A magnet erased writing device or eWriter includes cholesteric liquid crystal material, in which a written image is erased using magnetically activated electronic circuitry. By eliminating the mechanical erase button of Prior Art eWriters, the eWriter can be designed with a display footprint that can cover nearly the entire face of the eWriter. An erasing magnet can be used with the device, which can be handheld as, for example, by being part of a stylus. With the erasing magnet separated from the device and the mechanical erase button being omitted, the eWriter avoids unintentional erasures, a drawback of Prior Art eWriters.

A display device includes: a display panel including a plurality of display elements; a window member disposed on the display panel; and a plurality of first light conversion members that convert the path of light emitted from the display elements and whose cross sections are about 450 nm to about 950 nm in diameter, wherein the first light conversion members directly contact a surface of the window member.

A display device includes: a display panel including a plurality of display elements; a window member disposed on the display panel; and a plurality of first light conversion members that convert the path of light emitted from the display elements and whose cross sections are about 450 nm to about 950 nm in diameter, wherein the first light conversion members directly contact a surface of the window member.

Brightness in total internal reflection image displays may be enhanced by addition of a plurality of light reflecting particles. The particles may be charged, uncharged or weakly charged. The particles may be designed such that they do not enter the evanescent wave region and frustrate TIR when near the surface of the convex protrusions but be close enough to reflect light rays that pass through the dark pupil region to enhance brightness.

Brightness in conventional total internal reflection image displays may decrease due to incident light passing through the dark pupil region in the white state. Adding sub-wavelength structures to the surface of the convex protrusions on the transparent front sheet may increase brightness in the white state. Control of the size, spacing, shape and refractive index of the sub-wavelength structures may lead to zeroth order reflection and enhanced brightness.

Total internal reflection image displays are equipped with a bistability enhancement particle interaction layer. The bistability enhancement layer imparts bistability in the display at 0V or power off. The bistability enhancement layer may hold particles near the surface in the evanescent wave region at the front electrode at 0V or power off to retain a dark state image. The particle interaction layer may hold particles near the surface of the rear electrode at 0V or power off to retain a bright state image. Control of particle density improves bistability.

A brightness enhancing structure for a reflective display incorporates a transparent sheet having an inward hemispherical surface, a backplane electrode, an apertured membrane between the hemispherical surface and the backplane electrode, and a light reflecting electrode on an outward side of the membrane. A voltage source connected between the electrodes is switchable to apply a first voltage to move the particles inwardly through the apertured membrane toward the backplane electrode, and a second voltage to move the particles outwardly through the apertured membrane toward the light reflecting electrode. Movement of the particles toward the light reflecting electrode frustrates total internal reflection of light rays at the hemispherical surface. Movement of the particles toward the backplane electrode permits total internal reflection of light rays at the hemispherical surface, and outward reflection from the light reflecting electrode toward the hemispherical surface of light rays which pass inwardly through the hemispherical surface.

Reflective image display architecture embodiments are disclosed comprising a perforated continuous reflective sheet. The perforated continuous sheet comprises a coating that provides a threshold to particle movement. The coating may be designed to provide a passive or electro-active physical barrier. The coating improves bistability of the display.

The disclosure generally relates to a front-lit display having transparent and selectively emissive light directionality. The disclosed semi-retro-reflective, semi-specular and specular displays include directional front light systems that reflect light in a manner to preserve the non-Lambertian characteristic of the light output. This leads to brighter displays with a higher degree of luminance as compared to conventional microencapsulated electrophoretic displays with substantially Lambertian reflectance where much of the light is not reflected back towards the viewer.

The disclosure generally relates to a front-lit display having transparent and selectively emissive light directionality. The disclosed semi-retro-reflective, semi-specular and specular displays include directional front light systems that reflect light in a manner to preserve the non-Lambertian characteristic of the light output. This leads to brighter displays with a higher degree of luminance as compared to conventional microencapsulated electrophoretic displays with substantially Lambertian reflectance where much of the light is not reflected back towards the viewer.