Laser-addressed liquid crystal display

• US 5,363,117 A
• Filed: 09/01/1992
• Issued: 11/08/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Matsuura, Kiyoshige, Sumi, Naoyuki, Fujita, Kouichi
• Primary Examiner(s): BRIER, JEFFERY A
• Application Number:
  US07/938,610
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 345/12, 345/13, 345/87, 345/214, 345/215, 359/43, 359/45
• US Class Current: 345/87
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/132 Thermal activation of liquid crystals exhibiting a thermo-optic effect
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/002 to project the image of a two-dimensional display, such as an array of light emitting or modulating elements or a CRT
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/025 with scanning or deflecting the beams in two directions or dimensions

Abstract

A liquid crystal display apparatus comprises a laser beam source for emitting a laser beam, a liquid crystal cell for providing an image by means of the effect of the laser beam heating and which contains a liquid crystal layer positioned between a pair of substrates, a scanning device for scanning the laser beam to the liquid crystal layer to thereby produce a line drawing thereon, and a modulation device for modulating a line width of the line drawing so as to keep a uniform line width.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display apparatus, comprising:

(a) a laser beam source for emitting a laser beam;

(b) a liquid crystal cell for providing an image by means of the effect of the laser beam heating and which contains a liquid crystal layer positioned between a pair of substrates;

(c) scanning means for scanning the laser beam to said liquid crystal layer to thereby produce a line drawing; and

(d) modulation means for modulating a line width of the line drawing so as to keep a uniform line width, said modulation means comprising

means for controlling a laser power level of a laser beam emitted from said laser beam source, said laser power level controlling means comprising

first and second beam splitters, said first beam splitter detecting a laser power and said second beam splitter detecting a light returned from the liquid crystal layer.

2. The liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising projection means for projecting the image generated on said liquid crystal cell.

3. The liquid crystal display apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a screen for displaying a projected image projected with said projection means.

4. The liquid crystal display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second beam splitters comprise polarizing beam splitters, respectively.