Light Redirecting Elements Enlarge Display Area
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Solution Overview
Problem
Incorporating a display cover layer into electronic devices can lead to distortion or undesired inactive borders due to peripheral regions, which affects the display's effectiveness and user experience.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating light redirecting elements such as lenses, holograms, and gratings into the display cover layer to redirect light from peripheral pixels, thereby enlarging the display's effective size, minimizing borders, and creating diffuse glowing areas around the periphery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a display cover layer is incorporated to protect the pixel array, then the display is protected from damage, but peripheral regions of the display cover layer may introduce distortion or create undesired inactive display borders
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a specialized optical layer as an intermediary between the display cover layer and the pixel array. This optical layer contains light redirecting elements that mediate the optical interaction, preventing the cover layer's peripheral regions from causing distortion or inactive borders while maintaining the protective function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the optical parameters of the display system by incorporating light redirecting elements with specific refractive indices and geometric configurations. These parameter changes enable the peripheral regions to redirect light effectively, eliminating distortion and inactive borders caused by the cover layer's geometry.
2Area of stationary object
If the display area is enlarged by adding light redirecting elements, then the effective display size increases, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the light redirecting elements directly into the optical layer that is already part of the display structure. By combining multiple functions (protection, light redirection, and display enlargement) into integrated layers rather than separate components, the solution enlarges the display area while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical layer serves multiple functions simultaneously: it protects the pixel array, redirects light from peripheral pixels, and enlarges the effective display area. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving display enlargement.
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 solution effectively enlarges the display's apparent size, reduces inactive borders, and enhances the device's appearance by directing light in a desired manner, creating a seamless and larger image area while maintaining protection for the pixel array.
Implementation Method 1
Light redirecting elements may be refractive light redirecting elements that refract light rays
Implementation Method 2
or may be diffractive light redirecting elements that diffract light
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device display and a display cover layer may be coupled to a housing. The display may have an array of pixels that are configured to emit light. One or more light redirecting elements may be incorporated into the electronic device that redirect and thereby change the direction of light rays emitted from peripheral pixels in the display. The light redirecting elements may be used to enlarge the effective size of the display, to create images on sidewall surfaces of the display cover layer, and/or to create diffuse glowing areas around the periphery of the device. Light redirecting elements may be formed as integral portions of a display cover layer, as laminated optical films on a display cover layer, or as coating layers on a display cover layer. Afocal optical systems may be formed by placing first and second light redirecting elements on opposing first and second sides of a display cover layer.