Dual-LED Avionics Display High Dimming Ratio
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Solution Overview
Problem
Avionics displays face challenges in maintaining a wide range of brightness levels, from extremely bright to dim, due to varying ambient light conditions, which existing technologies struggle to address effectively, especially in aviation environments where high-dimming ratios and smooth transitions are required.
Innovation Solution
A high-dimming-ratio avionics display system utilizing a digital light processing projector with a dual LED light source configuration, including a first and second light emitting diode with different intensities, a beam splitter, and a selectively reflective substrate to achieve a high dimming ratio of at least 200,000:1, allowing for seamless brightness adjustments by varying the current in LEDs and using a combiner to reflect specific wavelengths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single light source is used in the avionics display, then the device complexity is reduced, but the dimming ratio and brightness range are insufficient to cover extreme ambient light conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the light source into two separate LEDs with different intensity characteristics - a first LED for high brightness output and a second LED for low brightness output. This segmentation allows each LED to be optimized for its specific brightness range, enabling the display to cover extreme ambient light conditions from direct sunlight to complete darkness while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design
2Illumination intensity
If the brightness of the display is increased to be visible in bright sunlight, then the visibility in bright ambient light is improved, but the visibility in dark environments deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic brightness control by independently controlling the intensity of two LEDs based on ambient light conditions. The system can dynamically switch between using only the first LED in bright conditions, only the second LED in dark conditions, or both LEDs together in intermediate conditions, thereby adapting to the full range of environmental lighting while maintaining optimal visibility
3Productivity
If a beam splitter is used to combine light paths, then the optical efficiency is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a beam splitter as an intermediary optical element to combine the light paths from two LEDs with different intensities into a single projection path. The beam splitter is positioned to receive light from both LEDs and direct it to the display medium, enabling high optical efficiency by utilizing light from both sources while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure that is manageable for manufacturing and assembly
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 system achieves a high dimming ratio of at least 200,000:1, enabling smooth transitions between high and low luminance levels, optimizing visibility in diverse lighting conditions, and reducing the complexity and cost of the combiner design by minimizing wavelength shift and maintaining consistent performance.
Implementation Method 1
a beam splitter adapted to pass a substantial portion of the light from the first light emitting diode and to reflect a minority portion of the light from the second light emitting diode
Implementation Method 2
a substantially transparent, selectively reflective substrate adapted to reflect light within a notch of visible wavelengths to reflect the rendered visual display toward a viewer of the display
Implementation Method 3
a first light source comprising a first light emitting diode and a first light emitting diode drive circuit, the first light source projecting light of a first light source intensity
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are dual-light-source, high dimming-ratio avionics displays with digital light processing projector technology for rendering a visual display from generated light. The dual light sources are directed towards a beam splitter adapted to pass a substantial portion of the light from the first light source and to reflect a minority portion of the light from the second light source. An image is rendered at a substantially transparent, selectively reflective substrate adapted to reflect light of a range of visible wavelengths toward a viewer of the displays.