Optical element for correcting color blindness

• US 10,119,070 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2012
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
• Inventors: Harding, Brett T., Li, Sheng, Mochizuki, Amane, Fujii, Hironaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Earles, Bryan
• Application Number:
  US13/565,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20130100048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,287 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/16 Intraocular lenses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/1699 Additional features not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 2201/001 Conductive additives
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/29 Compounds containing one or more carbon-to-nitrogen double bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/315 Compounds containing carbon-to-nitrogen triple bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 101/12 characterised by physical features, e.g. anisotropy, viscosity or electrical conductivity liquid crystal materials or compositions C09K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: C09B 3/20 by halogenation
• CPC Class Codes: C09B 57/00 Other synthetic dyes of known constitution
• CPC Class Codes: C09B 57/008 Triarylamine dyes containing no other chromophores
• CPC Class Codes: C09B 69/102 containing a perylene dye
• CPC Class Codes: C09B 69/103 containing a diaryl- or triarylmethane dye
• CPC Class Codes: C09B 69/109 containing other specific dyes
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/025 non-luminescent particle coatings or suspension media
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/06 containing organic luminescent materials
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2211/1007 Non-condensed systems
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2211/1011 Condensed systems
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2211/1014 bridged by heteroatoms, e.g. N, P, Si or B
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2211/1044 containing two nitrogen atoms as heteroatoms
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2211/1055 with other heteroatoms
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2323/031 Polarizer or dye
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/10 : comprising photoluminescent material
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/06 : for filtering out ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/08 : for producing coloured light, e.g. monochromatic; for reducing intensity of light with provision for controlling the colour F21V9/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/30 : Elements containing photoluminescent material distinct from or spaced from the light source shades F21V1/17; globes, bowls or cover glasses F21V3/08, F21V3/12; refractors F21V5/10; reflectors F21V7/26, F21V7/30; elements with provision for controlling the spectral properties or intensity F21V9/40
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/04 : made of organic materials, e.g. plastics G02B1/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/041 : Lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/043 : Contact lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/04 : Contact lenses for the eyes disinfection or sterilisation of contact lenses A61L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/049 : Contact lenses having special fitting or structural features achieved by special materials or material structures
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/104 : having spectral characteristics for purposes other than sun-protection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 : Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/30 : using electroluminescent panels

Abstract

Described herein are devices, compositions, and methods for improving color discernment.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

an electronic display comprising a light source; and

an optical element for enhancing color discrimination for a user that has an impaired ability to distinguish colors, the optical element being separate from the light source and completely covering the electronic display, the optical element comprising a photoluminescent compound in a substantially transparent matrix;

wherein the device is configured so that at least a portion of the light emitted from the display passes through the optical element, and the optical element shifts from a first wavelength to a second wavelength at least some of the light emitted from the display that passes through the optical element; and

wherein the photoluminescent compound comprises at least one of an optionally substituted BODIPY, an optionally substituted BODIPY derivative, an optionally substituted rhodamine, an optionally substituted rhodamine derivative, an optionally substituted Nile red, an optionally substituted fluorescein, an optionally substituted 6-FAM phosphoramidite, an optionally substituted coumarin, an optionally substituted pyrromethene 605, and an optionally substituted perylene derivative dye.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a touch screen component coupled to the optical element and the electronic display;

wherein the touch screen component comprises;

a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, and a spacer between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, wherein the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are substantially transparent;

wherein the device is configured so that contact by a user to the touch screen can cause the first conductive layer to contact the second conductive layer to thereby allow current to flow between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer; and

wherein the device is configured so that at least a portion of the light emitted from the display passes through the touch screen component and passes through the optical element.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the touch screen component further comprises a first support layer, wherein the first conductive layer is disposed between the spacer and the first support layer.

4. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the touch screen component further comprises a second support layer, wherein the second conductive layer is disposed between the spacer and the second support layer.

5. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the touch screen component further comprises a first dielectric layer, wherein the first dielectric layer is disposed between the first conductive layer and the first support layer.

6. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the touch screen component further comprises a second dielectric layer wherein the second dielectric layer is disposed between the second conductive layer and the second support layer.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the optical element absorbs light in a wavelength range near peak sensitivity for an M human cone photopigment and emits light of a longer wavelength in a wavelength range near peak sensitivity for an L human cone photopigment.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the optical element has a peak wavelength of visible absorption of about 510 nm to about 550 nm.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the optical element has a peak wavelength of visible emission of about 540 nm to about 580 nm.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, the optical element is configured to absorb and emit visible light so that when an image from the electronic display is viewed through the optical element, a first color having a first set of color coordinates is converted to a second color having a second set of color coordinates to aid in distinguishing colors;

and the distance between the first set of color coordinates and the second set of color coordinates in the direction normal to a color confusion line nearest to the first set of color coordinates is at least about 0.02 color coordinate units.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the distance between the first set of color coordinates and the second set of color coordinates in the direction normal to a color confusion line nearest to the first set of color coordinates is at least about 0.04 color coordinate units.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the color confusion line is a deuteranopia color confusion line.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the color confusion line is deuteranopia color confusion line 7.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the color confusion line is deuteranopia color confusion line 8.

15. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the color confusion line is deuteranopia color confusion line 9.

16. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first set of color coordinates is about (0.375-0.380, 0.485-0.490), about (0.4 75-0.480, 0.41 0-0.415), about (0.368-0.373, 0.485-0.490), or about (0.370-0.375, 0.460-0.465).

17. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first set of color coordinates is about (0.330-0.335, 0.340-0.345).

18. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first set of color coordinates is about (0.570-0.575, 0.340-0.345), about (0.475-0.480, 0.468-0.473), or about (0.565-0.570, 0.395-0.400).

19. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first set of color coordinates is about (0.510-0.515, 0.340-0.344), or about (0.480-0.485, 0.388-0.392).

20. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first set of color coordinates is about (0.290-0.295, 0.495-0.500).

21. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the luminescent compound absorbs light at an absorption wavelength and emits light at an emission wavelength, wherein a human cone photopigment is substantially more sensitive to the emission wavelength than to the absorption wavelength.

22. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the luminescent compound absorbs light at a wavelength that is less than maximally detected by a normal human cone middle-wavelength sensitive (M) photopigment and emits light at a wavelength that is detected to a substantially greater extent by the normal human cone M photopigment.

23. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the luminescent compound absorbs light at a wavelength that is less than maximally detected by a variant human cone middle-wavelength sensitive (MV) photopigment and emits light at a wavelength that is detected to a substantially greater extent by the same human cone MV photopigment.

24. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the luminescent compound absorbs light at a wavelength that is less than maximally detected by a normal human cone long-wavelength sensitive (L) photopigment and emits light at a wavelength that is detected to a substantially greater extent by the normal human cone L photopigment.

25. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the luminescent compound absorbs light at a wavelength that is less than maximally detected by a variant human cone long-wavelength sensitive (LV) photopigment and emits light at a wavelength that is detected to a substantially greater extent by the same human cone LV photopigment.

26. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the luminescent compound has an average wavelength of visible absorption of about 380 nm to about 450 nm.

27. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the luminescent compound has an average wavelength of visible absorption of about 420 nm to about 480 nm.

28. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the luminescent compound has an average wavelength of visible emission of about 500 nm to about 600 nm.