is incident on said anamorphic optical elements, said anamorphic optical elements redirecting said angular distribution along a first direction, y, more than in a second direction, x; a spatial light modulator forward said plurality of anamorphic optical elements to receive said light from said output face of said light guide; an asymmetric diffuser disposed between said anamorphic optical elements and said spatial light modulator, said asymmetric diffuser configured to spread light incident thereon more along said second direction, x, than said first direction, y, wherein said plurality of anamorphic optical elements are configured such that said light received by said asymmetric diffuser has an angular distribution having a full width half maximum smaller along the first direction, y, of between about 20° and 90° and a full width half maximum along the second direction, x, of between about 40° and 170°; and an optical layer, wherein said plurality of anamorphic optical elements are disposed on a rear surface of said optical layer, said rear surface facing said light guide.