Active Polarizer for Electronic Display Dead-Front Appearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic displays struggle to achieve a seamless integration with their bezel or background, often requiring increased backlighting to compensate for various layers, which affects efficiency and power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A dimmable lens system incorporating an active polarizer based on a guest-host dichroic dye liquid crystal system, optically bonded with a first linear polarizer and a lens, allowing for controlled light transmission and absorption, reducing the need for high backlighting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If multiple compensating layers (neutral density filter, AR film, dimmable lens) are added to achieve dead-front appearance, then the aesthetic integration with bezel is improved, but the backlighting strength must be increased, worsening power consumption and efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the dead-front function and dimming function into a single active polarizer layer, eliminating the need for separate neutral density filters, AR films, and dimmable lenses. This merging reduces the number of optical layers while achieving both aesthetic integration and controlled light transmission, thereby reducing backlight power requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The active polarizer dynamically changes its light transmission properties based on applied voltage, enabling it to function as both a dead-front layer and a dimmable element. This dynamic control allows the system to achieve dead-front appearance only when needed while maintaining high transmission during normal operation, optimizing power consumption.
2Shape
If compensating layers are added to achieve dead-front appearance, then aesthetic integration is improved, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple optical functions (dead-front effect, anti-reflection, dimming) into a single active polarizer layer, reducing the total number of optical layers from multiple separate components to one integrated element. This simplification maintains the dead-front appearance while reducing structural complexity.
3Shape
If multiple optical layers are added for dead-front effect, then aesthetic integration is improved, but light transmission efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The active polarizer dynamically adjusts its light transmission based on voltage application, allowing it to provide dead-front appearance only when required while maintaining high transmission efficiency during normal display operation. This dynamic control minimizes energy loss compared to static compensating layers that continuously reduce transmission.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves a dead-front appearance with low haze, high dimming range, fast response time, minimal color shift, and cost savings by reducing backlight power consumption and thermal energy usage.
Implementation Method 1
The active polarizer may be based on a guest-host dichroic dye liquid crystal system
Implementation Method 2
A first linear polarizer is disposed on the backlit display and a second linear polarizer is disposed on the active polarizer
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
An electronic display comprises a backlight display, a first linear polarizer and an active polarizer coupled to an electronic circuit. The backlight display is configured to turn on and off and includes a display linear polarizer. The first linear polarizer is disposed on a surface on which the backlight display projects polarized light from the display linear polarizer. A transmission angle of the first linear polarizer is aligned with said projected polarized light such that said projected light is substantially transmitted by the first linear polarizer. The active polarizer has a polarizing off state and a non-polarizing on state, and the transmission axis in the off state is oriented to be orthogonal to the first linear polarizer transmission axis whereby in the off state the active polarizer absorbs light transmitted by the first linear polarizer and in the on state the active polarizer passes light transmitted by the first linear polarizer, The electronic circuit is configured to turn on the active polarizer when the backlight display is on, and turn off the active polarizer when the backlight display is off.