Laminated MicroLED Light Source for See-Through Eye Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing eye-tracking systems face challenges with oblique illumination, requiring higher optical power and more sensitive sensors due to light sources being positioned off-axis, which reduces accuracy and increases power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A low-density set of inorganic microLEDs is integrated into a laminated structure with a transparent polymer layer, allowing light to propagate out-of-plane and enabling direct illumination of the observer's eyes while maintaining visibility through the light source, reducing interference with the observed scene.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If light sources are positioned off-axis for eye-tracking illumination, then the observer's view is maintained, but illumination accuracy decreases and power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from off-axis lateral illumination to out-of-plane illumination by positioning microLEDs between transparent layers. Light propagates perpendicular to the observer's line of sight rather than at oblique angles, enabling direct illumination of the eye while maintaining view through the transparent structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a low-density set of discrete microLEDs positioned at specific locations between the rigid and polymer layers. Each microLED illuminates a localized area directly in front of the observer's eye, providing targeted illumination without requiring high optical power across the entire field of view.
2Illumination intensity
If a dense array of light-emitting elements is used for illumination, then illumination coverage is improved, but visual observation through the structure is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a low-density arrangement of discrete microLEDs with significant spacing between elements, creating an optically 'porous' structure. This allows the observer's line of sight to pass through the gaps between light-emitting elements, maintaining visual observation capability while providing sufficient illumination coverage through the distributed array.
Solution Approach 2:
The illumination function is divided into multiple discrete microLED elements rather than using a continuous dense array. Each microLED is small and spaced apart, allowing the observer to see through the gaps while still receiving adequate illumination from the distributed set of elements.
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 accuracy of eye-tracking systems by providing more direct illumination with lower power requirements and minimal interference with the observer's view, improving the overall efficiency and effectiveness of eye-tracking technology.
Implementation Method 1
Each light-emitting element includes one or more inorganic microLEDs that are arranged to generate and emit output light
Implementation Method 2
The polymer layer is attached to the rigid layer to form a laminated structure that is transparent for visible light
Data Source
AI summary
An inventive light source includes a rigid layer, a polymer layer, and a set of multiple light-emitting elements. The polymer layer is attached to the rigid layer to form a laminated structure that is transparent for visible light. The set of multiple light-emitting elements is positioned between the rigid layer and the polymer layer. Each light-emitting element includes one or more inorganic microLEDs that are arranged to generate and emit output light to propagate out-of-plane relative to a corresponding localized area of the laminated structure surrounding that light-emitting element. Each light-emitting element of the set is sufficiently small in at least one transverse dimension, and the light-emitting elements occupy a sufficiently small fraction of an areal extent of the set, so as to enable visual observation of a scene through the laminated structure along a sight line that passes through the set of light-emitting elements.