Flexible Organic Light-Emitting Diode for Biometric Sensing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing non-invasive biological measurement technologies face challenges in effectively measuring biological information due to increased distances between light-emitting and light-receiving units and the body, leading to reduced light reflection and reception, which affects the accuracy of measurements such as heartbeats and oxygen saturation.

Innovation Solution

A detecting device with a flexible substrate equipped with a flexible organic light-emitting diode for emitting light and a flexible organic photodetector for receiving light, allowing for closer proximity to the body without a curved protective layer, thereby reducing light loss and enhancing light reception.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a protective layer curved along the curvature of the living body is used to cover the light-emitting unit and light-receiving unit, then the device can conform to the body shape, but the distance between the light units and the body increases, reducing light reflection and reception

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconformity to body shapeVSAvoidlight reception amount

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The protective layer is designed with a curved shape that matches the curvature of the living body surface, allowing the light-emitting unit and light-receiving unit to conform closely to the body while maintaining optimal distance for light reception. This curvature enables the device to adapt to body contours without creating excessive gaps that would reduce light reflection and reception efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Measurement precision

If the distance between the light-emitting unit and the body is reduced to increase light reflection, then the device structure becomes more complex requiring precise positioning mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelight reflection amountVSAvoidpositioning structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A flexible protective layer is used to cover the light-emitting unit and light-receiving unit, allowing the device to conform to the body surface without requiring complex positioning mechanisms. The flexible nature of this layer enables close contact with the body, reducing the distance for light transmission while maintaining structural simplicity and ease of application.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Reliability

If a curved protective layer is used to protect the light units, then device protection is improved, but light transmission efficiency decreases due to increased distance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice protectionVSAvoidlight transmission loss

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The protective layer is designed with a curved shape that matches the body surface, providing device protection while minimizing the distance between the light units and the body. This curvature ensures that the protective function is maintained without creating excessive gaps that would cause light transmission loss and reduce reception efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

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 configuration increases the amount of light received, improving the accuracy and reliability of biological measurements like heartbeats and oxygen saturation without the need for a curved protective layer, thus enhancing measurement precision.

Implementation Method 1

a first light-emitting unit provided at the flexible substrate and configured to emit light toward a living body, and a first light-receiving unit provided at the flexible substrate and configured to receive light, based on the light exiting from the first light-emitting unit, from the living body. The first light-emitting unit is constituted by a flexible organic light-emitting diode

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectroluminescence: Electroluminescence

Implementation Method 2

a first light-receiving unit provided at the flexible substrate and configured to receive light, based on the light exiting from the first light-emitting unit, from the living body. The first light-receiving unit is constituted by a flexible organic photodetector

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhotoelectric effect: Photoelectric Effect

Implementation Method 3

the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit are covered by a protective layer that curves along a curvature of the living body. However, the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit described in WO 2018/066519 are covered by the protective layer curved along the shape of the living body, increasing a distance between the light-emitting unit and the human body and a distance between the light-receiving unit and the human body. As these distances increase, an amount of light reflected by the human body decreases

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight reflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentUS11872017B2Detecting device and measuring device

Publication Date: 2024.01.16 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

A detecting device includes a flexible substrate, a first light-emitting unit provided at the flexible substrate and configured to emit light toward a living body, and a first light-receiving unit provided at the flexible substrate and configured to receive light, based on the light exiting from the first light-emitting unit, from the living body. The first light-emitting unit is constituted by a flexible organic light-emitting diode, and the first light-receiving unit is constituted by a flexible organic photodetector.