Slide projector mountable light valve display

• US 5,376,979 A
• Filed: 08/13/1993
• Issued: 12/27/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kopin Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kopin Corporation
• Inventors: O'Connor, Kevin, Chastain, David, Beck, Benjamin, Zavracky, Matthew, Arney, Michel, Richard, Alan, Hunter, Gregory, Offsey, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dowling, William C.
• Application Number:
  US08/106,071
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: 353/122, 353/103, 353/108, 353/DIG. 3, 353/DIG. 5, 353/119, 353/120
• US Class Current: 353/122
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0198 System for aligning or maintaining alignment of an image in a predetermined direction
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13454 Drivers integrated on the active matrix substrate G02F1/136277 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13613 the semiconductor element being formed on a first substrate and thereafter transferred to the final cell substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136209 Light shielding layers, e.g. black matrix, incorporated in the active matrix substrate, e.g. structurally associated with the switching element
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/023 Display panel composed of stacked panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0809 Several active elements per pixel in active matrix panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0842 forming a memory circuit, e.g. a dynamic memory with one capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0259 with use of an analog or digital ramp generator in the column driver or in the pixel circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0233 Improving the luminance or brightness uniformity across the screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/041 Temperature compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/043 Preventing or counteracting the effects of ageing
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0464 Positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/04 Exchange of auxiliary data, i.e. other than image data, between monitor and graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/042 for monitor identification
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2014 by modulation of the duration of a single pulse during which the logic level remains constant
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/30 using electroluminescent panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/36 using liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3607 for displaying colours or for displaying grey scales with a specific pixel layout, e.g. using sub-pixels display of colours in flat matrix panels other than liquid crystal displays G09G3/2003; grey scales specific for television H04N3/127
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3614 : Control of polarity reversal in general
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 : using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68359 : used as a support during manufacture of interconnect decals or build up layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/786 : Thin film transistors, i.e. transistors with a channel being at least partly a thin film transistors having only the source or the drain region on an insulator layer H01L29/0653; thin film FinFETs H01L29/785
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78603 : characterised by the insulating substrate or support H01L29/78657 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78612 : for preventing the kink- or the snapback effect, e.g. discharging the minority carriers of the channel region for preventing bipolar effect
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78618 : characterised by the drain or the source properties, e.g. the doping structure, the composition, the sectional shape or the contact structure silicide contacts, electrodes in general H01L29/458
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/70 : Circuit details for electroluminescent devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/74 : Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7441 : the modulator being an array of liquid crystal cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7491 : of head mounted projectors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3141 : Constructional details thereof details not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/12 : Light sources with substantially two-dimensional radiating surfaces

Abstract

A housing is mountable on a carousel slide projector. The housing contains a movable light valve slide assembly that is coupled to a video signal source. The light valve slide assembly is movable between a position within the housing and a position outside the housing. When mounted on the slide projector, the light valve slide assembly can be moved into the projection chamber of the slide projector. The video signal source transmits a video signal to the light valve slide assembly, where the video signal is converted to a drive signal to actuate pixels on the light valve. The light valve thus generates a video image that is projected onto a viewing surface. Preferably the light valve is an active matrix liquid crystal display.

Claims

1. A housing for a slide projector mounted light valve display comprising:

a housing having a securing mechanism to secure the housing to the slide projector; and

a light valve slide assembly movable between a first position within the housing and a second position outside the housing in response to a slide ejection cycle of the slide projector.

2. The housing of claim 1 wherein the securing mechanism registers to a spindle of the slide projector.

3. The housing of claim 1 wherein the securing mechanism registers to a frame tab of the slide projector.

4. The housing of claim 1 wherein the light valve slide assembly includes an active matrix liquid crystal display.

5. The housing of claim 1 further comprising a movement switching mechanism registered to the light valve slide assembly and actuated by movement of an ejector arm of the slide projector.

6. The housing of claim 5 wherein the movement switching mechanism is actuable by a manual control.

7. The housing of claim 1 further comprising a video interface coupled between the active matrix slide assembly and a remote video source.

8. The housing of claim 7 wherein the video source is a computer, which generates video images.

9. The housing of claim 7 wherein the video source generates a composite video signal.

10. The housing of claim 7 further comprising a remote control receiver, the video source being responsive to remote control signals received by the receiver.

11. The housing of claim 10 wherein the remote control receiver comprises an infrared detector.

12. A housing for a slide projector mounted light valve display comprising:

a housing adapted to be positioned on a slide projector assembly;

a light valve slide assembly movable through an aperture in the housing between a first position within the housing and a second position outside the housing; and

a switching mechanism for controlling movement of the light valve slide assembly between the first position and the second position in response to a slide ejection cycle of the slide projector.

13. The housing of claim 12 wherein the light valve slide assembly includes an active matrix liquid crystal display.

14. The housing of claim 12 wherein the switching mechanism is automatically actuated in response to operation of the slide projector.

15. A method of operating a slide projector mounted light valve display comprising the steps of:

securing a light valve housing to a slide projector; and

moving a light valve slide assembly between a first position within the housing and a second position outside the housing in response to a slide ejection cycle of the slide projector.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the securing step comprises registering the housing on a spindle of the slide projector.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the moving step comprises operating the slide projector to move the light valve slide assembly from the first position to a position in a projection chamber of the slide projector.

18. The method of claim 15 the moving step comprises operating the slide projector to move the light valve slide assembly from a position in a projection chamber of the slide projector to the first position.

19. A method of operating a slide projector mounted light valve display comprising the steps of:

securing a light valve housing to a slide projector;

securing a light valve slide assembly to a latch mechanism when in a first position within the housing; and

moving the light valve slide assembly between the first position and a second position outside the housing in response to a slide ejection cycle of the slide projector.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of alternately releasing and securing the light valve slide assembly to the latch mechanism in automatic response to successive slide ejection cycles.