Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a display device, and more particularly, to a 2D/3D switchable liquid crystal lens (LC lens) unit for use in a display device. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Prior Art 
         [0004]    Real-world images are perceived by the human eye, and further, so-called three-dimensional (3D) images are perceived by the human brain depending on an apparent displacement of an object viewed along two different lines of sight. Such a displacement or a spatial difference is called parallax. A so-called 3D display device, simulating human vision to form different viewing angles, is capable of conveying 3D images to the viewer. The 3D display device produces two different 2D images with parallax, one for the viewer&#39;s right eye and the other for the left eye. Afterwards, the viewer&#39;s brain perceives these two different 2D images as a 3D image. 
         [0005]    Nowadays, there are two types of 3D display devices in general, auto-stereoscopic displays and stereoscopic displays. A user of an auto-stereoscopic display can see three-dimensional images without wearing special type glasses. As for a user of a stereoscopic display, he/she has to wear special type glasses to see three-dimensional images. A commonly seen auto-stereoscopic display is divided into two types: slit grating auto-stereoscopic displays and microlens array auto-stereoscopic displays. The theorem of slit grating auto-stereoscopic displays lies on that a user sees parallax images through both eyes based on an opaque parallax barrier, and the parallax images is perceived as stereoscopic view in the brain. As for microlens array auto-stereoscopic displays, an LC lens unit acts as a lenticular lens and is attached onto an LC panel. The LC lens unit is fitly made of a single refractive index microlens array and a birefringence index microlens array fitly. The birefringence index microlens array is made of liquid crystals. The variations of the electric field applied on the birefringence index microlens make LC molecules adjust the alignment and the refractive index. The horizontal direction of LC molecules becomes the vertical one, and the ordinary refractive index n o  becomes the extraordinary refractive index n e . In this way, the light emitted to the lens unit has various emitting directions owing to variations of the refractive index of the birefringence index microlens. According to this theorem, the user can see light with two different types of refractive angles, which makes it possible to switch between 2D/3D images. However, a traditional lens unit structure is that two-layer control electrodes are individually disposed on the upper and lower sides of the birefringence index microlens. The two-layer control electrodes have a driving voltage difference which generates an electric field. The electric field adjusts the horizontal direction of the LC molecules into the vertical direction. Generally speaking, the driving voltage difference goes up to 5 volts or more. So, to produce a lens unit with low driving voltage for switching between 2D/3D images will meet ecological demands greatly. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a 2D/3D switchable LC lens unit and a display device. The LC lens unit adjusts the refractive index of a birefringence convex lens by utilizing an electric field produced by control electrodes on a conductive layer to solve the problem occurring in the prior art. 
         [0007]    According to the present invention, a 2D/3D switchable display device comprises a backlight module for generating light, a liquid crystal display panel for showing an image based on the light from the backlight module, and a liquid crystal (LC) lens unit. The light emitting from the liquid crystal display panel is polarized light. The LC lens unit from an emitting surface to an incident surface orderly comprises a plurality of bar-shaped concave lens, and a plurality of bar-shaped LC convex lens. Each LC convex lens corresponds to one of the bar-shaped concave lens. The plurality of LC convex lens comprises a transparent substrate, a conductive layer on the transparent substrate, and a first LC layer sandwiched between the concave lens and the transparent substrate. The conductive layer comprises a plurality of control electrodes for controlling an alignment of LC molecules inside the LC convex lens to adjust an equivalent refractive index of the LC convex lens larger or equaling to a first refractive index of the concave lens. 
         [0008]    According to the present invention, a LC lens unit from an emitting surface to an incident surface orderly comprises a plurality of bar-shaped concave lens, and a plurality of bar-shaped LC convex lens. Each LC convex lens corresponds to one of the bar-shaped concave lens. The plurality of LC convex lens comprises a transparent substrate, a conductive layer on the transparent substrate, and a first LC layer sandwiched between the concave lens and the transparent substrate. The conductive layer comprises a plurality of control electrodes for controlling an alignment of LC molecules inside the LC convex lens to adjust an equivalent refractive index of the LC convex lens larger or equaling to a first refractive index of the concave lens. 
         [0009]    In one aspect of the present invention, the refractive index of the concave lens equals to an extraordinary refractive index of LC molecules of the first LC layer. 
         [0010]    In another aspect of the present invention, the control electrodes are shaped as bars, which extends along a direction parallel to an extending direction of the bar-shaped LC convex lens. The LC lens unit cooperates with linear polarized light and the bar-shaped LC convex lens extend along a first direction and arrange in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the polarized direction is perpendicular to the first direction. The LC convex lens further comprises an alignment film disposed between the first LC layer and the transparent substrate, and the alignment is used for aligning the optical axis of the liquid crystal molecules inside the first LC layer with first direction before an electric field is applied on the liquid crystal molecules inside the first LC layer. The LC molecules inside the first LC layer are positive liquid crystal molecules whose optical axes are parallel to a direction of the electric field, and each optical axis is slanted away from the first direction by a certain angle. 
         [0011]    In still another aspect of the present invention, an extraordinary refractive index of the liquid crystal molecules inside the first layer is 1.2 times larger than an ordinary refractive index of the liquid crystal molecules. 
         [0012]    In still another aspect of the present invention, the concave lens is a birefringence concave lens comprising a second LC layer composed of a plurality of liquid crystal molecules of which an alignment is perpendicular to the transparent substrate. 
         [0013]    In still another aspect of the present invention, the concave lens is a birefringence concave lens comprising a second LC layer composed of a plurality of liquid crystal molecules of which an alignment is parallel to the transparent substrate. 
         [0014]    Compared with the prior art, the display device of the present invention can adjust driving voltage to control rotation angles of LC molecules of an LC convex lens. The equivalent refractive index of the LC convex lens can be accordingly varied to dynamically adjust the refractive index difference between the equivalent refractive index and the refractive index of a concave lens. The aim is to compensate for the refraction angle of light that the human eye requires when the human eye observes different distances of a display device. In addition, the refractive index of an extraordinary light of the LC convex lens is far larger than that of an ordinary light of the LC convex lens. When the LC molecules rotate by a slight angle, the incident polarized light can obtain a more apparent variation of refractive index to achieve the target of a 3D/2D switch. This also means that a smaller electric field can achieve the target a 3D/2D switch, which reduces power consumption indirectly. 
         [0015]    These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, which is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a display device displaying 3D images according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of an alignment of the LC molecules and a polarized direction of the incident polarized light. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram illustrating a cross section of the LC lens unit of  FIG. 1  in sight of a direction of Arrow A and an optical path of the incident polarized light before the LC molecules inside an LC convex lens change their alignment according to first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram illustrating a cross section of the LC lens unit and an optical path of the incident polarized light after the LC molecules inside the LC convex lens change their alignment according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram illustrating a cross section of the LC lens unit and an optical path of the incident polarized light before the LC molecules inside an LC convex lens change their alignment in the second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram illustrating a cross section of the LC lens unit and an optical path of the incident polarized light after the LC molecules inside the LC convex lens change their alignment in the second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram illustrating a cross section of the LC lens unit and an optical path of the incident polarized light before the LC molecules inside an LC convex lens change their alignment in the third embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram illustrating a cross section of the LC lens unit and an optical path of the incident polarized light after the LC molecules inside the LC convex lens change their alignment in the third embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0024]    The invention is described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to identify like elements illustrated in one or more of the figures thereof, and in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath”, “below”, “lower”, “above”, “upper”, “left”, “right”, “top”, “bottom”, “horizontal”, “perpendicular”, and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature&#39;s relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. 
         [0025]    Please refer to  FIG. 1 , which is a schematic diagram of a display device  100  displaying 3D images according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The viewer can convert 2D images into 3D images and 3D images into 2D images when using the display device  100 . The display device  100  comprises a backlight module  102 , an LC panel  110 , polarizer films  114  and  115  at both sides of the liquid crystal display (LCD) panel  110 , and a liquid crystal (LC) lens unit  120 . The backlight module  102  provides a uniform planar light source for the LC panel  110 . The LC panel  110  provides LC materials between a pair of transparent glass substrates on which indium tin oxide (ITO) as a conducting electrode is disposed. The LC panel  110  comprises a pixel array made of a plurality of pixels  112 . When the backlight generated by the backlight module  102  radiates onto the LC panel  110 , alignment of the LC molecules corresponding to each pixel  112  is changed by driving each pixel  112  to adjust strength of emission of the backlight to show different gray levels. The LC panel  110  is situated between the polarizer films  114  and  115 . The orientation of the polarization axis of the polarizer film  114  has a 90° shift with that of the polarizer film  115 . Only components of the transmitted light complies with the polarization axes of the polarizer film  114  and of the polarizer film  115  pass. The present invention is elaborated upon but is not restricted to based on a direction parallel to Direction B, i.e. a polarized direction of the light emitted from the polarizer film  115 . 
         [0026]    Please refer to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3 .  FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of an alignment of the LC molecules and a polarized direction of the incident polarized light.  FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram illustrating a cross section of the LC lens unit  120  of  FIG. 1  in sight of a direction of Arrow A and an optical path of the incident polarized light before the LC molecules inside an LC convex lens  122  change their alignment according to first embodiment of the present invention. From an emitting surface  132  to an incident surface  130 , the LC lens unit  120  orderly comprises a transparent glass substrate  121   a , a plurality of bar-shaped concave lenses  124  each of which is extended along the first direction A and is parallel to one another, a plurality of bar-shaped LC convex lens  122  of which is also extended along the first direction A, and parallel to one another, and is correspondingly embedded to one of concave lenses  122 . The LC convex lens  122  comprises a transparent glass substrate  121   b , a conductive layer  123  on the transparent glass substrate  121   b , and a first LC layer sandwiched between the concave lenses  124  and the transparent glass substrate  121   b . Each bar-shaped concave lens  124  and each bar-shaped LC convex lens  122  are arranged in a direction of arrow B which is perpendicular to the direction of arrow A. In another embodiment, there is no need to use a transparent glass substrate  121   a  for the LC lens unit  120 . What is needed, instead, is to apply a protective film made of cloth to an emitting surface of the concave lenses  124 . 
         [0027]    The conductive layer  123  comprises a plurality of parallel and slender control electrodes. A gap is reserved between each pair of adjacent slender control electrodes. An alignment film is disposed on the top of the conductive layer  123  (not shown in the figures). The alignment film has a function of regulating alignment of the LC molecules in a certain direction before an electric field is applied on the LC molecules. The LC convex lens  122  is a birefringence convex lens. The liquid crystals inside the LC convex lens  122  have both a first ordinary refractive index n o  and a first extraordinary refractive index n e . When the polarized direction of the incident polarized light of the LC convex lens  122  is perpendicular to the direction of the optical axis of the LC molecules, the LC convex lens  122  has the first ordinary refractive index n o  for the incident polarized light at this time. When the polarized direction of the incident polarized light of the LC convex lens  122  is in parallel to the direction of the optical axis of the LC molecules, the LC convex lens  122  has the first extraordinary refractive index n e  for the incident polarized light at this time. In the present embodiment, the refractive index n of the concave lens  124  is equal to the first ordinary refractive index n o . As shown in  FIG. 3 , owing to the alignment film, the alignment of the LC molecules between the two slender control electrodes is perpendicular to the paper surface before driving voltage is applied on the two slender control electrodes of the conductive layer  123 . The polarized direction of the incident polarized light emitted to the LC convex lens  122  from the polarizer film  115  through the incident surface  130  is perpendicular to the optical axis of the LC molecules. 
         [0028]    For the incident polarized light of the LC convex lens  122 , the refractive index n of the concave lens  124  is equal to the first ordinary refractive index n o  of the LC convex lens  122 , so there is no refractive index difference between the LC convex lens  122  and the concave lens  124 . The light can progress in straight lines, which allows the viewer to see 2D images at the emitting surface  132 . 
         [0029]    Please refer to  FIG. 4 , which is a schematic diagram illustrating a cross section of the LC lens unit  120  and an optical path of the incident polarized light after the LC molecules inside the LC convex lens  122  change their alignment according to a first embodiment of the present invention. After driving voltage is applied on the two slender control electrodes of the conductive layer  123 , the LC molecules between the two slender control electrodes start to rotate. The polarized direction of the incident polarized light emitted from the polarizer film  115  is slanted away from the fast axis (i.e., perpendicular to the optical axis) of the LC molecules by an angle θ. Meanwhile, the LC convex lens  122  has an equivalent refractive index n eff . Once the driving voltage increases, the angle θ increases as well. For the incident polarized light, the equivalent refractive index n eff  of the LC convex lens  122  is equal to the refractive index n e  of the first extraordinary light when the angle θ is 90 degrees. Practically, the equivalent refractive index n eff  at the angle θ measuring between 0 and 90 degrees corresponds to the equivalent refractive index n eff  at the angle θ measuring between 90 and 180 degrees. For instance, the equivalent refractive index n eff  at the angle θ measuring 45 degrees is the same as that at the angle θ measuring 135 degrees. That is, the refractive index difference is largest between the first ordinary refractive index n o  (the angle θ=0°) and the first extraordinary refractive index ne (the angle θ=90°). So the equivalent refractive index n eff  of the LC convex lens  122  is between the first ordinary refractive index n o  and the first extraordinary refractive index n e . The equivalent refractive index n eff  of the LC convex lens  122  is larger than the refractive index n (n=n o ) of the concave lens  124 , which means that the incident polarized light enters an optically thinner medium from an optically denser medium. In this way, the incident polarized light refracts at the junction of the LC convex lens  122  and the concave lens  124  and focuses on the human eye. That&#39;s why the user can see 3D images from the emitting surface  132 . 
         [0030]    In addition, the present embodiment can adjust driving voltage applied on the two slender control electrodes of the conductive layer  123 , so that not only the angle θ between the polarized direction of the incident polarized light and the fast axis of the LC molecules, but also the equivalent refractive index n eff  of the LC convex lens  122  can make adjustments accordingly. In this way, the refractive index difference between the equivalent refractive index n eff  of the LC convex lens  122  and the refractive index n of the concave lens  124  changes as well, which causes that refractive directions of the incident polarized light passing through the LC convex lens  122  and the concave lens  124  are slightly different. In other words, the viewer can see clear and vivid 3D images by simply adjusting the driving voltage to change the equivalent refractive index n eff  of the LC convex lens  122  when the distances between the viewer and the emitting surface  132  are D 1  and D 2 , respectively. As for LC materials of the LC convex lens  122 , it is preferred to use materials with a first extraordinary refractive index n o  far larger than a first ordinary refractive index n o , such as n o ≧1.2×n o . At this time, little driving voltage is enough to generate a certain electric field which makes the LC molecules rotate by a certain angle. So the incident polarized light can pass through the two-layer lenses, which have larger refractive index variations, to make the display device  100  convert 2D images into 3D images or 3D images into 2D images. This can reduce power consumption. 
         [0031]    In  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the LC convex lens  122  adopts positive liquid crystal molecules. This means that the alignment of the LC molecules of the LC convex lens  122  is parallel to the direction of the electric field generated by the two slender control electrodes of the conductive layer  123 , which is the same as that of Arrow B in  FIG. 3  (i.e., Arrow B in  FIG. 1 ). In another embodiment, the LC convex lens  122  adopts negative liquid crystal molecules. The two slender control electrodes align in the direction of Arrow A and extend along the direction of Arrow B. 
         [0032]    Please refer to  FIG. 5 , which is a schematic diagram illustrating a cross section of the LC lens unit  220  and an optical path of the incident polarized light before the LC molecules inside an LC convex lens  222  change their alignment in the second embodiment of the present invention. From an emitting surface  230  to an incident surface  232 , the LC lens unit  220  orderly comprises a transparent glass substrate  221   a , a plurality of birefringence concave lenses  224  extending parallel to one another, a plurality of semi-cylindrical LC convex lens  122  extending parallel to one another and corresponding to the embedded birefringence concave lenses  222 , a conductive layer  223 , and a transparent glass substrate  221   b . Practically, the LC lens unit  220  is not required to comprise a transparent glass substrate  221   a . The difference between the LC lens unit  220  in the second embodiment and the LC lens unit  120  in the first embodiment is that, the optical axis of the LC molecules of the birefringence concave lenses  224  is parallel to the propagation direction of the incident light. The birefringence concave lenses  224  have a second ordinary refractive index n o2 . The LC convex lens  222 , being a birefringence convex lens, has both a first ordinary refractive index n o1  and a first extraordinary refractive index n e1 . The second ordinary refractive index n o1  of the birefringence concave lenses  224  is equal to the first ordinary refractive index n o1  of the LC convex lens  222 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , an alignment of the LC molecules between the two slender control electrodes is perpendicular to the paper surface before driving voltage is applied on the space between the two slender control electrodes of the conductive layer  223 . At this time, the polarized direction of the incident polarized light emitted from the polarizer film  115  through the incident surface  230  is perpendicular to the optical axis of the LC molecules. For the incident polarized light of the LC convex lens  222 , the first ordinary refractive index n o1  of the LC convex lens  222  is equal to the second ordinary refractive index n o2  of the birefringence concave lenses  224 , so there is no refractive index difference between the LC convex lens  222  and the birefringence concave lenses  224 . The light can progress in straight lines, which allows the viewer to see 2D images from the emitting surface  232 . 
         [0033]    Please refer to  FIG. 6 , which is a schematic diagram illustrating a cross section of the LC lens unit  220  and an optical path of the incident polarized light after the LC molecules inside the LC convex lens  222  change their alignment in the second embodiment of the present invention. After driving voltage is applied on the two slender control electrodes of the conductive layer  223 , the LC molecules existing between the two slender control electrodes start to rotate. The polarized direction of the incident polarized light emitted from the polarizer film  115  is slanted away from the fast axis of the LC molecules by an angle θ, and meanwhile the LC convex lens  222  has an equivalent refractive index n eff . Once the driving voltage increases, the angle θ increases as well. For the incident polarized light, the equivalent refractive index n eff  of the LC convex lens  222  is equal to the first extraordinary refractive index n e1  when the angle θ is 90 degrees. So the equivalent refractive index n eff  of the LC convex lens  222  is in a range between the first ordinary refractive index n o1  and the first extraordinary refractive index n e1 . The equivalent refractive index n eff  of the LC convex lens  122  is larger than the second ordinary refractive index n o2  (n o2 =n o1 ) of the birefringence concave lenses  224 , which means that the incident polarized light enters an optically thinner medium from an optically denser medium. In this way, the incident polarized light refracts at the junction of the LC convex lens  222  and the birefringence concave lenses  224  and focuses on the human eye. That&#39;s why a user can see 3D images from the emitting surface  232 . 
         [0034]    In addition, the present embodiment can adjust driving voltage applied on the two slender control electrodes of the conductive layer  223 . The angle θ between the polarized direction of the incident polarized light and the fast axis the LC molecules and the equivalent refractive index n eff  of the LC convex lens  222  can make adjustments accordingly. In this way, the refractive index difference between the equivalent refractive index n eff  of the LC convex lens  222  and the second ordinary refractive index n o2  of the birefringence concave lenses  224  changes as well, which causes that refractive directions of the incident polarized light passing through the LC convex lens  222  and the birefringence concave lenses  224  are slightly different. In other words, the viewer can see clear and vivid 3D images by simply adjusting the driving voltage to change the equivalent refractive index n eff  of the LC convex lens  122  when the distances between the viewer and the emitting surface  232  are D 1  and D 2 , respectively. As for LC materials of the LC convex lens  222 , it is preferred to use materials with a first extraordinary refractive index n e1  far larger than a first ordinary refractive index n o1 , such as n e1 ≧1.2×n o1 . At this time, little driving voltage is enough to generate a certain electric field which makes the LC molecules rotate by a certain angle. So the incident polarized light can pass through the two-layer lenses, which have larger refractive index variations, to make the display device  100  convert 2D images into 3D images and 3D images into 2D images. This can reduce power consumption. 
         [0035]    In  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , the LC convex lens  222  adopts positive liquid crystal molecules. This means that the alignment of the LC molecules of the LC convex lens  222  is parallel to the direction of the electric field generated by the two slender control electrodes of the conductive layer  223 , which is the same as that of Arrow B in  FIG. 5  (i.e., Arrow B in  FIG. 1 ). In another embodiment, the LC convex lens  222  adopts negative liquid crystal molecules. The two slender control electrodes align in the direction of Arrow A and extend along the direction of Arrow B. 
         [0036]    Please refer to  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 .  FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram illustrating a cross section of the LC lens unit  320  and an optical path of the incident polarized light before the LC molecules inside an LC convex lens  322  change their alignment in the third embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 8 , which is a schematic diagram illustrating a cross section of the LC lens unit  320  and an optical path of the incident polarized light after the LC molecules inside the LC convex lens  322  change their alignment in the third embodiment of the present invention. It is noted that, for simplicity, elements in  FIGS. 7 and 8  that have the same function as that illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6  are provided with the same item numbers as those used in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . A birefringence concave lenses  224  of the LC transparent lens unit  320  comprises a second LC layer composed of LC molecules whose alignment is parallel to the transparent glass substrate  221   b , i.e., the optical axis of the LC molecules is parallel to the polarized direction of the incident light. For the incident light, the birefringence concave lenses  224  have a second ordinary refractive index n e2 . The difference between the LC lens unit  320  in the present embodiment and the LC lens unit  220  in the second embodiment is that, the refractive index of the concave lenses  224  equals to the second extraordinary refractive index n e2 . In order to show a 3D image, not only making the first ordinary refractive index n o1  equaling to the second extraordinary refractive index n e2 , but also adjusting the equivalent refractive index n eff  of the LC convex lens  222  in a range between the first ordinary refractive index n o1  and the first extraordinary refractive index n e1  are required. That is, when the equivalent refractive index n eff  of the LC convex lens  222  is equal to the second extraordinary refractive index n e2  of the birefringence concave lenses  224 , there is no refractive index difference between the LC convex lens  222  and the birefringence concave lenses  224 . The light can progress in straight lines, which allows the viewer to see 2D images from the emitting surface  232 . When the equivalent refractive index n eff  of the LC convex lens  222  is greater than the second extraordinary refractive index n e2  of the birefringence concave lenses  224 , the incident polarized light enters an optically thinner medium from an optically denser medium. In this way, the incident polarized light refracts at the junction of the LC convex lens  222  and the birefringence concave lenses  224  and focuses on the human eye. That&#39;s why a user can see 3D images from the emitting surface  232 . 
         [0037]    Although the present invention has been explained by the embodiments shown in the drawings described above, it should be understood to the ordinary skilled person in the art that the invention is not limited to the embodiments, but rather various changes or modifications thereof are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention shall be determined only by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Technology Category: g