Display having viewable and conductive images

• US 6,262,697 B1
• Filed: 03/20/1998
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Stephenson, Stanley W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Saras, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anyaso, Uchendu O.
• Application Number:
  US09/045,016
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 349/42, 349/106, 349/122, 349/86, 349/139, 345/38, 345/45, 345/92, 345/87, 345/169.3, 345/205, 345/43, 345/50, 355/32, 355/77, 430/311, 430/416, 430/20
• US Class Current: 345/43
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134309 characterised by their geometrical arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13439 characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13452 Conductors connecting driver circuitry and terminals of panels
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/0007 Filters, e.g. additive colour filters; Components for display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/35 being liquid crystals G09F9/302 takes precedence; liquid crystal materials C09K19/00; liquid crystal panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell per se G02F1/13

Abstract

A display for presenting selected images to a viewer is disclosed, including a transparent substrate, a transparent, electrically conductive coating formed over the transparent substrate, a light modulating layer formed over the transparent, electrically conductive layer and a photosensitive layer formed over the light modulating layer which is adapted to be exposed and developed to provide viewable and conductive images. The display further includes the light modulated layer being effective in two conditions, in a first condition to prevent the viewing of the viewable and conductive images and in a second condition to permit the viewing of the viewable and conductive images, and an electrical conduction structure connected to the viewable and conductive images and the transparent, electrically conductive coating for applying a field to the selected ones of such viewable and conductive images to cause the light modulating layer to change from the first condition to the second condition so as to present such viewable and conductive images to the viewer.

Claims

1. A display for presenting selected images to a viewer, comprising:

(a) a transparent substrate;

(b) a transparent, electrically conductive coating formed over the transparent substrate;

(c) a light modulating layer formed over the transparent, electrically conductive layer;

(d) a photosensitive layer formed over the light modulating layer which is adapted to be exposed and developed to provide viewable and conductive images;

(e) the light modulating layer being effective in two conditions, in a first condition to prevent the viewing of the viewable and conductive images and in a second condition to permit the viewing of the viewable and conductive images; and

(f) electrical conduction means connected to the viewable and conductive images and the transparent, electrically conductive coating for applying a field to selected ones of such viewable and conductive images to cause the light modulating layer to change from the first condition to the second condition so as to present such viewable and conductive images for viewing to the viewer.

2. The display according to claim 1 wherein the photosensitive layer includes silver halide and the viewable and conductive images are formed of developed silver.

3. The display according to claim 1 wherein the electrical conduction means includes a plurality of conductive pins which contact the viewable and conductive images to permit an electrical potential to be applied across a selected image and the conductive coating.

4. The display according to claim 1 wherein the display is a unitary structure.

5. The display according to claim 1 wherein the electrical conduction means includes at least one piercing pin to provide electrical contact to the transparent, electrically conductive coating.

6. The display according to claim 1 wherein the light modulating layer includes liquid crystal material in a gelatin matrix.

7. The display according to claim 1 wherein the transparent, electrically conductive coating includes Indium-Tin-Oxide.

8. The display according to claim 1 further including a barrier layer disposed between the light modulating layer and the photosensitive layer.

9. The display according to claim 8 wherein the barrier layer includes a highly cross-linked gelatin.

10. The display according to claim 1 further including non-conductive traces provided in the photosensitive layer.

11. The display according to claim 10 wherein the non-conductive traces have a width between 5 and 50 microns.

12. The display according to claim 1 wherein the electrical conduction means includes means for applying an alternating voltage to the transparent, electrically conductive coating and further including means for selectively applying a ground potential to each of the viewable and conductive images.

13. A method of forming a display in which images can be selectively presented to a viewer, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a transparent substrate;

(b) forming a transparent, electrically conductive coating over the transparent substrate;

(c) forming a light modulating layer including liquid crystal material in a gelatin over the transparent, electrically conductive layer to be effective in a first condition to prevent the viewing of viewable and conductive images and in a second condition to permit the viewing of viewable and conductive images;

(d) forming a photosensitive layer including silver halide over the light modulating layer and exposing and developing such photosensitive layer to provide the viewable and conductive images; and

(e) providing electrical connection so that an electrical field can be applied across selected ones of such viewable and conductive images and the transparent, electrically conductive layer to cause the light modulating layer to change from the first condition to the second condition so as to present such viewable and conductive images for viewing to the viewer.

14. The method according to claim 13 further including the step of forming a barrier layer between the light modulating layer and the photosensitive layer.

15. The method according to claim 13 wherein exposure and development of the photosensitive layer substantially converts all of the silver halide to metallic silver.

16. The method according to claim 13 wherein the step of forming the photosensitive layer includes providing non-conductive traces in the photosensitive layer.