Control and display system
First Claim
1. A control system which comprises:
- a liquid crystal panel;
light source;
light detector means, means for directing light through at least a portion of said liquid crystal panel to said light detector means;
control means connected to said detector means and for transiently forming at least one transparent window in said liquid crystal panel at a position to permit said light to pass from said light source, through said panel, and to said light detector means, the occlusion of light passing through said panel window causing said control means to provide a control signal.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A control system comprises a liquid crystal display panel; a light source; and a light detector. Light from the source is directed through at least a portion of the liquid crystal display panel to the light detector. A control circuit is provided for holding the liquid crystal display in generally opaque condition while preferably sequentially momentarily clarifying segments of the portion, whereby momentary, sequential, transversely spaced light beams are generated between the light source and the light detector. A timer and logic circuit is provided for correlating signals received from the light detector with generated, individual, spaced light beams that create the signals. Accordingly, occlusion of at least one of the individual light beams with an opaque member causes a specific characteristic response by the timer and logic circuit. In other words, when one of the individual light beams is occluded, the timer and logic circuit emits a characteristic signal which might activate a relay, send an instruction to a microprocessor, or cause some other action.
98 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A control system which comprises:
a liquid crystal panel;
light source;
light detector means, means for directing light through at least a portion of said liquid crystal panel to said light detector means;
control means connected to said detector means and for transiently forming at least one transparent window in said liquid crystal panel at a position to permit said light to pass from said light source, through said panel, and to said light detector means, the occlusion of light passing through said panel window causing said control means to provide a control signal.- View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A control system which comprises:
a liquid crystal panel;
a light source;
light detector means;
means for directing light through at least a portion of said liquid crystal panel to said light detector means;
control means for holding said liquid crystal panel portion in generally opaque condition while sequentially momentarily clarifying segments of said portion, whereby momentary, sequential, transversely spaced light beams are generated between said light source and light detector means;
timer and logic means for correlating a signal received from said light detector means with the individual light beam that creates said signal, whereby occlusion of at least one of said individual light beams with an opaque member causes a specific, characteristic response by said timer and logic means.- View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A control system which comprises:
a liquid crystal panel;
a light source;
light detector means;
means for directing light through at least a portion of said liquid crystal panel to said light detector means;
control means for holding the liquid crystal panel portion in generally opaque conditions while sequentially momentarily clarifying segments, of said portion, whereby momentary, sequential, transversely spaced light beams are generated between said light source and light detector means;
timer and logic means for correlating a signal received from said light detector means with the individual light beam that creates said signal, whereby occlusion of at least one of said individual light beams with an opaque member causes a specific, characteristic response by said timer and logic means, said light source and light detector means being positioned within a housing, the beams of light between said light source and said light detector means leaving said housing and reentering said housing again to pass across an external, exposed area, to permit selective occlusion of said beams by the opaque member in said external exposed area, said timer and logic means causing a display of indicia on a liquid crystal panel section that correlates with the light beams to provide a visual display control system.- View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A control system which comprises:
a liquid crystal panel;
a light source;
light detector means;
means for directing light through at least a portion of said liquid crystal panel to said light detector means;
control means for holding said liquid crystal panel portion in generally opaque condition while sequentially momentarily clarifying segments of said portion, whereby momentary, sequential, transversely spaced light beams are generated between said light source and light detector means;
timer and logic means for correlating a signal received from said light detector means with the individual light beam that creates said signal;
in which a second liquid crystal panel is provided and positioned whereby the same light can pass through clarified portions of both liquid crystal panels, said control means also holding said second liquid crystal panel in generally opaque condition while sequentially momentarily clarifying segments of said second panel, whereby said individual, spaced light beams pass through clarified portions of both said panels for less spreading of said beams at said light detector means, the occlusion of at least one of said individual light beams with an opaque member causes a specific, characteristic response by said timer and logic means; and
further in which an added liquid crystal panel is positioned to intersect added beams of light which travel in a different direction from and intersect said spaced light beams, means for producing said added beams of light on one side of said added liquid crystal panel;
means for detecting said added light beams on the other side of the added liquid crystal panel;
said control means also being capable of holding at least a portion of said added liquid crystal panel in generally opaque condition while sequentially momentarily clarifying segments of said added liquid crystal panel portion in a manner that correlates with the pattern of momentarily clarified segments of the other liquid crystal panel portion, said means for detecting said added light beams being in electronic communication with said timer and logic means, whereby the position of at least one opaque object that occludes said intersecting light beams may be located by said control system in a 2-dimensional field and varying electronic response may be initiated depending on said position.- View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A method of producing a series of transversely spaced, sequential beams of light by gating light through a liquid crystal panel, and sequentially momentarily clarifying spaced segments of at least a portion of said liquid panel while holding adjacent portions of said panel in generally opaque condition, and thereafter sensing said momentary, sequential, transversely spaced light beams with light detector means;
- correlating a signal received by said light detector means with the individual light beam that created said signal by the time which they are sensed by the light detector means.
- View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
- 23. An apparatus for providing a control signal including a liquid crystal panel and means for transiently forming transparent windows therein, a light source positioned to direct light through a transiently open window, a detector positioned to detect light passing through a transiently open window, timing and logic means connected to said detector and correlating the opening of said windows, whereby the occlusion of light passing through a window will cause said timing and logic means to provide a control signal representative thereof.
Specification