Aircraft Light Unit Directional Spectral Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft exterior lights cause glare for pilots during rainy, foggy, or snowy conditions due to reflected light, compromising visibility while maintaining high brightness is essential for air traffic safety.
Innovation Solution
The aircraft light unit emits white light with a higher percentage of short wave radiation (blue light) in areas less prone to reflection, using distinct light outputs with different correlated color temperatures and spatial sectors to reduce glare effectively, while maintaining high intensity and brightness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If aircraft exterior lights emit high intensity white light to ensure visibility, then brightness and visibility are improved, but glare is caused to pilots due to reflected light from ground or particles in air
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the spectral composition of light emitted in different spatial directions. The light source emits light with reduced short wave radiation (blue light component) specifically in the forward direction where glare would affect the pilot, while maintaining higher intensity in other directions. This directional spectral differentiation resolves the contradiction by making the light quality adaptive to the local requirement of each spatial sector.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the spectral parameter of the emitted light based on direction. By adjusting the correlated color temperature and reducing the percentage of short wave radiation (wavelength < 480 nm) in the forward emission direction, the light source modifies its physical parameters to minimize glare-causing blue light while maintaining overall brightness. This parameter change allows the system to maintain high visibility without causing pilot glare.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the percentage of short wave radiation (blue light) is reduced in the forward direction to minimize glare, then glare risk is reduced, but light emission efficiency may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by directing different spectral compositions to different spatial sectors. The light source is designed to emit light with reduced short wave radiation specifically in the forward direction (0° to 60°) where glare would affect the pilot, while emitting light with higher short wave radiation content in other directions. This spatially differentiated approach maintains overall energy efficiency by only reducing blue light content where necessary for glare prevention.
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
This configuration significantly reduces the risk of glare for pilots while ensuring high visibility and efficiency in light emission, adhering to aviation standards for white light output.
Implementation Method 1
at least one light source, which is configured for emitting light; wherein the light unit is configured to emit at least one first output of white light into a predefined first spatial sector... and to emit at least one second output of white light into a predefined second spatial sector
Data Source
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AI summary
An aircraft light unit (4) includes a mounting portion (42), which is configured for mounting the light unit (4) to an aircraft (2); and at least one light source (40a, 40b), which is configured for emitting light. The light unit (4) is configured to emit at least one first output of white light into a predefined first spatial sector (10) and to emit at least one second output of white light into a predefined second spatial sector (12). The light of the at least one first output of white light comprises a first percentage of radiation having a wavelength that is shorter than a predefined threshold, and the light of the at least one second output of white light comprises a second percentage of radiation having a wavelength that is shorter than the predefined threshold, wherein the first percentage of radiation is smaller than the second percentage of radiation.