Color-Tunable OLED Lighting Device Circuit Simplification
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing OLED lighting devices require additional intermediate conductive layers and complex circuitry to control the relative amounts of different-color light emission, increasing cost and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A color-tunable OLED lighting device with a layered structure that includes a charge-carrying cathode and anode, and at least two organic light-emitting units, where the ratio of light emission is controlled by varying the voltage between the anode and cathode, eliminating the need for a third independently controllable layer and its associated circuitry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If additional intermediate conductive layers are added to control different-color light emission, then color control capability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the intermediate conductive layers from the device structure. By removing these additional layers and their associated circuitry, the invention achieves color control of multiple OLED units using only the standard anode and cathode connections, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining color adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The anode and cathode layers are made to serve multiple functions: they provide both the necessary electrical connections for OLED operation and the color control capability for multiple light-emitting units. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate intermediate control layers, reducing overall device complexity
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional intermediate conductive layers are added to control different-color light emission, then color control capability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the intermediate conductive layers and their associated circuitry, directly reducing material costs and manufacturing complexity. This extraction of unnecessary components leads to lower manufacturing costs while preserving the ability to control color output of multiple OLED units
Solution Approach 2:
By making the anode and cathode layers multi-functional (providing both electrical connection and color control), the invention eliminates the need for additional expensive intermediate layers, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining full color control capability
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
Simplifies the circuitry and manufacturing process, allowing for cost-effective, series-connected color-tunable OLED lighting devices with adjustable color and brightness control using only the anode and cathode connections.
Implementation Method 1
at least two organic light-emitting units disposed between the cathode and anode
Data Source
AI summary
A color-tunable OLED device comprising: a charge-carrying cathode layer and a charge-carrying anode layer disposed parallel to each other; at least a first organic light-emitting unit and a second organic light-emitting unit disposed between the cathode and anode; and at least one charge-generating layer disposed between the cathode and anode, wherein the charge-generating layer is a charge-carrying layer of lesser lateral conductivity than the anode and cathode, and said charge-generating layer is electrically connected without additional circuit elements to another charge-carrying layer and disposed such that at least one organic light-emitting unit is wedged between two directly-connected charge-carrying layers, and at least one organic light-emitting unit is not thusly wedged.