Free-Form Curved Lens Layout for Thin Multi-Channel Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing display devices with multiple display channels face issues such as large deflection angles between sub-lenses, thick overall thickness, and reduced light reception due to pupil misalignment, leading to poor display effects and user experience.
Innovation Solution
A curved lens with multiple sub-lenses having pupils at different positions and free-form curved surfaces, allowing for integrated manufacturing and improved light reception, reducing deflection angles and overall thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple display channels are used to improve display quality, then display resolution is improved, but deflection angle between sub-lenses increases and overall thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs free-form curved surfaces for the lens instead of traditional flat or simple spherical surfaces. This curvature design allows light rays from multiple display channels to be properly directed and focused, reducing the deflection angle between adjacent sub-lenses while maintaining high display resolution. The curved surface geometry optimizes the optical path to achieve smoother transitions between sub-images.
2Measurement precision
If multiple display channels are used to improve display quality, then display resolution is improved, but overall thickness of the lens increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes free-form surface parameters and optimized curvature radii to control the optical path length and focusing characteristics. By carefully adjusting the surface parameter equations and curvature distributions, the design achieves proper image formation with reduced overall lens thickness, eliminating the need for excessively thick lenses that would result from traditional multi-channel designs.
3Ease of manufacture
If pupils of sub-lenses are positioned at the same location, then manufacturing is simplified, but light reception is reduced due to misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements different pupil positions for different sub-lenses based on their specific optical requirements and viewing angles. Each sub-lens is designed with locally optimized pupil location that matches the corresponding display channel's characteristics, ensuring maximum light reception and proper image formation. This localized optimization approach balances manufacturing feasibility with optical performance.
4Measurement precision
If free-form curved surfaces are used to reduce deflection angle, then display quality is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The complex free-form surface is divided into multiple zones or regions, each with optimized surface parameters. This segmentation approach allows the lens to be manufactured using conventional techniques with appropriate precision for each zone, while the overall free-form geometry achieves the desired optical performance. The segmented design reduces the cumulative precision requirements compared to a single complex surface.
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
Enhances display quality by ensuring smooth transition between sub-images, reducing thickness, and maintaining consistent light reception, thereby improving user experience.
Implementation Method 1
A curved lens with multiple sub-lenses having pupils at different positions and free-form curved surfaces, allowing for integrated manufacturing and improved light reception, reducing deflection angles and overall thickness
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A curved-surface lens (130, 230, 330) and a display device (100, 200, 300). The curved-surface lens (130, 230, 330) comprises a plurality of sub-lenses (131, 231, 331) which are arranged around an optical center (182, 382) of the curved-surface lens (130, 230, 330) and are connected to one another; each of the plurality of sub-lenses (131, 231, 331) comprises a first curved surface (141, 241, 341) and a second curved surface (142, 242, 342) which face each other; a plurality of first curved surfaces (141, 241, 341) are mutually connected to form a light exiting surface of the curved-surface lens (130, 230, 330); a plurality of second curved surfaces (142, 242, 342) are mutually connected to form a light incident surface of the curved-surface lens (130, 230, 330); the light exiting surface is closer to the optical center (182, 382) of the curved-surface lens (130, 230, 330) than the light incident surface; the light incident surface is a convex curved surface on the whole and the light exiting surface is a concave curved surface on the whole; the plurality of first curved surfaces (141, 241, 341) and the plurality of second curved surfaces (142, 242, 342) are all free curved surfaces.