Patent ID: 7518663

Claim:
A display device comprising: a display panel; a light redirection element for directing light through the display panel; a light guide for directing light towards the light redirection element; a first light source coupled to the light guide so as to couple light into the light guide in a first direction; a second light source coupled to the light guide so as to couple light into the light guide in a second direction; means for alternating between illumination of the first and second light sources and means for alternating between displaying a first image and a second image on the display panel substantially synchronously with alternating between illumination of the first and second light sources; and means for switching between illuminating the first and second light sources simultaneously, and illuminating the first and second light sources substantially synchronously with displaying the first image and the second image on the display panel; wherein the first image and the second image are images of a 3D stereoscopic image; wherein when the first and second light sources are illuminated simultaneously, a 2D image is displayed on the display device; wherein the light redirection element has a first groove structure having a first longitudinal axis and the light guide has a second groove structure having a second longitudinal axis and facing the first groove structure, and the first and second groove structures are arranged in a configuration operable to direct light from the first light source through the display panel with a first angular distribution and light from the second light source with a second angular distribution which is different from the first angular distribution, the first longitudinal axis being substantially parallel to the second longitudinal axis.