Optical Structure Refracting Light to Reduce Halo Effect

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Solution Overview

Problem

Backlight display arrangements in portable electronic devices suffer from 'halo' effects due to misalignment of sublayers and optical phenomena, leading to reduced legibility and aesthetic issues under varying lighting conditions.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating an optical structure with angled faces within the lens layer to refract light away from peripheral regions and towards central regions or the bottom surface of the decoration layer, reducing light intensity in peripheral areas and enhancing contrast.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If a backlight mechanism is provided to illuminate characters in dim or dark ambient situations, then visibility of visual information is improved, but halo effect occurs in peripheral regions reducing legibility

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisibility of visual informationVSAvoidlegibility of visual information

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The optical structure introduces spatially varying light distribution by refracting light differently in different regions. The angled faces are positioned to specifically target and reduce light intensity in peripheral regions where halo effect occurs, while maintaining or enhancing illumination in central regions where characters are displayed, thus improving legibility without sacrificing overall visibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The optical structure acts as an intermediary element between the light source and the decoration layer. It modifies the light path by refracting light away from peripheral regions and towards central regions, effectively mediating the interaction between light and the visual information display to eliminate halo effect while preserving illumination

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Illumination intensity

If transflective components are used to make information more readily visible under bright illumination, then reflectivity is improved, but light intensity distribution becomes uneven creating halo effect

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereflectivity of transflective componentsVSAvoidalignment of sublayers

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The optical structure changes the directional parameters of light propagation by introducing angled faces with specific orientations. These angled faces refract light at controlled angles to redirect light away from peripheral regions, compensating for misalignment issues and creating a more uniform light distribution pattern that eliminates halo effect while maintaining the transflective properties

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Illumination intensity

If light is directed uniformly through the void, then overall illumination is improved, but light intensity in peripheral regions increases creating halo effect

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoverall illumination of characterVSAvoidhalo effect in peripheral regions

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of uniformly distributing light or directing it towards peripheral regions, the optical structure inverts the approach by using angled faces to refract light away from peripheral regions and towards the central region. This inverted light distribution strategy eliminates halo effect while maintaining adequate overall illumination of the character

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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 significantly reduces the 'halo' effect, increasing light intensity in central regions by up to 45% and decreasing it in peripheral regions by up to 65%, making visual information more legible and aesthetically pleasing across different lighting conditions.

Implementation Method 1

The optical structure may include at least one angled face arranged to refract the light away from the peripheral region

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRefraction: Refraction

Data Source

PatentUS8833959B2Display arrangement with optical structure for reducing halo effect

Publication Date: 2014.09.16 MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LTD

AI summary

A display arrangement includes a decoration layer, a light source underneath the decoration layer, and a lens layer arranged between the decoration layer and the light source. The decoration layer includes at least one void formed in the shape of a character when viewed from above. The lens layer is at least semi-transparent to permit transmission of light from the light source through the void. An optical structure is arranged in alignment with the void and is adapted to reduce intensity of the light in a peripheral region of the void so as to reduce a halo effect. The decoration layer may be formed as an external layer of a key or a button of a portable electronic device, or an outer casing of a portable electronic device.