Display Panel Polarizer Azimuth for Privacy
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Display apparatuses with wide viewing angles can inadvertently reveal personal information, causing privacy concerns, and existing privacy protecting designs using LCD panels with polarizers can result in discomfort for users viewing at normal angles due to uneven brightness distribution.
Innovation Solution
A display apparatus with a display panel disposed between polarizers, where the light-transmission axes of the polarizers intersect the horizontal axis by 45 degrees, and the panel is divided into areas with different sub-pixel configurations and driving voltages to maintain equal brightness at normal viewing angles while reducing visibility at side angles, achieving privacy protection without user discomfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the LCD panel uses conventional polarizer alignment with light-transmission axes at 0-degree and 90-degree azimuth angles, then privacy protection is achieved through brightness distribution differences, but users experience discomfort due to uneven brightness at normal viewing angles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the azimuth angle parameter of the light-transmission axes from the conventional 0-degree and 90-degree alignment to 45-degree and 135-degree alignment. This parameter change fundamentally alters the brightness distribution pattern, allowing equal brightness at normal viewing angles while maintaining privacy protection through brightness differences at side viewing angles.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the display apparatus provides wide viewing angles for multiple users, then viewing accessibility is improved, but personal information becomes vulnerable to spying
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different brightness characteristics for different viewing angle regions. At normal viewing angles (0-degree polar viewing angle), both areas provide equal brightness for comfortable viewing. At side viewing angles (non-zero polar viewing angles), the brightness distribution becomes asymmetric, making it difficult for observers to view the display content clearly, thus preventing information leakage while maintaining wide viewing angle accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes asymmetry in the brightness distribution between first and second areas at side viewing angles. The light-transmission axis directions at 45-degree and 135-degree azimuth angles create asymmetric optical paths that result in different brightness levels for observers at side angles, making it impossible to clearly view the display content from these positions while maintaining symmetric equal brightness at the normal viewing angle.
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 ensures privacy protection by maintaining equal brightness at normal viewing angles, preventing information leakage at side angles, and preventing user discomfort associated with previous designs.
Implementation Method 1
the display panel has at least one first area and at least one second area. The first area and the second area respectively have a plurality of pixel units arranged in arrays
Implementation Method 2
Each of the pixel units has a first sub-pixel area and a second sub-pixel area. The first sub-pixel area includes a first alignment area, a second alignment area, and a third alignment area. A first alignment direction of the first alignment area is substantially perpendicular to the horizontal axis direction
Implementation Method 3
The display panel is disposed between a first polarizer and a second polarizer. A first light-transmission axis direction of the first polarizer is substantially perpendicular to a second light-transmission axis direction of the second polarizer
Data Source
AI summary
A display apparatus includes a display panel disposed between a first polarizer and a second polarizer and having at least one first area and at least one second area. A first light-transmission axis direction of the first polarizer is substantially perpendicular to a second light-transmission axis direction of the second polarizer. The first light-transmission axis direction intersects a horizontal axis direction by about 45 degrees. When the display panel is in a narrow viewing angle display mode, the first and second areas have different brightness in a side viewing angle direction but have the same brightness in and around a normal viewing angle direction. When the display panel is in a wide viewing angle display mode, the first and second areas have substantially the same brightness in various viewing angle directions.