Display and scanning assembly for transparencies

• US 20040095617A1
• Filed: 10/21/2003
• Published: 05/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mangerson, Mark M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,362,478 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/484
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/02 for controlling the intensity of light G02B26/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/00 Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00129 with a display device, e.g. CRT or LCD monitor with a television apparatus H04N1/00283; arrangements for control of display devices G09G
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/028 for picture information pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/02805 with photodetectors arranged in a two-dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/001 Sharing resources, e.g. processing power or memory, with a connected apparatus or enhancing the capability of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence

Abstract

A display and scanning assembly is disclosed wherein light reflected from or transmitted through an image being scanned is transmitted to an optical sensor through an optical shutter assembly via a light guide assembly. The optical shutter assembly is made substantially opaque except for one or more selected optical shutter elements that are made substantially transparent or opened. Light is then reflected from or transmitted through the medium containing the image to be scanned through substantially transparent shutter element or elements and transmitted to the optical sensor via a light guide assembly. The image may then be scanned by advancing selection of shutter element or elements that are opened across the medium. The optical scanning assembly may further be capable of functioning as a display assembly wherein color components for each display element or pixel of the display assembly are premixed so that the display elements provide a true color instead of separate red, green and blue components of that color.

Claims

1. An image scanning assembly for scanning an image of an object, comprising:

an optical shutter assembly including a plurality of individually actuateable shutter elements for substantially allowing or blocking transmission of light wherein at least a portion of the light is one of reflected from and transmitted through the object through said optical shutter assembly;

an optical sensor for sensing light reflected from or transmitted through the object through said optical shutter assembly;

wherein selected ones of said plurality of shutter elements are actuated in a predetermined sequence for allowing light reflected from or transmitted through the object to pass though the optical shutter assembly whereupon the light is sensed by said optical sensor.

2. The image scanning assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a light source for emitting light for illuminating the object.

3. The image scanning assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein said light source comprises a strobe light source for generating high intensity pulses of light.

4. The image scanning assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a backlighting light source for transmitting light through the object.

5. The image scanning assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a light guide assembly for at least one of conducting light to said optical shutter assembly and conducting light reflected from or transmitted through the object to said optical sensor.

6. The image scanning assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said light guide assembly comprises a plurality of light conducting columns for conducting light along an axis of the image scanning assembly.

7. The image scanning assembly as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a light source for generating high intensity pulses of light, each of said plurality of light conducting columns including a color adjustment assembly for adjusting the color of said pulses of light conducted by said light conducting column.

8. The image scanning assembly as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a strobe light source for generating high intensity pulses of light, each of said plurality of light conducting columns including a color filter for filtering pulses of light emitted by said light source into at least one color and a shutter element for selecting the color of said pulses of light conducted by said conducting columns.

9. The image scanning assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of said color filter elements comprises red, blue, and green filters for providing the red, blue and green light.

10. The image scanning assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein said color filter comprises a liquid crystal shutter element for adjusting the proportion of light passing through said red, green and blue filters.

11. The image scanning assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of said light conducting columns further comprises a diffuser for diffusing, randomizing and mixing light passing through said liquid crystal shutter element.

13. The image scanning assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of said light conducting columns further comprises a polarizer.

14. The image scanning assembly as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a polarizing layer disposed between said plurality of light conducting columns and said plurality of shutter elements.

15. The image scanning assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of shutter elements comprises an elongated liquid crystal shutter row.

16. An image scanning assembly for scanning an image of an object, comprising:

a light source for backlighting the object so that light is at least partially transmitted through the object;

an optical shutter assembly including a plurality of individually actuateable shutter elements for substantially allowing or blocking light transmitted through the object from said light source through said optical shutter assembly;

a plurality optical sensors for sensing light transmitted through the object and said optical shutter assembly;

a light guide assembly for conducting light transmitted through the object and said optical shutter assembly to said optical sensor,

wherein selected ones of said plurality of shutter elements are actuated in a predetermined sequence for allowing light transmitted through the object to pass though the optical shutter assembly whereupon the light is sensed by said plurality of optical sensors.

17. The image scanning assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein said light guide assembly comprises a plurality of light conducting columns for conducting light along an axis of the image scanning assembly from said optical shutter assembly to said plurality of optical sensors.

18. The image scanning assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein each of said plurality of shutter elements of said shutter assembly comprises an elongated liquid crystal shutter row.

19. The image scanning assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein said optical sensor comprises a color image sensor having red, blue and green sensing elements for sensing red, blue and green light.

20. The image scanning assembly as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a color filter assembly for filtering light transmitted by said optical shutter assembly into at least one color.

21. The image scanning assembly as claimed in claim 20, wherein said color filter assembly comprises red, blue, and green color filters.

22. An image scanning assembly for scanning an image of an object, comprising:

an optical shutter assembly including a plurality of individually actuateable means for substantially allowing or blocking transmission of light wherein at least a portion of the light is one of reflected from and transmitted through the object through said optical shutter assembly;

means for sensing light reflected from or transmitted through the object through said optical shutter assembly;

wherein selected ones of said plurality of means for allowing or blocking transmission of light are actuated in a predetermined sequence for allowing light reflected from or transmitted through the object to pass though the optical shutter assembly whereupon the light is sensed by said sensing means.

23. The image scanning assembly as claimed in claim 22, further comprising a means for emitting light for illuminating the object.

24. The image scanning assembly as claimed in claim 22, further comprising a means for transmitting light through the object.

25. The image scanning assembly as claimed in claim 22, further comprising means for conducting light reflected from or transmitted through the object to said sensing means.