Method and apparatus utilizing waveguide and polarized light for display of dynamic images
First Claim
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1. A visual display device having a viewing side, said device comprising:
- a light waveguide having a viewing face adjacent to the viewing side of said display device, and an oppositely located rear face;
an array of liquid crystal cells adjacent to the rear face of said waveguide, each cell including a dielectric layer and a pair of electrodes on opposite faces of said layer, said dielectric layer having a dielectric constant to define a critical angle relative to the normal to said rear face such that above said critical angle light will remain trapped within said light waveguide; and
means for changing the voltage level across any of said pairs of electrodes to change said critical angle so that light may escape from said light waveguide and through the liquid crystal cell between said pair of electrodes so as to be visible on the viewing side of said display device.
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Abstract
A visual display device is disclosed in which a liquid crystal cell is adjacent a light waveguide. Electrodes in the liquid crystal cell alter the dielectric constant therein to change the critical angle defined by the two media of the cell and the waveguide to regulate the amount and location of light which may escape from the waveguide. Color display can be obtained with visible light by providing a dyed layer and with ultraviolet light by providing colored ultraviolet phosphors. A shaped mirror or contoured reflective layer is provided with a visible light device to cause the displayed light to scatter in desired directions.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A visual display device having a viewing side, said device comprising:
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a light waveguide having a viewing face adjacent to the viewing side of said display device, and an oppositely located rear face; an array of liquid crystal cells adjacent to the rear face of said waveguide, each cell including a dielectric layer and a pair of electrodes on opposite faces of said layer, said dielectric layer having a dielectric constant to define a critical angle relative to the normal to said rear face such that above said critical angle light will remain trapped within said light waveguide; and means for changing the voltage level across any of said pairs of electrodes to change said critical angle so that light may escape from said light waveguide and through the liquid crystal cell between said pair of electrodes so as to be visible on the viewing side of said display device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A visual display device comprising:
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a light waveguide having a front face and a rear face; an array of liquid crystal cells overlying the front face of said waveguide, each cell including a dielectric layer and a pair of transparent electrodes on opposite faces of said layer, said dielectric layer having a dielectric constant to define a critical angle relative to the normal to said front face, said critical angle being the angle above which light will remain trapped within said waveguide; means for changing the voltage level across any of said pairs of electrodes to change said critical angle so that previously trapped light may escape said light waveguide through the liquid crystal layer between said pair of electrodes; and a grooved surface overlying said array of liquid crystal cells for directing said escaped light, said grooved surface having a plurality of transparent surfaces facing in one direction alternately positioned with a plurality or mirror surfaces facing in a second direction. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A visual display device comprising:
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a light source of ultraviolet light; a waveguide having a front face and a rear face, for guiding ultraviolet light from said light source, an array of liquid crystal cells overlying the front face of said waveguide, each cell including a dielectric layer and a pair of transparent electrodes on opposite faces of said layer, said dielectric layer having a dielectric constant to define a critical angle relative to the normal to said front face, said critical angle being the angle above which light will remain trapped within said light waveguide; means for changing the voltage level across energizing any of said pairs of electrodes to change said critical angle so that previously trapped light may escape said light waveguide through the liquid crystal layer between said pair of electrodes; and a layer of ultraviolet phosphors overlying said array of liquid crystal cells for producing visible light in response to said escaped ultraviolet light. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A method for illuminating a visual display device comprising the steps of;
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providing a light waveguide and an array of liquid crystal cells adjacent said waveguide; directing polarized light through said waveguide at an angle such that said polarized light remains trapped within said light waveguide; and changing the voltage level across a pair of electrodes in at least one of said liquid crystal cells to change the dielectric constant of said at least one liquid crystal cells so as to release polarized light from said light waveguide so that it is visible through said at least one liquid crystal cells.
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20. A visual display device comprising:
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a light waveguide; means for supplying polarized light to said light waveguide; an array off liquid crystal cells adjacent to said light waveguide, each cell including a dielectric layer and a pair of transparent electrodes on opposite faces of said layer, said dielectric layer having a dielectric constant to define a critical angle relative to the normal to a face of said layer, said critical angle being the angle above which said polarized light remains trapped within said light waveguide; and means for changing the voltage level across any of said pairs of electrodes to change said critical angle so that previously trapped polarized light may escape said light waveguide through the liquid crystal layer between said pair of electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A visual display device comprising:
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a light waveguide; an array of liquid crystal cells adjacent to said light waveguide, each cell including a dielectric layer and a pair of transparent electrodes on opposite faces of said layer, said dielectric layer having a dielectric constant to define a critical angle relative to the normal to a face of said layer, said critical angle being the angle above which light remains trapped within said light waveguide; means for directing ambient light into said light waveguide and limiting the supply of said ambient light to light having an angle greater than a minimum critical angle; means for changing the voltage level across any of said pairs of electrodes to change said critical angle so that previously trapped light may escape said light waveguide through the liquid crystal layer between said pair of electrodes; and means for directing said escaped light. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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Specification