Lighting system laminated into glasses using microleds and lens
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lighting systems embedded within vehicle windows suffer from total internal reflection, which reduces brightness as light rays incident at a large angle are reflected back, making them invisible to observers outside.
Innovation Solution
A lens array is integrated into the optical medium layer of the window, with surfaces such as concave, prismatic, or triangular shapes, to reduce total internal reflection by refracting light rays to angles less than the critical angle, allowing them to exit and be visible.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If light rays are emitted at large angles to increase light distribution coverage, then the light can reach wider areas, but total internal reflection occurs at the second interface causing brightness loss and reduced visibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the optical medium into multiple layers with different refractive indices. By dividing the single optical medium into layered structures, the system controls light propagation at each interface separately, preventing total internal reflection while maintaining wide angular light distribution for enhanced brightness and coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the refractive index parameter across different layers of the optical medium. By creating a gradient or stepped variation in refractive indices, the system modifies light refraction angles at each interface, ensuring light rays exit at angles below the critical angle and avoiding total internal reflection, thus preserving brightness without limiting angular distribution.
2Illumination intensity
If a lens array is added to redirect light rays and reduce total internal reflection, then brightness and visibility are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the light redirecting function directly into the optical medium layers themselves. The layered optical structure performs both light transmission and angle control functions simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate lens arrays or additional optical components, thus improving brightness while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate optical layers with specific refractive indices between the light source and the external environment. These intermediate layers act as mediators that gradually adjust light angles, preventing sudden total internal reflection at a single interface. This approach achieves effective light redirection through material properties rather than complex optical 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 effectively redirects light rays, enhancing the brightness and visibility of the light source by reducing the angular range of light distribution, making the lighting system more effective.
Implementation Method 1
A lens array is integrated into the optical medium layer of the window... to reduce total internal reflection by refracting light rays to angles less than the critical angle
Implementation Method 2
A light ray that is incident at the first interface at a large angle of incident can be incident at the second interface at angle that is greater than a critical angle. Such light will experience total internal reflection at the second interface.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle includes a window having a lighting system therein. The lighting system includes a layer of an optical medium, a light source and a lens array. The layer of the optical medium has a first interface and a second interface. The light source emits a light ray that is incident at the first interface and travels through the optical medium to exit the optical medium at the second interface. The lens array is configured to reduce an occurrence of total internal reflection of the light ray at the second interface.