PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-9897744-B2
Application Number: US-201615151171-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Backlight assembly having assymetric light leakage promoting features

Abstract:
An electronic device may have a display including an array of display pixels and a backlight assembly that provides backlight for the array of pixels. The backlight assembly may include a light guide layer having first and second opposing sides. The first side of the light guide layer may receive light from a first light source and the second side of the light guide layer may receive light from a second light source. To avoid overheating the first light source, the light emitted by the first light source may be less bright than the light emitted by the second light source. To compensate for the reduced brightness of the first light source, light leakage promotion features on the light guide layer may have a peak density that is closer to the first side of the light guide layer than the second side of the light guide layer.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A backlight assembly that provides backlight illumination for a display, comprising:
 a light guide layer having opposing first and second opposing side surfaces and having light leakage promotion features that allow light to escape from the light guide layer to the display, wherein the light leakage promotion features have a peak density at a location on the light guide layer that is closer to the first side surface than the second side surface; 
 a first light source that emits light of a first brightness into the first side surface of the light guide layer; and 
 a second light source that emits light of a second brightness into the second side surface of the light guide layer, wherein the first brightness is less than the second brightness. 
 
     
     
       2. The backlight assembly defined in  claim 1  wherein the light leakage promotion features comprise features selected from the group consisting of: notches in the light guide layer, protrusions on the light guide layer, ink dots on the light guide layer, and roughened portions of the light guide layer. 
     
     
       3. The backlight assembly defined in  claim 1  further comprising:
 a metal support structure at least partially surrounding the light guide layer. 
 
     
     
       4. The backlight assembly defined in  claim 3  wherein the first light source is free to move relative to the metal support structure to accommodate thermal expansion of the light guide layer and the second light source is fixed relative to the metal support structure. 
     
     
       5. The backlight assembly defined in  claim 4  wherein the metal support structure conducts heat away from the second light source. 
     
     
       6. The backlight assembly defined in  claim 1  wherein the first light source comprises light-emitting diodes on a first substrate and the second light source comprises light-emitting diodes on a second substrate. 
     
     
       7. The backlight assembly defined in  claim 6  wherein the light-emitting diodes on the first substrate are fewer in number than the light-emitting diodes on the second substrate. 
     
     
       8. The backlight assembly defined in  claim 6  wherein the light-emitting diodes on the first substrate are operated at a lower drive power value than the light-emitting diodes on the second substrate. 
     
     
       9. The backlight assembly defined in  claim 6  wherein the second substrate comprises a metal-core printed circuit board that conducts heat away from the second light source. 
     
     
       10. The backlight assembly defined in  claim 6  wherein the first substrate is a flexible printed circuit substrate that is attached to the light guide layer with adhesive. 
     
     
       11. A backlight assembly for providing backlight to a display, comprising:
 a light guide layer having first and second opposing sides and having a center that is halfway between the first and second opposing sides; 
 a first set of light-emitting diodes that emit light into the first side of the light guide layer; 
 a second set of light emitting diodes that emit light into the second side of the light guide layer; and 
 light leakage promotion features on a surface of the light guide layer that allow light to escape from the light guide layer towards the display, wherein the light leakage promotion features are asymmetric relative to the center of the light guide layer. 
 
     
     
       12. The backlight assembly defined in  claim 11  wherein the light emitted by the first set of light-emitting diodes is less bright than the light emitted by the second set of light emitting diodes. 
     
     
       13. The backlight assembly defined in  claim 11  wherein the light leakage promotion features have a peak density at a location on the light guide layer that is between the center and the first side. 
     
     
       14. The backlight assembly defined in  claim 11  wherein the first set of light-emitting diodes is mounted to a flexible printed circuit and the second set of light-emitting diodes is mounted to a metal-core printed circuit board. 
     
     
       15. A backlight assembly, comprising:
 first and second light sources; 
 a light guide layer having first and second opposing sides, wherein the first side receives light from the first light source and the second side receives light from the second light source and wherein the light received by the first side of the light guide layer is less bright than the light received by the second side of the light guide layer; and 
 light scattering features on the light guide layer that allow light to escape from the light guide layer towards a display layer, wherein the light scattering features compensate for a difference in brightness between the light received by the first side of the light guide layer and the light received by the second side of the light guide layer. 
 
     
     
       16. The backlight assembly defined in  claim 15  wherein the light scattering features have a maximum density at a position on the light guide layer that is closer to the first side than the second side. 
     
     
       17. The backlight assembly defined in  claim 16  wherein an amount of light that escapes a given region of the light guide layer is proportional to a density of the light scattering features in the given region and wherein the position of the maximum density closer to the first side than the second side compensates for the brightness difference between the light received by the first side of the light guide layer and the light received by the second side of the light guide layer. 
     
     
       18. The backlight assembly defined in  claim 15  further comprising:
 a thermally conductive chassis that at least partially surrounds the light guide layer, wherein the first light source is free to move relative to the thermally conductive chassis and the second light source is fixed relative to the thermally conductive chassis. 
 
     
     
       19. The backlight assembly defined in  claim 18  wherein the second light source is mounted to a metal-core printed circuit board that conducts heat away from the second light source to the thermally conductive chassis. 
     
     
       20. The backlight assembly defined in  claim 15  wherein the first light source is mounted to a flexible printed circuit that is attached to the light guide layer with adhesive such that the first light source moves with the light guide layer during thermal expansion of the light guide layer.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 62/234,257 filed on Sep. 29, 2015, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to electronic devices with displays and associated backlight structures. 
     Electronic devices such as computers and cellular telephones have displays. Some displays such as plasma displays and light-emitting diode displays have arrays of pixels that generate light. In displays of this type, backlighting is not necessary because the pixels themselves produce light. Transmissive displays, such as liquid crystal displays, contain passive display pixels. The pixels in a liquid crystal display can alter the amount of light that is transmitted through the display to display information for a user but do not produce light. As a result, it is often desirable to provide backlight for a transmissive display such as liquid crystal display. 
     In a typical backlight structure for a display such as a liquid crystal display, a light guide plate is used to distribute backlight generated by a light source such as a light-emitting diode light source. Optical films such as a diffuser layer and brightness enhancing film may be placed on top of the light guide plate. A reflector may be formed under the light guide plate to improve backlight efficiency. 
     To provide satisfactory backlighting, it may be desirable to locate strips of light-emitting diodes on the top and bottom sides of a light guide layer. The top and bottom strips of light-emitting diodes are typically fixed to a metal chassis. To accommodate thermal expansion of the light guide layer, which is attached along one of its edges to the metal chassis, conventional designs incorporate relatively large air gaps (e.g., a gap of about 0.6 mm) between the light-emitting diodes and the light guide layer. The use of such large gaps can have an adverse impact on backlight efficiency. Poor backlight efficiency, in turn, may decrease power consumption efficiency and can reduce battery life in an electronic device. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide electronic devices with improved displays and backlights. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may have a display including an array of display pixels and a backlight assembly that provides backlight for the array of pixels. 
     The backlight assembly may include a light guide layer having first and second opposing sides and a thermally conductive chassis that at least partially surrounds the light guide layer. Light leakage promotion features may be provided on the surface of the light guide layer to allow light to escape from the light guide layer to the array of pixels. 
     The first side of the light guide layer may receive light from a first light source that is free to move relative to the chassis and the second side of the light guide layer may receive light from a second light source that is fixed relative to the chassis. The chassis may serve as a heat sink for the second light source. 
     To avoid overheating the first light source, the light emitted by the first light source may be less bright than the light emitted by the second light source. This may be achieved by driving the first light source at a lower power than the second light source and/or by using fewer light-emitting diodes to form the first light source than that used to form the second light source. 
     To compensate for the brightness difference between light received by the first side of the light guide layer and light received by the second side of the light guide layer, the light leakage promotion features may have a peak density that is closer to the first side of the light guide layer than the second side of the light guide layer. Since the amount of light that escapes from a given portion of the light guide layer is proportional to the density of light leakage promotion features, positioning the peak density closer to the first light source may compensate for the reduction in brightness of the light provided by the first light source. The asymmetric design of the light leakage promotion features relative to the center of the light guide layer combined with the asymmetric light source arrangement may counterbalance one another to form a uniform backlight for the display. 
     Further features will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a laptop computer with a display in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a handheld electronic device with a display in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a tablet computer with a display in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a computer or other device with display structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative display in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of an illustrative display backlight assembly showing how two strips of light-emitting diodes may be used in providing backlight for a display in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of illustrative structures in a backlight assembly in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of a light guide layer having first and second opposing sides that receive light respectively from first and second strips of light-emitting diodes in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a top view of illustrative backlight structures having asymmetric light leakage promotion features in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative light guide layer of the type shown in  FIG. 9  with asymmetric light leakage promotion structures that vary in density in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative light guide layer of the type shown in  FIG. 9  with asymmetric light leakage promotion structures that vary in size in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative light guide layer of the type shown in  FIG. 9  with asymmetric light leakage promotion structures having one or more properties that vary continuously along a dimension of the light guide layer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative light guide layer of the type shown in  FIG. 9  with asymmetric light leakage promotion structures formed from embedded scattering structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative light guide layer of the type shown in  FIG. 9  with asymmetric light leakage promotion structures formed from protrusions in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic devices may include displays. The displays may be used to display images to a user. Illustrative electronic devices that may be provided with displays are shown in  FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4 . 
       FIG. 1  shows how electronic device  10  may have the shape of a laptop computer having upper housing  12 A and lower housing  12 B with components such as keyboard  16  and touchpad  18 . Device  10  may have hinge structures  20  that allow upper housing  12 A to rotate in directions  22  about rotational axis  24  relative to lower housing  12 B. Display  14  may be mounted in upper housing  12 A. Upper housing  12 A, which may sometimes referred to as a display housing or lid, may be placed in a closed position by rotating upper housing  12 A towards lower housing  12 B about rotational axis  24 . 
       FIG. 2  shows how electronic device  10  may be a handheld device such as a cellular telephone, music player, gaming device, navigation unit, watch, or other compact device. In this type of configuration for device  10 , housing  12  may have opposing front and rear surfaces. Display  14  may be mounted on a front face of housing  12 . Display  14  may, if desired, have openings for components such as button  26 . Openings may also be formed in display  14  to accommodate a speaker port (see, e.g., speaker port  28  of  FIG. 2 ). In compact devices such as wrist-watch devices, port  28  and/or button  26  may be omitted and device  10  may be provided with a strap or lanyard. 
       FIG. 3  shows how electronic device  10  may be a tablet computer. In electronic device  10  of  FIG. 3 , housing  12  may have opposing planar front and rear surfaces. Display  14  may be mounted on the front surface of housing  12 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , display  14  may have an opening to accommodate button  26  (as an example). 
       FIG. 4  shows how electronic device  10  may be a display such as a computer monitor, a computer that has been integrated into a computer display, or other device with a built-in display. With this type of arrangement, housing  12  for device  10  may be mounted on a support structure such as stand  30  or stand  30  may be omitted (e.g., to mount device  10  on a wall). Display  14  may be mounted on a front face of housing  12 . 
     The illustrative configurations for device  10  that are shown in  FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4  are merely illustrative. In general, electronic device  10  may be a laptop computer, a computer monitor containing an embedded computer, a tablet computer, a cellular telephone, a media player, or other handheld or portable electronic device, a smaller device such as a wrist-watch device, a pendant device, a headphone or earpiece device, or other wearable or miniature device, a computer display that does not contain an embedded computer, a gaming device, a navigation device, an embedded system such as a system in which electronic equipment with a display is mounted in a kiosk or automobile, equipment that implements the functionality of two or more of these devices, or other electronic equipment. 
     Housing  12  of device  10 , which is sometimes referred to as a case, may be formed of materials such as plastic, glass, ceramics, carbon-fiber composites and other fiber-based composites, metal (e.g., machined aluminum, stainless steel, or other metals), other materials, or a combination of these materials. Device  10  may be formed using a unibody construction in which most or all of housing  12  is formed from a single structural element (e.g., a piece of machined metal or a piece of molded plastic) or may be formed from multiple housing structures (e.g., outer housing structures that have been mounted to internal frame elements or other internal housing structures). 
     Display  14  may be a touch sensitive display that includes a touch sensor or may be insensitive to touch. Touch sensors for display  14  may be formed from an array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes, a resistive touch array, touch sensor structures based on acoustic touch, optical touch, or force-based touch technologies, or other suitable touch sensor components. 
     Display  14  for device  10  may include pixels formed from liquid crystal display (LCD) components. A display cover layer may cover the surface of display  14  or a display layer such as a color filter layer or other portion of a display may be used as the outermost (or nearly outermost) layer in display  14 . The outermost display layer may be formed from a transparent glass sheet, a clear plastic layer, or other transparent member. 
     A cross-sectional side view of an illustrative configuration for display  14  of device  10  (e.g., for display  14  of the devices of  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4  or other suitable electronic devices) is shown in  FIG. 5 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , display  14  may include backlight structures such as backlight unit  42  for producing backlight  44 . During operation, backlight  44  travels outwards (vertically upwards in dimension Z in the orientation of  FIG. 5 ) and passes through display pixel structures in display layers  46 . This illuminates any images that are being produced by the display pixels for viewing by a user. For example, backlight  44  may illuminate images on display layers  46  that are being viewed by viewer  48  in direction  50 . 
     Display layers  46  may be mounted in chassis structures such as a plastic chassis structure and/or a metal chassis structure to form a display module for mounting in housing  12  or display layers  46  may be mounted directly in housing  12  (e.g., by stacking display layers  46  into a recessed portion in housing  12 ). Display layers  46  may form a liquid crystal display or may be used in forming displays of other types. 
     Display layers  46  may include a liquid crystal layer such a liquid crystal layer  52 . Liquid crystal layer  52  may be sandwiched between display layers such as display layers  58  and  56 . Layers  56  and  58  may be interposed between lower polarizer layer  60  and upper polarizer layer  54 . 
     Layers  58  and  56  may be formed from transparent substrate layers such as clear layers of glass or plastic. Layers  58  and  56  may be layers such as a thin-film transistor layer and/or a color filter layer. Conductive traces, color filter elements, transistors, and other circuits and structures may be formed on the substrates of layers  58  and  56  (e.g., to form a thin-film transistor layer and/or a color filter layer). Touch sensor electrodes may also be incorporated into layers such as layers  58  and  56  and/or touch sensor electrodes may be formed on other substrates. 
     With one illustrative configuration, layer  58  may be a thin-film transistor layer that includes an array of pixel circuits based on thin-film transistors and associated electrodes (pixel electrodes) for applying electric fields to liquid crystal layer  52  and thereby displaying images on display  14 . Layer  56  may be a color filter layer that includes an array of color filter elements for providing display  14  with the ability to display color images. If desired, layer  58  may be a color filter layer and layer  56  may be a thin-film transistor layer. Configurations in which color filter elements are combined with thin-film transistor structures on a common substrate layer in the upper or lower portion of display  14  may also be used. 
     During operation of display  14  in device  10 , control circuitry (e.g., one or more integrated circuits on a printed circuit) may be used to generate information to be displayed on display  14  (e.g., display data). The information to be displayed may be conveyed to a display driver integrated circuit such as circuit  62 A or  62 B using a signal path such as a signal path formed from conductive metal traces in a rigid or flexible printed circuit such as printed circuit  64  (as an example). 
     Backlight structures  42  may include a light guide layer such as light guide layer  78  (sometimes referred to as a light guide structure or light guide). Light guide layer  78  may be formed from one or more stacked layers of transparent material such as clear glass or plastic (e.g., molded plastic that forms a light guide plate, a thin flexible plastic film, etc.). During operation of backlight structures  42 , a light source such as light source  72  may generate light  74 . Light source  72  may be, for example, an array of light-emitting diodes. 
     Light  74  from light source  72  may be coupled into side surface  76  of light guide layer  78  and may be distributed in dimensions X and Y throughout light guide layer  78  due to the principal of total internal reflection. Light guide layer  78  may include light-scattering features such as pits or bumps. The light-scattering features may be located on an upper surface and/or on an opposing lower surface of light guide layer  78 . Light source  72  may be located at the left side of light guide layer  78  as shown in  FIG. 5  or may be located along the right side of plate  78  and/or other sides of plate  78 . 
     Light  74  that scatters upwards in direction Z from light guide layer  78  may serve as backlight  44  for display  14 . Light  74  that scatters downwards may be reflected back in the upwards direction by reflector  80 . Reflector  80  may be formed from a reflective material such as a layer of plastic covered with a dielectric mirror thin-film coating. 
     To enhance backlight performance for backlight structures  42 , backlight structures  42  may include optical films  70 . Optical films  70  may include diffuser layers for helping to homogenize backlight  44  and thereby reduce hotspots, compensation films for enhancing off-axis viewing, and brightness enhancement films (also sometimes referred to as turning films) for collimating backlight  44 . Optical films  70  may overlap the other structures in backlight unit  42  such as light guide layer  78  and reflector  80 . For example, if light guide layer  78  has a rectangular footprint in the X-Y plane of  FIG. 5 , optical films  70  and reflector  80  may have a matching rectangular footprint. If desired, films such as compensation films may be incorporated into other layers of display  14  (e.g., polarizer layers). 
     To provide backlight illumination of sufficient strength and uniformity, it may be desirable to launch light  74  into light guide layer  78  from more than one side of layer  78 . As shown in the top view of light guide layer  78  of  FIG. 6 , for example, light  74 T may be emitted into light guide layer  78  using a first strip of light-emitting diodes such as light-emitting diodes  72 T along the top side of light guide layer  78  and using a second strip of light-emitting diodes  72 B along the bottom side of light guide layer  78 . As backlight travels through the pixel structures of the display layers above backlight unit  42  ( FIG. 5 ), the pixel structures display an image for the user of device  10 . 
       FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of display structures that may be used in forming a display module for display  14 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , backlight assembly  42  may include support structures such as support structure  86 . A top strip of light-emitting diodes such as top light-emitting diodes  74 T may be mounted on printed circuit  82 T and a bottom strip of light-emitting diodes such as bottom light-emitting diodes  72 B may be mounted on printed circuit  82 B. Printed circuits such as printed circuits  82 T and  82 B may be rigid printed circuits formed using rigid layers of dielectric such as fiberglass-filled epoxy or other suitable dielectric material, may be flexible printed circuits formed from sheets of polyimide or other layers of polymer, or may be include a combination of rigid and flexible layers (sometimes referred to as “rigid-flex” printed circuits). 
     If desired, top printed circuit  82 T and bottom printed circuit  82 B may be different types of printed circuits. For example, top printed circuit  82 T may be a flexible printed circuit and bottom printed circuit  82 B may be a rigid printed circuit. This is, however, merely illustrative. If desired, top printed circuit  82 T may be rigid and bottom printed circuit  82 B may be flexible, both printed circuits  82 T and  82 B may be rigid, or both printed circuits  82 T and  82 B may be flexible. Embodiments where top printed circuit  82 T is a flexible printed circuit and bottom printed circuit  82 B is a rigid printed circuit are sometimes described herein as an example. 
     Optical films  70 , light guide layer  78 , reflector  80 , light-emitting diodes  74 T (and associated printed circuit  82 T), and light-emitting diodes  74 B (and associated printed circuit  82 B) mounted within support structures such as support structure  86 . Display layers such as polarizer layers  60  and  54 , thin-film transistor layer  58 , liquid crystal layer  52 , and color filter layer  56  of  FIG. 5  may also be mounted in support structure  86  (e.g., by placing these layers on layers  70 ). 
     Support structure  86  may sometimes be referred to as chassis members or chassis structures and may be formed from materials such as plastic, ceramic, fiber composites, metal, or other suitable materials. In one illustrative arrangement, chassis  86  includes both metal and plastic parts. For example, chassis  86  may include metal portions  86 M (sometimes referred to as a metal chassis or m-chassis) and plastic portions  86 P (sometimes referred to as a plastic chassis or p-chassis). If desired, display  14  may be formed by mounting light-emitting diodes  72 T and  72 B, optical films  70 , and other display structures directly within housing  12  or by mounting light-emitting diodes  72 T and  72 B, optical films  70 , and other display structures in support structures of other shapes. In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 7 , metal chassis  86 M and plastic chassis  86 P are used in forming a display module for display  14  that may be mounted within housing  12  under a display cover. Other mounting configurations may be used, if desired. 
     To help improve backlight efficiency, it may be desirable to minimize gaps between light-emitting diodes and light-guide plate  78 , while ensuring that the resulting structures will be able to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction of light-guide plate  78  during use of device  10  in hot and cold environments. With one suitable arrangement, light-emitting diodes  72 T are attached light guide layer  78  along the top side of light guide layer without being attached to surrounding support structures. This allows light-emitting diodes  78 T to be free to move with respect to surrounding support structures such as chassis  86  during thermal expansion and contraction events, while maintaining a small separation between light-emitting diodes  72 T and light-guide plate  78 . At the opposing bottom side of light guide layer  78 , light guide layer  78  and light-emitting diodes  72 B may be attached to support structures such as m-chassis  86 M in a fixed arrangement that does not permit light-emitting diodes  72 B to move with respect to m-chassis  86 M. As with the floating top side of light guide layer  78 , the gap between light emitting diodes  72 B and light guide layer  78  may be minimized at the fixed bottom side of light guide layer  78 . 
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of display  14  in the vicinity of backlight structures  42 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , top light-emitting diodes  72 T may be attached to light-guide plate  78  so that light  74 T from light-emitting diodes  72 T may be efficiently emitted from light-emitting diodes  72 T into the top side of light guide layer  78  across gap  92 . Gap  92  may be filled with air or an adhesive and may (for at least some of the light-emitting diodes  72 T) be characterized by a gap width G 1  of about 0.2 mm (e.g., less than 0.6 mm, less than 0.5 mm, less than 0.4 mm, less than 0.3 mm, less than 0.2 mm, or less than 0.1 mm). Small gap widths such as these may be achieved since light-emitting diodes  72 T are fixed relative to light guide layer  78  and floating relative to m-chassis  86 M, thereby allowing light-emitting diodes  72 T to move with light guide layer  78  as it expands or contracts. 
     Light-emitting diodes  72 T may extend in a strip along dimension X (into the page in the orientation of  FIG. 8 ) and may be electrically connected to metal traces  98  in flex circuit  82 T. Light-emitting diodes  72 T may be, for example, soldered to metal pads on the upper surface of flex circuit  82 T using solder  96 . During operation of device  10 , electrical power may be supplied to light-emitting diodes  72 T using traces  98 . 
     The distance between light-emitting diodes  72 T and light guide layer  78  along lateral dimension Y may be fixed by attaching light guide layer  78  to flex circuit  82 T. As shown in  FIG. 8 , light guide layer  78  may be attached to flex circuit  82 T using adhesive such as optically clear adhesive  90 . A reflective layer such as printed white ink or white tape may be interposed between optically clear adhesive  90  and flex circuit  82 T to help reflect light  74 T into light guide layer  78 . The reflective layer may be attached to flex circuit  82 T using an additional layer of adhesive (e.g., between the reflective layer and flex circuit  82 T) or may be formed from reflective material that is incorporated into adhesive  90 . 
     At the opposing bottom side of light guide layer  78 , a strip of bottom light-emitting diodes  72 B may be soldered to printed circuit  82 B. Printed circuit  82 B may be attached to m-chassis  86 M using a layer of adhesive such as conductive adhesive  102 . After using adhesive  102  to secure light-emitting diodes  72 B and printed circuit  82 B to m-chassis  86 M, the position of light-emitting diodes  72 B is fixed with respect to m-chassis  86 M. 
     In the configuration shown in  FIG. 8 , the lower strip of light-emitting diodes (i.e., bottom light-emitting diodes  74 B) and bottom printed circuit  82 B are attached to m-chassis  86 M and do not move relative to m-chassis  86 M. 
     To maintain a consistent position of light guide layer  78  relative to light-emitting diodes  72 B, light guide layer  78  may be mounted to chassis  86  using mounting structures such as mounting structure  84 . Mounting structure  84  may be a pin that extends through an opening in light guide layer  78  to hold light guide layer  78  in place relative to chassis  86 . Because light guide layer  78  is anchored to chassis  86  (e.g., to m-chassis  86 M or p-chassis  86 P), light guide layer  78  may be mounted in a fixed relation to bottom light-emitting diodes  72 B. If desired, other mounting arrangements may be used. For example, light guide layer  78  may include a protrusion that extends through a recess or opening in chassis  86  or that is received by a portion of housing  12  ( FIG. 1 ) 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , bottom light-emitting diodes  72 B emit light into the bottom side of light guide layer  78  across gap  94 . Gap  94  may be filled with air or adhesive and may (for at least some of the light-emitting diodes  72 B) be characterized by a gap width G 2  of about 0.2 mm (e.g., less than 0.6 mm, less than 0.5 mm, less than 0.4 mm, less than 0.3 mm, less than 0.2 mm, or less than 0.1 mm). 
     To accommodate thermal contraction and expansion in light guide layer  78 , the upper side of light guide layer may be attached to top light-emitting diodes  72 T in a fixed relationship, without attaching light-emitting diodes  72 T, flex circuit  82 T, or the upper side of light guide layer  78  to m-chassis  86 M. The bottom side of display  14  may therefore have a light guide layer and light-emitting diode backlight source that are in a fixed position relative to chassis  86 , whereas the top side of display  14  may have a light guide layer and light-emitting diode backlight source that are free to move relative to chassis  86 . 
     Bottom light-emitting diodes  72 B may be top-emitting diodes (e.g., where light is emitted from a top surface opposite the bottom surface that is mounted to the substrate) and top light-emitting diodes  72 T may be side-emitting diodes (e.g., where light is emitted from a side surface adjacent to the bottom surface that is mounted to the substrate). This is, however, merely illustrative. If desired, bottom light-emitting diodes  72 B may be side-emitting diodes and top light-emitting diodes  72 T may be top-emitting diodes. 
     Heat may be produced by the operation of light-emitting diodes  72  and other components in electronic device  10  such as processing circuitry, camera flash units, communications circuits such as circuits involved in communicating with external equipment, video circuits, and other devices. 
     If care is not taken, high-temperature operation can degrade the performance of displays, causing light-emitting diode light output to decrease over time. When light-emitting diodes are simultaneously operated at elevated drive power levels and elevated temperatures, lumen depreciation can be accelerated (i.e., light-emitting diode lifetimes may be shortened). 
     To conduct heat away from bottom light-emitting diodes  72 B, printed circuit  82 B may be a metal-core printed circuit (e.g., having an aluminum core or other suitable thermally conductive core) that conducts heat away from light-emitting diodes  72 B to m-chassis  86 M. M-chassis  86 M may be a thermally conductive material that serves as a heat sink for bottom light-emitting diodes  72 B. 
     Since top light-emitting diodes  72 T are not directly attached to m-chassis  86 M, heat sink structures may be formed on or incorporated into flex circuit  82 T. For example, a coating of copper or other thermally conductive material may be formed on the top surface of flex circuit  82 T. 
     If desired, the risk of overheating top light-emitting diodes  72 T may be reduced by reducing the drive power provided to top light-emitting diodes  72 T and/or by using fewer light-emitting diodes  72 T. For example, light-emitting diodes  72 T may be driven at a drive power value that is 90%, 80%, 60%, 50%, less than 70%, or greater than 70% of the drive power value that is used to drive bottom light-emitting diodes  72 B. The number of top light-emitting diodes  72 T may be equal to the number of bottom light-emitting diodes  72 B or may be 80%, 60%, 50%, 90%, less than 70%, or greater than 70% of the number of bottom light-emitting diodes  72 B. 
       FIG. 9  is a top view of illustrative backlight structures  42  of the type shown in  FIG. 8 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , top light-emitting diodes  72 T emit light  74 T into top side  76 T of light guide layer  78 . Bottom light-emitting diodes  72 B emit light  74 B into bottom side  76 B of light guide layer  78 . 
     In backlit displays, care must be taken to ensure that backlight is uniform across the display. To produce uniform backlight, upper surface  114  of light guide layer  78  may have light leakage promotion structures  104  that help scatter light out of light guide layer  78  in a direction parallel to the Z-axis of  FIG. 9 . Light leakage promotion structures  104  (sometimes referred to as light leakage promotion features, light scattering features, may be formed by roughening or forming notches in surface  114  of light guide layer  78 . As light propagates within light guide layer  78  (e.g., via total internal reflection), the roughened texture of surface  114  may promote light leakage from light guide layer  78  in direction Z to provide backlight for display  14 . 
     The example of  FIG. 9  in which light leakage promotion features  104  are formed on upper surface  114  of light guide layer  78  (e.g., the light-exiting surface) is merely illustrative. If desired, light leakage promotion features  104  may be formed on an opposing lower surface of light guide layer  78 . 
     Reducing the drive power to and/or reducing the number of top light-emitting diodes  72 T may help avoid overheating light-emitting diodes  72 T. However, the reduction in number and/or drive power may result in a reduced brightness at top side  76 T of light guide layer  78  relative to bottom side  76 B of light guide layer  78 . For example, the brightness of light  74 T emitted by top light-emitting diodes  72 T (e.g., the brightness of light emitted from each individual light-emitting diode  72 T and/or the brightness of light collectively emitted by the strip of light-emitting diodes  72 T) may be less than the brightness of light  74 B emitted by bottom of light-emitting diodes  72 B. 
     To compensate for the difference in brightness at side  76 T relative to the brightness at side  76 B, light leakage promotion features  104  may be designed to allow more light to escape near top side  76 T of light guide layer  78  than bottom side  76 B. For example, instead of having the peak amount of light leakage occur at the center of light guide layer  78  (e.g., along axis C of  FIG. 9 ), the peak amount of light leakage may occur at line M (e.g., somewhere between top side  76 T and center line C of light guide layer  78 ). In the example of  FIG. 9 , light leakage promotion structures  104  have a maximum density along point M, which is closer to top side  76 T than bottom side  76 B of light guide layer  78 . 
     The increased density of light leakage promotion structures  104  near top side  76 T helps provide uniform backlight from surface  114 . In particular, the combination of lower intensity light emitted into top side  76 T of light guide layer  78  and the higher density of light leakage promotion structures  104  may lead to light of a given brightness escaping from the upper half of surface  114  (e.g., the portion of surface  114  between center line C and top side  76 T). On the opposing side, the combination of higher intensity light emitted into bottom side  76 B of light guide layer  78  and the lower density of light leakage promotion structures  104  may lead to light of the same given brightness escaping from the lower half of surface  114  (e.g., the portion of surface  114  between center line C and bottom side  76 B). In this way, even though backlight structures  42  are asymmetric about center axis C, backlight that escapes from surface  114  towards display layers  46  ( FIG. 5 ) will be uniform across surface  114 . 
     Asymmetric light leakage promotion features  104  may be formed using any suitable technique. Light leakage promotion features  104  may be a grid of ink dots printed on the light guide layer  78 , particulates infused in light guide layer  78 , etched grooves (e.g., vertical and/or horizontal lines etched into light guide layer  78 ), or other suitable structures, layers, or surface features that allow light to escape through surface  114  of light guide plate  78 . 
       FIGS. 10-14  are illustrative examples of ways in which light guide layer  78  may be provided with asymmetric light leakage promotion structures. 
     In the example of  FIG. 10 , light leakage promotion features  104 A may include a series of notches or roughened portions formed on surface  114  of light guide layer  78 . The amount of notches or roughened portions in a given area X of surface  114  may define the density of features  104 A. The density of roughened portions  104 A between top side  76 T and point M may increase along direction  120  as portions  104 A approach point M. The density of roughened portions  104 A between bottom side  76 B and point M may increase along direction  122  as portions  104 A approach point M. The increased density of light leakage promotion structures along line M may promote increased light leakage of those portions of light guide layer  78 . Light leakage promotion structures  104 A may have a maximum density at point M to increase light leakage from the upper half of surface  114  to compensate for the reduced intensity of light from top light-emitting diodes  72 T relative to bottom light-emitting diodes  72 B. 
       FIG. 11  is another example of how light leakage promotion structures  104  may be asymmetric relative to the center of light guide layer  78  (e.g., center line C of  FIG. 9 ). In the example of  FIG. 11 , light leakage promotion structures  104 B may vary in size along a dimension of light guide layer  78  between sides  76 T and  76 B (e.g., parallel to the Y-axis of  FIG. 9 ). Each roughened portion or notch  104 B may have a depth such as depth D. The depth D of notches  104 B between top side  76 T and point M may increase along direction  120  as portions  104 B approach point M. The depth of notches  104 B between bottom side  76 B and point M may increase along direction  122  as portions  104 B approach point M. Deeper roughened portions (e.g., light leakage promotion structures of greater size) may promote increased light leakage in portions of light guide layer  78  that are farther away from light sources  72 T and  72 B. Light leakage promotion structures  104 B may have a maximum depth at point M to increase light leakage from the upper half of surface  114  to compensate for the reduced intensity of light from top light-emitting diodes  72 T relative to bottom light-emitting diodes  72 B. 
       FIG. 12  is another example of how light leakage promotion structures may be asymmetric to produce uniform backlight. As shown in  FIG. 12 , light leakage promotion structures  104 C may be formed continuously along surface  114  of light guide layer  78 . Light leakage promotion structures  104 C may have one or more properties that change smoothly between to top side  76 T and bottom side  76 B (e.g., light leakage promotion structures  104 C may vary according to a linear or curved gradient). For example, the depth of notches  104 C between top side  76 T and point M may increase gradually along direction  120 . The depth of notches  104 C between bottom side  76 B and point M my increase gradually along direction  122 . Other properties of light leakage promotion structures  104 C that may vary gradually between the top and bottom sides of light guide layer  78  include size, shape, density, and/or material properties. Light leakage promotion structures  104 C may be used to increase light leakage in portions of light guide layer  78  that are farther away from light sources  72 T and  72 B. Light leakage promotion structures  104 C may result in a peak light leakage amount at point M to compensate for the reduced intensity of light from top light-emitting diodes  72 T relative to bottom light-emitting diodes  72 B. 
     If desired, light leakage promotion structures  104  in light guide layer  78  may be formed from embedded scattering structures such as particles, bubbles, and/or voids. As shown in the illustrative arrangement of  FIG. 13 , light leakage promotion structures  104 D may be formed from bubbles filled with air, particles formed from materials with an index of refraction that is greater or less than the index of refraction of light guide layer  78 , or particles or voids with other properties that scatter light from light sources  74 T and  74 B upwards through surface  114 . Light leakage promotion structures  104 D between top side  76 T and point M may vary in size, shape, density, and/or material properties (e.g., index-of-refraction) along direction  120  as structures  104 D approach point M. Light leakage promotion structures  104 D between bottom side  76 B and point M may vary in size, shape, density, and/or material properties (e.g., index-of-refraction) along direction  122  as structures  104 D approach point M. Light leakage promotion structures  104 D may result in peak light leakage at point M to compensate for the reduced intensity of light from top light-emitting diodes  72 T relative to bottom light-emitting diodes  72 B. 
     If desired, light leakage promotion structures  104  in light guide layer  78  may be formed from other structures such as protrusions. As shown in  FIG. 14 , a series of protrusions such as protrusions  104 E may be formed on surface  114  of light guide layer  78  and may be used to scatter light from light sources  72 T and  72 B upwards through surface  114 . Protrusions  104 E may be formed as integral portions of light guide layer  78  or may be separate structures that are formed on surface  114  of light guide layer  78 . Protrusions  104 E between top side  76 T and point M may increase in size, shape, density, and/or material properties along direction  120  as protrusions  104 E approach point M. Protrusions  104 E between bottom side  76 B and point M may increase in size, shape, density, and/or material properties along direction  122  as protrusions  104 E approach point M. Light leakage promotion structures  104 E may result in peak light leakage at point M to compensate for the reduced intensity of light from top light-emitting diodes  72 T relative to bottom light-emitting diodes  72 B. 
     The examples described above in which top light-emitting diodes  72 T are floating with respect to m-chassis  86 M and bottom light-emitting diodes  72 B are attached to m-chassis  86 M is merely illustrative. If desired, top light-emitting diodes  72 T may be attached to m-chassis  86 M and bottom light-emitting diodes  72 B may be floating relative to m-chassis  86 M. In this type of arrangement, bottom light-emitting diodes  72 B may be provided with a lower drive power and/or may be fewer in number than that of top light-emitting diodes  72 T. To compensate for the resulting reduction in brightness at the bottom side of light guide layer  78 , light leakage promotion structures may achieve maximum light leakage at a location on light guide layer that is closer to bottom side  76 B than top side  76 T. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20160510
Publication Date: 20180220
Grant Date: 20180220
Priority Date: 20150929
Inventors: LIGTENBERG CHRISTIAAN A.
YIN VICTOR H.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "G02B6/009", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/0035", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/0051", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/0061", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/0068", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/0085", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/0061", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/0061", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/0041", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/0068", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/0051", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/0085", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/0068", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/0035", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/0051", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/009", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/0085", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B6/0041", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 58407094