Polymer-Stabilized Liquid Crystal Display with Integrated Proximity Sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current input/output devices lack convenience and reliability in terms of user interaction and data processing, particularly in integrating display and sensing functions effectively.
Innovation Solution
The development of an input/output device featuring a display portion with a pixel circuit and liquid crystal element, along with a sensing region using a sensor that includes a photoelectric conversion element, allowing for enhanced user interaction and data processing through the application of electric fields to polymer-stabilized liquid crystals, enabling high scattering intensity control and image capture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a display device integrates both display and sensing functions in a single structure, then convenience and reliability of user interaction are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the display function (liquid crystal element with first and second electrodes) and sensing function (sensor in sensing region) into a single integrated device structure. The display portion and input portion share the same physical substrate, allowing users to interact with the device through touch or proximity gestures while simultaneously viewing displayed content, thereby improving ease of operation without requiring separate devices
Solution Approach 2:
The device is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it can display images through the liquid crystal element, sense user inputs through the sensor in the sensing region, and capture images using the photoelectric conversion element. This multi-functionality allows a single device to replace multiple separate devices, improving convenience while managing complexity through unified design
2Illumination intensity
If the liquid crystal material uses high scattering intensity to enhance visibility, then display quality is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes electric field control to dynamically change the scattering properties of the liquid crystal material. By applying different electric field strengths between the first and second electrodes, the liquid crystal can switch between low scattering (dark state) and high scattering (bright state), allowing energy-efficient display operation where high scattering intensity is only activated when needed for visibility
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid crystal material undergoes phase transitions in response to electric field application, changing from a state with low light scattering to a state with high light scattering. This phase transition mechanism allows the display to achieve high visibility when required while consuming minimal energy during low-visibility periods, effectively managing the trade-off between display quality and energy consumption
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 provides a highly convenient and reliable input/output device capable of sensing user inputs and displaying images, facilitating user authentication and efficient data processing with improved reliability and convenience.
Implementation Method 1
The layer containing a liquid crystal material scatters incident light with first scattering intensity when the electric field is in a first state, and the layer containing a liquid crystal material scatters the incident light with second scattering intensity when the electric field is in a second state
Implementation Method 2
the sensor includes a photoelectric conversion element and the photoelectric conversion element senses light entering through the pixel
Data Source
AI summary
A novel input/output device that is highly convenient or reliable is provided. The input/output device includes a display portion and an input portion, and the display portion includes a liquid crystal element. The liquid crystal element includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a layer containing a liquid crystal material, a first alignment film, and a second alignment film, and the second electrode is provided such that an electric field is applied to the layer containing a liquid crystal material between the first electrode and the second electrode. The layer containing a liquid crystal material scatters incident light with first scattering intensity when the electric field is in a first state, the layer containing a liquid crystal material scatters the incident light with second scattering intensity when the electric field is in a second state, which is higher than that in the first state, and the second scattering intensity is 10 or more times as high as the first scattering intensity. The layer containing a liquid crystal material contains a liquid crystal material and a polymer material, and the layer containing a liquid crystal material is stabilized by the polymer material. The input portion includes a sensing region, the input portion senses an object approaching the sensing region, the sensing region includes a region overlapping with a pixel, and the sensing region includes a sensor.