AR Device Active Shutter Lens Privacy Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional augmented reality devices leak display light carrying digital information, compromising user privacy and reducing sociality due to uncontrolled emission of projected light.
Innovation Solution
An augmented reality device incorporating an eyeglass frame with a combiner, active shutter lens, and image projector, where the processor controls the active shutter lens to prevent light emission from the outer surface, using a liquid crystal light valve or other types of shutter lenses to shield digital content from leakage, ensuring privacy and refined appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If display light is projected through the combiner in a conventional augmented reality device, then digital content can be displayed to the user, but display light leaks from the outer surface compromising user privacy
Solution Approach 1:
An active shutter lens is introduced as an intermediary component between the combiner and the external environment. This shutter lens selectively blocks or transmits light based on control signals, preventing display light from leaking outward while allowing ambient light to pass through when needed, thus resolving the privacy leakage issue without compromising display functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a dynamically controllable active shutter lens that can switch between opaque and transparent states based on real-time control signals. This dynamic control allows the system to adaptively prevent light leakage during display periods while maintaining transparency during ambient light observation periods, solving the contradiction between privacy protection and functional requirements
2Shape
If the combiner emits display light to the external environment, then the augmented reality device appears opaque, but this creates a small display window appearance reducing aesthetic quality
Solution Approach 1:
The active shutter lens serves as a mediator that blocks the emission of display light from the outer surface of the combiner. By preventing this light leakage, the shutter lens eliminates the small display window effect that would otherwise be visible from the external environment, thereby refining the overall appearance and shape perception of the augmented reality device
3Loss of information
If the active shutter lens blocks all light from the outer surface, then privacy is protected, but ambient light cannot pass through reducing transmittance
Solution Approach 1:
The active shutter lens dynamically adjusts its transmission state based on real-time control signals. During display periods, it adopts an opaque state to block light and protect privacy. During ambient light observation periods, it switches to a transparent state to allow light passage, thus maintaining high transmittance when needed while protecting privacy when required
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 prevents the leakage of display light carrying digital content, enhancing user privacy and sociality by controlling light emission, while maintaining specific transmittance for real scene observation, thus improving the user experience and appearance of the augmented reality device.
Implementation Method 1
the active shutter lens shields the display light emitted from the outer surface of the combiner, to prevent the display light emitted from the outer surface of the combiner from being emitted to the external environment
Implementation Method 2
When the processor turns on the active shutter lens (i.e. when the active shutter lens is in an on state), transmittance of the active shutter lens is relatively high and light may be propagated normally through the active shutter lens
Implementation Method 3
the virtual scene is superposed with an external real scene that can be directly seen by the human eye
Data Source
AI summary
An augmented reality device includes an eyeglass frame and a combiner mounted on the eyeglass frame. The combiner includes an inner surface and an outer surface disposed opposite the inner surface. The device further includes an active shutter lens mounted on the combiner and an image projector mounted on the eyeglass frame and configured to project display light to the combiner such that a first portion of the display light is emitted from the inner surface of the combiner and a second portion of the display light is emitted from the outer surface of the combiner. The device additionally includes a processor coupled to the image projector and the active shutter lens. The active shutter lens is configured to shield the display light emitted from the outer surface of the combiner. The combiner is configured to emit ambient light from the inner surface thereof.