Energy-Collecting Touchscreen With Back-Surface Photovoltaic Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wearable electronic devices face a tradeoff between battery life and visibility due to the integration of semitransparent solar panels, which either impede viewability or fail to collect sufficient energy, as they absorb and scatter a significant amount of light.
Innovation Solution
An energy-collecting touchscreen unit with a thin, substantially transparent cover layer that includes a common base layer with a touch sensor and a photovoltaic surface affixed to opposite faces, providing electrical interconnection and allowing for energy collection while maintaining viewability and protecting against physical damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a semitransparent solar panel is positioned on top of the display to extend battery life, then energy collection is improved, but visibility and viewability of the display are degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the photovoltaic surface from the front surface (2D plane blocking light) to the back surface of the display assembly, utilizing the third dimension (depth/thickness) to resolve the conflict between energy collection and visibility. This allows light to pass through the display without being absorbed by the solar panel, while still enabling energy harvesting from the same light source.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of placing the photovoltaic surface on the front of the display where it directly intercepts light (conventional approach), the patent inverts the arrangement by positioning it on the back surface. This inversion allows the display to maintain its primary function of light transmission while the photovoltaic surface captures light that has already passed through the display, eliminating the visibility-degradation problem.
2Productivity
If a solar panel with high light absorption is used to maximize energy harvesting, then energy collection efficiency is improved, but the viewing area brightness and viewability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the back surface of the display assembly, moving the photovoltaic surface to a different spatial dimension (z-axis) where it can achieve high light absorption without interfering with the forward light transmission required for display visibility. This dimensional separation allows both high energy collection efficiency and maintained viewing area brightness to coexist.
3Illumination intensity
If a thin transparent cover layer is used to maintain viewability, then visibility is improved, but protection against physical damage is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite cover layer structure combining multiple materials with complementary properties: a thin transparent layer (such as sapphire crystal or chemically strengthened glass) provides both optical clarity for viewability and enhanced mechanical strength for physical protection. This composite approach allows simultaneous achievement of high viewability and durability that neither material could provide alone.
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
Enables efficient energy harvesting while preserving the visibility and durability of the touchscreen, minimizing the impact on the viewing area's brightness and energy collection efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The touchscreen unit has a common base layer disposed beneath the cover layer, and it has at least one touch sensor and a photovoltaic surface. The touch sensor and the photovoltaic surface are affixed to opposite faces of the common base layer.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are disclosed to enable an energy-collecting touchscreen unit having a thin, substantially transparent cover layer through which a viewing area within the touchscreen unit can be observed while protecting the touchscreen unit from physical damage. The touchscreen unit has a common base layer disposed beneath the cover layer, and it has at least one touch sensor and a photovoltaic surface. The touch sensor and the photovoltaic surface are affixed to opposite faces of the common base layer. The touchscreen unit also includes an electrical interconnection with both the photovoltaic surface and the touch sensor.