Electrochromic Lighting Apparatus for Blue Light Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional LED lighting apparatuses face challenges in emitting various colors, lack color temperature control, and produce harmful blue wavelength light, leading to inefficient lighting that does not mimic natural light.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating an electrochromic module between the light source and light guide plate to adjust light wavelengths based on user input, allowing for customizable lighting modes and improved color rendering while reducing harmful blue light emission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional LED lighting apparatuses are used, then long lifespan and low power consumption are achieved, but color temperature control is impossible and harmful blue light is generated

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovelifespanVSAvoidharmful blue light

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The lighting apparatus segments the white light into multiple wavelength bands using a diffraction grating, separating harmful blue light from useful visible light. This allows independent control of different spectral components while maintaining the benefits of LED longevity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A waveguide plate acts as an intermediary element between the LED light source and the final illumination output. It guides the separated wavelengths through total internal reflection and enables selective extraction of harmful blue light while transmitting beneficial wavelengths to users.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Illumination intensity

If conventional LED lighting apparatuses are used, then high luminance is achieved, but color rendering index is poor and various lighting colors cannot be emitted

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveluminanceVSAvoidlighting color variety

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The lighting apparatus dynamically adjusts lighting characteristics by selectively extracting different wavelength bands from the diffracted light. Users can switch between full-spectrum mode (including blue light for high luminance) and filtered modes (excluding blue light for health-conscious lighting), enabling versatile color temperature control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the diffracted light spectrum are treated differently - harmful blue wavelengths are extracted and blocked, while beneficial wavelengths are transmitted. This local quality differentiation enables simultaneous achievement of high luminance (when needed) and poor blue light emission (when health is priority).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of operation

If a waveguide plate is used to guide light, then light distribution is improved, but thickness increase occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelight distributionVSAvoidthickness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The waveguide plate is implemented as a thin planar optical element utilizing total internal reflection principles. By optimizing the refractive index contrast and surface geometry, effective light guiding and wavelength separation is achieved with minimal thickness, avoiding bulky conventional optical systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 enables flexible color temperature control, enhances lighting efficiency, and reduces harmful blue light exposure, providing a lighting experience closer to natural light with improved user convenience and safety.

Implementation Method 1

an electrochromic module varying a wavelength of light incident from the light source module, wherein the electrochromic module absorbs light of a specific one among wavelength ranges of the light incident from the light source module

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrochromism: Electrochromism

Implementation Method 2

the electrochromic module absorbs light of a specific one among wavelength ranges of the light incident from the light source module

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight absorption: Absorption (EM radiation)

Data Source

PatentUS10306727B2Lighting apparatus and mobile terminal for controlling the same

Publication Date: 2019.05.28 LG ELECTRONICS INC

AI summary

A lighting apparatus and a mobile terminal controlling the same are disclosed. The lighting apparatus comprises a light source module generating light; and an electrochromic module varying a wavelength of light incident from the light source module, wherein the electrochromic module absorbs light of a specific one among wavelength ranges of the light incident from the light source module, in accordance with a lighting mode which is input. The mobile terminal controlling a lighting apparatus, which includes a light source module and an electrochromic module, comprises an input module receiving a user input; a communication module transmitting a lighting control signal to the lighting apparatus; a display module displaying a setup window for setting a lighting mode of the lighting apparatus; and a controller controlling the input module, the communication module and the display module.