Electromechanical Mirror Display Reflecting Light to Reduce Borders
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic devices with displays face challenges in incorporating displays efficiently due to size and weight considerations, often resulting in bulky designs with unappealing aesthetics from large borders around the display.
Innovation Solution
The use of reflector structures around the display perimeter to reflect light from peripheral display pixels into inactive border regions, combined with rotatable reflectors and enhanced brightness in peripheral pixels, effectively increases the display area and minimizes visible borders.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If the display is made larger to increase display area, then the display area is improved, but the device size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies optical reflection to redirect light from peripheral display pixels into the inactive border region, effectively utilizing the existing display area in a different spatial dimension. This allows the display to present a larger effective area without physically increasing the display hardware dimensions, thus resolving the contradiction between display area and device size.
2Area of moving object
If the display area is increased by expanding the active display structure, then the display area is improved, but the housing size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces reflector structures as intermediary optical elements that redirect light from the active display perimeter into the inactive border region. This intermediary mechanism allows the existing active display area to contribute to a larger effective display area without requiring physical expansion of the display structure or housing, thus avoiding increased weight.
3Area of moving object
If reflector structures are added to increase effective display area, then the effective display area is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs optical reflection principles to redirect light paths, effectively changing the spatial distribution of light without adding significant structural complexity. The reflector structures utilize optical properties rather than complex mechanical or electronic systems, thereby increasing effective display area with minimal impact on device complexity.
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
This solution enhances the apparent size of the display area, reduces the visibility of borders, and maintains a compact device design while ensuring uniform image presentation.
Implementation Method 1
Reflector structures may be provided around the periphery of the display structure. The reflector structures may be used to reflect light that is emitted from peripheral portions of the active display structure to a portion of the display overlapping the inactive border region
Implementation Method 2
The reflector structures may, for example, include a rotatable reflector. Control circuitry may use a rotatable positioner to rotate the rotatable reflector while simultaneously with controlling which pixel data is displayed by the display pixels in the peripheral portions of the active display structure
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device may be provided with a display mounted in a housing. The display may have an array of display pixels that provide light to a user. The array of display pixels may form active display structures with a rectangular shape. The rectangular active display structures may be surrounded by an inactive border region. Reflector structures may be used to reflect light that is emitted from peripheral portions of the active display structures to a portion of the display overlapping the inactive border region, thereby providing the display with an effective active area that is larger than the area of the active display structures. The reflector structures may include rotatable reflectors. Control circuitry may use a rotatable positioner to rotate rotatable reflector structures in synchronization with controlling which pixel data is displayed by the display pixels in the peripheral portions of the active display structures.