UV Fluorescent Projection for Bright Transparent Displays
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional projection displays suffer from limited brightness, poor black levels, and inability to project on transparent surfaces, making them unsuitable for holographic or animatronic applications.
Innovation Solution
A digital projector using ultraviolet light sources to excite fluorescent materials on a projection surface, with multiple non-overlapping wavelength bands to emit red, green, and blue colors, and a fourth light source for increased luminance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional projection displays use visible light sources to project images on a screen, then images can be displayed, but brightness is limited especially in daylight conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional visible light projection systems with ultraviolet light excitation of fluorescent materials. Instead of using complex optical lens systems to project visible light images, the system uses UV light sources to excite fluorescent phosphors on the projection surface, which then emit visible light. This substitution of the projection mechanism fundamentally changes the approach from direct visible light projection to indirect fluorescent emission, thereby increasing brightness without proportionally increasing optical system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the wavelength parameter of the light source from visible light to ultraviolet light. By using UV light sources with wavelengths outside the visible range to excite fluorescent materials, the system achieves higher energy transfer efficiency and brighter images. The UV light sources operate at wavelengths that are absorbed by the fluorescent phosphors, converting the energy to visible light emission, thereby solving the brightness limitation of conventional visible light projection systems.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional projection displays project visible light on a screen, then images can be formed, but black levels are poor due to inability to prevent illumination of portions that should appear black
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional optical projection system with a fluorescent excitation system. Instead of using optical lenses to control and direct visible light beams, the system uses UV light sources to excite fluorescent materials at specific locations. The fluorescent materials only emit light when excited by UV, providing inherent spatial selectivity. This eliminates the need for complex optical shutters and aperture control mechanisms, achieving superior black levels through the physics of fluorescent excitation rather than mechanical optical control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs sequential or selective activation of multiple UV light sources corresponding to different colors (red, green, blue phosphors). By controlling the timing and sequence of UV excitation for different phosphor regions, the system can precisely control which areas emit light and which remain dark. This periodic or sequential activation pattern enables precise black level control, as unexcited phosphor regions contribute no light emission, creating true black levels without requiring additional optical blocking elements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional projection displays or direct displays are used, then images can be displayed, but they cannot project on transparent surfaces making them unsuitable for holographic or animatronic applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal projection system that can work with multiple types of surfaces including transparent surfaces, opaque surfaces, and irregularly shaped objects. By using UV excitation of fluorescent materials, the system is not limited to traditional flat screens. The fluorescent phosphors can be applied to any surface that can be illuminated by UV light, including transparent materials like glass or plastic. This multi-functional capability allows the same projection system to be used for holographic displays, animatronic surfaces, transparent screens, and conventional projection surfaces, greatly enhancing adaptability without requiring separate specialized systems for each application type.
4Illumination intensity
If digital projectors use ultraviolet light sources to excite fluorescent materials, then brightness can be improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple light sources and scanning units
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple UV light sources and their corresponding scanning units into an integrated projection system. Rather than treating each color channel (red, green, blue) as completely separate systems, the patent merges them into a coordinated unified system where multiple UV sources operate simultaneously or sequentially under a single control architecture. The scanning units are integrated to scan different phosphor regions in a coordinated manner, and the control system merges the signals for all color channels. This merging approach manages the inherent complexity by creating a unified system rather than separate independent systems, making the increased complexity more manageable and efficient.
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
Enhances image brightness and allows projection on transparent surfaces, suitable for holographic and animatronic applications.
Implementation Method 1
A projection surface includes a first fluorescent material, a second fluorescent material, and a third fluorescent material. The first fluorescent material, the second fluorescent material, and the third fluorescent material are capable of optically absorbing light in a first wavelength band, a second wavelength band, and a third wavelength band, respectively, and emitting light in red, green, and blue, respectively.
Data Source
AI summary
A visual display system is provided. The system includes a digital projector and a projection surface. The digital projector projects an image on a projection surface using at least one ultraviolet light source to excite fluorescent material associated with the surface to form the image. The at least one ultraviolet light source may generate a single wavelength of ultraviolet light capable of exciting the fluorescent material to emit a color (e.g., red, green, blue, yellow, etc.). Alternatively, the at least one ultraviolet light source may generate a plurality of wavelengths of ultraviolet light capable of exciting a plurality of fluorescent materials to emit a variety of colors to form the image.