Display assembly

• US 6,559,827 B1
• Filed: 08/16/2000
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mangerson, Mark M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eisen, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US09/639,924
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 345/102, 345/88, 362/31, 362/551, 362/583, 362/558, 362/559, 362/561, 349/62-67, 349/61
• US Class Current: 345/102
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/18 Edge-illuminated signs
• 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 assembly is provided with individually actuateable shutter row elements. Selected ones of the shutter row elements are actuated in a predetermined sequence, blocking and allowing pulsed of light transmitted via a light guide assembly. The shutter row elements sequentially illuminate selected groups of display elements so that the display elements provide a true color instead of separate red, green and blue components of that color. In this manner, the display assembly of the present invention is capable of providing a higher fidelity image than is possible using existing display technologies.

Claims

1. A display assembly, comprising:

a light source suitable for emitting pulses of light;

an optical shutter assembly including a plurality of individually actuateable shutter row elements capable of substantially allowing or blocking transmission of pulses of light emitted by said light source;

a light guide assembly suitable for conducting light to said optical shutter assembly; and

a plurality of light conducting columns suitable for conducting light along an axis of the display assembly, each of said plurality of light conducting columns including a color adjustment assembly for adjusting the color of said light conducted by said light conducting column;

wherein selected ones of said plurality of shutter row elements are actuated in a predetermined sequence for allowing transmission of said pulses of light conducted from said light source via said light guide assembly.

2. The display assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said light source comprises a strobe light source capable of generating high intensity pulses of light.

3. The display assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said predetermined sequence is configured to allow a user'"'"'s persistence of vision to form an image displayed by said display assembly.

4. The display assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of light conducting columns includes a color filter for filtering pulses of light emitted by said light source into at least one color and a shutter element for selecting the color of said pulses of light conducted by said conducting columns.

5. The display assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein said color filter element comprises red, blue, and green filters.

6. The display assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said shutter element comprises a liquid crystal shutter element suitable for adjusting the proportion of light passing through said red, green and blue filters.

7. The display assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein said color filter further comprises a diffuser for diffusing, randomizing and mixing the red, green and blue light components passing through said liquid crystal shutter elements.

8. The display assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein said color filter further comprises a polarizer.

9. The display assembly as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a polarizing layer for polarizing said pulses of light conducted to said plurality of shutter rows.

10. The display assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of shutter elements of said shutter assembly comprises an elongated liquid crystal shutter row.

11. A display assembly, comprising:

a light source suitable for emitting pulses of light;

a display surface having a plurality of display elements, said display surface including;

a first layer comprising of a plurality of light conducting columns suitable for conducting said pulses of light received from said light source along an axis of the display surface, each of said plurality of light conducting columns including a color adjustment assembly for adjusting the color of said pulses of light conducted by said conducting column; and

a second layer disposed on said first layer, said second layer comprising a plurality of shutter rows oriented generally perpendicular to said light conducting columns, each shutter row being capable of substantially allowing or blocking transmission of said pulses of light conducted from said light source via said plurality of light conducting columns;

wherein selected ones of said plurality of shutter rows are actuated in synchronization with said pulses of light emitted from said light source for at least partially allowing transmission of said pulses of light through said second layer thereby illuminating rows of said plurality of display elements.

12. The display assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein each of said plurality of shutter rows is actuated in sequence at a rate sufficient for allowing a user'"'"'s persistence of vision to form an image displayed by said plurality of display elements.

13. The display assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein said color adjustment assembly comprises:

a color filter assembly; and

a second shutter assembly for selectively mixing light passing through said color filter assembly.

14. The display assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein said color filter assembly comprises red, blue, and green filters for providing the primary red, blue and green color components of the true color.

15. The display assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein said second shutter assembly comprises at least one liquid crystal shutter element suitable for adjusting the proportion of light passing through said red, green and blue filters.

16. The display assembly as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a diffuser for diffusing, randomizing and mixing the red, green and blue light components passing through said liquid crystal shutter elements.

17. The display assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein said color adjustment assembly further comprises a polarizer.

18. The display assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein said display surface further comprises a polarizing layer for polarizing said pulses of light conducted to said plurality of shutter rows.

19. The display assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein said light source comprises a high intensity strobed light source.

20. The display assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein each of said plurality of shutter rows comprises an elongated liquid crystal shutter.

21. A display assembly, comprising:

a light source suitable for emitting pulses of light;

a plurality of light conducting columns suitable for conducting said pulses of light received from said light source along an axis of the display assembly, each of said plurality of light conducting columns including a color filter for filtering pulses of light emitted by said light source into at least one color and a shutter element for selectively mixing light passing through said color filter element for adjusting the color of said pulses of light conducted by said conducting columns; and

a plurality of shutter rows oriented generally perpendicular to said light conducting columns so as to form a plurality of display elements, said shutter rows being capable of substantially allowing or blocking transmission of said pulses of light conducted from said light source via said plurality of light conducting columns;

wherein selected ones of said plurality of shutter rows are actuated in synchronization with said pulses of light emitted from said light source allowing transmission of said pulses of light for illuminating rows of said plurality of display elements.

22. The display assembly as claimed in claim 21, wherein each of said plurality of shutter rows is actuated in sequence at a rate sufficient for allowing a user'"'"'s persistence of vision to form an image displayed by said plurality of display elements.

23. The display assembly as claimed in claim 21, wherein each of said color filter elements comprises red, blue, and green filters for providing the primary red, blue and green color components of the true color to be displayed by the display element.

24. The display assembly as claimed in claim 22, wherein said shutter element comprises a liquid crystal shutter element suitable for adjusting the proportion of light passing through said red, green and blue filters.

25. The display assembly as claimed in claim 24, wherein each of said light conducting columns further comprises a diffuser for diffusing, randomizing and mixing the red, green and blue light components passing through said liquid crystal shutter elements.

26. The display assembly as claimed in claim 24, wherein each of said light conducting columns further comprises a polarizer.

27. The display assembly as claimed in claim 21, further comprising a polarizing layer disposed between said plurality of light conducting columns and said plurality of shutter rows.

28. The display assembly as claimed in claim 21, wherein said light source comprises a high intensity strobed light source.

29. The display assembly as claimed in claim 21, wherein each of said plurality of shutter rows comprises an elongated liquid crystal shutter.

30. A display assembly, comprising:

a light source capable of emitting a pulse of generally coherent light;

a display surface;

a plurality of light conducting columns suitable for conducting said pulses of generally coherent light received from said light source along an axis of the display assembly, each of said plurality of light conducting columns including a color adjustment assembly for adjusting the color of said pulses of generally coherent light conducted by said conducting column; and

a plurality of shutter rows capable actuation for selectively reflecting said pulses of generally coherent light conducted from said light source via said plurality of light conducting columns;

wherein selected ones of said plurality of shutter rows are actuated in synchronization with said pulses of generally coherent light emitted from said light source allowing reflection of said generally coherent pulses of light for illuminating said display surface.

31. The display assembly as claimed in claim 30, wherein each of said plurality of shutter rows is actuated in sequence at a rate sufficient for allowing a user'"'"'s persistence of vision to form an image displayed on display surface.

32. The display assembly as claimed in claim 31, wherein said display surface comprises a diffuser.

33. The display assembly as claimed in claim 31, wherein each of said plurality of shutter rows comprises an elongated liquid crystal shutter.