Forming display color image

• US 20070052660A1
• Filed: 08/23/2005
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Kahen, Keith, Montbach, Erica
• Application Number:
  US11/210,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20070052660A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/102
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/005 based on electrowetting
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/48 Laser speckle optics
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133603 with LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/12 spatial light modulator
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/34 Colour display without the use of colour mosaic filters

Abstract

An apparatus for forming a colored image on a display, includes a VCSEL array device having a plurality of light-emitting pixels wherein each light-emitting pixel produces a beam of light including substantial components in a portion of the visible spectrum so that different light-emitting pixels produce different colored light; and a light shutter layer for each light-emitting pixel providing a modulator disposed in the path of the corresponding light beam for selectively passing corresponding colored light for providing a colored light image on the display.

Claims

1. Apparatus for forming a colored image on a display, comprising:

a) a VCSEL array device having a plurality of light-emitting pixels wherein each light-emitting pixel produces a beam of light including substantial components in a portion of the visible spectrum so that different light-emitting pixels produce different colored light; and

b) a light shutter layer for each light-emitting pixel providing a modulator disposed in the path of the corresponding light beam for selectively passing corresponding colored light for providing a colored light image on the display.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each modulator selects the amount of light passing therethrough to thereby form a colored image having gray scale.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 further includes a polarizer disposed between the light shutter layer and the VCSEL array for polarizing light and an analyzer disposed over the modulator, the modulator includes means for changing the phase of the polarized light to adjust the amount of light which passes through the analyzer.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein each modulator includes a twisted nematic liquid crystal device, Super Twisted Nematic (STN) liquid crystal device;

ferroelectric liquid crystal device;

Zenithal Bistable Device (ZBD), Vertically Aligned (VA) liquid crystal device types including Multidomain Vertically Aligned (MVA) liquid crystal device, PVA liquid crystal device;

In-Plane Switching (IPS) liquid crystal device; and

Electrically Controlled Birefringence (ECB) liquid crystal device types.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each modulator includes a liquid crystal material doped with dye molecules and responsive to an electric field for adjusting the amount of light passing through the modulator.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the liquid crystal material includes a nematic or smectic-A liquid crystal material.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the doped dye molecules include oleophilic compounds, that are substantially soluble in 5 cb or related LC material, or organic soluble dyes.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each modulator includes an interferometric modulator element in the path of each light beam.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the modulator comprises a cholesteric liquid crystal structure or thin film stacks with a movable membrane.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each modulator includes a micromechanical component that is controllably movable in response to an applied field.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the modulator is a micromechanical roll blind element.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each modulator includes light absorptive particles distributed within a cell that in response to an applied electric field, variably modulate the beam according to their distribution.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the modulator includes an electrophoretic component.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each modulator includes a cell having a transparent liquid and a light-absorptive liquid, wherein the transparent and light-absorptive liquids are mutually imiscible.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the modulator contains a light-absorptive liquid and a transparent liquid wherein the interface is shaped according to an applied electric field referred to as electrowetting.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each modulator includes an electrochromic material, wherein the electrochromic material is responsive to an electric field for adjusting the amount of light passing through the modulator.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the modulator contains electrochromic material, wherein the electrochromic material shifts the molecular absorption to the visible portion of the spectra in response to an electric field.