Asymmetric Concealment Panel Coating for Ghost-Free Rearview Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing concealment panels for imaging systems face challenges in illuminating cabins and drivers effectively in the infra-red and near infra-red regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, leading to reduced image quality due to high reflectance on both sides of the panels.
Innovation Solution
A transflective concealment panel with an asymmetric reflective coating is introduced, featuring a transflective layer, dielectric layers, and absorptive layers. This panel has a higher reflectance on one side and lower reflectance on the opposite side, allowing for improved light transmission and reduced ghost images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional concealment panel with symmetric reflectance is used, then the mirror properties are maintained, but ghost images appear and image quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by creating a concealment panel with different reflectance properties on each side. The first side has high reflectance (≥50%) to maintain mirror properties for drivers, while the second side has low reflectance (≤20%) to minimize ghost images for imagers. This asymmetric design resolves the contradiction by allowing each side to optimize for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by applying different optical properties to different regions of the concealment panel. The coating structure varies between the first and second sides, with the first side having a coating designed for high reflectance and the second side having a coating designed for low reflectance. This localized optimization allows the panel to simultaneously satisfy mirror properties and ghost image reduction.
2Illumination intensity
If high reflectance coating is applied to both sides of the concealment panel, then mirror properties are maintained, but light transmission to the imager is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric coating design allows the first side to maintain high reflectance for mirror properties while the second side has optimized light transmission for the imager. The reflectance at the first side is greater than or equal to five times the reflectance at the second side, creating the necessary asymmetry to resolve this contradiction.
3Reliability
If low reflectance coating is applied to improve light transmission, then ghost images are reduced, but mirror properties are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by designing the coating structure to have different reflectance characteristics at different sides of the concealment panel. The first side maintains high reflectance (≥50%) for mirror properties while the second side has low reflectance (≤20%) for improved image quality, allowing each region to optimize for its specific function.
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 asymmetric transflective coating significantly reduces ghost images and improves image quality by minimizing reflectance on the side facing the imager, while maintaining high reflectance on the other side for mirror properties.
Implementation Method 1
a reflectivity at the first side may be greater than at the second side
Implementation Method 2
a transflective concealment panel with an asymmetric reflective coating is introduced, featuring a transflective layer
Implementation Method 3
The one or more absorptive layers interleaved with the plurality of dielectric layers... the problems associated with illuminating a cabin and/or driver with in the infra-red and/or near infra-red regions
Implementation Method 4
The plurality of dielectric layers may be disposed in the second direction relative the transflective layer... the dielectric layers may have a refractive index between about 1.37 and about 4.00
Data Source
AI summary
An asymmetrically reflective member is disclosed. This asymmetrically reflective member may be utilized in a rearview assembly to hide an imager disposed there behind. The member may comprise a substate and an asymmetric transflective coating. The substate may have a first side and a second side. The asymmetric transflective coating may be associated with the substrate. Additionally, the asymmetric transflective coating may have a transflective layer, a plurality of dielectric layers, and one or more absorptive layers interleaved with the plurality of dielectric layers. Further, the member may have a first side and a second side. The reflectance of the first side may be substantially greater than the reflectance of the second side.