COLOR DISPLAY SYSTEM FOR A CAMERA

• US 20010043166A1
• Filed: 09/30/1997
• Published: 11/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kopin Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kopin Corporation
• Inventors: POMBO, STEPHEN A., JACOBSEN, JEFFREY, BUMGARDNER, RODNEY, ZAVRACKY, MATTHEW, FAN, JOHN C.C., RICHARD, ALAN, CHERN, WEN-FOO
• Granted Patent: US 6,677,936 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/27
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 25/002 Magnifying glasses
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0408 Integration of the drivers onto the display substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0235 Field-sequential colour display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0237 Switching ON and OFF the backlight within one frame
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/024 Scrolling of light from the illumination source over the display in combination with the scanning of the display screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0283 Arrangement of drivers for different directions of scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/063 Waveforms for resetting the whole screen at once
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/08 Details of timing specific for flat panels, other than clock recovery
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0209 Crosstalk reduction, i.e. to reduce direct or indirect influences of signals directed to a certain pixel of the displayed image on other pixels of said image, inclusive of influences affecting pixels in different frames or fields or sub-images which constitute a same image, e.g. left and right images of a stereoscopic display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/041 Temperature compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0492 Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/001 using specific devices not provided for in groups G09G3/02 - G09G3/36, e.g. using an intermediate record carrier such as a film slide; Projection systems; Display of non-alphanumerical information, solely or in combination with alphanumerical information, e.g. digital display on projected diapositive as background slide projectors per se G03B23/00 = 42 HP
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3413 Details of control of colour illumination sources
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3614 Control of polarity reversal in general
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3659 the addressing of the pixel involving the control of two or more scan electrodes or two or more data electrodes, e.g. pixel voltage dependant on signal of two data electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3688 suitable for active matrices only
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/18 : Timing circuits for raster scan displays specially adapted for television H04N ; synchronisation between the display unit and other display units, videodisc player G09G5/12
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/39 : Control of the bit-mapped memory
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/391 : Resolution modifying circuits, e.g. variable screen formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 : Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/021 : using combined folding and rotation motions combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 : Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0247 : comprising more than two body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 : comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 : for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0272 : for a projector or beamer module assembly constructional features of projectors per se G03B21/00; constructional details of projectors using electronic spatial light modulators per se H04N9/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0281 : for providing single handed use or left/right hand conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 : including more than one display unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/20 : including a rotatable camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 : Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3141 : Constructional details thereof details not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14

Abstract

The invention relates to a microdisplay system that utilizes a small high resolution active matrix liquid crystal display with an illumination system and a magnifying optical system to provide a viewfinder in a electronic image record system such as a digital camera or video camera. The matrix display can be transmissive or reflective using sequential lighting. The system can use an alternating common voltage which allows reduced power consumption. In addition an internal heating system in the display allows the system to be used at low temperatures.

Claims

1. An electronic image viewing device comprising:

a device housing;

an image sensor within the housing that senses an image;

a signal processor within the housing that processes signals from the image sensor;

a matrix display within the housing connected to the signal processor and that displays an image, the matrix display having at least 75,000 pixel electrodes and an active imaging area of less than 100 mm²; and

a lens optically coupled to the matrix display to magnify an image on the display.

2. The electronic image viewing device of

claim 1

further comprising a recording device for recording the image.

3. The electronic image viewing device of

claim 2

wherein the recording device records an analog signal.

4. The electronic image viewing device of

claim 2

wherein the recording device records a digital signal.

5. The electronic image viewing device of

claim 1

wherein the matrix display is a color sequential display system including an active matrix liquid crystal display and an LED backlight.

6. The electronic image viewing device of

claim 1

wherein the matrix display has an array of at least 320 by 240 pixel electrodes.

7. The electronic image viewing device of

claim 2

wherein the images are recorded in a rapid sequence.

8. The electronic image viewing device of

claim 2

wherein the images are recorded individually at distinct times.

9. The electronic image viewing device of

claim 1

further comprising a card reading device for reading a card containing images.

10. An electronic image recording and viewing device comprising:

an image sensor that senses an image, the sensor being positioned within a housing;

a signal processor that processes signals from the image sensor;

a memory connected to the processor that stores an image;

a color sequential matrix display within the housing for displaying the image and having an array of pixel electrodes;

a light source that directs a plurality of colors onto the matrix display in sequence; and

a display lens that magnifies an image on the color matrix display.

11. The device of

claim 10

further comprising at least one mirror movable between a position for viewing the color matrix with the lens of the viewfinder and a second position for viewing through a lens of the image sensor.

12. The device of

claim 10

further comprising a switching circuit connected to a counterelectrode panel of the matrix display for switching the applied voltage.

13. The device of

claim 10

further comprising a temperature sensor position between a substrate and a cover layer of the active matrix that measures a temperature of the active matrix.

14. The device of

claim 10

further comprising a heating element that heats the display.

15. The device of

claim 10

wherein the display comprises a reflective display.

16. A method of recording and displaying an image comprising the following steps:

providing a camera housing having an image sensor, a matrix display, a lens that magnifies an image on the display and a battery;

sensing an image with the sensor;

recording the image in a memory electrically connected to the sensor; and

displaying the image with the display for viewing through the lens.

17. The method of

claim 16

further comprising transferring the image from the memory to a memory card inserted into the camera housing and removing the memory card from the housing.

18. The method of

claim 16

further comprising providing a display having at least 75,000 pixel electrodes an a display area of 100 mm².

19. The method of

claim 16

further comprising a lens for the image sensor and a mirror to reflect an image from the display through the display lens.

20. The method of

claim 16

further comprising a control circuit connected to the display and a light source.