Patent ID: 8059216

Claim:
A switchable autostereoscopic display device comprising: a display panel having an array of display pixels for producing a display, the display pixels being arranged in rows and columns; an array of lens elements arranged over the display panel for directing the light output of the display pixels so as to provide a stereoscopic image, the lens elements comprising an electro-optic material whose refractive index is switchable by selective application of an electric field between a first value that maintains the light output directing function and a second value that removes the light output directing function; and electrode layers provided above and below the lens elements for applying the electric field across the lens elements, at least one of the electrode layers being discontinuous, wherein the electrode layers are spaced from the lens elements by dielectric layers, such that the effect of the electrode layer discontinuities on the electric field in the lens elements is reduced wherein first and second ones of the dielectric layers face profiled and substantially flat surfaces of the lens elements, respectively, and wherein the first dielectric layer has a profiled surface matching the profiled surfaces of the lens elements.