Display unit and methods of displaying an image

• US 20030122844A1
• Filed: 11/08/2002
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Mueller, Bruno, Bird, William E.
• Application Number:
  US10/291,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20030122844A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/589
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/407 for marking on special material
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/546 Combination of different types, e.g. using a thermal transfer head and an inkjet print head
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 1/17 Dry transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 1/10 Changing, amusing, or secret pictures
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/00 Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data , e.g. computer output printersprinting or plotting combined with another operation, e.g. with conveying, G06K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/023 for printing on transparent media
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/162 Transparent or translucent layer or section
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24322 Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24736 Ornamental design or indicia
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24851 Intermediate layer is discontinuous or differential
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24868 Translucent outer layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24876 Intermediate layer contains particulate material [e.g., pigment, etc.]

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of displaying an image on a display device having first and second sides, said image including an light restricting silhouette pattern having a plurality of first transparent or translucent areas, and at least one design layer having at least one color, said at least one design layer being visible from one side of said display device and substantially less visible from the other side, said image being substantially transparent or translucent as viewed from the other side, comprising the steps:

1) providing at least a definition of said design layer to a computer;

2) generating a computerized version of said design layer with the computer;

3) outputting the computerized version of said design layer to said display device, the computerized version of said design layer being modified to subdivide said design layer into a plurality of second discrete transparent or translucent areas and other areas, and

4) displaying said modified design layer and said silhouette pattern with said first and second transparent areas being in registry.

Articles produced in accordance with the method are also described.

Printers, raster image processing methods and systems, computer graphics systems are described for producing the article.

Claims

1. A method of printing comprising the steps of controlling the ratio of transmission optical density to reflective optical density at any area of an image graphic by use of computer software and printing the image onto a substrate.

2. An imaged graphic having at least one area where the ratio of transmission optical density to reflective optical density has been controlled by by use of computer software during printing of the image onto a substrate.

3. A method of displaying an image on a display device having first and second sides, said image including an light restricting silhouette pattern having a plurality of first transparent or translucent areas, and at least one design layer having at least one color, said at least one design layer being visible from one side of said display device and substantially less visible from the other side, said image being substantially transparent or translucent as viewed from the other side, comprising the steps:

1) providing at least a definition of said design layer to a computer;

2) generating a computerized version of said design layer with the computer,

3) outputting the computerized version of said design layer to said display device, the computerized version of said design layer being modified to subdivide said design layer into a plurality of second discrete transparent or translucent areas and other areas, and

4) displaying said modified design layer and said silhouette pattern with said first and second transparent areas being in registry.

4. An article can have a conformable substrate and comprise:

a colorant receptor layer and a light restricting layer on said substrate, said light restricting layer having a plurality of first transparent or translucent areas.

5. An article having a conformable substrate and comprising:

a colorant receptor layer and a light restricting layer on said substrate, said light restricting layer having a plurality of first transparent or translucent areas.

6. An article comprising a polymeric substrate and a light restricting layer and a design layer on said substrate, said design layer including at least one color layer, said light restricting layer being subdivided into a plurality of first transparent or translucent areas, said design layer being subdivided into a plurality of second transparent or translucent areas, and said first and second transparent areas being in registry.

7. A printer for receiving a print file includes color separated image data, light restricting layer data and transparency data, and for printing the color separated image and the light restricting layer data including transparent areas in both the color-separated layer and the light restricting layer in accordance with the transparency data.

8. A raster image processing method for raster image processing of a print file including color separated image data, light restricting layer data and transparency data, comprising operating on said print file to generate raster image bitmaps for said color separated image data and said light restricting layer data, and introducing said transparency data into said raster image bitmaps for said color separated image data and said light restricting layer data so that the transparent areas in said color separated image raster bitmap and said light restricting layer bitmap are in registry.

9. A graphics computer based system for creating graphics images including color separated layers and light restricting layers, comprises first input means for image data, means for generating color separated image data from said image data,

means for generating light restricting layer data, second input means for transparency data, and

means for outputting a display file including said color separated image data, said light restricting layer data and said transparency data.