U.S. patent application number 16/571824 was filed with the patent office on 2021-03-18 for system and method for optimizing warm-up time on large format displays.
The applicant listed for this patent is Rockwell Collins, Inc.. Invention is credited to Thomas B. Campbell, Christian T. Deloy.
Application Number | 20210080776 16/571824 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000004365601 |
Filed Date | 2021-03-18 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20210080776 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Campbell; Thomas B. ; et
al. |
March 18, 2021 |
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING WARM-UP TIME ON LARGE FORMAT
DISPLAYS
Abstract
A system for optimizing warm-up time of a display device may
include a display device including a display substrate configured
to display at least one image, the display substrate including a
first display zone and at least one additional display zone. The
display device may further include one or more heating layers
including a first heating layer portion and at least one additional
heating layer portion. The system may further include a controller
configured to: generate a first electrical current within the first
heating layer portion in order to increase a temperature of the
first display zone of the display substrate; and generate at least
one additional electrical current within the at least one
additional heating layer portion in order to increase a temperature
of the at least one additional display zone of the display
substrate.
Inventors: |
Campbell; Thomas B.; (Cedar
Rapids, IA) ; Deloy; Christian T.; (Marion,
IA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Rockwell Collins, Inc. |
Cedar Rapids |
IA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000004365601 |
Appl. No.: |
16/571824 |
Filed: |
September 16, 2019 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G02F 1/133382
20130101 |
International
Class: |
G02F 1/1333 20060101
G02F001/1333 |
Claims
1. A display warm-up system comprising: a display device
comprising: a display substrate configured to display at least one
image on a front surface of the display substrate, the display
substrate including a first display zone and at least one
additional display zone; and one or more heating layers coupled to
the display substrate, the one or more heating layers including a
first heating layer portion and at least one additional heating
layer portion; and a controller communicatively coupled to the one
or more heating layers via one or more electrical couplings, the
controller configured to: generate one or more control signals
configured to generate a first electrical current within the first
heating layer portion in order to increase a temperature of the
first display zone of the display substrate; generate one or more
control signals configured to generate at least one additional
electrical current within the at least one additional heating layer
portion in order to increase a temperature of the at least one
additional display zone of the display substrate; receive a display
warm-up request at a first time; generate the one or more control
signals configured to generate the first electrical current at the
first time in response to the display warm-up request; determine
the temperature of the first display zone exceeds a temperature
threshold at a second time subsequent to the first time; generate
the one or more control signals configured to generate the at least
one additional electrical current at the second time; and generate
one or more control signals configured to terminate the first
electrical current at the second time.
2. (canceled)
3. (canceled)
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional
display zone comprises a second display zone and a third display
zone, wherein the least one additional heating layer portion
comprises a second heating layer portion coupled to the display
substrate proximate to the second display zone, and a third heating
layer portion coupled to the display substrate proximate to the
third display zone.
5. The system of claim 4, generating one or more control signals
configured to generate at least one additional electrical current
within the at least one additional heating layer portion in order
to increase a temperature of the at least one additional display
zone of the display substrate comprises: generating one or more
control signals configured to generate a second electrical current
within the second heating layer portion in order to increase a
temperature of the second display zone of the display substrate;
and generating one or more control signals configured to generate a
third electrical current within the third heating layer portion in
order to increase a temperature of the third display zone of the
display substrate.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more electrical
couplings include: a first set of one or more electrical couplings
configured to electrically couple the controller to the first
heating layer portion; and at least one additional set of one or
more electrical couplings configured to electrically couple the
controller to the at least one additional heating layer
portion.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first set of one or more
electrical couplings comprises: a first sub-set of one or more
electrical couplings coupled to the first heating layer portion
along a first edge of the first heating layer portion; and a second
sub-set of one or more electrical couplings coupled to the first
heating layer portion along a second edge of the first heating
layer portion opposite the first edge.
8. The system of claim 14, wherein the display device is disposed
within at least one of an aircraft cockpit, an automobile, an
aquatic vehicle, or a spacecraft.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first heating layer portion
and the at least one additional heating layer portion are
electrically isolated from one another.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the display device is disposed
within a cockpit of an aircraft.
11. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first
heating layer portion or the at least one additional heating layer
portion comprises an indium tin oxide (ITO) layer.
12. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more electrical
couplings comprise at least one of a metalized strip or a flexible
circuit.
13. The system of claim 1, wherein the display substrate comprises
a liquid crystal display (LCD) substrate, and wherein the display
device further includes a backlight coupled to the one or more
heating layers, wherein the one or more heating layers are disposed
between the display substrate and the backlight.
14. The system of claim 1, wherein the first display zone includes
engine-indicating and crew-alerting (EICAS) information.
15. A system for optimizing warm-up time of a display device,
comprising: one or more heating layers coupled to a surface of a
display substrate of the display device, the one or more heating
layers including a first heating layer portion and at least one
additional heating layer portion; and a controller communicatively
coupled to the first heating layer portion and the at least one
additional heating layer portion, the controller configured to:
generate one or more control signals configured to generate a first
electrical current within the first heating layer portion in order
to increase a temperature of a first display zone of the display
substrate; generate one or more control signals configured to
generate at least one additional electrical current within the at
least one additional heating layer portion in order to increase a
temperature of at least one additional display zone of the display
substrate; receive a display warm-up request at a first time;
generate the one or more control signals configured to generate the
first electrical current at the first time in response to the
display warm-up request; determine the temperature of the first
display zone exceeds a temperature threshold at a second time
subsequent to the first time; generate the one or more control
signals configured to generate the at least one additional
electrical current at the second time; and generate one or more
control signals configured to terminate the first electrical
current at the second time.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Many display devices require lengthy warm-up time
requirements in order for the display devices to reach adequate
operating temperatures. Required warm-up times may be lengthened
when the display devices are to be operated in cold environments.
For example, liquid crystal display (LCD) devices may require
lengthy warm-up times when started from a cold state in order to
reach sufficient operating temperatures required for the LCD device
to produce sufficient ranges of colors, contrasts, and luminance
levels.
[0002] Next-generation aircraft are being fitted with large-format
display devices (e.g., large-format LCD devices). In the context of
aviation, performance issues associated with lengthy warm-up times
for display devices may pose a danger to both the aircraft and
passengers/personnel aboard the aircraft. In particular, aircraft
personnel have a need for display devices to be fully functional
within minutes of power being provided to the display device. For
example, warning signals indicative of a dangerous engine condition
(e.g., overheating engine temperature) may be displayed in bright
red on a display device within the aircraft cockpit. With lengthy
warm-up times, the display device may not be able to reach an
operating temperature capable of effectively displaying the bright
red warning to aircraft personnel before an engine failure may be
avoided. By the time the display device has warmed up sufficiently
to effectively display the warning signals, the dangerous engine
condition associated with the warning signals may be irreversible,
potentially damaging the aircraft engine and endangering aircraft
personnel and passengers.
[0003] Previous techniques used to improve warm-up time of display
devices (e.g., LCD devices) have utilized heating layers used to
warm-up display substrates of the display devices. However,
previous techniques used to improve warm-up times are expensive and
unable to match the scale of increasingly large displays. In
particular, as the size of aircraft cockpit display devices
continue to increase, the amount of power consumption required with
previous techniques must scale accordingly. This increased power
consumption increases heater size and cost, and oftentimes exceeds
the available power of the aircraft. Thus, previous display heating
techniques are unable to be utilized with growing aircraft display
devices.
[0004] Therefore, there exists a need for a system and method which
cure one or more of the shortcomings identified above.
SUMMARY
[0005] A system for optimizing warm-up time of a display device is
disclosed. In embodiments, the system includes a display device.
The display device may include a display substrate configured to
display at least one image on a front surface of the display
substrate, the display substrate including a first display zone and
at least one additional display zone. The display device may
further include one or more heating layers coupled to a rear
surface of the display substrate, the one or more heating layers
including a first heating layer portion and at least one additional
heating layer portion. The system may further include a controller
communicatively coupled to the heating layer via one or more
electrical couplings. The controller may be configured to: generate
one or more control signals configured to generate a first
electrical current within the first heating layer portion in order
to increase a temperature of the first display zone of the display
substrate; and generate one or more control signals configured to
generate at least one additional electrical current within the at
least one additional heating layer portion in order to increase a
temperature of the at least one additional display zone of the
display substrate.
[0006] In some embodiments, of the system, the controller is
further configured to receive a display warm-up request at a first
time, and generate the one or more control signals configured to
generate the first electrical current at the first time in response
to the display warm-up request.
[0007] In some embodiments, of the system, the controller is
further configured to determine the temperature of the first
display zone exceeds a temperature threshold at a second time
subsequent to the first time, generate the one or more control
signals configured to generate the second electrical current at the
second time, and generate one or more control signals configured to
terminate the first electrical current at the second time.
[0008] In some embodiments, of the system, the at least one
additional display zone includes a second display zone and a third
display zone, and the least one additional heating layer portion
includes a second heating layer portion coupled to the rear surface
of the display substrate proximate to the second display zone, and
a third heating layer portion coupled to the rear surface of the
display substrate proximate to the third display zone.
[0009] In some embodiments, of the system, generating one or more
control signals configured to generate at least one additional
electrical current within the at least one additional heating layer
portion in order to increase a temperature of the at least one
additional display zone of the display substrate includes
generating one or more control signals configured to generate a
second electrical current within the second heating layer portion
in order to increase a temperature of the second display zone of
the display substrate, and generating one or more control signals
configured to generate a third electrical current within the third
heating layer portion in order to increase a temperature of the
third display zone of the display substrate.
[0010] In some embodiments, of the system, the one or more
electrical couplings include a first set of one or more electrical
couplings configured to electrically couple the controller to the
first heating layer portion, and at least one additional set of one
or more electrical couplings configured to electrically couple the
controller to the at least one additional heating layer
portion.
[0011] In some embodiments, of the system, the first set of one or
more electrical couplings includes a first sub-set of one or more
electrical couplings coupled to the first heating layer along a
first edge of the heating layer, and a second sub-set of one or
more electrical couplings coupled to the first heating layer along
a second edge of the heating layer opposite the first edge.
[0012] In some embodiments, of the system, the display device is
disposed within a cockpit of an aircraft.
[0013] In some embodiments, of the system, the first heating layer
portion and the at least one additional heating layer portion are
electrically isolated from one another.
[0014] In some embodiments, of the system, the display device is
disposed within a cockpit of an aircraft.
[0015] In some embodiments, of the system, at least one of the
first heating layer or the at least one additional heating layer
includes an indium tin oxide (ITO) layer.
[0016] In some embodiments, of the system, the one or more
electrical couplings include at least one of a metalized strip or a
flexible circuit.
[0017] In some embodiments, of the system, the display substrate
includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) substrate, and the display
device further includes a backlight coupled to the one or more
heating layers, wherein the one or more heating layers are disposed
between the display substrate and the backlight.
[0018] In some embodiments, of the system, the first display zone
includes engine-indicating and crew-alerting (EICAS)
information.
[0019] A system for optimizing warm-up time of a display device is
disclosed. In embodiments, the system includes one or more heating
layers coupled to a surface of a display substrate of a display
device, the one or more heating layers including a first heating
layer portion and at least one additional heating layer portion. In
embodiments, the system further includes a controller
communicatively coupled to the first heating layer portion and the
second heating layer portion, the controller configured to:
generate one or more control signals configured to generate a first
electrical current within the first heating layer portion in order
to increase a temperature of a first display zone of the display
substrate; and generate one or more control signals configured to
generate at least one additional electrical current within the at
least one additional heating layer portion in order to increase a
temperature of at least one additional display zone of the display
substrate.
[0020] This Summary is provided solely as an introduction to
subject matter that is fully described in the Detailed Description
and Drawings. The Summary should not be considered to describe
essential features nor be used to determine the scope of the
Claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that both the foregoing
Summary and the following Detailed Description are provided for
example and explanatory only and are not necessarily restrictive of
the subject matter claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] The detailed description is described with reference to the
accompanying figures. The use of the same reference numbers in
different instances in the description and the figures may indicate
similar or identical items. Various embodiments or examples
("examples") of the present disclosure are disclosed in the
following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. The
drawings are not necessarily to scale. In general, operations of
disclosed processes may be performed in an arbitrary order, unless
otherwise provided in the claims. In the drawings:
[0022] FIG. 1 illustrates an aircraft environment in which a
warm-up system for optimizing warm-up time of a display device may
be implemented, in accordance with one or more embodiments of this
disclosure;
[0023] FIG. 2A illustrates a display device including a display
substrate and a heating layer.
[0024] FIG. 2B illustrates a display device including a
large-format display substrate and a heating layer.
[0025] FIG. 3A illustrates a simplified block diagram of a warm-up
system for optimizing warm-up time of a display device, in
accordance with one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure.
[0026] FIG. 3B illustrates a simplified block diagram of a system
for optimizing warm-up time of a display device, in accordance with
one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0027] FIG. 3C illustrates a simplified block diagram of a system
for optimizing warm-up time of a display device, in accordance with
one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0028] FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded view of a display device, in
accordance with one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure.
[0029] FIG. 5A illustrates a simplified view of a heating layer of
a display device, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the
present disclosure.
[0030] FIG. 5B illustrates a simplified view of a heating layer of
a display device, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the
present disclosure.
[0031] FIG. 6 illustrates flowchart of a method for improving
warm-up time of a display device, in accordance with one or more
embodiments of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0032] Before explaining one or more embodiments of the disclosure
in detail, it is to be understood that the embodiments are not
limited in their application to the details of construction and the
arrangement of the components or steps or methodologies set forth
in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. In the
following detailed description of embodiments, numerous specific
details may be set forth in order to provide a more thorough
understanding of the disclosure. However, it will be apparent to
one of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the instant
disclosure that the embodiments disclosed herein may be practiced
without some of these specific details. In other instances,
well-known features may not be described in detail to avoid
unnecessarily complicating the instant disclosure.
[0033] As used herein a letter following a reference numeral is
intended to reference an embodiment of the feature or element that
may be similar, but not necessarily identical, to a previously
described element or feature bearing the same reference numeral
(e.g., 1, 1a, 1b). Such shorthand notations are used for purposes
of convenience only and should not be construed to limit the
disclosure in any way unless expressly stated to the contrary.
[0034] Further, unless expressly stated to the contrary, "or"
refers to an inclusive or and not to an exclusive or. For example,
a condition A or B is satisfied by anyone of the following: A is
true (or present) and B is false (or not present), A is false (or
not present) and B is true (or present), and both A and B are true
(or present).
[0035] In addition, use of "a" or "an" may be employed to describe
elements and components of embodiments disclosed herein. This is
done merely for convenience and "a" and "an" are intended to
include "one" or "at least one," and the singular also includes the
plural unless it is obvious that it is meant otherwise.
[0036] Finally, as used herein any reference to "one embodiment" or
"some embodiments" means that a particular element, feature,
structure, or characteristic described in connection with the
embodiment is included in at least one embodiment disclosed herein.
The appearances of the phrase "in some embodiments" in various
places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to
the same embodiment, and embodiments may include one or more of the
features expressly described or inherently present herein, or any
combination of sub-combination of two or more such features, along
with any other features which may not necessarily be expressly
described or inherently present in the instant disclosure.
[0037] Many display devices require lengthy warm-up time
requirements in order for the display devices to reach adequate
operating temperatures. Required warm-up times may be lengthened
when the display devices are to be operated in cold environments.
For example, liquid crystal display (LCD) devices may require
lengthy warm-up times in order to reach sufficient operating
temperatures required for the LCD device to produce the range of
colors, contrasts, and luminance levels which are expected.
[0038] Next-generation aircraft are being fitted with large-format
display devices (e.g., large-format LCD devices). In the context of
aviation, performance issues associated with lengthy warm-up times
for display devices may pose a danger to both the aircraft and
passengers/personnel aboard the aircraft. In particular, aircraft
personnel have a need for display devices to be fully functional
within minutes of power being provided to the display device. For
example, warning signals indicative of a dangerous engine condition
(e.g., overheating engine temperature) may be displayed in bright
red on a display device within the aircraft cockpit. With lengthy
warm-up times, the display device may not be able to reach an
operating temperature capable of effectively displaying the bright
red warning to aircraft personnel before an engine failure may be
avoided. By the time the display device has warmed up sufficiently
to effectively display the warning signals, the dangerous engine
condition associated with the warning signals may be irreversible,
potentially damaging the aircraft engine and endangering aircraft
personnel and passengers.
[0039] Previous techniques used to improve warm-up time of display
devices (e.g., LCD devices) have utilized heating layers used to
warm-up display substrates of the display devices. However,
previous techniques used to improve warm-up times are expensive and
unable to match the scale of increasingly large displays. In
particular, as the size of aircraft cockpit display devices
continues to increase, the amount of power consumption required
with previous techniques must scale accordingly. This increased
power consumption increases heater size and cost, and oftentimes
exceeds the available power of the aircraft. Thus, previous display
heating techniques are unable to be utilized with growing aircraft
display devices.
[0040] Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure are
directed to a warm-up system and method for curing one or more of
the shortfalls of the previous approaches identified above.
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a warm-up
system including a display device including one or more heating
layers configured to warm up selected zones of a display substrate
of the display device. In particular, embodiments of the present
disclosure are directed to heating layers of a display device which
are configured to warm up selected/localized zones of a display
substrate which include critical aircraft information prior to
warming up additional zones of the display substrate.
[0041] It is contemplated herein that embodiments of the present
disclosure may improve warm-up times of display devices. Attendant
advantages of the present disclosure may be particularly important
in the context of aircraft display devices, and when operating
display devices in cold environments. It is further contemplated
herein that embodiments of the present disclosure may provide for
the heating of large-format display devices in localized regions
which meets performance requirements while limiting the power
consumption, size, and/or cost for display device warm-up systems.
Accordingly, it is contemplated herein that embodiments of the
present disclosure may enable display device warm-up systems to be
implemented in ever-growing aircraft display devices.
[0042] FIG. 1 illustrates an aircraft environment 100 in which a
warm-up system for optimizing warm-up time of a display device may
be implemented, in accordance with one or more embodiments of this
disclosure.
[0043] In embodiments, the aircraft environment 100 includes one or
more display devices 101 which may be employed to present aircraft
performance parameters (e.g., engine-indicating and crew-alerting
(EICAS) information), aircraft performance parameter predictions,
sensor readings, electronic maps, aircraft data, communications,
alerts, and so forth. The aircraft environment 100 in FIG. 1 is
shown to include multi-function displays (e.g., display device
101a, 101b) and flight displays (e.g., display device 101c, 101d)
which are viewable by one or more flight crew members (e.g.,
pilots). The aircraft environment 100 illustrated in FIG. 1
illustrates an example embodiment. However, in other embodiments,
the aircraft 100 environment can include any number of mechanical
input devices and/or display devices.
[0044] Although example embodiments of the present disclosure are
shown and described in an aircraft environment/cockpit (e.g.,
aircraft environment 100), the inventive concepts of the present
disclosure may be configured to improve warm-up times of any
display device known in the art. For example, the embodiments of
the present disclosure may be incorporated into display devices of
any air, land, or water-based personal equipment or vehicle,
commercial equipment or vehicle, military equipment or vehicle, and
the like. For instance, embodiments of the present disclosure may
be incorporated into the display device of an automobile, an
aquatic vehicle, a spacecraft, and the like. In the interest of
simplicity and to most clearly define the inventive concepts of the
present disclosure, embodiments may be described throughout the
present disclosure in an aircraft environment. However, these
references are not to be regarded as limiting. Thus, references to
"aircraft," "aviation," "avionics," and like terms should not be
interpreted as a limitation on the present disclosure, unless noted
otherwise herein.
[0045] It is further noted herein that, where the environment
includes an aircraft environment, the system and method for display
device warm-up time improvement may be configured in accordance
with avionics guidelines and/or standards put forth by, but not
limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the European
Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) or any other flight certification
agency or organization; the American National Standards Institute
(ANSI), Aeronautical Radio, Incorporated (ARINC), or any other
standards setting organization or company; the Radio Technical
Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA) or any other guidelines agency or
organization; or the like.
[0046] FIGS. 2A-2B illustrate a display device 201a including a
display substrate 202 and a heating layer 204. FIG. 2B illustrates
the display device 201b including a large-format display substrate
202 and a heating layer 204. In particular, the display device
201a, 201b depicted in FIGS. 2A-2B is shown as an example display
device implementing traditional techniques to improve warm-up time
of the display substrate 202. It is contemplated herein that a
brief description of the display device 201a, 201b may provide a
reference point against which attendant advantages of the present
disclosure may be compared.
[0047] As noted previously herein, LCD devices typically exhibit
long warm-up times when started/initialized from a cold state, and
may therefore benefit from warm-up systems designed to shorten
required warm-up times. In this regard, the display device 201a,
201b illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B may include, but is not limited
to, an LCD device. A display device 201a, 201b implementing
traditional heating techniques may include a display substrate 202
and a heating layer 204. The display substrate 202 may be
configured to generate/display images on a front surface of the
display substrate 202 to a viewer. For example, the display
substrate 202 may be configured to display aircraft sensor readings
to a pilot within an aircraft environment. The heating layer 204
may be coupled to a rear surface of the display substrate 202 such
that the heating layer 204 covers all of the rear surface of the
display substrate 202, as shown in FIGS. 2A-2B.
[0048] The heating layer 204 may include one or more low-impedance
connection points electrically coupled to a power source. For
example, the heating layer 204 may include a first connection point
(e.g., first electrical coupling 206a) disposed on an upper edge of
the heating layer 204, and a second connection point (e.g., second
electrical coupling 206b) disposed on a lower edge of the heating
layer 204. When the display device 201a, 201b is to be activated,
an electrical current may be passed through the heating layer 204
in order to heat the heating layer 204 and the display substrate
202. For example, an electrical current may be passed through the
heating layer 204 from the first electrical coupling 206a to the
second electrical coupling 206b such that the electrical current
flows "downwards" through the heating layer 204.
[0049] The display devices 201a, 201b illustrated in FIGS. 2A-2B
typically require approximately 2 Watts/in.sup.2 to effectively
warm-up the display substrate 202. These power requirements make
the implementation of heating layers 204 in smaller-format display
devices 201a, 201b relatively straightforward. For example, in the
smaller-format display device 201a, the power consumption of the
heating layer 204 is relatively low to moderate, which supports the
implementation of low cost, low power consumption power
supplies.
[0050] However, as the size of the display device increases, the
amount of power consumption must scale accordingly, thereby
increasing size, cost, and power consumption of the power supply
required to achieve the same warm-up requirement. With large-format
displays, the power consumption required by the heating layer 204
may exceed the available power of the aircraft.
[0051] For example, FIG. 2B illustrates a display device 201b
including a large-format display substrate 202. Next generation
aircraft are now being fitted with large-format LCD devices, some
with display areas (e.g., area of display substrate 202) of
8''.times.20'' or larger. As noted previously herein, the issue
with large-format displays (e.g., display device 201b illustrated
in FIG. 2B) is that the power consumption required to heat the
heating layer 204 and display substrate 202 is often higher than
the available power on the aircraft. For retrofit aircraft, the
power available to heat the display device 201b may be
approximately 200 Watts, which is adequate for display devices 201b
up to only 10''.times.10'' in size based on the 2 Watts/in.sup.2
power estimation (e.g., 10 in*10 in =100 in.sup.2*2
Watts/in.sup.2=200 Watts). Accordingly, any displays larger than
10''.times.10'' in size may require higher power levels than may be
available on the aircraft.
[0052] For example, the large-format display device 201b may
exhibit a size of approximately 8''.times.20'', which is consistent
with the size of some large-format display devices currently being
installed within next generation aircraft. Using traditional
heating techniques, the large-format display device 201b
illustrated in FIG. 2B may require approximately 320 Watts of power
(e.g., 8 in*20 in=160 in.sup.2*2 Watts/in.sup.2=320 Watts).
Assuming an aircraft power budget of 200 Watts, this represents 60%
more than the available power budget of the aircraft, and would
therefore take approximately 60% longer for the large-format
display device 201b to warm-up to operational temperature. In the
context of aviation, these increased warm-up times may be
unacceptable, as aircraft personnel typically require display
devices 201b to be fully functional within minutes after
application of power in order to monitor engine status during cold
start conditions.
[0053] While the power budget allocated to display device warm-up
may be increased to account for larger format display devices 201b,
this is undesirable, as it may increase the overall power
requirements of the aircraft and/or reduce the power budget for
other aircraft systems. Additionally, even if the power budget
allocated to display device warm-up were to be increased, this
would require larger, heavier, and more numerous cables/connections
running to the display device 201, which further complicates and
adds unnecessary weight to the aircraft.
[0054] Accordingly, previous heating techniques are ill-suited for
large-format displays, and are largely unable to scale alongside
growing aircraft display devices. In this regard, embodiments of
the present disclosure are directed to a warm-up system and method
which cure one or more of the shortfalls of previous approaches
identified above.
[0055] FIG. 3A illustrates a simplified block diagram of a warm-up
system 300 for optimizing warm-up time of a display device 301, in
accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
The warm-up system 300 may include, but is not limited to, a
display device 301, a display substrate 302, a controller 304, one
or more processors 306, and a memory 308. In embodiments, the
warm-up system 300 may further include a user interface 310.
[0056] The display device 301 may include any display device
including a display substrate 302 known in the art. For example, in
embodiments, the display device 301 may include, but is not limited
to, a head-up display (HUD), a head-mounted display (HMD) a
vehicle-mounted display (e.g., aircraft cockpit display device 101
illustrated in FIG. 1), a mobile device display (e.g., smart phone
display, handheld display, smart watch display, and the like). In
this regard, while much of the present disclosure is directed to a
warm-up system 300 in the context of an aircraft environment 100
(e.g., aircraft cockpit display, HUD, HMD, and the like), it is
contemplated herein that embodiments of the present disclosure may
be applied to display devices 301 in contexts other than an
aircraft environment 100.
[0057] In embodiments, the display substrate 302 is configured to
display one or more images to a viewer (e.g., aircraft pilot,
aircraft personnel). For example, the display substrate 302 may be
configured to display one or more images on a front surface of the
display substrate 302. The display substrate 302 may include any
display substrate known in the art including, but not limited to,
liquid crystal display (LCD) substrates, emissive pixelated display
substrates (e.g., OLEDs), and the like.
[0058] In embodiments, the display substrate 302 may include one or
more display zones 312. In this regard, the display substrate 302
may be divided up into multiple display zones 312. For example, as
shown in FIG. 3A, the display substrate 302 may include a first
display zone 312a, and a second display zone 312b. The display
substrate 302 may include any number of display zones 312. For
example, as shown in FIG. 3B, the display substrate 302 may include
a first display zone 312a, a second display zone 312b, and a third
display zone 312c.
[0059] It is contemplated herein that the display substrate 302 may
be partitioned, divided, and/or arranged into any number of display
zones 312. For example, the display zones 312a-312c illustrated in
FIGS. 3A-3C are shown in a vertical orientation within the display
substrate 302. In additional and/or alternative embodiments,
display zones 312a-312c may be arranged in a horizontal orientation
within the display substrate 302. In this regard, the display
substrate 302 may exhibit any array of display zones 312 known in
the art.
[0060] Furthermore, while the display substrates 302 illustrated in
IFGS. 3A-3B illustrate a display substrate 302 with a single image
area divided into display zones 312, this is not to be regarded as
a limitation of the present disclosure, unless noted otherwise
herein. In this regard, the display substrate 302 may considered to
be divided into multiple image areas. This may be further
understood with reference to FIG. 3C.
[0061] FIG. 3C illustrates a simplified block diagram of a warm-up
system 300 for optimizing warm-up time of a display device 301, in
accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
As shown in FIG. 3C, the display substrate 302 may be exhibit
multiple separate image areas such that a first image area includes
the first display zone 312a, and a second image area includes the
second display zone 312b.
[0062] By dividing the display substrate 302 up into various
display zones 312, the warm-up system 300 may be configured to heat
the display substrate 302 in localized zones/areas (e.g., display
zones 312) in order to allow critical areas of the display
substrate 302 to be heated to operational temperature prior to less
critical areas. It is contemplated herein that heating various
display zones 312 of the display substrate 302 in a selected,
sequential manner may enable the warm-up system 300 to decrease
warm-up times for critical information on large format displays,
while complying with available power budgets of the aircraft. This
will be described in further detail herein.
[0063] In embodiments, the display device 301 and/or the display
substrate 302 may be communicatively coupled to a controller 304.
The display device 301 and the display substrate 302 may be
communicatively coupled to the controller 304 using any wireline or
wireless communication technique known in the art. The controller
304 may include a one or more processors 306 and a memory 308.
Warm-up system 300 may further include a user interface 310
communicatively coupled to the controller 304, wherein the user
interface 310 is configured to display information of warm-up
system 300 to a user and/or receive one or more input commands from
a user configured to adjust one or more characteristics of warm-up
system 300. In the context of the aircraft environment 100, the
user interface 310 may include any user interface within the
aircraft cockpit configured to display aircraft information to a
pilot and/or receive control commands from the pilot.
[0064] It is noted herein that the one or more components of
warm-up system 300 may be communicatively coupled to the various
other components of warm-up system 300 in any manner known in the
art. For example, the display substrate 302, the controller 304,
the one or more processors 306, the memory 308, and the user
interface 310 may be communicatively coupled to each other and
other components via a wireline (e.g., copper wire, fiber optic
cable, and the like) or wireless connection (e.g., RF coupling, IR
coupling, WiFi, WiMax, Bluetooth, 3G, 4G, 4G LTE, 5G, and the
like).
[0065] In one embodiment, the one or more processors 306 may
include any one or more processing elements known in the art. In
this sense, the one or more processors 108 may include any
microprocessor-type device configured to execute software
algorithms and/or instructions. In one embodiment, the one or more
processors 306 may consist of a desktop computer, mainframe
computer system, workstation, image computer, parallel processor,
or other computer system (e.g., networked computer) configured to
execute a program configured to operate the warm-up system 300, as
described throughout the present disclosure. It should be
recognized that the steps described throughout the present
disclosure may be carried out by a single computer system or,
alternatively, multiple computer systems. In general, the term
"processor" may be broadly defined to encompass any device having
one or more processing elements, which execute program instructions
from memory 308. Moreover, different subsystems of the warm-up
system 300 (e.g., display device 301, controller 304, user
interface 310) may include one or more processor or logic elements
suitable for carrying out at least a portion of the steps described
throughout the present disclosure. Therefore, the above description
should not be interpreted as a limitation on the present disclosure
but merely an illustration.
[0066] The memory 308 may include any storage medium known in the
art suitable for storing program instructions executable by the
associated one or more processors 306. For example, the memory 308
may include a non-transitory memory medium. For instance, the
memory 308 may include, but is not limited to, a read-only memory
(ROM), a random-access memory (RAM), a magnetic or optical memory
device (e.g., disk), a magnetic tape, a solid-state drive and the
like. It is further noted that memory 308 may be housed in a common
controller housing with the one or more processors 306. In an
alternative embodiment, the memory 308 may be located remotely with
respect to the physical location of the processors 306 and
controller 304. In another embodiment, the memory 308 maintains
program instructions for causing the one or more processors 306 to
carry out the various steps described through the present
disclosure.
[0067] In another embodiment, the controller 304 is coupled to a
user interface 310. In another embodiment, the user interface 310
includes a display and/or a user input device. For example, the
display may be coupled to the user input device by a transmission
medium that may include wireline and/or wireless portions. The
display device of the user interface 310 may include any display
device known in the art. The display device of the user interface
310 may include the display device 301 or additional and/or
alternative display devices. For example, the display device may
include, but is not limited to, a liquid crystal display (LCD), an
organic light-emitting diode (OLED) based display, a CRT display,
and the like. Those skilled in the art should recognize that a
variety of display devices may be suitable for implementation in
the present invention and the particular choice of display device
may depend on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to,
form factor, cost, and the like. In a general sense, any display
device capable of integration with a user input device (e.g.,
touchscreen, bezel mounted interface, keyboard, mouse, trackpad,
and the like) is suitable for implementation in the present
invention.
[0068] The user input device of the user interface 310 may include
any user input device known in the art. For example, the user input
device may include, but is not limited to, a keyboard, a keypad, a
touchscreen, a lever, a knob, a scroll wheel, a track ball, a
switch, a dial, a sliding bar, a scroll bar, a slide, a handle, a
touch pad, a paddle, a steering wheel, a joystick, a bezel input
device, or the like. In the case of a touchscreen interface, those
skilled in the art should recognize that a large number of
touchscreen interfaces may be suitable for implementation in the
present invention. For instance, the display device may be
integrated with a touchscreen interface, such as, but not limited
to, a capacitive touchscreen, a resistive touchscreen, a surface
acoustic based touchscreen, an infrared based touchscreen, or the
like. In a general sense, any touchscreen interface capable of
integration with the display portion of a display device is
suitable for implementation in the present invention. In another
embodiment, the user input device may include, but is not limited
to, a bezel mounted interface.
[0069] Attendant advantages of the warm-up system 300 of the
present disclosure may be further illustrated with reference to
FIGS. 4-6.
[0070] FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded view of a display device 301,
in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure. The display device 301 may include, but is not limited
to, a display substrate 302 including two or more display zones
312a, 312b, an optical coupling lamination layer 316, and one or
more heating layers 318. In additional and/or alternative
embodiments, the display device 301 may include a backlight
322.
[0071] As noted previously herein, the display substrate 302 may be
configured to display at least one image on a front surface of the
display substrate 302. Additionally, the display substrate 302 may
include any display substrate known in the art including, but not
limited to, an LCD substrate. In embodiments, the display substrate
302 may include multiple display zones 312. For example, as shown
in FIG. 4 and FIG. 3A, the display substrate 302 may include a
first display zone 312a and a second display zone 312b oriented
vertically within the display substrate 302.
[0072] In embodiments, the display substrate 302 may include one or
more communicative couplings 314 configured to communicatively
couple the display substrate 302 to the controller 304. In this
regard, the controller 304 may be configured to generate one or
more control signals configured to adjust one or more
characteristics of the display substrate 302. For example, in the
context of a pixelated LCD substrate (display substrate 302), the
controller 304 may be configured to control currents/voltages
applied to pixels of the LCD substrate in order to adjust
characteristics of the images displayed on the front surface
("left" surface shown in FIG. 4) of the display substrate 302. The
communicative couplings 314 may include any communicative couplings
known in the art including, but not limited to, metallized strips,
flexible circuits, copper pads, and the like.
[0073] The display device 301 may further include one or more
optical coupling lamination layers 316 configured to couple the one
or more heating layers 318 to the display substrate 302. For
example, as shown in FIG. 4, the display device 301 may include an
optical coupling lamination layer 316 configured to couple the
heating layer 318 to the rear surface of the display substrate 302.
In some embodiments, the one or more optical coupling lamination
layers 316 may be fabricated from a conductive material configured
to transfer heat from the one or more heating layers 318 to the
display substrate 302. It is noted herein that the one or more
optical coupling lamination layers 316 may include any layers known
in the art configured to couple various layers of a display device
301.
[0074] In some embodiments, the one or more heating layers 318
and/or the one or more optical coupling lamination layers 316 may
be transparent, or substantially transparent. It is noted herein
that transparent heating layers 318 and/or optical coupling
lamination layers 316 may reduce optical aberrations and improve
optical quality of the display device 301. For example, in the
context of LCD substrate (display substrate 302), a backlight 322
may be configured to generate light/illumination such that the LCD
substrate (display substrate 302) transmits light generated by the
backlight 322 through the LCD substrate in order to generate images
on the front surface of the LCD substrate (display substrate 302).
In this example, transparent and/or substantially transparent
hating layers 318 and/or optical coupling lamination layers 316 may
improve transmission of light from the backlight 322 to the LCD
substrate, thereby improving the luminance level of the LCD
substrate and reducing the power requirements for the display
device 301. In embodiments, the backlight 322 may be
communicatively coupled to the controller 304. In this regard, the
controller 304 may be configured to generate one or more control
signals configured to adjust one or more characteristics of the
backlight 322 (e.g., luminance level, and the like).
[0075] In embodiments, a single heating layer 318 may include one
or more heating layer portions 319a, 319b. For example, as shown in
FIG. 4, a single heating layer 318 may include a first heating
layer portion 319a and a second heating layer portion 319b. In
embodiments, each respective heating layer portion 319a, 319b is
configured to be coupled to the display substrate 302 such that it
is proximate to each respective display zone 312a, 312b. For
example, the heating layer 318 may be coupled to the display
substrate 302 such that the first heating layer portion 319a is
proximate to the first display zone 312a, and the second heating
layer portion 319b is proximate to the second display zone
312b.
[0076] As will be discussed in further detail herein, by generating
an electric current within the first heating layer portion 319a,
the controller 304 may be configured to warm-up the first heating
layer portion 319a, and thereby warm-up the first display zone
312a. Similarly, by generating an electric current within the
second heating layer portion 319b, the controller 304 may be
configured to warm-up the second heating layer portion 319b, and
thereby warm-up the second display zone 312b. In this regard, the
one or more heating layers 318 illustrated in FIG. 4 may be
configured to warm-up various display zones 312 of the display
substrate 302 from the rear side of the display substrate 302.
[0077] While FIG. 4 illustrates heating layers 318 disposed between
the display substrate 302 and the backlight 322, this is not to be
regarded as a limitation of the present disclosure, unless noted
otherwise herein. In this regard, the display device 301 may
additionally and/or alternatively include one or more heating
layers 318 coupled to the front surface of the display substrate
302. For example, the display device 301 may include a first
heating layer 318 coupled to the front surface of the display
substrate 302 in order to warm-up the display substrate 302 from
the front surface, and second heating layer 318 coupled to the rear
surface of the display substrate 302 in order to warm-up the
display substrate 302 from the rear surface.
[0078] In embodiments, the one or more heating layers 318 may
include one or more electrical couplings 320 configured to
electrically couple the one or more heating layers 318 to the
controller 304. The one or more electrical couplings 320 may
include any electrical couplings known in the art including, but
not limited to, metallized strips, flexible circuits, copper pads,
anisotropic conductive film (ACF) bonds, and the like. During
start-up, electrical currents may be passed through the one or more
heating layers 318, via the electrical couplings 320, in order to
heat up selected heating layer portions 319a, 319b of the heating
layer 318, and therefore warm-up selected display zones 312a, 312b
of the display substrate 302.
[0079] The one or more heating layers 318 may include any heating
layers known in the art configured to transfer heat to the display
substrate 302. Thus, the one or more heating layers 318 may be
formed from a conductive material or substance. For example, the
one or more heating layers 318 may include indium tin oxide (ITO)
layers. For instance, the one or more heating layers 318 may
include a glass layer coated with a thin layer of ITO. By way of
another example, the one or more heating layers 318 may include a
micro mesh film layer formed with a conductive metal material.
[0080] Operation of the one or more heating layers 318 may be
further understood with reference to FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B.
[0081] FIG. 5A illustrates a simplified view of a heating layer 318
of a display device 301, in accordance with one or more embodiments
of the present disclosure.
[0082] The heating layer 318 may include multiple heating layer
portions 319a, 319b. As noted previously herein, the heating layer
318 may include multiple heating layer portions 319a, 319b such
that each display zone 312a, 312b of the display substrate 302
corresponds to a respective heating layer portion 319a, 319b of the
heating layer 318. In this regard, each heating layer portion 319
may exhibit approximately the same size and/or shape as the
respective display zone 312.
[0083] For example, as shown in FIGS. 3A-3B and FIG. 4, a display
substrate 302 may include a first display zone 312a and a second
display zone 312b, wherein each of the first display zone 312a and
a second display zone 312b make up approximately half of the
display substrate 302. In this example, as shown in FIG. 5A, the
heating layer 318 may include a first heating layer portion 319a
coupled and/or corresponding to the first display zone 312a, and a
second heating layer portion 319b coupled and/or corresponding to
the second display zone 312b.
[0084] By way of another example, as shown in FIG. 3B, a display
substrate 302 may include a first display zone 312a, a second
display zone 312b, and a third display zone 312c. In this example,
a heating layer 318 may include a first heating layer portion 319a
coupled and/or corresponding to the first display zone 312a, and a
second heating layer portion 319b coupled and/or corresponding to
the second display zone 312b, and a third heating layer portion
319c (not shown) coupled and/or corresponding to the third display
zone 312c. It is noted herein that the various display zones 312,
and therefore the various heating layer portions 319, may exhibit
any shape or size known in the art, and need not be equivalent in
size to one another.
[0085] Reference will again be made to FIG. 5A. In embodiments, the
heating layer 318 may further include one or more electrical
couplings 320 configured to electrically/communicatively couple the
heating layer 318 to the controller 304. For example, as shown in
FIG. 5A, the heating layer 318 may include a first set of one or
more electrical couplings 320 coupled to the heating layer 318
along an upper edge of the heating layer 318, and a second set of
one or more electrical couplings 320 coupled to the heating layer
318 along a lower edge of the heating layer 318.
[0086] Further, the one or more electrical couplings 320 may
include sub-sets of electrical couplings 321 coupled to each
respective heating layer portion 319. For example, as shown in FIG.
5A, the first heating layer portion 319a may include a first
sub-set of one or more electrical couplings 321a coupled to the
first heating layer portion 319a along an upper edge of the first
heating layer portion 319a, and a second sub-set of one or more
electrical couplings 321b coupled to the first heating layer
portion 319a along a lower edge of the first heating layer portion
319a. Conversely, the second heating layer portion 319b may include
a first sub-set of one or more electrical couplings 321c coupled to
the second heating layer portion 319b along an upper edge of the
second heating layer portion 319b, and a second sub-set of one or
more electrical couplings 321c coupled to the second heating layer
portion 319b along a lower edge of the second heating layer portion
319b.
[0087] In embodiments, each of the electrical couplings 320 and/or
sub-sets of electrical couplings 321 may be disposed across each of
the respective upper and lower edges of each heating layer portion
319 so as to ensure a uniform current density across the heating
layer portion 319. For example, as showing FIG. 5A, the first
sub-set of one or more electrical couplings 321a may be coupled to
the first heating layer portion 319a across the entirety of the
upper edge of the first heating layer portion 319a, and the second
sub-set of one or more electrical couplings 321b may be coupled to
the first heating layer portion 319a along the entirety of the
lower edge of the first heating layer portion 319a. In this
example, it is contemplated herein that disposing the first sub-set
of electrical couplings 321a across the length of the upper edge,
and the second sub-set of electrical couplings 321b across the
length of the lower edge, the heating layer portion 319a may
warm-up uniformly, and thereby uniformly heat the first display
zone 312.
[0088] While the electrical couplings 320 and sub-sets of
electrical coupling 321 are shown and described as being disposed
along upper and lower edge of the heating layer 318, this is not to
be regarded as a limitation of the present disclosure, unless noted
otherwise herein. In this regard, the one or more electrical
couplings 320 may be coupled to the heating layer 318 in any
configuration known in the art. For example, in embodiments where
display zones 312 and heating layer portions 319 are arranged
horizontally across the display device 301, the electrical
couplings 320 and sub-sets of electrical couplings 321 may be
coupled to the respective heating layer portions 319 along a first
"left" edge and a second "right" edge opposite the first edge of
each heating layer portion 319.
[0089] FIG. 5B illustrates a simplified view of a heating layer 318
of a display device 301, in accordance with one or more embodiments
of the present disclosure. It is noted herein that any discussion
associated with the heating layer 318 illustrated in FIG. 5A may be
regarded as applying to the heating layer 318 illustrated in FIG.
5B, unless noted otherwise herein. Conversely, any discussion
associated with the heating layer 318 illustrated in FIG. 5B may be
regarded as applying to the heating layer 318 illustrated in FIG.
5A, unless noted otherwise herein.
[0090] In some embodiments, the heating layer portions 319a, 319b
may be electrically and/or physically separated such that each
respective heating layer portion 319a, 319b is electrically
isolated from one another. It is noted herein that electrically
isolating each heating layer portion 319a, 319b from one another
may prevent electrical current "bleeding" between heating layer
portions 319a-319b, and may therefore allow for electrical currents
generated within the heating layer portions 319a-319b to be
localized and maintained within the designated heating layer
portion 319a-319b. For example, as shown in FIG. 5B, the first
heating layer portion 319a and the second heating layer portion
319b may be separated by one or more spacers 324. The spacers 324
may be configured to prevent electrical currents generated within
one heating layer portion 319 from "bleeding" or otherwise passing
to other heating layer portions 319. The one or more spacers 324
configured to separate the heating layer portions 319 may include,
but are not limited to, chemical etching of the conductive
material, physical spaces or gaps, strips of non-conductive
material, and the like.
[0091] As noted previously herein, the one or more processors 306
may be configured to execute the set of program instructions stored
in memory 308, the set of program instructions configured to cause
the one or more processors 306 to carry out one or more steps of
the present disclosure. In embodiments, the controller 304 may be
configured to generate one or more control signals configured to
warm up selected/localized zones of the heating layer 318 and
display substrate 302 in a selective manner.
[0092] In embodiments, the controller 304 may be configured to
generate one or more control signals configured to generate a first
electrical current within the first heating layer portion 319a in
order to increase a temperature of the first display zone 312a of
the display substrate 302. In particular, the controller 304 may be
configured to increase the temperature of the first display zone
312a by heating the first heating layer portion 319a in response to
an identified display warm-up request.
[0093] For example, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIGS. 3A-3C, an aircraft
pilot may start, engage, or otherwise activate the aircraft and/or
the display device 301 of the aircraft via a user interface 310.
For instance, the aircraft pilot may engage a starter sub-system of
the aircraft (e.g., user interface 310) in preparation fora flight.
The user interface 310 may then be configured to transmit a display
warm-up request to the controller 304, indicating that the display
substrate 302 of the display device 301 is to be warmed up. Upon
receiving the display warm-up request, the controller 304 may be
configured to generate the one or more control signals configured
to generate the first electrical current within the first heating
layer portion 319a in response to the display warm-up request.
[0094] By heating up the first heating layer portion 319a, the
controller 304 may thereby also heat up the first display zone 312a
of the display substrate 302. Due to the fact that the power and
heating capabilities of the warm-up system 300 are focused on only
a portion of the display substrate 302 (e.g., first display zone
312a), the first display zone 312a may heat up faster than it would
if the entire display substrate 302 were heated simultaneously.
[0095] In this regard, it is contemplated herein that the first
display zone 312a of the display substrate 302 may include the most
important, critical data which is to be displayed on the display
substrate 302. The first display zone 312a may additionally and/or
alternatively include data/metrics which must be displayed and
monitored by a user (e.g., aircraft pilot) first in time. In the
context of aviation, data/metrics which are most critical and
therefore which should be warmed-up first may include, but are not
limited to, engine-indicating and crew-alerting (EICAS) information
(e.g., engine revolutions per minute (RPM), engine temperature,
fuel flow and quantity, oil pressure, hydraulic pressures).
[0096] The controller 304 may be configured to generate electrical
currents within the heating layer portions 319 by generating a
voltage difference between the electrical couplings 320. For
example, as shown in FIG. 5A, the controller 304 may generate a
voltage difference of approximately 30V between the first sub-set
of electrical couplings 321a and the second set of electrical
couplings 321b such that an electrical current flows between the
respective sub-sets of electrical couplings 321a, 321b in a
substantially "vertical" direction. By way of another example, in
embodiments where the sub-sets of electrical couplings 321a, 321b
are coupled to the heating layer 318 along a first "left" edge and
a second "right" edge, the electrical current may flow between the
respective sub-sets of electrical couplings 321a in a substantially
"horizontal" direction.
[0097] In another embodiment, the controller 304 may be configured
to warm-up additional display zones 312b-312n once the first
display zone 312a has reached operating temperature. It is noted
herein that the controller 304 may be configured to determine
temperatures of each respective display zone 312 using any
technique known in the art. For example, it is noted herein that
impedance of an ITO layer (e.g., heating layer 318) may change with
changing temperature. In this example, the controller 304 may be
configured to measure resistance values of the ITO layer with
etched paths disposed within the display substrate 302. By
monitoring/measuring resistance values of the ITO layer within a
particular display zone 312, the controller 304 may be configured
to determine a temperature of the particular display zone 312 based
on the measured resistance values and the relationship between
impedance/resistance and temperature. Thus, the controller 304 may
determine the temperature of a display zone 312 based on measured
impedance and/or resistance values of the display zone 312.
[0098] An example may prove to be illustrative. In one example, the
controller 304 may receive a display warm-up request at a first
time, and may then generate one or more control signals configured
to generate the first electrical current within the first heating
layer portion 319a at the first time in response to the display
warm-up request. The electrical current may then warm-up the first
heating layer portion 319a, and thereby warm-up the first display
zone 312a of the display substrate 302. The controller 304 may be
configured to monitor the temperature of the first display zone
312a. Subsequently, the controller 304 may be configured to
determine the temperature of the first display zone 312a exceeds a
temperature threshold at a second time subsequent to the first
time. For instance, the controller 304 may be configured to
determine when the first display zone 312a reaches an operational
temperature or other sufficient temperature (e.g., temperature
threshold). Upon determining the first display zone 312a has been
sufficiently heated, the controller 304 may be configured to
generate one or more control signals configured to generate a
second electrical current within the second heating layer portion
319b at the second time. Accordingly, the controller 304 may be
configured to begin warming up the second display zone 312b (and/or
additional display zones 312c-312n) when the first display zone
312a has been sufficiently heated.
[0099] When heating the second display zone 312b, the controller
304 may continue to heat the first display zone 312a, or may cease
to heat the first display zone 312a. For example, upon identifying
the first display zone 312a is sufficiently heated, the controller
304 may be configured to generate the one or more control signals
configured to terminate the first electrical current at the second
time. In this example, the controller 304 may begin to heat the
second display zone 312b as well as terminate the heating of the
first display zone 312a when it is determined the first display
zone 312a is sufficiently heated at the second time.
[0100] While the examples provided have been in the context of a
display substrate 302 including two separate display zones 312a,
312b and a heating layer 318 including two separate heating layer
portions 319a, 319b, this is not to be regarded as a limitation of
the present disclosure, unless noted otherwise herein. In this
regard, the controller 304 may be configured to selectively heat
any number of heating layer portions 319a-319n and display zones
312a-312n, as described previously herein.
[0101] FIG. 6 illustrates flowchart of a method 600 for improving
warm-up time of a display device 301, in accordance with one or
more embodiments of the present disclosure. It is noted herein that
the steps of method 600 may be implemented all or in part by
warm-up system 300. It is further recognized, however, that the
method 600 is not limited to the warm-up system 300 in that
additional or alternative system-level embodiments may carry out
all or part of the steps of method 600.
[0102] In a step 602, a display warm-up request is received at a
first time. For example, an aircraft pilot may start, engage, or
otherwise activate an aircraft and/or a display device 301 of the
aircraft via a user interface 310. The user interface 310 may then
be configured to transmit a display warm-up request to the
controller 304, indicating that the display substrate 302 of the
display device 301 is to be warmed up.
[0103] In a step 604, a first electrical current is generated
within a first heating layer portion at the first time in response
to the display warm-up request. For example, upon receiving the
display warm-up request, the controller 304 may be configured to
generate the one or more control signals configured to generate the
first electrical current within the first heating layer portion
318a in response to the display warm-up request. By generating the
first electrical current within the first heating layer portion
319a, the controller 304 may be configured to warm-up the first
heating layer portion 319a, and thereby warm-up the first display
zone 312a.
[0104] In a step 606, a temperature of a first display zone is
determined to exceed a temperature threshold at a second time
subsequent to the first time. For example, the controller 304 may
be configured to determine the temperature of the first display
zone 312a exceeds a temperature threshold at a second time
subsequent to the first time. For instance, the controller 304 may
be configured to determine when the first display zone 312a reaches
an operational temperature or other sufficient temperature (e.g.,
temperature threshold).
[0105] In a step 608, an additional electrical current is generated
within an additional heating layer portion at the second time. For
example, upon determining the first display zone 312a has been
sufficiently heated, the controller 304 may be configured to
generate one or more control signals configured to generate a
second electrical current within the second heating layer portion
319b at the second time. Accordingly, the controller 304 may be
configured to begin warming up the second display zone 312b (and/or
additional display zones 312c-312n) when the first display zone
312a has been sufficiently heated.
[0106] In a step 610, the first electrical current is terminated at
the second time. For example, upon identifying the first display
zone 312a is sufficiently heated, the controller 304 may be
configured to generate the one or more control signals configured
to terminate the first electrical current at the second time. In
this example, the controller 304 may begin to heat the second
display zone 312b as well as end the heating of the first display
zone 312a when it is determined the first display zone 312a is
sufficiently heated at the second time.
[0107] In a step 612, a temperature of an additional display zone
is determined to exceed the temperature threshold at a third time
subsequent to the second time. For example, the controller 304 may
be configured to determine the temperature of the second display
zone 312b exceeds a temperature threshold at a third time
subsequent to the second time. For instance, the controller 304 may
be configured to determine when the second display zone 312b
reaches an operational temperature or other sufficient temperature
(e.g., temperature threshold).
[0108] In a step 614, the additional electrical current is
terminated at the third time. For example, upon identifying the
second display zone 312b is sufficiently heated, the controller 304
may be configured to generate the one or more control signals
configured to terminate the second electrical current at the third
time.
[0109] It is to be understood that embodiments of the methods
disclosed herein may include one or more of the steps described
herein. Further, such steps may be carried out in any desired order
and two or more of the steps may be carried out simultaneously with
one another. Two or more of the steps disclosed herein may be
combined in a single step, and in some embodiments, one or more of
the steps may be carried out as two or more sub-steps. Further,
other steps or sub-steps may be carried in addition to, or as
substitutes to one or more of the steps disclosed herein.
[0110] Although inventive concepts have been described with
reference to the embodiments illustrated in the attached drawing
figures, equivalents may be employed and substitutions made herein
without departing from the scope of the claims. Components
illustrated and described herein are merely examples of a
system/device and components that may be used to implement
embodiments of the inventive concepts and may be replaced with
other devices and components without departing from the scope of
the claims. Furthermore, any dimensions, degrees, and/or numerical
ranges provided herein are to be understood as non-limiting
examples unless otherwise specified in the claims.
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