Adjustable Tint and Haze Layer for Eyewear Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic devices with displays, such as virtual or augmented reality headsets, often struggle with optical performance due to insufficient light management, particularly in ambient light conditions, which affects the viewability of display content.
Innovation Solution
A head-mounted device with a display and an optical system that includes an optical combiner, an adjustable tint and haze layer, and quarter wave plates to manage ambient light, ensuring it is darkened more than display light, thereby enhancing the viewability of display content while allowing external display viewability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a fixed tint layer is used to darken ambient light, then display content viewability is improved, but external display viewability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs adjustable tint layers that can dynamically change their optical properties. The tint layer's darkness can be modulated between different states (dark and light) to adapt to different usage scenarios, allowing the system to optimize for either display content viewability or external display viewability as needed
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the optical parameters of the tint layer by adjusting its darkness level. By controlling the tint layer's optical density parameter, the system can selectively darken ambient light when viewing display content while maintaining transparency for external display viewing, thus resolving the contradiction between these two viewing requirements
2Illumination intensity
If a fixed haze layer is used to diffuse ambient light, then display content clarity is improved, but external display clarity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs adjustable haze layers that can dynamically change their diffusion properties. The haze layer's scattering capability can be modulated between different states (hazy and clear) to adapt to different usage scenarios, allowing the system to optimize for either display content clarity or external display clarity as needed
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the optical parameters of the haze layer by adjusting its scattering coefficient. By controlling the haze layer's light diffusion parameter, the system can selectively diffuse ambient light when viewing display content while maintaining clarity for external display viewing, thus resolving the contradiction between these two viewing requirements
3Illumination intensity
If adjustable tint and haze layers are used, then optical performance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple optical control functions (tint adjustment and haze adjustment) into a unified optical system architecture. By merging the control mechanisms for tint and haze layers, the system achieves improved optical performance while minimizing the increase in device complexity through integrated design
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the optical system with multi-functional components that can perform multiple operations. The adjustable tint and haze layers serve dual purposes of controlling both brightness and clarity, allowing a single system architecture to handle multiple optical optimization requirements without proportionally increasing complexity
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 solution effectively improves the optical performance by darkening and diffusing ambient light, reducing distractions, and enhancing the clarity of display content, while maintaining the ability to view external displays without interference.
Implementation Method 1
a light modulator layer such an adjustable tint and haze layer that darkens and diffuses ambient light
Implementation Method 2
a light modulator layer such an adjustable tint and haze layer that darkens and diffuses ambient light
Implementation Method 3
an optical combiner that combines real-world light with the display content
Implementation Method 4
an optical combiner that combines real-world light with the display content
Data Source
AI summary
A pair of glasses or other eyewear may include a display that produces display content and an optical system through which the display content is viewable from an eye box. The optical system may include an optical combiner that combines real-world light with the display content. The glasses may be operable in a transparent mode for viewing the environment and a dark mode for viewing display content on the glasses. The optical system may include a light modulator layer such an adjustable tint and haze layer that both darkens and diffuses ambient light when the glasses are being used to view display content in the dark mode. The optical system may be configured to darken ambient light more than display light from external displays so that the user can use electronic devices while wearing the glasses.