Luminaire Grid Integrating Image and General Illumination
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional display devices, particularly those using liquid crystals, suffer from high optical losses, resulting in inefficient illumination and inability to meet minimal lighting requirements, as they separate lighting and display functions, leading to poor performance in both image display and general lighting.
Innovation Solution
A luminaire design that integrates general illumination light sources and image light emitters within a grid structure, utilizing optical couplings to direct light in specific angles, allowing for simultaneous and efficient lighting and image display, with the image display being transmissive to general illumination light.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If LCD based image displays are used, then image display function is achieved, but illumination efficiency is poor (less than 10 lumens/watt)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the image display function and general illumination function into a single luminaire device. The luminaire includes both an image display device and a general illumination light source, allowing simultaneous operation of both functions from one integrated system rather than separate devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The luminaire is designed to perform multiple functions: it can provide general illumination lighting, display images, and potentially both simultaneously. The device includes separate light sources for illumination and display, with optical couplings that can direct light for either or both purposes depending on operational mode.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional display devices are used, then display capability is provided, but lighting requirements are not met
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a dedicated general illumination light source with an image display device in a single luminaire. The illumination light source provides sufficient lighting output to meet building codes and industry standards, while the display device provides image capability, with both functions operating from the same device.
Solution Approach 2:
The luminaire segments the lighting and display functions into separate components (general illumination light source and image display device) that work together. This allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while contributing to the overall multi-functional performance of the luminaire.
3Reliability
If lighting and display functions are separated into different fixtures, then each function can be optimized, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the image display device and general illumination light source into a single luminaire housing with shared power supply and control systems. This reduces the number of separate fixtures needed while maintaining the optimized performance of both functions through proper optical coupling and light directing mechanisms.
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 enables a luminaire to provide effective general illumination while also displaying images, meeting industry standards for lighting efficiency and quality, thereby improving upon the limitations of conventional display technologies.
Implementation Method 1
Each optical coupling may be configured to direct general illumination light emitted via an output of a corresponding one of the general illumination light sources in a first light distribution angle
Implementation Method 2
Each optical coupling may be configured to direct general illumination light emitted via an output of a corresponding one of the general illumination light sources in a first light distribution angle
Implementation Method 3
Each image light emitter may be configured to output image light representing a pixel of an image to be displayed. The image light may have an image light distribution that has a second light distribution angle, which is wider than the first light distribution angle
Data Source
AI summary
The examples relate to various implementations to enable simultaneous controllable lighting distribution and a wide angle image light output from areas of a luminaire. An example of such a luminaire includes image light emitters and an array of general illumination light emitters for general illumination. A grid structure that has a supporting grid of rows and columns with intersection points and transparent sections or gaps is used to maintain a spaced arrangement of the general illumination light emitters and the image light emitters. Each of the transparent sections is bounded by individual structural members of the grid meeting at individual intersection points. In a specific example, image light emitters are located at intersection points of the grid structure. The general illumination light emitters are optically coupled for emitting general illumination light through the transparent sections of the grid.