Display Apparatus Using Diffractive Time-Division Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
The single-panel field sequential display system suffers from low light utilization efficiency and color break issues due to slow color switching, which complicates the configuration and reduces image quality compared to three-panel systems.
Innovation Solution
A display apparatus that includes a light source unit emitting color light beams, a light intensity modulation element, and a diffraction element that simultaneously illuminates multiple pixel regions by diffracting color light beams and changing diffraction angles within a predetermined period to time-divisionally illuminate each pixel region, allowing for improved light utilization and image quality without increasing complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single-panel field sequential system is used to reduce device complexity and enable miniaturization, then device complexity and size are reduced, but light utilization efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the pixel array into multiple pixel regions that can be independently illuminated by different color light beams. By dividing the display area into distinct regions and assigning different colors to different regions simultaneously, the system achieves full-color display without sequential switching, thereby improving light utilization efficiency while maintaining the single-panel configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a diffraction optical element that can dynamically change its diffraction angle under external control (such as voltage application). This dynamic control allows the same optical path to be used for multiple colors by adjusting the diffraction angle, enabling the single-panel system to achieve efficient light utilization through temporal and spatial multiplexing of the optical path
2Device complexity
If color switching is performed sequentially in a field sequential system, then device complexity is reduced, but image quality deteriorates due to color break phenomenon
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the display into multiple pixel regions that can be illuminated simultaneously with different colors, the patent eliminates the sequential color switching that causes color break. Each pixel region receives its designated color without temporal delay, ensuring high image quality while maintaining a simplified single-panel optical system
Solution Approach 2:
The patent achieves continuous illumination of all pixel regions with their respective colors simultaneously, rather than switching colors sequentially. This continuous multi-color illumination eliminates the temporal gaps and switching delays that cause color break, maintaining high image quality in the simplified optical system
3Device complexity
If multiple color light beams are sequentially switched, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity deteriorates due to slow switching speed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the pixel array into multiple regions and assigns different color light beams to different regions simultaneously. This spatial segmentation allows all colors to be displayed at the same time rather than switching sequentially, dramatically improving the effective color switching speed while maintaining a simple single-panel light source configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic diffraction optical element enables rapid switching between different color paths by changing its diffraction angle. This allows the system to quickly redirect light beams to appropriate pixel regions, achieving high-speed color transitions without the mechanical complexity of multiple light sources or mirrors
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 enhances light utilization efficiency and image quality by ensuring constant illumination of the light intensity modulation element with multiple color light beams, reducing color break and enabling miniaturization and cost reduction of the display apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
a diffraction element configured to simultaneously illuminate at least two pixel regions at pixel positions different from each other, with color light beams different from each other, by diffracting the respective color light beams from the light source unit toward a plurality of pixel regions at pixel positions different from one another on the light intensity modulation element
Implementation Method 2
a control unit that changes diffraction angles of the respective color light beams in the diffraction element within a predetermined period, and sequentially switches illumination regions for the plurality of pixel regions by the respective color light beams, to allow all of the plurality of color light beams to time-divisionally illuminate any pixel region of the plurality of pixel regions within the predetermined period
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a light source unit that emits color light beams having different wavelengths; a light intensity modulation element including pixels, and subjecting the color light beams to intensity modulation to generate an image; a diffraction element configured to simultaneously illuminate at least two pixel regions at different pixel positions, with different color light beams, by diffracting the respective color light beams from the light source unit toward pixel regions at different pixel positions on the light intensity modulation element; and a control unit that changes diffraction angles of the respective color light beams in the diffraction element within a predetermined period. The control unit also sequentially switches illumination regions for the pixel regions by the respective color light beams, to allow all of the color light beams to time-divisionally illuminate any pixel region of the pixel regions within the predetermined period.