AR Near-Eye Display Thermal Management via Local Brightness Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current augmented reality near-eye display systems face challenges with overheating, increased power consumption, and reduced contrast due to inefficient thermal management, particularly in high ambient light conditions, which can lead to image distortion and discomfort for users.
Innovation Solution
An augmented reality near-eye display system with a thermal management system that includes individually addressable image light sources and a temperature sensor, allowing for dynamic adjustment of power distribution based on temperature thresholds to reduce heat generation and maintain image contrast.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the image source system operates at high brightness to maintain contrast in high ambient light conditions, then image visibility is improved, but heat generation and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selectively dimming only specific regions of the display where heat generation is excessive, while maintaining full brightness in other regions. This allows the system to reduce overall heat generation without compromising the contrast and visibility of the entire display, as only portions of the image are affected by thermal management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the display into multiple independently controllable regions or pixels that can be selectively dimmed based on thermal conditions. This segmentation enables granular control over heat generation, allowing the system to maintain high brightness in cool regions while reducing brightness in hot regions, thus balancing image quality and thermal management.
2Temperature
If uniformly dimming the image source system reduces heat generation, then thermal management is improved, but image contrast and visibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniform dimming, the system applies local quality by differentiating between regions that require dimming and regions that maintain full brightness. This preserves image contrast in regions where thermal management is not critical, while reducing heat generation in regions where temperature thresholds are exceeded.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback from temperature sensors that continuously monitor thermal conditions and adjust brightness accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures that dimming is applied only where necessary, maintaining image quality in regions where temperatures remain acceptable while reducing heat generation where needed.
3Use of energy by moving object
If increasing light source current to improve optical efficiency reduces power consumption, then energy efficiency is improved, but heat generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts light source current based on real-time thermal conditions rather than operating at constant high current. This dynamic control allows the system to maximize optical efficiency when temperatures are acceptable while reducing current and heat generation when thermal thresholds are approached, balancing energy efficiency and thermal management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (light source current, brightness levels) based on thermal feedback. By adjusting these parameters dynamically, the system can optimize power consumption when cool and reduce power consumption while managing heat when warm, resolving the contradiction between energy efficiency and heat generation.
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 effectively minimizes overheating, conserves battery power, and maintains image contrast by selectively adjusting the brightness of image light sources, ensuring a comfortable user experience and extended device lifespan.
Implementation Method 1
a temperature sensor operable to detect a temperature within the image source system
Implementation Method 2
an image source system operable to generate image-bearing light beams, the image source system comprising a plurality of individually addressable image light sources
Data Source
AI summary
An augmented reality near-eye display system including an image source system operable to generate image-bearing light beams, the image source system including a plurality of individually addressable components, a temperature sensor operable to detect a temperature within the image source system, and a processor and non-transitory computer-readable memory configurated to execute and store a set of computer-readable instructions that when executed by the processor are configured to selectively drive each of the plurality of individually addressable components based on the temperature of the image source system.