Solar LCD Powered iPods, iPhones and Laptops?

[Trapped]

Under full bright sunlight illumination, with the solar panels pointed directly at the sun, you're only looking at an electricity generation rate of between 15 and 20 watts with the best polycrystalline solar cells available today, assuming the solar cells cover an entire 1 square foot area. If the solar energy strikes the screen at an oblique (indirect) angle, the energy collection rate begins to fall of dramatically. Indoors, you'd be lucky to generate 1-2 watts.

I'm not saying this is a terrible idea. I'm just saying that best care scenario, it extends your battery life by maybe a minute.
.

But how much power do you need to make this technology useful? iPhone has a 1400mAh battery and is rated at a talk time of 8 hours. Presuming that ran the battery to empty, the power usage during talking is 3.7v @ 0.175A per hour, or 0.6Watts ( W = VA ). Actually, it would have to be a little less than this as Li batteries are never run down to 0%.

iPhone is 11.5x6.1 cm so a total surface area of 70cm2. A solar panel under the LCD screen isn't going to cover that whole area - maybe more like 50cm2. A 50cm2 solar cell of 12% efficiency under 'standard test conditions' has a peak output of around 0.6Watts, i.e. it would be generating power at the same rate that it's used.

Now, with 'Standard Test Conditions' being defined as 'midday, US summer time with the solar panels pointing directly at the sun', you're not going to get that kind of power generated whilst inside or with your iPhone held up to your ear. But it does suggest that if you were sitting outside during the daytime listening to music, you could leave your iPhone face upwards and be generating power faster than it's being used. iPhone also has a 250 hour standby time - power usage of about 20mWatts - a solar cell and a few of hours of sunlight every day could extend that indefinitely.

 

[Analog Kid]

Ok, I just read through most of the patent claims.

The invention here isn't so much about putting solar cells behind the display as about how to put solar cells in a device with no "up".

So what if this is the reason why the back of the new iPhone is rumored to be "black"?

What if it's not black but instead it's a huge solar cell array (dark blue) protected by a thick transparent layer?

I know this sounds insane, but it would be so cool... Well... one can always dream.

I once made this joke some months ago on macrumors^^ but nobody spend attention to it...

Don't know that we'll see it this time around, but you were both remarkably close to what Apple is describing.

Solar cells are integrated into a portable device. Multiple cells are arranged on the surface of the device such that a number of solar cells may always be functional and produce a desired voltage even if the rest is obstructed. ... Solar cells are typically stacked with other layers made of transparent or semi-transparent materials. ... Some of these layers may be used for display or input purposes, and some layers may be coated with various materials or they may be etched with product logos or other patterns.

In particular, claim 5 describes putting a "substantial fraction" of the cells on the side opposite the display, as opposed to behind the display.

Most of the references to a display are about using the display to give the user information about the amount of power coming from the cells.

Claims 19, 21 and related claims seem to have the most to do with putting the cells behind the display in a unique way-- making the display and touch screen transparent to a specific wavelength of light and the cells most sensitive to that wavelength.

It's interesting that the apparatus claims describe two specific sizes: 30,000 sq mm, and 10,000 sq mm. The iPhone has a total surface area of about 14,000 sq mm and the iPod classic isn't much smaller. Neither meets the size specified in claim 35, though the Nano and Shuffle do, and both are about half the size of the device specified in claim 34.

Claims 41 and 42 seem to suggest a clamshell design.

Claim 43 specifically calls out a plasma display as an alternative to LCD.

All together, the first half of the claims are method claims describing the unique method of ensuring that some number of cells are always exposed to light. The second half are apparatus claims which seem to be describing a very specific device.

I have to guess that if Apple allowed this patent application to go public, they dropped plans for developing it, but it is interesting non-the-less.

 

[Analog Kid]

iPhone is 11.5x6.1 cm so a total surface area of 70cm2. A solar panel under the LCD screen isn't going to cover that whole area - maybe more like 50cm2. A 50cm2 solar cell of 12% efficiency under 'standard test conditions' has a peak output of around 0.6Watts, i.e. it would be generating power at the same rate that it's used.

The claims mostly describe a "portable media device", so this sounds more targeted at the iPod than the iPhone (though Apple likes to blur that distinction).

It's possible that designating a media device, rather than communication device, gets them around some existing patents for cell phones. ("It's not a phone, it's a media device with voice capability.")

 

[deputylove8]

Interesting patents they have these days... I wonder what will come next???

Ipod Air - The Ipod that uses Air to generate electricity?

.........

 

[PabloGS]

Can't wait till they introduce that thingie. It will probably not only revolutionize the mobile device market but also the fashion and wear we walk around in.

Since solar panels need light and most keep their phones in their pockets or bags we'll soon see the following cloth booming: See-Through pants, See-Through shirts, See-Through handbags, See-Through backpacks, ...

You guys get the point

 

[CrackedButter]

It is about time, ever since the MacbookAir came out I have been wondering why devices are not wireless already with solar panels attached. I would love to have a wireless hard drive with a solar panel attached to it.

I guess its a game of patience because all this has been predicted anyway, just not implemented.

 

[blahblah9999]

Solar Panels heat water

Solar Cells generate electricity

You used "Solar Panels" in your article.

I just thought you might want to change it.

 

[Analog Kid]

Solar Panels heat water

Solar Cells generate electricity

You used "Solar Panels" in your article.

I just thought you might want to change it.

Apple uses "solar panel" to mean one or more solar cells. That's always been my understanding of the term as well...

"45. The portable data processing system of claim 39, wherein:said solar panel comprises a plurality of solar cells."

 

[MattInOz]

Flat screen multi-touch the other method.

We've all seen the other multi-touch demos like the Jef Han one where a camera looks at the back of the screen and a light source mostly UV is refracted with in the screen so when you touch the screen it changes to properties producing a VU dot for the camera to see.

So Apple writes a patent integrating a video cell within the screen, so you can watch for touches, the easist way maybe to use solar cells with are sensitive to UV, easy to make in standard silcon fab and if excess UV falls the screen it can be used as power.

If would seem a great thing to do would be to use that power straight away, like to make the screen brighter seeing your outdoors in bright light.
they could tie it straight LED backlight. It might need any power to light the screen in normal use. In the office the lights produce a fair amount of UV as well.

 

[Dreamail]

Oled!

This patent doesn't really make much sense with LCDs.

LCD backlights are usually not transparent and hence would not give a solar panel behind it much to work with. Even if they would be transparent they would filter out so much light that any solar array behind it wouldn't really receive much light.

Side-lit LCDs are usually quite thick and suffer from uneven lighting, they are usually noticeably brighter at the edges than in the center of the display.

And reflective LCDs, with no backlight, suffer from poor contrast and usually need a shiny, reflective surface at the back - not black which is the typical solar panel color.


However, all these become irrelevant when using an OLED panel instead.
OLEDs emit light directly, they don't need a backlight. And they can be mounted on transparent materials. All they then need would be a black background - like a solar panel.

And there were quite a few recent developments on solar panels made from plastic, which are lighter, cheaper and thinner than silicon based ones. Albeit not as efficient.


Since OLEDs can be very thin, I'm certain any touch sensitive layer could be mounted even behind the solar panel and still work.


Makes perfect sense. Hope Apple's using it soon.
Probably not in the upcoming update, but perhaps the following one, as early as January next year?

 

[obivoid]

Another problem they probably have to overcome is, that exposing the device to direct sunlight will heat it up and thus shorten the batteries overall lifetime.

 

[MOFS]

Was that a joke? In case it wasn't, the idea is that sunlight would pass through the LCD onto the solar panels.



They wouldn't _only_ be solar powered. You'd still have the normal battery to use in non-lit situations. It would presuambly just extend your battery life with a constant trickle of power.

arn

I get that it wouldn't just be solar powered What i'm thinking is that it is unlikely to be implemented if it is purely meant to be used indoors. Laptops tend not to be used in the field, so I see this as further proof for a tablet Mac. The screen would forever be exposed to sunlight (unlike a laptop), and for me the tablet Mac would work perfectly in outdoor situations as a kinda notepad. No optical drive; just a touchscreen with "Numbers lite" for use in the field for data-crunching.

 

[ibjoshua]

I mentioned this in the LED backlight story the other day:

Imagine a MacBook case made out of this stuff mentioned on ecogeek.org.

The molecular soup mixture would have organic light-emitting diode (OLED) and solar cell building blocs that can be spread or even sprayed like paint in an ultra-thin layer that is only 100 nm thick. By combining both technologies, it may be possible to have displays on the market that don't even have to be plugged in but charged using solar panels. The companies even say it could be sprayed onto the back of cell phones to charge up the device.
​

Charge your machine and at the same time check your iCal (or whatever) without plugging it in or opening it.
Nice.

ibjoshua

 

[MadDog31]

Too bad they couldn't work in that technology watches use how they stay charged while the watch stays in motion (kinetic?).

I like the idea behind the solar though too...it'd be interesting to see.

 

[Applefanboy24]

Hello???
doesn't anyone remember the "electric computers" discovered in Apple's shipping manifests? Couldn't this be them? If it is, it would make total sense for macbook redesigns

 

[0098386]

I've always wondered if this was possible, I hope it does get included in future tech. TBH I don't know why we're not using solar panels more, even if they just produce enough power to keep a radio on then I'd be happy.

 

[137489]

Cool! So soon we may very well have OLED razor thin displays with solar power and iSight cameras built into the displays themselves Sounds good to me!

My only question is how much do your iPods, iPhones, Laptops etc. actually have their screen exposed to the sun??? Don't you usually have your portables in your pocket and your laptops avoiding sun glare when outside??? How much power would this really add then?

true about portable devices mostly being in pockets. But seriously, they would have to do something major with the display. As it stands now with portable devices (including laptops), is you cannot see anything on the screen when you are outside in the sun. Especially since 98% of the computers out there are using glossy screens. Also, leaving electronic equipment in the sun is not always a good idea... Technology would really have to change in order for it to be viable - hey then I can get my solar powered car....

 

[137489]

Interesting patents they have these days... I wonder what will come next???

Ipod Air - The Ipod that uses Air to generate electricity?

.........

Don't laugh, Apple could probably do it.... You have a little tiny windmill on your ipod and as you walk, the mini breeze that is generated causes the windmill to spin. or, since most of these equipment have fan to cool it, you have the windmill positioned right over the fan so not only do you get air from the outside, the fan generated the wind also.

hey, we have shake flashlights, radios and TV's you crank up, etc. seems like backwards technology, but in reality with the energy crises or when power goes out during a storm, it makes a little sense - why not have your ipod. think about it.. with the oil crisis, most people are buying motorcycles, bikes, or walking - so an air powered device would make sense. Windmill technology has not taken off to much as you have to rely on the environment - but if you are making your own wind (watch it - no comments on that please ) by moving or riding outdoor equipment why not.

imagine your ipod never goes dead on a hiking, canoe, bike, or motorcycle trip - it charges as you move. other companies are already making waterprooof ipod holders for diving, boating, and swimming - why not have Apple make a device that takes advantage of air currents as you move.

 

[rockthecasbah]

That's really cool, I hope we see it soon! I am not holding my breath, however, since Apple patents a lot of ideas it doesn't intend to put in products... We'll see

 

[dicklacara]

Everything old is new again

In 1960, I managed the Data Processing (forerunner of IT) department of Hoffman Electronics Corporation - Semiconducter Division, El Monte, CA.

Hoffman was one of the pioneers in silicon, semiconductors and photo cells.

They were also an early pioneer in radio and television-- super-inovative and high-quality stuff... kinda' the Apple of that era.

They made one product, which really impressed me: A portable radio (AM/FM/SW) phonograph that was solar powered (to recharge the batteries, C cell, AIR).

AIR, this little jewel cost $129 and would play 45 & 33 RPM records. It was about the size of a paperback book and weighed about 3-4 lbs.

I bought one and was the only guy in town who could play records at the beach (not the best place to take records).

At that time. there were no: 5-track tapes, cassette tapes, walkmans, CDs. DVDs,-- only a few "portable" transistor radios.

It never gained much popularity (I never saw another one), but it worked, and was amazing for its day.

In, the 70's, we purchased a solar panel system for about $7,000 to heat our 20,000 gallon swimming pool (Silicon Valley). We were able to heat the pool year-round, and it paid for itself within 7 years.

In the 80's, we purchased a TownHouse in Tucson with a Solar Panel whole-house, continuous Hot water heating system. It worked great, except that the copper pipe embedded in the concrete slab was not insulated-- so the heat dissipated into the slab. Convenient (instant hot water at every tap), but, because of the glitch, more expensive than a conventional water heater. We turned it off.

So, it has been a mixed bag of experiences with solar cells.

Maybe the time is now-- if it's doable, then Apple can probably do it better than anyone.

 

[wheelhot]

Wow, well it might take time for this idea to appear in Apple product range, but if it does, that would be wonderful.

I guess these is one of the place where the money you pay for your overpriced macs went to. Research!.

Its sad though, if Apple managed to get Solar LCD working, expect other people to copy it in the next 6 months and people will start complaining again that Apple is overpricing their products.

Simply sad, but hey its life.

 

[dicklacara]

Don't laugh, Apple could probably do it.... You have a little tiny windmill on your ipod and as you walk, the mini breeze that is generated causes the windmill to spin. or, since most of these equipment have fan to cool it, you have the windmill positioned right over the fan so not only do you get air from the outside, the fan generated the wind also.

hey, we have shake flashlights, radios and TV's you crank up, etc. seems like backwards technology, but in reality with the energy crises or when power goes out during a storm, it makes a little sense - why not have your ipod. think about it.. with the oil crisis, most people are buying motorcycles, bikes, or walking - so an air powered device would make sense. Windmill technology has not taken off to much as you have to rely on the environment - but if you are making your own wind (watch it - no comments on that please ) by moving or riding outdoor equipment why not.

imagine your ipod never goes dead on a hiking, canoe, bike, or motorcycle trip - it charges as you move. other companies are already making waterprooof ipod holders for diving, boating, and swimming - why not have Apple make a device that takes advantage of air currents as you move.

Don't stop there...

Methane is a wasted source of huge potential power. How about a "PIMP", Personally Implemented Methane Power, device that would gather methane and convert it into electricity to continuously charge your iPhone...

...where would you plug it in

 

[mitch88ell]

I wonder if this could be a continuation of the Mac Tablet Patent?

 

[John454]

Great idea but... it amazes me how after time and time again Apple takes other people's ideas twists them ever so slightly and tries to patent it like they invented it.

 

[stagi]

This would be really cool, I hope that it makes its way into some products sometime.