Behind-Display Infrared Camera Window in LCD Light Guide
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies face challenges in seamlessly integrating a camera behind a display, particularly in automotive applications, due to issues such as reduced image quality caused by LCD panels and polarizers, increased complexity and costs associated with specialized LCD panels and through-hole alignments, and the need for complex control logic and hardware to manage light and image capture.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a display with an integrated camera that operates in the infrared wavelength spectrum, utilizing a light guide with microstructures and a camera window where the microstructures are removed, allowing for seamless integration without the need for a switchable diffuser, through-hole alignments, or complex restoration optics. This setup improves light yield in the IR spectrum and reduces image distortion, enabling a straightforward integration with commercially available LCD screens.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a camera is integrated behind an LCD display using conventional visible light cameras, then seamless integration is achieved, but image quality deteriorates due to light absorption and scattering by LCD panels and polarizers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the wavelength parameter of light from visible spectrum to infrared spectrum. The camera operates in the infrared wavelength spectrum, and the light guide is optimized for infrared light transmission. This parameter change allows the camera to capture images through the LCD panel without significant light absorption or scattering, as infrared light passes through the panel and polarizers with minimal interference, thereby maintaining both seamless integration and high image quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an infrared light guide as an intermediary component between the infrared camera and the LCD panel. The light guide includes microstructures (such as microlenses or scattering particles) that capture infrared light from the camera and guide it through the LCD panel. This intermediary structure enables efficient infrared light transmission while maintaining the seamless appearance of the display, resolving the contradiction between integration quality and image capture performance
2Ease of manufacture
If specialized LCD panels with modified pixel density or through-hole alignments are used, then camera integration is achieved, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operational wavelength parameter to infrared, which allows the use of standard, commercially available LCD panels without any modifications. The infrared camera and infrared-optimized light guide work together to capture images through the normal pixel structure of conventional LCD panels, eliminating the need for specialized panels with reduced pixel density or through-hole alignments, thereby reducing device complexity and manufacturing costs while achieving seamless camera integration
3Measurement precision
If restoration optics and complex control logic are implemented, then image distortion is compensated, but device complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an infrared light guide with specifically designed microstructures (microlenses or scattering particles) as an intermediary optical element. These microstructures are optimized to guide infrared light from the infrared camera through the LCD panel with minimal distortion. The light guide's microstructure design inherently compensates for optical path variations, eliminating the need for additional restoration optics or complex control logic, thus achieving distortion compensation without increasing device complexity
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 achieves seamless camera integration behind the display, enhancing user experience with additional functionalities, while reducing complexity and costs by eliminating the need for specialized LCD panels, complex control logic, and hardware compensation for image distortion.
Implementation Method 1
The camera operates in the infrared wavelength spectrum and captures images by detecting infrared light that passes through the display device
Implementation Method 2
The light guide comprises microstructures and a camera window, allowing light to be guided from the light source through the display to the camera
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The present application relates to an apparatus and a vehicle comprising such apparatus. The apparatus comprises a display device (1) and a camera (3). The display device (1) comprises a cover glass (7), an LCD Panel (2), and a backlight unit. The LCD Panel (2) is arranged behind the cover glass (7), the backlight unit is arranged behind the LCD Panel (2) and the camera (3) is arranged behind the backlight unit with its field of view directed to the backlight unit. The field of view of the camera (3) defines an active area (9) of the camera (3). The backlight unit comprises an edge light source (8) and a light guide (5). The light guide (5) is a light guide (5) with microstructures (12). The camera (3) is operating in the infrared wavelength spectrum. The light guide (5) in the active area (9) of the camera (3) comprises a camera window (11) that defines an area in which the microstructures (12) are removed from the light guide (5).