Bridge-Structured Light Coupling for Uniform Transparent Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Transparent liquid crystal display devices suffer from poor brightness uniformity and limited display size when used in two-sided view applications, as the liquid crystal material functions as a light guide without a separate backlight unit.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a transparent plate with protruding bridge structures that extend from the plate to couple light from a light source into the display panel, enhancing light distribution and brightness uniformity across the display surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the liquid crystal material functions as a light guide without a separate backlight unit, then the device achieves high transparency and two-sided viewing capability, but the brightness uniformity deteriorates and display size is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the light guide function into separate components: a dedicated light guide plate and the liquid crystal display panel. The light guide plate includes multiple light guide regions with different refractive indices or light extraction structures, segmenting the light distribution function to achieve uniform brightness across the display surface while maintaining the overall simple structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the light guide plate are designed with different optical properties. The light guide plate includes a first light guide region with a first refractive index and a second light guide region with a second refractive index, creating local quality variations that optimize light extraction and distribution in different areas to improve brightness uniformity.
2Area of stationary object
If the liquid crystal material functions as a light guide, then the device structure is simplified, but the display size is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide plate is divided into multiple light guide regions with different optical characteristics, allowing the system to scale to larger display sizes while maintaining uniform light distribution. This segmentation enables modular design that can be extended to larger areas without proportionally increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A dedicated light guide plate is introduced as an intermediary component between the light source and the liquid crystal display panel. This mediator separates the light guiding function from the liquid crystal material, enabling larger display sizes while keeping the overall structure relatively simple and manageable.
3Illumination intensity
If a transparent plate with bridge structures is used to couple light, then brightness uniformity is improved, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide plate is segmented into multiple light guide regions with different refractive indices or light extraction characteristics. This segmentation allows precise control of light distribution in different areas, improving brightness uniformity while the regions can be designed as standardized modules to manage structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the light guide plate are assigned different optical properties (refractive indices, light extraction structures) to optimize light distribution locally. This local quality approach improves brightness uniformity by addressing specific lighting needs in different areas without requiring complete redesign of the entire structure.
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 bridge structures improve brightness uniformity and enable larger display sizes while maintaining a two-sided view capability without the need for specialized light sources, such as polarized or collimated light sources.
Implementation Method 1
The bridge structures are configured to couple light from a light source into the display panel
Implementation Method 2
light confined in the light guide plate by total internal reflection can be extracted from the light guide plate
Data Source
AI summary
A light coupling device for use in a display device, the light coupling device including a transparent plate having a plurality of bridge structures configured to direct light from a light source arranged adjacent an edge surface of the transparent plate into a display panel attached to the transparent plate.