Light Emitter Module Cover Sensing for Moisture and Crack Hazards
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Solution Overview
Problem
High power VCSEL devices in portable computing devices pose eye and skin safety hazards due to potential damage from compromised optical components, mechanical defects, or moisture contamination.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of packaged light emitter modules with a transmissive cover and electrically conductive structures that detect mechanical defects and moisture, coupled with a controller that regulates the optical output based on monitored electrical characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If high power VCSEL devices are used to deliver efficient electro-optic conversion, then the power and efficiency are improved, but the safety hazards to eye and skin increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by implementing safety monitoring before hazardous conditions occur. Electrical conductive structures are pre-installed on the transmissive cover to detect moisture or cracks, and the controller continuously monitors these conditions, enabling early detection and prevention of safety hazards before they can cause eye or skin damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback through a closed-loop safety monitoring system. The electrical conductive structures provide real-time feedback about the condition of the transmissive cover (moisture presence, cracks) to the controller, which then adjusts the operation of the light emitter accordingly, regulating or shutting down output when hazards are detected to prevent safety incidents.
2Adaptability or versatility
If optical components are placed in the beam path to modify beam properties, then the beam properties are improved for specific applications, but the safety hazards increase if the optical component quality is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the transmissive cover as an intermediary element between the high-power light emitter and the external environment. This cover serves as a protective barrier that can be monitored for integrity, mediating the interaction between the hazardous light source and potential exposure paths, while still allowing the modified beam to pass through when the cover is intact.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical conductive structures are pre-applied to the transmissive cover to detect potential failures before they compromise safety. This preliminary monitoring capability allows the system to detect cracks or moisture contamination in the optical component before these defects can lead to unsafe beam transmission.
3Illumination intensity
If the transmissive cover is made transparent to the light wavelength, then the light transmission is improved, but the detection of moisture or cracks becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces direct optical or visual inspection methods with an electrical detection system. Instead of trying to detect moisture or cracks optically through the transparent cover, electrical conductive structures are used to sense these defects through changes in electrical properties (such as capacitance or resistance), substituting an electrical measurement system for what would otherwise require complex optical detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical conductive structures serve as intermediary sensing elements that are applied to the transparent cover. These conductive layers act as mediators between the transparent cover and the detection system, enabling electrical measurement of the cover's condition without interfering with the optical transparency needed for light transmission.
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 safety by enabling immediate and independent power regulation of the light source in response to detected hazards, thereby preventing eye or skin damage.
Implementation Method 1
the controller is operable to monitor signals from the first electrically conductive structure for a change in resistance
Implementation Method 2
the controller is operable to monitor signals from the second electrically conductive structure for a change in capacitance
Implementation Method 3
a light emitter operable to produce light having a particular wavelength
Data Source
Figure 1~2B
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
Packaged light emitter module can provide improved safety features to facilitate sensing the presence of moisture or a mechanical defect such as a crack in a transmissive cover (22) that may result in a safety hazard caused by the emitted light (24) if the defect or other situation is not addressed in a timely manner. Different electrically conductive structures, such as different electrically conductive traces (20, 22), allow monitoring and detection of mechanical defects to be decoupled from monitoring and detection of problems arising from the presence of moisture. The decoupling can allow the respective configuration for each of the electrically conductive structures to be optimized for detection of particular situations that may lead to a safety hazard.