Controllable Laser Light Sources and Guides for Bright HUDs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional liquid crystal display (LCD) based heads-up displays (HUDs) struggle to achieve sufficient brightness levels for legible images in bright outdoor lighting conditions, especially when displaying large fields of view or multiple users, and multiscopic optical elements further reduce brightness, leading to eyestrain and reduced usability.
Innovation Solution
A display device utilizing a plurality of laser light sources and a controllable light guide to emit high-intensity light rays, guiding them towards specific exit portions to create a synthetic light field, ensuring high brightness and clarity even in bright outdoor conditions and wide fields of view.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional LCD based HUD is used, then device complexity is reduced, but illumination intensity is insufficient in bright outdoor conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of light source type from LCD-based backlight to laser light sources, enabling high illumination intensity (brightness levels up to 10000 nits or more) suitable for bright outdoor conditions while maintaining manageable device complexity through optimized optical design
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical LCD display system with a laser-based light field display system that uses optical elements (light guides, waveguides, or free-space optics) to directly project images, eliminating the need for LCD panels and associated complex backlight control mechanisms
2Area of stationary object
If field of view is increased, then area covered is improved, but illumination intensity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the light field into multiple directional components using optical elements that can independently control light paths for different viewing angles, allowing wide field of view coverage while maintaining high illumination intensity in each segment through focused laser delivery
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from 2D LCD plane to 3D light field manipulation using volumetric optical elements and spatial light modulation, enabling simultaneous coverage of wide field of view areas while concentrating laser energy to maintain high brightness levels across the expanded area
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiscopic optical element is added, then autostereoscopic effect is achieved, but illumination intensity is further reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary light routing and intensity optimization before light reaches the multiscopic optical element, using controllable laser sources and intermediate optical components to pre-condition the light field, ensuring sufficient illumination intensity is maintained after passing through the autostereoscopic element
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces controllable laser light sources as intermediary components between the image source and the multiscopic optical element, enabling precise control over light intensity and distribution to compensate for brightness losses introduced by the autostereoscopic element while maintaining the 3D effect
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 combination of laser light sources and light guides enables high-brightness autostereoscopic and multiscopic displays, minimizing eyestrain and enhancing usability by allowing users to perceive 3D visual scenes clearly in bright outdoor lighting.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of laser light sources of at least two different colours; the light inlet being arranged to receive light rays emitted by the plurality of laser light sources
Implementation Method 2
at least one light guide comprising a light inlet and a light outlet, the light outlet comprising a plurality of exit portions, wherein the light inlet is arranged to receive light rays emitted by the plurality of laser light sources, and wherein the at least one light guide is controllable to sequentially guide the light rays towards different exit portions of the light outlet
Data Source
AI summary
A display device includes laser light sources of different colours and at least one light guide. The at least one light guide includes a light outlet including a plurality of exit portions, and is controllable to sequentially guide light rays emitted by the laser light sources towards different exit portions of the light outlet. A pixel of an image is displayed by: (i) determining a corresponding exit portion, based on a pixel location of the pixel in the image; (ii) controlling the laser light sources to emit light rays having a colour and an intensity representative of the pixel, based on intensity values of different colour components of the pixel; and (iii) controlling the at least one light guide to guide said light rays towards the corresponding exit portion from which the light rays exit.