Movable Optical Modulators for High-Resolution 3D Displays

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current LED video screens face limitations in resolution due to technological constraints, such as pixel distance and temperature issues, which result in lower brightness and increased costs when trying to decrease pixel size, and the spatial multiplex method for 3D television reduces resolution by half, failing to achieve high-definition quality without special glasses.

Innovation Solution

The use of movable or partially movable picture element modification means, including reflecting mirrors, lenses, and shutters, to deflect light in a time multiplex method, allowing for increased resolution without reducing pixel distance or increasing the number of LEDs, and enabling autostereoscopic 3D representation without glasses by directing image information to the left and right eyes within the frame rate period.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If pixel distance is decreased to increase resolution, then resolution is improved, but costs increase and temperature problems worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveresolutionVSAvoidcosts
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs movable picture element modification means that can dynamically change position or orientation to direct light from a fixed LED array to multiple virtual picture elements. This dynamic optical routing allows one physical LED to serve multiple logical pixels, achieving high resolution without physically decreasing pixel distance or adding more LEDs, thus avoiding the associated cost and thermal issues.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The picture element modification means act as an intermediary between the fixed LED light sources and the display medium. These modifiers redirect and shape the light to create multiple virtual picture elements from each physical LED, enabling high resolution display without requiring correspondingly high physical pixel density, thereby avoiding the cost and temperature problems of traditional approaches.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If pixel size is reduced to increase resolution, then resolution is improved, but brightness decreases due to reduced light power

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveresolutionVSAvoidbrightness
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The movable picture element modification means dynamically direct the full light output from each LED to multiple virtual picture elements sequentially or selectively. This allows each physical LED to provide sufficient brightness to multiple virtual pixels without requiring each physical pixel to be smaller and thus less luminous.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses periodic or sequential activation of picture element modification means to direct light from each LED to different virtual picture elements at different times within a frame period. This time-multiplexed approach allows one LED to illuminate multiple virtual pixels with full brightness, achieving high resolution without sacrificing illumination intensity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Adaptability or versatility

If spatial multiplex method is used for 3D television, then 3D effect is achieved, but resolution is reduced by factor of 2

Engineering Contradiction:
Improve3D effectVSAvoidresolution
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses dynamically controllable picture element modification means to direct light from each LED to different spatial locations for left and right eye images. This dynamic optical routing enables 3D display without requiring duplicate static LED arrays for each eye, thus achieving 3D effect without the resolution penalty of spatial multiplexing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs time-multiplexed control of picture element modification means to alternate between directing light to left-eye and right-eye picture elements within each frame period. This temporal separation allows both eyes to receive full-resolution image information sequentially, achieving 3D effect without reducing resolution by half as would occur with simultaneous spatial multiplexing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

4Manufacturing precision

If number of LEDs is increased to increase resolution, then resolution is improved, but device complexity and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveresolutionVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes each LED and its associated picture element modification means multi-functional, allowing a single LED to serve multiple virtual picture elements through dynamic optical routing. This universality reduces the total number of LEDs required compared to traditional approaches where each LED corresponds to one fixed pixel, thereby reducing device complexity and costs while achieving high resolution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The movable picture element modification means enable each LED to dynamically serve multiple virtual picture elements by changing the direction and distribution of emitted light. This dynamic multi-functionality allows a reduced number of physical LEDs to achieve the resolution equivalent to many more static LEDs, simplifying the overall device structure and reducing costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 approach enhances the resolution of the display device fourfold and allows for a high-definition 3D effect without the need for special glasses, maintaining brightness and reducing costs by maintaining pixel distance and LED count.

Implementation Method 1

reflecting mirrors or reflectors, respectively, in combination with lenses, shutters as well as apertures, are used together with the light sources in order to deflect the emitted light

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 2

reflecting mirrors or reflectors, respectively, in combination with lenses, shutters as well as apertures, are used together with the light sources in order to deflect the emitted light

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRefraction: Refraction

Data Source

PatentEP2678856B1Display device with movement elements for obtaining a high resolution and/or a 3D effect
Publication Date: 2017.08.23 TRILITE TECH
  • EP2678856B1 patent drawingFigure 1(a)~2(d)
  • EP2678856B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2678856B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6(b)

AI summary

A display device (A) for the display of image information, which consists of at least one or a plurality of picture elements and may be modified by means of a frame rate (R), having at least one light source (L) for the generation of a picture element of the image information, characterized in that there are provided picture element modification means (VM) having movement elements (BR, BV, LI, L), which are movably arranged with at least the frame rate (R) in the display device (A) and which are adapted to selectively deflect and/or cover the light emitted by the at least one light source (L) for the viewer (LA, RA) of the display device (A) in order to generate per light source (L) of the display device (A) at least twice the number of picture elements as extension picture elements (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) for the display of the image information, wherein the light emitted by the at least one light source (L) is modified with at least twice the frame rate (R) as light source frequency ( L).