Transparent Display Light Control Unit for Ambient Visibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Transparent display apparatuses face challenges in maintaining visibility and informativeness due to varying ambient light conditions, as existing technologies struggle to balance the luminance of the displayed video with external light from the back surface, leading to decreased contrast ratios and visibility issues.

Innovation Solution

A transparent display apparatus with a light control unit that adjusts transmittance based on signals from sensors measuring external light brightness, proximity, and contrast ratio, ensuring optimal visibility by controlling the amount of light transmitted through the display unit.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If the transparent display unit transmits external light from the back surface, then the background visibility is improved, but the contrast ratio of the displayed video deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebackground visibilityVSAvoidcontrast ratio
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The light control unit dynamically adjusts its transmittance based on ambient light conditions detected by sensors. The system transitions from a static transparent state to a dynamically controllable state, switching between transparent and opaque modes or adjusting intermediate transmittance levels to optimize both background visibility and video contrast ratio under varying lighting conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the optical parameter (transmittance) of the light control unit in response to changes in ambient light conditions. By adjusting the transmittance parameter dynamically, the system maintains optimal contrast ratio when external light is bright while preserving background visibility when lighting conditions are favorable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Illumination intensity

If the transmittance of the light control unit is increased to improve background visibility, then the amount of external light transmitted increases, but the visibility of the displayed video in bright conditions deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebackground visibilityVSAvoidvideo visibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs sensors to detect ambient light conditions and uses this feedback information to automatically adjust the transmittance of the light control unit. This closed-loop control ensures that the display adapts to changing environmental conditions, maintaining video visibility in bright conditions while preserving background visibility when appropriate.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Device complexity

If a fixed transmittance structure is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to different ambient light conditions deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidambient light adaptation
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system achieves self-service by using sensors to automatically detect ambient light conditions and triggering the light control unit to adjust its transmittance accordingly. This self-adaptive mechanism eliminates the need for complex manual control systems while maintaining high adaptability to different ambient lighting environments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 effectively improves visibility and maintains a target contrast ratio by dynamically adjusting light transmittance in response to changing ambient conditions, enhancing the user's experience by balancing video luminance with external light, thereby optimizing the display's performance across different brightness environments.

Implementation Method 1

at least one sensor disposed on one surface of the transparent display apparatus measures characteristics of incident light

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhotoelectric Effect: Photoelectric Effect

Data Source

PatentEP2939068B1Transparent display apparatus and method for controlling the same
Publication Date: 2019.12.11 LG DISPLAY CO LTD
  • EP2939068B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2a
  • EP2939068B1 patent drawingFigure 2b~2c(c)
  • EP2939068B1 patent drawingFigure 2d~3(b)

AI summary

There are provided a transparent display apparatus and a method for controlling the same. The transparent display apparatus includes a transparent display unit that includes an emissive area and a transmissive area and is configured to display a video, an optical sensor configured to measure the amount of light, and a light shielding unit that is disposed on one surface of the transparent display unit and is configured to adjust transmittance on the basis of the amount of light.