US 11,719,978 B2
Direct-lit backlight units with light-emitting diodes
Zhenyue Luo, Santa Clara, CA (US); Meizi Jiao, San Jose, CA (US); Morteza Amoorezaei, San Jose, CA (US); Ling Han, Santa Clara, CA (US); Chungjae Lee, San Jose, CA (US); Ziruo Hong, San Jose, CA (US); Wei He, Cupertino, CA (US); Rong Liu, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Xinyu Zhu, San Jose, CA (US); Mingxia Gu, Campbell, CA (US); Jun Qi, San Jose, CA (US); Eric L. Benson, Hillsborough, CA (US); and Victor H. Yin, Cupertino, CA (US)
Assigned to Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on Nov. 4, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/519,221.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/247,722, filed on Sep. 23, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/247,715, filed on Sep. 23, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/247,735, filed on Sep. 23, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0093750 A1, Mar. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. G02F 1/13357 (2006.01); G02F 1/1335 (2006.01); G02F 1/1333 (2006.01); G06F 1/16 (2006.01)
CPC G02F 1/133611 (2013.01) [G02F 1/13338 (2013.01); G02F 1/133514 (2013.01); G02F 1/133603 (2013.01); G02F 1/133605 (2013.01); G02F 1/133606 (2013.01); G02F 1/133607 (2021.01); G02F 1/133608 (2013.01); G02F 1/133614 (2021.01); G06F 1/16 (2013.01); G06F 1/169 (2013.01); G06F 1/1662 (2013.01); G02F 2202/28 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electronic device comprising:
a liquid crystal display panel; and
a backlight unit that provides backlight for the liquid crystal display panel, wherein the backlight unit comprises:
an array of light-emitting diodes arranged in a plurality of cells, wherein the plurality of cells is arranged in rows and columns, wherein the rows extend in a first direction, wherein the columns extend in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction, wherein each cell has a width that extends in the first direction and a height that extends in the second direction, wherein each cell includes at least one light-emitting diode, wherein the array of light-emitting diodes is arranged in a light-emitting area, wherein the light-emitting area has an edge that extends in the first direction, wherein the light-emitting area has a notch in the edge, wherein the notch extends in the second direction, wherein a first row of the rows is interrupted by the notch, wherein a second row of the rows is not interrupted by the notch, wherein all of the cells in the first row have a first height, and wherein all of the cells in the second row have a second height that is less than the first height; and
at least one light spreading layer that is formed over the array of light-emitting diodes.