Light-Guiding Plate Segmentation for Optical Sensor Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical devices with light-guiding plates and mask or lens arrays face challenges in detecting objects on the back surface due to light blockage or scattering, making it difficult to provide effective optical sensors.
Innovation Solution
An optical device with a light-guiding plate that has multiple light convergence portions on its back surface, allowing light to converge or scatter into specific points or lines, enabling an optical sensor to detect objects on the emission surface side while minimizing interference from the light-guiding plate itself.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a mask is used in the light-guiding plate, then light can be controlled to form images, but detection light for detecting objects is substantially blocked by the mask
Solution Approach 1:
The light-guiding plate is segmented into multiple light convergence portions, each with independent optical surfaces that direct light to different convergence points. This segmentation allows detection light to pass through specific regions while other regions form images, resolving the contradiction between image formation and detection capability
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the light-guiding plate are given different optical properties: some regions have optical surfaces for image formation while other regions allow light transmission for detection. This local differentiation enables both image display and object detection to coexist without mutual interference
2Illumination intensity
If a lens array is used in the light-guiding plate, then light can be focused to form images, but detection light is significantly scattered by the lens array
Solution Approach 1:
The lens array is divided into multiple light convergence portions with distinct optical surfaces. Each portion independently focuses light to specific convergence points, while maintaining transparent regions that allow detection light to pass through without scattering, thus resolving the contradiction between focusing capability and detection transparency
3Illumination intensity
If optical surfaces are added to light convergence portions for image formation, then light can be directed to specific convergence points, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical surfaces are integrated directly into the light convergence portions of the light-guiding plate, merging the image formation function with the light guidance structure. This integration eliminates the need for separate optical components, reducing device complexity while maintaining precise light direction control to convergence points
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
The optical device effectively forms images of user interactions on the emission surface, allowing accurate detection of objects and user inputs without significant light blockage or scattering, enhancing the reliability of optical sensors.
Implementation Method 1
a light-guiding plate which guides light in a plane parallel to an emission surface that emits light
Implementation Method 2
optical surfaces that cause light to be emitted from the emission surface in directions in which the light substantially converges at one convergence point or one convergence line in a space, or substantially scatters from one convergence point or one convergence line in the space
Data Source
AI summary
An optical device includes a light-guiding plate that guides light in a plane parallel to an emission surface that emits light, and a sensor for detecting an object located on an emission surface side using light that passes through a back surface opposite to the emission surface and through the emission surface. The light-guiding plate has light convergence portions that receive light guided by the light-guiding plate and each have optical surfaces that cause light to be emitted from the emission surface in directions in which the light substantially converges at or scatters from one convergence point or one convergence line in a space, and the convergence points or the convergence lines for the light convergence portions are different from each other, and an image is formed in the space on the emission surface side by a collection of the convergence points or the convergence lines.