Dye-based filter

• US 20040179283A1
• Filed: 03/14/2003
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Sampica, James D., Jones, Michael R., Ryang, Hong-Son, Warren, Leslie F. Jr., Stuppi, Albert N., Johnson, Ricky J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,081,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/885
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/208 for use with infrared or ultraviolet radiation, e.g. for separating visible light from infrared and/or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/223 containing organic substances, e.g. dyes, inks or pigments
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133509 Filters, e.g. light shielding masks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A display includes a light source. The display also includes a filter positioned to receive light from the light source. The filter is a dye-based filter and attenuates light in the infrared range. The filter can be configured to have a very sharp spectral cutoff. The filter can be an NVIS filter. The display can be utilized in an avionic display system with night vision equipment. The filter can include a host polymer doped with a dye including cobalt or nickel.

Claims

1. A display including a light source, the display comprising a dye-based filter material positioned to receive light from the light source, wherein the dye-based filter material absorbs light in the infrared range with respect to light in the visible range, the dye-based filter material having a sharp cutoff between 600 and 640 nm.

2. The display of claim 1, wherein the dye-based filter material provides NVIS filtering.

3. The display of claim 2, wherein the dye-based filter material includes at least one salt of MX₄²⁻

types where M is Co or Ni.

4. The display of claim 3, wherein the dye-based filter material is mixed with a polymer.

5. The display of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of light-emitting diodes serving as the light source.

6. The display of claim 5, wherein at least one of the plurality of light-emitting diodes is coated with the dye-based filter material.

7. The display of claim 6, wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes are arranged in an array and a pattern within the array of light emitting diodes is coated with the dye-based filter material.

8. The display of claim 5, wherein at least one of the LEDs has a lens formed with dye-based material mixed with polymer.

10. The avionic display system of claim 8, wherein the light source includes LEDs and the dye-based filter material is coated on the LEDs.

9. An avionic display system, comprising:

a display configured to provide visual images in the visual frequency range; and

a dye-based filter material positioned to receive light associated with the visual images, the dye-based filter material attenuating light in the near-infrared and infrared range.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the dye-based filter material is a copper or cobalt dye material.

12. The display system of claim 9, further comprising a filter for attenuating light at wavelengths above 750 nm.

13. A method of manufacturing a display, the method comprising:

providing a light source; and

coating the light source with a film that receives light from the light source with a dye-based filter material, wherein the dye-based filter material attenuates light in the infrared range.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing an overcoat to the dye material to seal from the environment.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the dye-based filter material includes a dye including a polymer host doped with combinations of at least one of CoCl₄²⁻

and CoBr₄²⁻

.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the light source is an array of LEDs and at least one of the LEDs is coated.

17. A display system, comprising:

means for providing a visual image; and

means for filtering light to absorb the light associated with the visual image above a selected wavelength range, wherein the selected wavelength range is above 610 nm.

18. An NVIS filter, comprising:

a monomer or polymer host; and

a dye, the host being doped with the dye, the filter absorbing light in the near-infrared and infrared range and allowing light in the visible range to pass.

19. The filter of claim 18, wherein the filter attenuates light between a wavelength of 640 nm and 740 nm to a level below 10%.

20. The filter of claim 18 further comprising:

a pair of translucent films, wherein at least one of the translucent films are polarized.

21. The filter of claim 18 further comprising:

a blocking filter providing attenuation in the range of 745 nm.