Reflective Liquid Crystal Light Control for Transparent Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current transparent display devices face challenges with low transmittance ratios, high power consumption, and difficulty in expressing true black due to the use of LCDs and OLEDs, which affect their performance in both transparent and light shielding modes.
Innovation Solution
A light controlling apparatus using a liquid crystal unit with a wall and network structure, formed by polymerizing monomers of different diffusion speeds, allows for a transparent mode without applied voltage and a light shielding mode with voltage application, reducing power consumption and improving image visibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If LCD is used for transparent display device, then transparency is improved, but transmittance ratio is reduced and power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional LCD operation mode by using a reflective display mode instead of transmissive mode. The display device reflects ambient light rather than requiring backlight illumination, thereby achieving transparency while reducing power consumption. The liquid crystal layer modulates reflected light to display information without needing a backlight unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the backlight unit from the display device structure. By eliminating the backlight, the device achieves transparency and reduces power consumption while retaining display functionality through reflective light modulation by the liquid crystal layer.
2Use of energy by moving object
If OLED is used for transparent display device, then power consumption is reduced, but contrast ratio is reduced in normal environment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts from emissive OLED display to reflective liquid crystal display mode. By reflecting ambient light rather than emitting light, the device reduces power consumption while maintaining contrast ratio through effective light modulation by the liquid crystal layer's birefringence properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the liquid crystal layer as an intermediary between ambient light and the display surface. The liquid crystal molecules modulate the reflected light to create high contrast images while allowing sufficient light transmission for transparency, achieving both low power consumption and high contrast ratio in normal lighting environments.
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 apparatus achieves reduced power consumption, enhanced image visibility, and improved transmittance ratios by transmitting light without voltage and shielding light effectively, while being applicable to flexible display devices.
Implementation Method 1
If an electric field is applied to the polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) or polymer networked liquid crystal (PNLC), alignment of the liquid crystal is changed, and, thus, light incident from the outside can be scattered or transmitted.
Implementation Method 2
The polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) or polymer networked liquid crystal (PNLC) can be formed by mixing a monomer and a liquid crystal and irradiating ultraviolet (UV) rays to the mixture.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a light controlling apparatus and a method of fabricating the same. The light controlling apparatus includes: a first electrode unit and a second electrode unit facing each other; a liquid crystal unit between the first electrode unit and the second electrode unit, the liquid crystal unit including a liquid crystal; a wall having a first polymer being polymerized from a first monomer the first monomer having a higher diffusion speed than a second monomer; and a network having a second polymer being polymerized from the second monomer, the second monomer having a lower diffusion speed than the first monomer.