Wide-Angle Beam Steerer Using Trench Liquid Crystal Optics
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electronic display systems dissipate significant power to maintain image brightness over a wide viewing angle, wasting energy on rays that miss the viewer's pupils and compromising privacy, while also failing to provide lifelike holographic displays that vary with the viewer's vantage point.
Innovation Solution
A light-steering optic comprising a dielectric substrate with parallel trenches filled with liquid crystal and transparent conductors, which steers display light only towards the viewer's pupils, conserving power and enhancing privacy by directing imagery based on real-time pupil position prediction, and dynamically adjusting the display image for different viewing angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional electronic display systems maintain image brightness over a wide viewing angle, then visibility is improved, but power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by directing light selectively to specific locations (viewer's pupils) rather than uniformly across a wide angle. The light steering optic modifies the optical properties locally at each pixel to redirect light based on detected pupil positions, ensuring brightness is maintained only where needed while reducing power consumption elsewhere.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts light distribution in real-time based on detected pupil positions. The light steering optic can change its light redirection pattern dynamically as viewers move, maintaining optimal brightness delivery to current viewer locations while adapting power consumption to actual viewing conditions rather than maintaining fixed wide-angle brightness.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional display systems provide wide viewing angle coverage, then accessibility is improved, but privacy is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by restricting light emission to specific directional paths toward detected pupil positions. Instead of emitting light uniformly across a wide angle that anyone could view, the system locally redirects light only toward authorized viewer locations, maintaining accessibility for detected viewers while preventing unauthorized viewing by others.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from pupil detection sensors to control light steering. The sensors detect viewer pupil positions and provide feedback to the light steering optic, which then adjusts light redirection accordingly. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures light is directed only toward actual viewers, maintaining privacy by preventing viewing from undetected or unauthorized positions.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional displays provide static imagery, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but holographic realism is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by enabling the display to change imagery content dynamically based on viewer position and perspective. The light steering optic can present different images or perspectives to different viewers simultaneously, creating lifelike holographic effects where the displayed content adapts to each viewer's vantage point, while maintaining relatively simple manufacturing compared to traditional holographic systems.
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 solution reduces power consumption by directing light only where it is needed, enhances privacy by preventing unintended viewing, and provides a more lifelike holographic experience by simulating 3D objects from varying vantage points through precise pupil-based image steering.
Implementation Method 1
a layer of electro-optical material intermediate the first and second windows
Implementation Method 2
a series of transparent conductors crosses over the series of parallel trenches, each transparent conductor selectively contacting one or more of the electrodes
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A light-steering optic (44) comprises a dielectric substrate (50), a liquid crystal (62), and a series of transparent conductors (64). The dielectric substrate (50) has a series of mutually parallel trenches (52) formed therein. A wall (54) of each trench (52) extends up the trench to an adjacent land portion (56) of the dielectric substrate, and the liquid crystal (62) is arranged within each trench (52). An adherent electrode (58) extends up the wall of the trench and onto a corresponding contact zone (60), which partly covers the land portion (56) adjacent to that wall. The series of transparent conductors (64) crosses over the series of parallel trenches (52). Each transparent conductor (64) selectively contacts one or more of the electrodes (58) at a corresponding one or more contact zones (60).