Reflective Liquid Crystal Panel with Barrier for Directional Display Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Directional display devices using transparent liquid crystal panels suffer from poor visibility under strong external light, such as sunlight, due to reduced light transmission and increased darkness of the images displayed.
Innovation Solution
A directional display device employing a reflective liquid crystal panel with a barrier featuring light shields and apertures, where each aperture is associated with multiple pixel dots, and a luminescent layer behind the light shields to illuminate the panel, ensuring visibility is maintained under both strong and weak external light conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a transparent liquid crystal panel is used in a directional display device, then the device can display multiple directional images, but the visibility deteriorates under strong external light such as sunlight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional transmission-type liquid crystal panel to a reflection-type panel. Instead of transmitting light from the front, the panel reflects ambient or backlight from behind, fundamentally changing the light interaction mode to improve visibility under external light conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a barrier with light shields as an intermediary component between the liquid crystal panel and the external environment. This barrier selectively blocks harmful external light while allowing the reflected image light to pass through, mediating the interaction between the display and external light
2Adaptability or versatility
If a barrier is arranged in front of a transparent liquid crystal panel to divide images into multiple directional images, then multi-directional display is achieved, but the images become darker and visibility poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the light path by using a reflective panel instead of a transparent panel. The barrier remains but now works with reflected light rather than transmitted light, preventing the image darkening effect that occurs when the barrier blocks transmitted light
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the optical parameter of the liquid crystal panel from transparent to reflective. This parameter change fundamentally alters how light interacts with the panel and the barrier, maintaining image brightness while achieving multi-directional separation
3Illumination intensity
If a reflective liquid crystal panel is used instead of a transparent panel, then visibility under external light improves, but additional components like luminescent layers are required
Solution Approach 1:
The reflective liquid crystal panel serves multiple functions: it displays images and simultaneously reflects ambient light for visibility. The barrier with light shields also serves dual purposes of image separation and glare reduction, reducing the need for additional separate components
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 provides improved visibility of directional images without degradation under strong external light, while preventing screen reflection and maintaining image quality through efficient optical separation and illumination, even in low-light conditions.
Implementation Method 1
each of the light shields has a luminescent layer for illuminating the reflective liquid crystal display panel behind it
Implementation Method 2
a light reflecting membrane arranged behind the liquid crystal layer
Implementation Method 3
the barrier has a plurality of light shields and a plurality of apertures... n images formed by the reflective liquid crystal panel may be optically separated
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a directional display device configured to display a plurality of directional images simultaneously, comprising a reflective liquid crystal panel (110) having a liquid crystal layer (118) and a light reflecting membrane (114) arranged behind the liquid crystal layer, the reflective liquid crystal panel being configured to form the plurality of images by using a plurality of pixel dots (124); and a barrier portion (150) arranged in front of the reflective liquid crystal panel, the barrier portion having a plurality of light shields (152) and a plurality of apertures (154), each of the apertures arranged in such a way that one of the apertures is associated with n pixel dots if n images are displayed, wherein n is an integer being no less than two, and wherein behind each of the light shields a luminescent layer (160) for illuminating the reflective liquid crystal panel is arranged.