Multiple wave guide phosphorous display

• US 6,031,511 A
• Filed: 06/10/1997
• Issued: 02/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joan S. DeLuca, Michael J. Deluca
• Original Assignee: Joan S. DeLuca, Michael J. Deluca
• Inventors: DeLuca, Michael J., DeLuca, Joan S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala, Bipin H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHANG, KENT WU
• Application Number:
  US08/872,262
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 345/55, 345/84, 345/173, 345/102, 345/175, 345/176, 345/177, 345/76, 345/65, 348/752, 348/754, 348/762, 348/763, 348/767, 348/768, 362/84
• US Class Current: 345/84
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/22 using controlled light sources

Abstract

A two dimensional display panel produces a time variable image composed of light emitting pixels. The pixels are generated by a light emitting phosphor distributed within the panel, the pixels radiate light in response to being excited by charging and triggering energy beams. The energy beams are relatively invisible and may be generated by lasers or solid state diode energy sources. Wave guides within the panel direct the energy beams to the pixels. The wave guides may be composed of fiber optic threads and the display panel comprised of a fabric of woven fiber optic threads wherein pixels are produced at intersections of the woven fiber optic threads.

Claims

1. A display apparatus comprising:

a panel having a display surface surrounded by an edge, said panel further having an imaging phosphor therein;

a first source for radiating a first energy beam through a first portion of the edge;

a second source for radiating a second energy beam through a second portion of the edge;

a third source for radiating a third energy beam through a third portion of the edge;

wherein a first pixel of visible light energy is released by the imaging phosphor at an intersection of the first and third energy beams, and a second pixel of visible light energy is released by the imaging phosphor at an intersection of the second and the third energy beams, the first and second pixels of visible light having a substantially constant location on the display surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the first, second and third energy beams are substantially invisible, and wherein either the first and second energy beams charge and the third energy beam triggers the imaging phosphor of the first and second pixels respectively to release visible light energy, or the third energy beam charges and the first and second energy beams trigger the imaging phosphor of the first and second pixels respectively to release visible light energy.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a switching means coupled to said first, second and third sources and responsive to a display signal for selectively activating the first and second pixels, wherein

said switching means enables the first and third energy beams in response to the display signal indicating activation of the first pixel,

said switching means enables the second and third energy beams in response to the display signal indicating activation of the second pixel, and

said switching means enables the first, second and third energy beams in response to the display signal indicating activation of the first and second pixels.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said panel further comprises:

a first wave guide for limiting dispersion of the first energy beam; and

a second wave guide for limiting dispersion of the second energy beam.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said first wave guide has a receiving aperture at one end for receiving the first energy beam and an end aperture at an opposing end, and said apparatus further comprising a reflector coupled to the opposing end for reflecting the first energy beam back towards the receiving aperture.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein imaging phosphor further comprises:

a first compound distributed within said first wave guide for generating the first pixel with a first color of visible light energy; and

a second compound distributed within said second wave guide for generating the second pixel with a second color of visible light energy.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said first and second wave guides limit intersection of the first and second energy beams and said panel further comprises:

a third wave guide for limiting dispersion of the third energy beam and for facilitating intersection of the first and third energy beams to produce the first pixel and for facilitating intersection of the second and third energy beams to produce the second pixel.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said panel further comprises:

a multiplicity of substantially parallel first wave guides; and

a multiplicity of substantially parallel second wave guides coupled to and positioned relatively orthogonal to said first wave guides, wherein

said first and second sources are coupled to said first wave guides, the first energy beam being substantially included within at least one of said first wave guides and the second energy beam being substantially included within at least another of said first wave guides, and

said third source is coupled to said second wave guides wherein the third energy beam is substantially included within at least one of said second wave guides, and further wherein

said first wave guides are adapted to limit dispersion of energy beams there between and facilitate intersection of energy beams of said first wave guides with energy beams of said second wave guides, and

said second wave guides are adapted to limit dispersion of energy beams there between and facilitate intersection of energy beams of said second wave guides with energy beams of said first wave guides.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein,

said first wave guides are comprised within a first layer, and

said second wave guides are comprised within a second layer, and said panel further comprises:

an imaging phosphor layer interposed between said first and second layers, said imaging phosphor layer having the imaging phosphor distributed there through.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said first wave guides are comprised within a first layer having a receiving edge for receiving energy beams and an end edge opposed to the receiving edge, and said apparatus further comprises a reflector coupled to the end edge for reflecting energy beams back towards the receiving edge.

11. A display panel comprising:

a multiplicity of substantially parallel first wave guides for channeling first radiated energy beams;

a multiplicity of substantially parallel second wave guides for channeling second radiated energy beams, said second wave guides coupled to and positioned relatively orthogonal to said first wave guides; and

an imaging phosphor for illuminating in response to radiation by the first and second radiated energy beams, wherein

said first wave guides are adapted to facilitate intersection of energy beams of said first wave guides with energy beams of said second wave guides, and

said second wave guides are adapted to facilitate intersection of energy beams of said second wave guides with energy beams of said first wave guides.

12. The panel of claim 11 wherein,

said first wave guides are comprised within a first layer, and

said second wave guides are comprised within a second layer, and

said imaging phosphor is comprised within an imaging phosphor layer interposed between said first and second layers, said imaging phosphor layer having imaging phosphor distributed there through.

13. The panel of claim 11 wherein at least one of said first wave guides has a receiving edge for receiving a radiated energy beam and an end edge opposed to the receiving edge, and the panel further comprises a reflector coupled to the end edge for reflecting the energy beam back towards the receiving edge.

14. The panel of claim 11 wherein

said first wave guides include a plurality of first fiber optic threads, and

said second wave guides include a plurality of second fiber optic threads, wherein said second wave guides are coupled to said first wave guides by weaving the first fiber optic threads with the second fiber optic threads.

15. The panel of claim 14 wherein each of the first fiber optic threads includes said imaging phosphor therein.

16. The panel of claim 15 wherein

said imaging phosphor of a first fiber optic thread of the first fiber optic threads has a first imaging phosphor for generating a first color of light in response to be radiated by an energy beam of said first wave guides and an energy beam of said second wave guides, and

said imaging phosphor of a second fiber optic thread of the first fiber optic threads has a second imaging phosphor for generating a second color of light in response to be radiated by an energy beam of said first wave guides and an energy beam of said second wave guides.