Device and method of displaying images

• US 6,577,286 B1
• Filed: 11/08/2000
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ji H.O. Jang
• Original Assignee: Ji H.O. Jang
• Inventors: Jang, Ji Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang, Regina
• Application Number:
  US09/674,481
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 345/31, 345/44, 345/46, 345/82, 345/88, 345/110, 340/815.45, 340/815.53, 340/815.4
• US Class Current: 345/31
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/005 forming an image using a quickly moving array of imaging elements, causing the human eye to perceive an image which has a larger resolution than the array, e.g. an image on a cylinder formed by a rotating line of LEDs parallel to the axis of rotation

Abstract

A device and method of displaying images using an afterimage caused by an optical illusion is disclosed In the device, a controller processes image data output from an image processing unit, thus generating an image display control signal and a motor control signal. A drive motor unit rotates a rotary display assembly at a speed in response to the motor control signal. A plurality of display units, individually designed to emit light beams at multi-angles, are orderly mounted on the rotary display assembly. The display assembly is rotated at a speed by the drive motor unit in response to the motor control signal while displaying images on the display units at multi-angles in response to the image display control signal, thus forming desired images due to an afterimage caused by an optical illusion.

Claims

1. A device for displaying images, comprising:

a controller selectively processing image data output from an image processing unit, so as to generate an image display control signal, said controller also generating a motor control signal;

a drive motor unit selectively rotated at a speed in response to the motor control signal output from said controller; and

a rotary display assembly comprising a plurality of image display units capable of individually emitting light beams at multiple, partitioned angle ranges, said assembly being rotatable at a speed by drive motor unit and selectively displaying images on said display units in response to image display control signal output from the controller, wherein each of said display units comprises;

a mount panel concave on one surface thereof from the top to the bottom, thus having an arc-shaped surface;

a plurality of display elements regularly arranged along a plurality of parallel and vertical rows on said arc-shaped surface of the mount panel, thus forming a display element matrix and emitting light beams at multiple angles; and

a plurality of partition walls positioned between the rows of display elements, thus separating the rows of display elements from each other and allowing the light beams, emitted from the display elements, to be radiated at multiple angles.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the light beam emitting angles of the display units are different from each other in accordance with the order of said display units, thus allowing the rotary display assembly to display an image having a high horizontal resolution when the display assembly is rotated at a high speed.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein vertical intervals of the display element matrices carried on the display units are different from each other, thus allowing the rotary display assembly to display an image having a high vertical resolution when the display assembly is rotated at a high speed.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the display elements of the display units individually and selectively emit a red, green or blue light beam, thus allowing the rotary display assembly to display a color image.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the display elements, carried on each of said display units, emit red, green or blue light beams, thus allowing the rotary display assembly to display a color image.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein said rotary display assembly has a polygonal cross-section.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein said rotary display assembly has a circular cross-section.

8. A device for displaying images, comprising:

a controller selectively processing image data output from an image processing unit so as to generate an image display control signal, said controller also generating a motor control signal;

a drive motor unit selectively rotated at a speed in response to the motor control signal output from said controller; and

a rotary display assembly comprising a plurality of image display units capable of individually emitting light beams at multiple, partitioned angle ranges, said assembly being rotatable at a speed by drive motor unit and selectively displaying images on said display units in response to image display control signal output from the controller, wherein each of said display units comprises;

a flat mount panel; and

a plurality of display elements regularly arranged along a plurality of parallel and vertical rows on one surface of said flat mount panel, thus forming a display element matrix with a plurality of partition walls being positioned between the rows of display elements, said rows of display elements along with the partition walls being symmetrically inclined so as to emit light beams at multiple angles.

9. A device for displaying images, comprising:

a controller selectively processing image data output from an image processing unit so as to generate an image display control signal, said controller also generating a motor control signal;

a drive motor unit selectively rotated at a speed in response to the motor control signal output from said controller; and

a rotary display assembly comprising a plurality of image display units capable of individually emitting light beams at multiple, partitioned angle ranges, said assembly being rotatable at a speed by drive motor unit and selectively displaying images on said display units in response to image display control signal output from the controller, wherein each of said display units comprises;

a mount panel concave on one surface thereof from the top to the bottom, thus having an arc-shaped surface;

a plurality of display elements regularly and symmetrically arranged along a plurality of parallel and vertical rows on the arc-shaped surface of the mount panel, thus forming a display element matrix and emitting light beams at multiple angles; and

two partition walls mounted on said mount panel at both side edges of the arc-shaped surface so as to form a slot between them, said slot having a predetermined width and allowing the light beams, emitted from the display elements, to be radiated at multiple angles.

10. A device for displaying images, comprising:

a controller selectively processing image data output from an image processing unit so as to generate an image display control signal, said controller also generating a motor control signal;

a drive motor unit selectively rotated at a speed in response to the motor control signal output from said controller; and

a rotary display assembly comprising a plurality of image display units capable of individually emitting light beams at multiple, partitioned angle ranges, said assembly being rotatable at a speed by drive motor unit and selectively displaying images on said display units in response to image display control signal output from the controller, wherein each of said display units comprises;

a flat mount panel;

a plurality of display elements regularly arranged along a plurality of parallel and vertical rows on said flat mount panel, thus forming a display element matrix and emitting light beams at multiple angles; and

two partition walls mounted on said flat mount panel at both side edges of the panel while being inclined inwardly at an angle of inclination, thus forming a slot between them, said slot having a predetermined width and allowing the light beams, emitted from the display elements, to be radiated at multiple angles.

11. A device for displaying images, comprising:

a controller selectively processing image data output from an image processing unit so as to generate an image display control signal, said controller also generating a motor control signal;

a drive motor unit selectively rotated at a speed in response to the motor control signal output from said controller; and

a rotary display assembly comprising a plurality of image display units capable of individually emitting light beams at multiple, partitioned angle ranges, said assembly being rotatable at a speed by drive motor unit and selectively displaying images on said display units in response to image display control signal output from the controller, wherein each of said display units comprises;

a flat mount panel;

a plurality of display elements regularly arranged along a plurality of parallel and vertical rows on one surface of said flat mount panel, thus forming a display element matrix and emitting light beams in normal directions;

a polarizing plate covering the display elements so as to polarize the light beams emitted from the display elements; and

a plurality of partition walls regularly and symmetrically arranged on said polarizing plate so as to radiate the polarized light beams at multiple angles.

12. A device for displaying images, comprising:

a controller selectively processing image data output from an image processing unit so as to generate an image display control signal, said controller also generating a motor control signal;

a drive motor unit selectively rotated at a speed in response to the motor control signal output from said controller; and

a rotary display assembly comprising a plurality of image display units capable of individually emitting light beams at multiple, partitioned angle ranges, said assembly being rotatable at a speed by drive motor unit and selectively displaying images on said display units in response to image display control signal output from the controller,

wherein said display units of the rotary display assembly are arranged on the assembly so as to display images inside the assembly, and

wherein each of said display units comprises;

a mount panel concave on one surface thereof from the top to the bottom, thus having an arc-shaped surface;

a plurality of display elements regularly arranged along a plurality of parallel and vertical rows on said arc-shaped surface of the mount panel, thus forming a display element matrix and emitting light beams at multiple angles; and

a plurality of partition walls positioned between the rows of display elements, thus separating the rows of display elements from each other and allowing the light beams, emitted from the display elements, to be radiated at multiple angles.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the light beam emitting angles of the display units are different for each other in accordance with the order of said display units, thus allowing the rotary display assembly to display an image having a high horizontal resolution when the display assembly is rotated at a high speed.

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein vertical intervals of the display element matrices carried on the display units are different from each other, thus allowing the rotary display assembly to display an image having a high vertical resolution when the display assembly is rotated at a high speed.

15. The device according to claim 12, wherein the display elements of the display units individually and selectively emit a red, green or blue light beam, thus allowing the rotary display assembly to display a color image.

16. The device according to claim 12, wherein the display elements, carried on each of the display units, emit red, green or blue light beams, thus allowing the rotary display assembly to display a color image.

17. The device according to claim 12, wherein said rotary display assembly has a polygonal cross-section.

18. The device according to claim 12, wherein said rotary display assembly has a circular cross-section.

19. A device for displaying images, comprising:

a controller selectively processing image data output from an image processing unit so as to generate an image display control signal, said controller also generating a motor control signal;

a drive motor unit selectively rotated at a speed in response to the motor control signal output from said controller; and

a rotary display assembly comprising a plurality of image display units capable of individually emitting light beams at multiple, partitioned angle ranges, said assembly being rotatable at a speed by drive motor unit and selectively displaying images on said display units in response to image display control signal output from the controller,

wherein said display units of the rotary display assembly are arranged on the assembly so as to display images inside the assembly, and

wherein each of said display units comprises;

a flat mount panel; and

a plurality of display elements regularly arranged along a plurality of parallel and vertical rows on one surface of said flat mount panel, thus forming a display element matrix with a plurality of partition walls being positioned between the rows of display elements, said rows of display elements along with the partition walls being symmetrically inclined so as to emit light beams at multiple angles.

20. A device for displaying images, comprising:

a controller selectively processing image data output from an image processing unit so as to generate an image display control signal, said controller also generating a motor control signal;

a drive motor unit selectively rotated at a speed in response to the motor control signal output from said controller; and

a rotary display assembly comprising a plurality of image display units capable of individually emitting light beams at multiple, partitioned angle ranges, said assembly being rotatable at a speed by drive motor unit and selectively displaying images on said display units in response to image display control signal output from the controller,

wherein said display units of the rotary display assembly are arranged on the assembly so as to display images inside the assembly, and

wherein each of said display units comprises;

a mount panel concave on one surface thereof from the top to the bottom, thus having an arc-shaped surface;

a plurality of display elements regularly and symmetrically arranged along a plurality of parallel and vertical rows on the arc-shaped surface of the mount panel, thus forming a display element matrix and emitting light beams at multiple angles; and

two partition walls mounted on said mount panel at both side edges of the arc-shaped surface so as to form a slot between them, said slot having a predetermined width and allowing the light beams, emitted from the display elements, to be radiated at multiple angles.

21. A device for displaying images, comprising:

a controller selectively processing image data output from an image processing unit so as to generate an image display control signal, said controller also generating a motor control signal;

a drive motor unit selectively rotated at a speed in response to the motor control signal output from said controller; and

a rotary display assembly comprising a plurality of image display units capable of individually emitting light beams at multiple, partitioned angle ranges, said assembly being rotatable at a speed by drive motor unit and selectively displaying images on said display units in response to image display control signal output from the controller,

wherein said display units of the rotary display assembly are arranged on the assembly so as to display images inside the assembly, and

wherein each of said display units comprises;

a flat mount panel;

a plurality of display elements regularly arranged along a plurality of parallel and vertical rows on said flat mount panel, thus forming a display element matrix and emitting light beams at multiple angles; and

two partition walls mounted on said flat mount panel at both side edges of the panel while being inclined inwardly at an angle of inclination, thus forming a slot between them, said slot having a predetermined width and allowing the light beams, emitted from the display elements, to be radiated at multiple angles.

22. A device for displaying images, comprising:

a controller selectively processing image data output from an image processing unit so as to generate an image display control signal, said controller also generating a motor control signal;

a drive motor unit selectively rotated at a speed in response to the motor control signal output from said controller; and

a rotary display assembly comprising a plurality of image display units capable of individually emitting light beams at multiple, partitioned angle ranges, said assembly being rotatable at a speed by drive motor unit and selectively displaying images on said display units in response to image display control signal output from the controller,

wherein said display units of the rotary display assembly are arranged on the assembly so as to display images inside the assembly, and

wherein each of said display units comprises;

a flat mount panel;

a plurality of display elements regularly arranged along a plurality of parallel and vertical rows on one surface of said flat mount panel, thus forming a display element matrix and emitting light beams in normal directions;

a polarizing plate covering the display elements so as to polarize the light beams emitted from the display elements; and

a plurality of partition walls regularly and symmetrically arranged on said polarizing plate so as to radiate the polarized light beams at multiple angles.