Color-Changing Layer Over Optical Shuttering for Display Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable electronic devices often appear aesthetically unappealing when the display is not active due to a black or grayish appearance, and cholesteric liquid crystal film panels require a completely absorbing background to achieve color effects, limiting their application area.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with stacked, independently controllable optical shuttering and color changing layers, where the optical shuttering layer can transition between transparent and opaque states, and the color changing layers can change between clear and saturated colored states, allowing for varied color effects over the device's surface without distorting the display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If cholesteric liquid crystal film panels are used to provide color effects, then color saturation is improved, but the application area is limited due to requirement of completely absorbing background
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into multiple independently controllable layers: an optical shuttering layer and one or more color changing layers. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function (shuttering vs. color generation) without requiring the entire underlying surface to be a completely absorbing background, thereby expanding the application area while maintaining color saturation.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical shuttering layer acts as an intermediary between the backlight and the color changing layers. It provides the necessary light-absorbing background locally where needed, enabling the color changing layers to achieve saturation without requiring the entire device surface to have a black background, thus expanding the usable area.
2Illumination intensity
If optical shuttering layer is made opaque to provide background for color effects, then color appearance is improved, but display visibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Both the optical shuttering layer and color changing layers are dynamically controllable with independent transparency states. The system can transition between different operational modes: when the display needs to be visible, the layers become transparent; when color effects are desired, they transition to opaque/colored states. This dynamic control resolves the contradiction between providing a light-absorbing background and maintaining display visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The layers can be controlled to alternate between transparent and opaque states based on operational requirements. During display periods, they remain transparent for visibility; during aesthetic periods, they transition to colored/opaque states for color effects, creating a periodic action that satisfies both requirements at different times.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple controllable layers are stacked to provide varied color effects, then aesthetic appeal is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each layer is designed to be independently controllable and can serve multiple functions. The optical shuttering layer can provide both display visibility and color background functions. The color changing layers can independently generate colors or work in combination with the shuttering layer. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components, managing complexity while enhancing aesthetic appeal.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes layers that can change their optical properties (transparency and color) in response to applied fields. This allows a single layer structure to provide multiple aesthetic effects (different colors, transparent states, opaque states) without requiring physically separate components for each effect, thereby improving versatility while controlling 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
Enables a dynamic, aesthetically pleasing color appearance for electronic devices by providing a uniform background for color changing layers, allowing for normal device operation and customizable color schemes that match the device's housing or graphics, while maintaining visibility and functionality.
Implementation Method 1
The optical shuttering layer can be controlled by a driver to change between a transparent clear state and an opaque state
Implementation Method 2
each color changing layer can be controlled to change between a transparent clear state and a saturated colored state
Implementation Method 3
Cholesteric liquid crystal (ChLC) film panels have also been used to provide various color effects for electronic devices. These panels can be controlled to change along a spectrum of transparent and colored states, and generally require low power.
Data Source
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AI summary
An electronic device (102) includes a housing (108), an electronic display (106) viewable from a front side of the electronic device, an optical shuttering layer (306) substantially parallel to the front side, and a color changing layer (308) positioned over at least a portion of the shuttering layer. A driver (207) controls transitions of the shuttering layer between a transparent clear state and an opaque state and also transitions of the color changing layer between a transparent clear state and a colored state. Depending on driver control, the appearance of the electronic device can change from an opaque color (solid color or with graphic design elements), to a translucent color (solid color or with graphic design elements) possibly with an underlying electronic display somewhat visible, to a transparent color with an underlying electronic display clearly visible.