Liquid crystal display for projection systems
First Claim
1. A low stress work station for providing display images to an operator, said images based upon an electronic signal, said work station comprising:
- means for projecting a beam of light along an optical path, said projecting means including a light source;
a rear projection screen located at one end of said optical path and in a position to be viewed by said operator;
control means, responsive to said electronic signal, for generating liquid crystal means energizing signals;
twisted nematic crystal means, located along said optical path, for controlling polarization of light passing therethrough in response to localized energization and de-energization of said crystal means in accordance with said crystal means energizing signals;
means, responsive to said control means energizing signals, for selectively and locally energizing said crystal means;
back polarizing means, at least partially disposed in said beam and located between said crystal means and said light source, for polarizing light passing therethrough; and
front analyzing means, at least partially disposed in said beam and located between said crystal means and said rear projection screen, for allowing light of a selected polarization to pass therethrough and for blocking light not having said selected polarization.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a liquid crystal display unit comprising liquid twisted nematic liquid crystal material sandwiched between two polarizers. Transparent electrodes are provided on each side of the layer of liquid crystal for locally energizing liquid crystal material in the vicinity of two energized transparent electrodes. Polarized light passing through one polarizer is twisted or not twisted depending upon the energization state of the liquid crystal material and depending upon the second polarizer orientation does or does not pass therethrough. Accordingly, depending upon energization locations, images are formed which can be projected upon a screen. In preferred embodiments the liquid crystal display unit is used in conjunction with a cabinet to provide a low stress work station. A further embodiment includes a folded optical path in combination with the liquid crystal display so as to provide a compact projector. When operating in conjunction with an overhead projector, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is powered by light energy from the overhead projector and in a further preferred embodiment is controlled through the use of infrared or other non-visible electromagnetic communication.
155 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A low stress work station for providing display images to an operator, said images based upon an electronic signal, said work station comprising:
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means for projecting a beam of light along an optical path, said projecting means including a light source; a rear projection screen located at one end of said optical path and in a position to be viewed by said operator; control means, responsive to said electronic signal, for generating liquid crystal means energizing signals; twisted nematic crystal means, located along said optical path, for controlling polarization of light passing therethrough in response to localized energization and de-energization of said crystal means in accordance with said crystal means energizing signals; means, responsive to said control means energizing signals, for selectively and locally energizing said crystal means; back polarizing means, at least partially disposed in said beam and located between said crystal means and said light source, for polarizing light passing therethrough; and front analyzing means, at least partially disposed in said beam and located between said crystal means and said rear projection screen, for allowing light of a selected polarization to pass therethrough and for blocking light not having said selected polarization. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A cathode ray tube (CRT) replacement for a computer work station, said replacement for providing display images to a work station operator, said display images based upon an at least partially computer controlled signal, said replacement comprising:
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means for projecting a beam of light along an optical path, said projecting means including a light source; a rear projecting screen, having front and rear surfaces and located at one end of said optical path, where said beam of light is projected on the rear of said screen and the front of said screen is in a position to be viewed by said operator; twisted nematic crystal means, located along said optical path, for controlling polarization of light passing therethrough in response to localized energization and de-energization; means, responsive to said at least partially computer controlled signal, for selectively and locally energizing said crystal means; back polarizing means, at least partially disposed in said beam and located between said crystal means and said light source, for polarizing light passing therethrough; and front analyzing means, at least partially disposed in said beam and located between said crystal means and said rear projection screen, for allowing light of a selected polarization to pass therethrough to the rear of said screen and for blocking light not having said selected polarization. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A low stress work station for providing display images to an operator, said images based upon an electronic signal, said work station comprising:
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a light source projecting a beam of light along an optical path; a rear projection screen located at one end of said optical path and in a position to be viewed by said operator; a control, responsive to said electronic signal, for selectively and locally energizing said crystal means; a twisted nematic liquid crystal display, located along said optical path and responsive to said control; a back polarizer, at least partially disposed in said beam and located between said crystal means and said light source, for polarizing light passing therethrough; and a front analyzer, at least partially disposed in said beam and located between said crystal means and said rear projection screen, for allowing light of a selected polarization to pass therethrough and for blocking light not having said selected polarization.
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Specification