Light Control Device for Head-Mounted Display Dimmer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing head-mounted display devices face issues with providing high contrast and comfortable viewing experiences when the external light conditions change rapidly, leading to unpleasant feelings and potential eye strain due to sharp adjustments in light transmittance by liquid crystal shutters, which also increase device weight and quality issues.

Innovation Solution

A display device with a light control system that identifies changes in external light and controls dimmer transmittance after a predetermined time, using a light guide plate and a dimmer with a light control device to manage light transmittance based on measured light changes, reducing eye strain and maintaining image quality while minimizing weight.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a liquid crystal shutter is used to control light transmittance in response to rapid external light changes, then light transmittance control is achieved, but sharp adjustments cause unpleasant feelings and eye strain

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight transmittance controlVSAvoideye strain
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic control of the liquid crystal shutter by adjusting its light transmittance based on the rate of change of external light conditions. When light changes rapidly, the shutter responds more quickly; when light changes slowly, the shutter adjusts more gradually. This dynamic response characteristic matches the natural adaptation speed of human eyes, reducing eye strain while maintaining effective light transmittance control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If a liquid crystal shutter is added to control light transmittance, then light control capability is improved, but device weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight control capabilityVSAvoiddevice weight
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the liquid crystal shutter parameters by selecting materials and design specifications that achieve the required light transmittance control range (from fully transparent to partially translucent) with minimal weight. The control unit is designed to operate the shutter only when necessary, reducing overall system weight requirements while maintaining full light control capability when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Speed

If light transmittance is adjusted sharply in response to rapid light changes, then rapid adaptation to light conditions is achieved, but image quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight adaptation speedVSAvoidimage quality
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit dynamically adjusts the liquid crystal shutter's light transmittance based on the rate of change of external light conditions. When light changes rapidly, the shutter responds more quickly to maintain image quality; when light changes slowly, the shutter adjusts more gradually. This dynamic response characteristic matches the natural adaptation speed of human eyes, reducing eye strain while maintaining effective light transmittance control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 solution provides a comfortable viewing experience with high contrast and optimized image observation states, even under varying illumination conditions, while simplifying the device structure and reducing weight.

Implementation Method 1

an optical device (light guide unit) 120 on which the parallel light converted in the collimating optical system 112 is incident, in which the light is guided, and from which the light is emitted. The optical device 120 includes a light guide plate 121 in which incident light propagates while being totally reflected

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTotal internal reflection: Total Internal Reflection

Implementation Method 2

the first diffraction grating member 330 and the second diffraction grating member 340 are reflective volume hologram diffraction gratings provided on the light guide plate 321

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDiffraction: Diffraction

Data Source

PatentEP3617773B1Display device
Publication Date: 2022.05.11 SONY GROUP CORP
  • EP3617773B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3617773B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3617773B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

A display device comprising a first image display device comprising a light guide plate, a dimmer, and a light control device. The light control device is configured to identify a start time of change in quantity of light received by the display device, and control transmissivity of the dimmer based on quantity of light received by the display device, after a predetermined amount of time after the start time has elapsed.