Integrated micro-LED luminous aircraft panel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10864997-B2
Application number	US-201916550904-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2019
Priority date	Apr 10, 2018
Publication date	Dec 15, 2020
Grant date	Dec 15, 2020

Abstract

An integrated aircraft lighting and display panel includes high-density arrays of micro-scale light-emitting diodes (LED) set into a flexible printed circuit board (PCB). The PCB and LED arrays may be set into structural layers corresponding to overhead panels, side panels, bin panels, divider panels, doorway panels, or other interior structural panels of the aircraft. The LED arrays may be activated by a controller to provide cabin lighting, indicate aircraft signage, display high-resolution image or video graphics, or any simultaneous combination of all three. The panel may have a translucent or transparent decorative outer skin which may mimic the outward appearance of wood, stone, bamboo, or other decorative materials while the integrated lighting and display panels are inactive. Highly reflective core materials, such as an aluminum core in a honeycomb pattern, may guide the luminous output of the LED arrays through the outer skin.

First claim

We claim:

1. A monument installable in an aircraft cabin, comprising:
one or more exterior surfaces;
one or more monument panels, each monument panel coupled to at least one exterior surface and comprising:
at least one flexible substrate;
at least one lighting controller coupled to one or more of an aircraft power supply, an aircraft network bus, and an aircraft data interface;
one or more light-emitting diode (LED) arrays disposed on the flexible substrate, each LED array comprising:
a printed circuit board (PCB);
a plurality of LED units arranged on the PCB;
and
at least one microcontroller attached to the PCB and electronically coupled to the lighting controller and to the plurality of LED units, one or more of the LED units configured to generate a luminous output when activated by the microcontroller;

at least one decorative layer defining an outermost surface of the monument panel, the decorative layer capable of at least partially transmitting the luminous output into the aircraft cabin;
and
at least one core material layer disposed between the one or more LED arrays and the at least one decorative layer, the core material layer capable of supporting the transmission of the display output from the one or more LED arrays to the at least one decorative layer.

2. The monument of claim 1 , wherein the at least one decorative layer includes a translucent material.

3. The monument of claim 1 , wherein the one or more monument panels are at least partially embedded within the one or more exterior surfaces.

4. The monument of claim 1 , wherein the one or more LED arrays include at least one of a) a two-dimensional array of M×N LED units and b) a strip of 1×P LED units, where M, N, and P are integers.

5. The monument of claim 1 , wherein each LED unit includes at least one of a monochromatic LED, a polychromatic LED, and an LED individually addressable by at least one of the microcontroller and the lighting controller.

6. The monument of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one lighting controller includes a video processor configured to generate video content comprising at least one sequence of images;
and
each LED array is configured to produce, based on instructions received by the microcontroller via the lighting controller, a display output including at least one of:
1) a uniform luminous output;
2) at least a portion of the video content;
and
3) a signage element, the signage element including at least one of a warning notice, an emergency message, and an exit marker.

7. The monument of claim 6 , wherein the lighting controller is configured to regulate the display output based on at least one of a time, a flight segment, a temperature, and a detected condition.

8. The monument of claim 1 , wherein the at least one core material layer is configured to support the transmission of the display output via at least one of:
reflecting at least a portion of the display output toward the at least one decorative layer;
and
conducting a portion of heat generated by the one or more LED arrays toward the at least one decorative layer.

9. The monument of claim 1 , wherein the at least one core material layer defines at least one array of columnar cells between the one or more LED arrays and the at least one decorative layer, the array of columnar cells arranged in a tessellating pattern of at least one polygon.

10. The monument of claim 9 , wherein each LED unit is centered within a columnar cell of the array of columnar cells.

11. The monument of claim 1 , wherein the at least one decorative layer includes a diffusive material.

12. The monument of claim 1 , wherein the decorative layer is configured to mimic at least one natural material.

13. The monument of claim 12 , wherein the at least one natural material is selected from wood, stone, leather, fabric, metal, and bamboo.

Assignees

• Rockwell Collins Inc

Inventors

• Johannessen Eric
• Dunn Matthew
• Bartolome Alvin S
• Tchakounte Arthur Loic Dibeton

Classifications

• H05B45/00

  Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• F21K9/20

  Light sources comprising attachment means · CPC title

• B64D2203/00

  Aircraft or airfield lights using LEDs · CPC title

• B64D11/0015 Primary

  Arrangements for entertainment or communications, e.g. radio, television · CPC title

• G09F9/33

  being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes · CPC title