METHOD FOR MAKING AN INTERACTIVE INFORMATION DEVICE AND PRODUCT PRODUCED THEREBY
First Claim
1. A method for making an interactive information device comprising:
- forming a reduced contrast, increased light transmitting, conductively coated panel by providing a transparent substrate having first and second surfaces, applying a transparent, conductive layer on at least one surface of said first and second surfaces of said substrate in a predetermined pattern such that there is at least one area having a conductive layer thereon and an adjacent second area without a conductive layer on said one substrate surface, and applying a transparent layer of metal oxide commonly overlying both said one and said second areas of said one substrate surface including selecting said metal oxide layer to have a refractive index at the sodium D line and a thickness that, in combination, reduce optical contrast between said one area and said second area such that visible contrast between said one area and said second area is reduced and light transmission through said coated panel is increased by said layer of metal oxide that commonly overlies both said one and said second areas;
applying a transparent, conductive layer on the other of said first and second surfaces of said substrate in a predetermined pattern such that there is at least one area having a conductive layer thereon and a second area without a conductive layer on said other substrate surface and applying a transparent layer of metal oxide overlying said one and said second areas of said other substrate surface;
applying each of said transparent layers of metal oxide by a wet chemical deposition process; and
attaching said conductively coated panel to an electro-optic display for displaying information when electricity is applied thereto.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and product produced by the method for forming an interactive information device with a conductively coated panel includes forming a reduced contrast, increased light transmitting, conductively coated panel by providing a transparent substrate and applying a transparent, conductive layer on at least one surface of the substrate in a predetermined pattern with at least one area having a conductive layer thereon and a second area without a conductive layer. The method further includes applying a transparent layer of a metal oxide such that the metal oxide layer, such as silicon dioxide, overlies both areas whereby visible contrast between the areas is reduced and light transmission through the coated panel is increased. The coated panel is then attached to an electro-optic display for displaying information when electricity is applied thereto.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method for making an interactive information device comprising:
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forming a reduced contrast, increased light transmitting, conductively coated panel by providing a transparent substrate having first and second surfaces, applying a transparent, conductive layer on at least one surface of said first and second surfaces of said substrate in a predetermined pattern such that there is at least one area having a conductive layer thereon and an adjacent second area without a conductive layer on said one substrate surface, and applying a transparent layer of metal oxide commonly overlying both said one and said second areas of said one substrate surface including selecting said metal oxide layer to have a refractive index at the sodium D line and a thickness that, in combination, reduce optical contrast between said one area and said second area such that visible contrast between said one area and said second area is reduced and light transmission through said coated panel is increased by said layer of metal oxide that commonly overlies both said one and said second areas; applying a transparent, conductive layer on the other of said first and second surfaces of said substrate in a predetermined pattern such that there is at least one area having a conductive layer thereon and a second area without a conductive layer on said other substrate surface and applying a transparent layer of metal oxide overlying said one and said second areas of said other substrate surface; applying each of said transparent layers of metal oxide by a wet chemical deposition process; and attaching said conductively coated panel to an electro-optic display for displaying information when electricity is applied thereto. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for making an interactive information device comprising:
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forming a reduced contrast, increased light transmitting, conductively coated panel by providing a transparent substrate having first and second surfaces, applying a transparent, conductive layer on at least one surface of said first and second surfaces of said substrate in a predetermined pattern such that there is at least one area having a conductive layer thereon and an adjacent second area without a conductive layer on said one substrate surface, and applying a transparent layer of metal oxide commonly overlying both said one and said second areas of said one substrate surface including selecting said metal oxide layer to have a refractive index at the sodium D line and a thickness that, in combination, reduce optical contrast between said one area and said second area such that visible contrast between said one area and said second area is reduced and light transmission through said coated panel is increased by said layer of metal oxide that commonly overlies both said one and said second areas; applying said transparent layer of metal oxide by a wet chemical deposition process; attaching said conductively coated panel to an electro-optic display for displaying information when electricity is applied thereto. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for making an interactive information device comprising:
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forming a reduced contrast, increased light transmitting, conductively coated panel by providing a transparent substrate having first and second surfaces, applying a transparent, conductive layer on at least one surface of said first and second surfaces of said substrate in a predetermined pattern such that there is at least one area having a conductive layer thereon and an adjacent second area without a conductive layer on said one substrate surface, and applying a transparent layer of metal oxide commonly overlying both said one and said second areas of said one substrate surface including selecting said metal oxide layer to have a refractive index at the sodium D line and a thickness that, in combination, reduce optical contrast between said one area and said second area such that visible contrast between said one area and said second area is reduced and light transmission through said coated panel is increased by said layer of metal oxide that commonly overlies both said one and said second areas; applying said transparent, conductive layer in a predetermined pattern by depositing said conductive layer over said substrate surface and selectively removing said conductive layer in said second area by a post deletion method; attaching said conductively coated panel to an electro-optic display for displaying information when electricity is applied thereto. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. The interactive information display device produced by the method comprising:
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forming a reduced contrast, increased light transmitting, conductively coated panel by providing a transparent substrate having first and second surfaces, applying a transparent, conductive layer on at least one surface of said first and second surfaces of said substrate in a predetermined pattern such that there is at least one area having a conductive layer thereon and an adjacent second area without a conductive layer on said one substrate surface, and applying a transparent layer of metal oxide commonly overlying both said one and said second areas of said one substrate surface including selecting said metal oxide layer to have a refractive index at the sodium D line and a thickness that, in combination, reduce optical contrast between said one area and said second area such that visible contrast between said one area and said second area is reduced and light transmission through said coated panel is increased by said layer of metal oxide that commonly overlies both said one and said second areas; attaching said conductively coated panel to an electro-optic display for displaying information when electricity is applied thereto. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. The interactive information display device produced by the method comprising:
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forming a reduced contrast, increased light transmitting, conductively coated panel by providing a transparent substrate having first and second surfaces, applying a transparent, conductive layer on at least one surface of said first and second surfaces of said substrate in a predetermined pattern such that there is at least one area having a conductive layer thereon and an adjacent second area without a conductive layer on said one substrate surface, and applying a transparent layer of metal oxide commonly overlying both said one and said second areas of said one substrate surface including selecting said metal oxide layer to have a refractive index at the sodium D line and a thickness within the range of about 100 Angstroms to about 50,000 Angstroms, said refractive index at the sodium D line and said thickness of said metal oxide layer, in combination, reducing optical contrast between said one area and said second area such that visible contrast between said one area and said second area is reduced and light transmission through said coated panel is increased by said layer of metal oxide that commonly overlies both said one and said second areas; said transparent, conductive layer being applied in a predetermined pattern by one of; a) applying a pattern of mask material to said substrate surface to mask said second area, depositing said conductive layer over said surface including over said pattern of mask material, and removing said pattern of mask material and conductive layer thereon to form said one area and said second area on said surface, and b) depositing said conductive layer over said substrate surface and selectively removing said conductive layer in said second area by a post deletion method; said metal oxide layer comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, tantalum oxide, zirconium oxide, titanium dioxide and tungsten oxide; and attaching said conductively coated panel to an electro-optic display for displaying information when electricity is applied thereto. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A method for making an interactive information device comprising:
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forming a reduced contrast, increased light transmitting, conductively coated panel by providing a transparent substrate having first and second surfaces; applying a transparent, conductive layer on said first surface of said substrate in a predetermined pattern such that there is at least one area having a conductive layer thereon and an adjacent second area without a conductive layer on said first substrate surface, and applying a transparent layer of metal oxide commonly overlying both said one and said second areas of said first substrate surface including selecting said metal oxide layer to have a refractive index at the sodium D line and a thickness within the range of about 100 Angstroms to about 50,000 Angstroms, said refractive index at the sodium D line and said thickness of said metal oxide layer, in combination, reducing optical contrast between said one area and said second area such that visible contrast between said one area and said second area is reduced and light transmission through said coated panel is increased by said layer of metal oxide that commonly overlies both said one and said second areas of said first substrate surface; depositing said conductive layer over said first substrate surface and selectively removing said conductive layer in said second area of said first substrate surface by a post deletion method; applying a transparent, conductive layer on said second surface of said substrate in a predetermined pattern such that there is at least one area having a conductive layer thereon and an adjacent second area without a conductive layer on said second substrate surface, and applying a transparent layer of metal oxide commonly overlying both said one and said second areas of said second substrate surface including selecting said metal oxide layer that is applied to said second substrate surface to have a refractive index at the sodium D line and a thickness within the range of about 100 Angstroms to about 50,000 Angstroms, said refractive index at the sodium D line and said thickness of said metal oxide layer applied to said second substrate surface, in combination, reducing optical contrast between said one area and said second area on said second substrate surface such that visible contrast between said one area and said second area on said second substrate surface is reduced and light transmission through said coated panel is increased by said layer of metal oxide that commonly overlies both said one and said second areas of said second substrate surface; and attaching said conductively coated panel to an electro-optic display for displaying information when electricity is applied thereto. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for making an interactive information device comprising:
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forming a reduced contrast, increased light transmitting, conductively coated panel by providing a transparent substrate having first and second surfaces; applying a transparent, conductive layer comprising indium tin oxide on said first surface of said substrate in a predetermined pattern such that there is at least one area having a conductive layer thereon and an adjacent second area without a conductive layer on said first substrate surface, and applying a transparent layer of metal oxide comprising silicon dioxide commonly overlying both said one and said second areas of said first substrate surface including selecting said metal oxide layer to have a refractive index at the sodium D line and a thickness within the range of about 100 Angstroms to about 50,000 Angstroms, said refractive index at the sodium D line and said thickness of said metal oxide layer, in combination, reducing optical contrast between said one area and said second area such that visible contrast between said one area and said second area is reduced and light transmission through said coated panel is increased by said layer of metal oxide that commonly overlies both said one and said second areas of said first substrate surface; applying a transparent, conductive layer comprising indium tin oxide on said second surface of said substrate in a predetermined pattern such that there is at least one area having a conductive layer thereon and an adjacent second area without a conductive layer on said second substrate surface, and applying a transparent layer of metal oxide comprising silicon oxide commonly overlying both said one and said second areas of said second substrate surface including selecting said metal oxide layer that is applied to said second substrate surface to have a refractive index at the sodium D line and a thickness within the range of about 100 Angstroms to about 50,000 Angstroms, said refractive index at the sodium D line and said thickness of said metal oxide layer applied to said second substrate surface, in combination, reducing optical contrast between said one area and said second area on said second substrate surface such that visible contrast between said one area and said second area on said second substrate surface is reduced and light transmission through said coated panel is increased by said layer of metal oxide that commonly overlies both said one and said second areas of said second substrate surface; said applying said transparent, conductive layer on said first substrate surface including depositing said conductive layer over said first substrate surface and selectively removing said transparent, conductive layer in said second area of said first substrate surface by a post deletion method wherein said post deletion method comprises photolithography and chemical etching, and including depositing said conductive layer over said second substrate surface and selectively removing said conductive layer in said second area of said second substrate surface by a post deletion method wherein said post deletion method comprises photolithography and chemical etching; and attaching said conductively coated panel to an electro-optic display for displaying information when electricity is applied thereto. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification