Multi-Zone Transparent Display Layout for Night Vision Trade-Offs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Night vision systems face limitations due to the trade-off between tube performance and display performance, often optimized for either low-power or high-power applications, which restricts their range of usefulness and can result in suboptimal image quality and usability.

Innovation Solution

A multi-zone transparent display chip is implemented, allowing for different display characteristics in each zone, such as varying power draw, pixel arrangements, and transmission efficiency, enabling a single device to cater to multiple applications and functions by optimizing light transmission and image quality based on specific requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If transparent display chips are optimized for low-power applications, then power consumption is reduced, but display performance and light transmission are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoiddisplay performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The display chip is divided into multiple zones with different transparency characteristics. Some zones have higher transparency for better light transmission and display performance, while other zones have lower transparency optimized for low-power operation. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both low-power consumption and adequate display performance simultaneously by allocating different functional requirements to different spatial regions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the display chip are assigned different optical properties and performance characteristics. The patent implements zones with varying transparency levels, pixel densities, and light transmission properties tailored to specific functional requirements. This local quality approach enables critical display areas to maintain high performance while non-critical areas operate in low-power mode.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If transparent display chips are optimized for high-power applications, then display performance is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay performanceVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The display chip is divided into multiple zones with different transparency characteristics. Some zones have higher transparency for better light transmission and display performance, while other zones have lower transparency optimized for low-power operation. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both low-power consumption and adequate display performance simultaneously by allocating different functional requirements to different spatial regions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the display chip are assigned different optical properties and performance characteristics. The patent implements zones with varying transparency levels, pixel densities, and light transmission properties tailored to specific functional requirements. This local quality approach enables critical display areas to maintain high performance while non-critical areas operate in low-power mode.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If a single display configuration is used, then device simplicity is maintained, but adaptability to different applications is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplication rangeVSAvoiddevice configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The display chip is divided into multiple zones with different transparency characteristics. Some zones have higher transparency for better light transmission and display performance, while other zones have lower transparency optimized for low-power operation. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both low-power consumption and adequate display performance simultaneously by allocating different functional requirements to different spatial regions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The multi-zone display chip is designed to serve multiple applications and functions within a single device. By incorporating zones with different transparency and performance characteristics, the display can adapt to various operational modes including low-power navigation, high-performance display, and mixed-mode operation, thereby achieving universality across different use cases without requiring multiple separate devices.

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

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 enables a single night vision system to provide tailored performance for various needs, minimizing screen door effects and fill factor issues, while allowing for simultaneous heads-up display functionality, including augmented reality features, by managing screen quality and power consumption across different zones.

Implementation Method 1

an underlying device configured to be sensitive to input light, and to provide output light in a first spectrum based on absorbing the input light

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhotoluminescence: Photoluminescence

Implementation Method 2

transparent regions formed in the stacked device which are transparent to the light in the first spectrum to allow light in the first spectrum to pass through from the underlying device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight transmission: Light

Data Source

PatentEP4155802B1Multi-zone display with transparency compensation
Publication Date: 2024.01.24 L3HARRIS TECH INC
  • EP4155802B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4155802B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4155802B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

An optical device. The optical device includes an underlying device that is sensitive to input light, and provides output light in a first spectrum based on absorbing the input light. The optical device further includes a stacked device, formed in an active area of a single semiconductor chip, coupled in an overlapping fashion to the underlying device. The stacked device includes first and second zones. Each zone has a plurality of active elements having a particular lateral size, where the lateral size is different for each zone. Each zone also has a plurality of transparent regions formed in the stacked device which are transparent to the light in the first spectrum to allow light in the first spectrum to pass through from the underlying device. The transparent regions are configured in size and shape to cause each zone to have a particular transmission efficiency for light in the first spectrum