Color changing image with backlighting

• US 20050088434A1
• Filed: 10/27/2004
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pentair Pool Products, Inc. (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Original Assignee: Pentair Pool Products, Inc. (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Inventors: Potucek, Kevin L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,719,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/214
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/22 Advertising or display means on roads, walls or similar surfaces, e.g. illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 7/00 Signs, name or number plates, letters, numerals, or symbols vehicle registration number plates B60R13/10; Panels or boards show-cards G09F1/00; indicating arrangements for variable information G09F9/00, G09F11/00; illuminated signs G09F13/00; boards for notices or posters G09F15/00

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of making an imaged media and a method of displaying an image, comprising the steps of providing a color image, creating a modified image by transforming a first color portion of the color image into a gray-scale portion, wherein a second color portion of said color image remains in color in said modified image, and reproducing said modified image on a fully or partially light transmitting media which can be used to display the modified image in color.

Claims

1. A method of making an imaged media, comprising the steps of:

providing a color image;

creating a modified image by transforming a first color portion of the color image into a gray-scale portion, wherein a second color portion of said color image remains in color in said modified image; and

reproducing said modified image on a fully or partially light transmitting media.

2. The imaged media produced in accordance with the method set forth in claim 1.

3. An image display system, comprising:

said imaged media as set forth in claim 2;

and

a light source for illuminating said imaged media.

4. The image display system set forth in claim 3, wherein said light source emits colored light.

5. The image display system set forth in claim 4, further comprising a controller for dynamically controlling said light source.

6. The image display system set forth in claim 4, wherein the light source selectably emits light of one or more of an available plurality of colors.

7. The image display system set forth in claim 3, wherein said system is adapted for backlighting said imaged media with said colored light source.

8. The image display system set forth in claim 7, wherein said system is a light box display system.

9. The image display system set forth in claim 7, wherein said system is adapted for projecting said modified image onto a viewing surface.

10. The image display system set forth in claim 3, wherein said system is adapted for projecting said modified image onto a viewing surface.

11. A method of displaying the modified image of claim 1, further comprising the step of illuminating said imaged media using a light source.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said light source provides a colored light.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said light source provides a colored light of a plurality of colors.

14. A method of making an imaged media, comprising the steps of:

providing a color image;

creating a modified image including the steps of;

transforming a first color portion of the color image into a gray-scale portion, and

fixing a color density of a second color portion of the color image; and

reproducing said modified image on a fully or partially light transmitting media.

15. The imaged media produced in accordance with the method set forth in claim 14.

16. An image display system, comprising:

said imaged media as set forth in claim 15;

and

a light source for illuminating said imaged media.

17. The image display system set forth in claim 16, wherein said light source emits light of a plurality of colors.

18. The image display system set forth in claim 17, wherein said selection of color from the light source is automatically controlled and varied.

19. The image display system set forth in claim 18, wherein said system is a light box display system.

20. The image display system set forth in claim 18, wherein said image is projected onto a viewing surface.

21. A method of claim 14, further comprising the step of illuminating said imaged media using a light source.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said light source provides a colored light.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said light source is automatically controlled to produce a dynamic effect.

24. A method of displaying an image, comprising the steps of:

providing a color image;

creating a modified image by transforming a color portion of the color image into a gray-scale portion, wherein some other portion of said color image remains in color in said modified image;

reproducing said modified image on a fully or partially light transmitting media to create an imaged media; and

illuminating said imaged media with a colored light source to generate an illuminated image in color.

25. The method set forth in claim 24, further comprising the step of projecting said illuminated image onto a viewing surface.

26. The method set forth in claim 24, wherein said gray-scale portion is displayed in color, and further wherein said other portion of said illuminated image is displayed in substantially its original color as in the color image.

27. The method set forth in claim 26, further comprising the step of controlling and varying said light source automatically to produce a dynamic coloring effect.

28. The method set forth in claim 24, wherein said step of illuminating the imaged media with a colored light source to generate an illuminated image includes indirectly backlighting the imaged media with reflected light from the light source.

29. The method set forth in claim 24, further comprising the step of controlling and varying said light source automatically to produce a dynamic effect.

30. The method set forth in claim 29, further comprising the step of projecting the image onto a viewing surface.

31. A method of displaying an image, comprising the steps of:

providing a color image in electronic format;

creating a modified image in electronic format including the steps of;

using a computer to transform a first color portion of the color image into a gray-scale portion; and

using a computer to fix a color density of a second color portion of the color image;

reproducing said modified image on a fully or partially light transmitting media to create an imaged media; and

illuminating said imaged media with a colored light source to generate an illuminated image in color.

32. A method as set forth in claim 31, further comprising the step of projecting the illuminated image onto a viewing surface.

33. The method set forth in claim 31, wherein the colored light source selectably emits light of one or more of an available plurality of colors.

34. The method set forth in claim 33, further comprising the step of automatically controlling and varying the selection of color.

35. The method set forth in claim 34, further comprising the step of projecting the illuminated image onto a viewing surface.

36. A method of displaying an image, comprising the steps of:

providing a color image;

creating a modified image by converting a first color portion of the color image into a gray-scale portion, wherein a second color portion of the color image remains in color in the modified image;

reproducing said modified image on a fully or partially light transmitting media to create an imaged media; and

illuminating said imaged media with a colored light source to generate an illuminated image in color, wherein

said colored light source is controlled to produce a dynamic coloring effect, and wherein

said second color portion is displayed substantially in its original color as in said color image and further wherein

said gray-scale portion is displayed in a shaded color due to said dynamic coloring effect.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of fixing a color density of at least some portion of said second color portion and/or a further color portion of the color image.

38. An image display system, comprising:

an imaged media having a modified image in or on a fully or partially light transmitting media, said modified image including;

a gray-scale portion which was created by transforming at least some of the colors of the color image into gray-scale, and

a color portion obtained from the color image;

a colored light source for providing a plurality of colors for illuminating said imaged media to display said modified image; and

a controller for controlling said colored light source, wherein

said colored light source is controlled by said controller to produce a dynamic coloring effect, and wherein

said color portion is displayed by said light source in substantially its original color as in said color image and further wherein

said gray-scale portion is displayed by said light source in a shaded color or colors due to said dynamic coloring effect.

39. The image display system set forth in claim 38, wherein said color portion has a fixed color density.

40. The image display system set forth in claim 39, wherein said system is a light box display system.

41. A method of displaying an image, comprising the steps of:

providing a color image in electronic format;

creating a modified image including the steps of;

using a computer to convert a first color portion of the color image into a gray-scale portion, and

using a computer to fix a color density of a second color portion of the color image to create a fixed color portion; and

printing said modified image onto a fully or partially light transmitting media to create an imaged media;

illuminating said imaged media with a colored light source providing a plurality of colors to generate an illuminated image; and

controlling said colored light source to produce a dynamic coloring effect, wherein

said fixed color portion is displayed substantially in its original color as in said color image, and wherein

said gray-scale portion is displayed in one or more shaded colors due to said dynamic coloring effect.