Presenting images to an observer

• US 6,023,255 A
• Filed: 08/08/1997
• Issued: 02/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bill Bell
• Original Assignee: Bill Bell
• Inventors: Bell, Bill
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIZIALI, JEFFREY J
• Application Number:
  US08/907,654
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 345/113, 345/114, 345/123-125, 345/138, 345/46, 345/31, 345/44, 345/56, 345/82, 345/189, 340/76, 340/324 R, 340/334, 340/726, 340/768, 340/792, 340/825.81, 364/401, 434/157, 178/7.3 D
• US Class Current: 345/46
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/14 displaying different signs depending upon the view-point of the observer
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/023 Display panel composed of stacked panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/004 to give the appearance of moving signs

Abstract

Images are presented to an observer using a controllable light delivery medium having a display region. The light delivery medium is controlled in such a way as to enable the observer to perceive any of more than one image based on the motion state of the observer'"'"'s eye and without relying on any change in the operation of the controller or the medium as the basis for triggering the perception of the more than one image.

Claims

1. Apparatus for presenting images to an observer comprising

a controllable light delivery medium having a display region, and

an automatic controller configured to control the light delivery medium in such a way as to enable the observer to perceive a first image only when the observer'"'"'s eye is in one motion state and a second image only when the observer'"'"'s eye is not in the one motion state, without relying on any change in the operation of the controller or the medium as the basis for enabling the perception of the first and second images.

2. Apparatus for presenting images to an observer, comprising

a light delivery medium extending in at least two dimensions, the light delivery medium bearing a field of light delivery areas that are independently modulatable, and

a device arranged to modulate the respective light delivery areas in a succession of different patterns that are presented rapidly enough to invoke the persistence capability of the observer'"'"'s vision, enabling the observer to perceive a first image at the field of light delivery areas only by virtue of the persistence and the motion of the observer'"'"'s eye,

the field of light delivery areas being arranged so that as the different patterns are presented, a second, different image may be perceived by the observer in the same region in which the first image may be perceived.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the field of light delivery areas is stationary.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the device arranged to modulate the light delivery areas comprises a sheet of material on which the first image is formed.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the light delivery areas are arranged on a sheet of material in the form of the second image.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the first image and the second image are perceived to be in motion relative to one another.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the second image is perceived to be stationary.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the first image is perceived to be in motion.

9. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the first image and the second image are perceived to be in motion.

10. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the observer may perceive either the first image or the second image depending on the motion state of the observer'"'"'s eye.

11. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the second image is perceived as a result of the persistence capability of the eye.

12. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the first image is not perceivable from any one of the different patterns alone.

13. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the second image is not perceivable from any one of the different patterns alone.

14. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the perception of at least one of the images depends on motion of the observer'"'"'s eye to track motion of the image.

15. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the light delivery areas are also modulated in a manner to provide visual cues that aid the observer in perceiving at least one of the images.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 in which the visual cues include tracking cues that aid the observer'"'"'s eye in tracking motion of one of the images.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 in which the tracking cues comprise a visual element that moves at the same rate and in close proximity to the moving image.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 in which the visual element is displayed along a border of the field.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 in which the visual cues comprise a constantly displayed element on the field of light delivery areas.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 in which the constantly displayed element comprises a frame along the border of the field.

21. The apparatus of claim 15 in which the visual cues comprise an inversion of the modulation to increase the amount of light generated by the light delivery areas for the second image.

22. The apparatus of claim 15 in which the visual cues include a region of enhanced contrast.

23. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the light delivery areas are arranged on a grid.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 in which the grid comprises a rectangular grid.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 in which the light delivery areas do not fully populate the grid.

26. The apparatus of claim 23 in which the light delivery areas are arranged on the field to represent the second image.

27. The apparatus of claim 2 in which each of the light delivery areas comprises a light source.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 in which each of the light delivery areas comprises an LED.

29. The apparatus of claim 27 in which each of the light delivery areas comprises a pixel on a computer screen.

30. The apparatus of claim 27 in which each of the light delivery areas comprises incandescent lights.

31. The apparatus of claim 27 in which each of the light delivery areas comprises electroluminescent panels.

32. The apparatus of claim 27 in which each of the light delivery areas comprises neon lamps.

33. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the device arranged to modulate the light delivery areas comprises a programmed computer.

34. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the device arranged to modulate the light delivery areas comprises a circuit.

35. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the light delivery medium comprises a traveling-message display.

36. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the light delivery areas are modulated between on and off states.

37. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the light delivery areas are modulated among more than two levels of intensity.

38. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the light deliver areas are modulated between different colors.

39. The apparatus of claim 2 in which at least one of the images includes text.

40. The apparatus of claim 2 in which at least one of the images includes a graphical element.

41. A method of presenting images to an observer on a light delivery medium extending in at least two dimensions, the light delivering medium bearing a field of light delivery areas that are independently modulatable, the method comprising

modulating the respective light delivery areas in a succession of different patterns that are presented rapidly enough to invoke the persistence capability of the observer'"'"'s vision, enabling the observer to perceive a first image at a region of the light delivery medium only by virtue of the persistence and the motion of the observer'"'"'s eye, and

arranging the field of light delivery areas so that as the different patterns are presented, a second, different image may be perceived by the observer in the same region in which the first image is perceived.

42. The method of claim 41 in which the field of light delivery areas is held stationary.

43. The method of claim 41 in which the light delivery areas are modulated between on and off states.

44. The method of claim 41 in which the light delivery areas are modulated among more than two levels of intensity.

45. The method of claim 41 in which the light deliver areas are modulated between different colors.

46. The method of claim 41 in which the light delivery areas are also modulated in a manner to provide visual cues that aid the observer in perceiving at least one of the images.

47. Apparatus for presenting images to an observer, comprising

a light delivery medium bearing a stationary two-dimensional field of light delivery areas that are independently modulatable, the light delivery areas populating fewer than all of the possible positions in a rectangular grid of positions, and

a device arranged to modulate the respective light delivery areas in a succession of different patterns that are presented rapidly enough to invoke the persistence capability of the observer'"'"'s vision, enabling the observer to perceive a first moving image at a region of the light delivery medium,

the field of light delivery areas being arranged so that as the different patterns are presented, a second, different, static image may be perceived by the observer in the same region in which the first image is perceived,

neither of the images being easily perceived from any of the patterns taken alone.

48. A medium on which is stored a computer program that is arranged to cause a processor to control a light delivery medium having a display region in such a way as to enable an observer to perceive a first image only when the observer'"'"'s eye is in one motion state and a second image only when the observer'"'"'s eye is not in the one motion state, without relying on any change in the flow of the computer program or the medium as the basis for enabling the perception of the first and second images.

49. Apparatus for presenting images to an observer comprising

a means for controllable light delivery, the means having a display region, and

a means for automatically controlling the light delivery medium in such a way as to enable the observer to perceive a first image only when the observer'"'"'s eye is in one motion state and a second image only when the observer'"'"'s eye is not in the one motion state, without relying on any change in the operation of the controller or the medium as the basis for enabling the perception of the first and second images.