Diffuse Reflection Layer for Outdoor Display Visibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Thin film transistor liquid crystal display devices face challenges in displaying content effectively under strong outdoor illumination due to excessive external light, leading to increased battery consumption and eye strain, as they require higher backlight brightness to maintain visibility.

Innovation Solution

An array substrate with a diffuse reflection layer having an uneven surface in the pixel regions, which diffusely reflects external light to enhance display brightness without increasing energy consumption, and optionally includes a light shielding layer to protect the thin film transistor from backlight.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If the brightness of backlight is increased to maintain normal display content under strong outdoor illumination, then the display visibility is improved, but the battery energy consumption is accelerated and the standby time is shortened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay brightnessVSAvoidbattery energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful strong outdoor light into a beneficial resource by using a diffuse reflection layer to reflect external light into the pixel region. This allows the display to utilize ambient outdoor light for illumination, transforming the harmful high-intensity external light into useful lighting that improves visibility without requiring increased backlight brightness, thereby reducing battery consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The diffuse reflection layer acts as an intermediary component between the external light source and the pixel region. It mediates the interaction by reflecting and diffusing external light into the pixel region, enabling the display to leverage ambient light without directly exposing the thin film transistor to harmful high-intensity light, thus solving both visibility and energy consumption issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Illumination intensity

If the brightness of backlight is increased to maintain normal display content under strong outdoor illumination, then the display visibility is improved, but the human eyes are subjected to additional damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay brightnessVSAvoideye damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Reliability

If a light shielding layer is added to protect the thin film transistor from backlight, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity is increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethin film transistor protectionVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The diffuse reflection layer serves multiple functions simultaneously: it reflects external light into the pixel region to improve visibility, and it acts as a light shielding layer to protect the thin film transistor from harmful backlight. By combining these two functions into a single component, the patent avoids increasing device complexity while improving reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 diffuse reflection layer improves display visibility in outdoor environments by utilizing external light, reducing energy consumption and preventing backlight-induced damage to the thin film transistor.

Implementation Method 1

a diffuse reflection layer arranged in the plurality of pixel regions, in which a surface of the diffuse reflection layer facing a light emitting side of the array substrate is uneven

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDiffuse reflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 2

bombarding the photoresist layer pattern through a plasma process to ash the photoresist layer pattern, and continuing to bombard the metal film layer pattern so as to provide the metal film layer pattern with an uneven surface

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPlasma bombardment: Plasma

Data Source

PatentUS10795228B2Array substrate with diffuse reflection layer, method for manufacturing the same, and display device comprising the same

Publication Date: 2020.10.06 BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO LTD

AI summary

The present disclosure provides an array substrate, a method for manufacturing the same, and a display device. The array substrate includes a base substrate, and gate lines and data lines arranged on the base substrate to define a plurality of pixel regions, and a diffuse reflection layer arranged in the plurality of pixel regions, in which a surface of the diffuse reflection layer facing a light emitting side of the array substrate is uneven.