Tunable Ocular Optical System with Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Attenuator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing eyewear devices with anti-blue light coatings lack adjustability, leading to inadequate protection in varying environments, as strong reduction distorts images in dark conditions while weak reduction fails to protect against intense blue or ultraviolet light.
Innovation Solution
An ocular optical system incorporating a tunable light attenuator with cholesteric liquid crystal layers and electrode layers, controlled by a controller to adjust voltage and achieve adjustable blue or ultraviolet light attenuation, allowing for customizable protection across different environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a strong blue light reduction effect is used, then eye protection is improved, but color distortion occurs in environmental images
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs cholesteric liquid crystal layers that can dynamically adjust their light attenuation properties through voltage control. The liquid crystal molecules reorient in response to applied voltage, changing the degree of blue light blocking from strong to weak, thereby adapting to different environmental conditions and eliminating fixed color distortion issues
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameters of the cholesteric liquid crystal by applying different voltages. By adjusting the voltage parameter, the refractive index and molecular orientation of the liquid crystal change, which directly controls the wavelength-selective attenuation characteristics, allowing dynamic adjustment between strong protection mode and natural color mode
2Loss of information
If a weak blue light reduction effect is used, then color accuracy is maintained, but protection effectiveness is insufficient under strong blue light conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static anti-blue light coating to a dynamic liquid crystal-based attenuator that can switch between weak attenuation (maintaining color accuracy) and strong attenuation ( providing adequate protection) based on real-time environmental blue light intensity and user needs
3Object-affected harmful factors
If an anti-blue light coating is applied, then blue light protection is achieved, but adjustability for various environments is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the fixed anti-blue light coating with a dynamic liquid crystal system controlled by electrodes and a controller. This allows the system to adapt its attenuation strength based on environmental conditions such as ambient light levels, time of day, and user requirements, providing versatility across different scenarios from daytime outdoor to nighttime indoor environments
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates a controller that can receive feedback about environmental conditions and adjust the voltage applied to the liquid crystal layers accordingly, enabling automatic adaptation to various environments without requiring manual intervention or sacrificing protection effectiveness
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
Enables adjustable light attenuation for various environments, effectively protecting the eyes from blue and ultraviolet light while maintaining image sharpness and clarity, suitable for diverse lighting conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of cholesteric liquid crystal layers, a plurality of electrode layers, and a controller. Each of the cholesteric liquid crystal layers is disposed between two of the electrode layers
Data Source
AI summary
An ocular optical system including an eyewear device and a tunable light attenuator is provided. The tunable light attenuator is disposed on a light path which the eyewear device is disposed on and includes a plurality of cholesteric liquid crystal layers, a plurality of electrode layers, and a controller. Each of the cholesteric liquid crystal layers is disposed between two of the electrode layers. The controller is electrically connected to the electrode layers and configured to adjust voltages applied to the electrode layers so as to operate the cholesteric liquid crystal layers in at least two steps of light attenuation for randomly polarized light with at least one of a blue band and an ultraviolet band.