US 12,105,377 B2
Lighting unit with zonal illumination of a display panel
Zhimin Shi, Bellevue, WA (US); Jian Xu, Redmond, WA (US); and Yijing Fu, Bellevue, WA (US)
Assigned to Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC, Menlo Park, CA (US)
Filed by Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC, Menlo Park, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 6, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/076,223.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/355,547, filed on Jun. 24, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0418105 A1, Dec. 28, 2023
Int. Cl. G02F 1/1335 (2006.01); F21V 8/00 (2006.01); G02F 1/13357 (2006.01)
CPC G02F 1/133607 (2021.01) [G02B 6/0006 (2013.01); G02B 6/0008 (2013.01); G02F 1/133524 (2013.01); G02F 1/133621 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A lighting unit for a display panel, the lighting unit comprising:
a light distribution module comprising a plurality of output waveguides for configurably distributing illuminating light therebetween;
an array of out-couplers, wherein each out-coupler is coupled to an output waveguide of the plurality of output waveguides and configured to out-couple a portion of the illuminating light to propagate towards the display panel; and
a beam spot array generation module configured to receive portions of the illuminating light out-coupled by out-couplers of the array of out-couplers, and to convert each portion to illuminate a zone of the display panel with an illuminating light field comprising an array of light spots, wherein each light spot is configured for illuminating an individual pixel or sub-pixel of the zone of the display panel.