Light emitting material integrated into a substantially transparent substrate

• US 6,986,581 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2004
• Issued: 01/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sun Innovations Inc.
• Original Assignee: SuperImaging, Inc. (Sun Innovations Inc.)
• Inventors: Sun, Xiao-Dong, Liu, Jian-Qiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Dowling, William C.
• Application Number:
  US10/979,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20050094109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 353/31, 353/79, 353/84, 359/443, 359/452, 359/460
• US Class Current: 353/31
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/60 characterised by the nature of the surface

Abstract

In accordance with embodiments, viewable images can be created in glass. Viewable images may be created in glass by using a projector which projects ultraviolet light to excite light emitting material. Clear images may be created in glass because the size the light emitting particles in the glass is less than 400 nanometers. In embodiments, the visible illumination of a transparent substrate to display an image is possible, while the transparent substrate remains transparent. Accordingly, for example, drivers of automobiles may view images (e.g. map images) on their windshield while they are driving. As another example, window shoppers may view enhanced advertisements in the windows of stores that they are approaching.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising light emitting material integrated into a substantially transparent substrate, wherein the light emitting material is configured to emit visible light in response to absorption of ultraviolet light from a projector, wherein the light emitting material comprises a plurality of light emitting particles, and wherein each of the plurality of light emitting particles has a diameter less than about 400 nanometers.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the projector is configured to output multiple sections of an image at the same time.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the projector is a digital projector.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the digital projector is a micro-mirror array projector.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the micro-mirror array projector is a digital light processing projector.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the digital projector is a liquid crystal display projector.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the digital projector is a liquid crystal on silicon projector.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the projector is an analog projector.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light emitting material is fluorescent material.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting particles has a diameter less than about 300 nanometers.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting particles has a diameter less than about 200 nanometers.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting particles has a diameter less than about 100 nanometers.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting particles is an individual molecule.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light emitting particles which emit red light comprise Europium.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light emitting particles which emit green light comprise Terbium.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light emitting particles which emit blue light or yellow light comprise Cerium.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light emitting particles which emit blue light comprise Erbium.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light emitting particles which emit blue light are comprised in an organic fluorescent dye.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light emitting material comprises:

a first material which emits a first visible color; and

a second material which emits a second visible color, which is different from the first visible color.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:

the first material is integrated into a first region of the substantially transparent substrate; and

the second material is integrated into a second region of the substantially transparent substrate.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first region and the second region are pixels.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the pixels are formed in stripes.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the pixels are formed in a matrix.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein:

the first visible color is emitted according to selective projection of ultraviolet light on the first region by the projector, and

the second visible color is emitted according to selective projection of ultraviolet light on the second region by the projector.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the light emitting material comprises a third material which emits a third visible color, which is different from the first visible color and the second visible color.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the first visible color, the second visible color, and the third visible color are primary colors.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein a fourth color is emitted by a combination of substantially simultaneous selective projection of ultraviolet light on the first region and the second region.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the fourth color is a non-primary color.

29. An apparatus comprising light emitting material integrated into a substantially transparent substrate, wherein:

the light emitting material is configured to emit visible light in response to absorption of ultraviolet light;

the light emitting material comprises a plurality of light emitting particles; and

each of the plurality of light emitting particles has a diameter less than about 400 nanometers.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting particles has a diameter less than about 300 nanometers.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting particles has a diameter less than about 200 nanometers.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting particles has a diameter less than about 100 nanometers.

33. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting particles is an individual molecule.

34. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the plurality of light emitting particles are fluorescent material.

35. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the plurality of light emitting particles which emit red light comprise Europium.

36. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the plurality of light emitting particles which emit green light comprise Terbium.

37. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the plurality of light emitting particles which emit blue light or yellow light comprise Cerium.

38. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the plurality of light emitting particles which emit blue light comprise Erbium.

39. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the plurality of light emitting particles which emit blue light are comprised in an organic fluorescent dye.

40. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the light emitting material comprises:

a first material which emits a first visible color; and

a second material which emits a second visible color, which is different from the first visible color.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein:

the first material is integrated into a first region of the substantially transparent substrate; and

the second material is integrated into a second region of the substantially transparent substrate.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the first region and the second region are pixels.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the pixels are formed in stripes.

44. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the pixels are formed in a matrix.

45. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the pixels are configured to emit visible light in response to absorption of ultraviolet light from a beam of ultraviolet light.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the beam of ultraviolet light is from a laser apparatus which emits ultraviolet light.

47. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the pixels are configured to selectively emit visible light in response to spatial modulation of the beam of ultraviolet light.

48. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the pixels are configured to selectively emit visible light in response to intensity modulation of the beam of ultraviolet light.

49. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein:

the first visible color is emitted according to selective projection of ultraviolet light on the first region; and

the second visible color is emitted according to selective projection of ultraviolet light on the second region.

50. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the light emitting material comprises a third material which emits a third visible color, which is different from the first visible color and the second visible color.

51. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the first visible color, the second visible color, and the third visible color are primary colors.

52. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein a fourth color is emitted by a combination of substantially simultaneous selective projection of ultraviolet light on the first region and the second region.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the fourth color is a non-primary color.

54. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the light emitting material is homogeneously integrated into the substantially transparent substrate.

55. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the ultraviolet light is intensity modulated to emit substantially monochromatic light from the substantially transparent substrate at different intensities.

56. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the ultraviolet light is output from a broad-band UV projector.

57. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the ultraviolet light originates from a projector.

58. The apparatus of claim 57, wherein the projector is configured to output multiple sections of an image at the same time.

59. The apparatus of claim 57, wherein the projector is a digital projector.

60. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein the digital projector is a micro-mirror array projector.

61. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein the micro-mirror array projector is a digital light processing projector.

62. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein the digital projector is a liquid crystal display projector.

63. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein the digital projector is a liquid crystal on silicon projector.

64. The apparatus of claim 57, wherein the projector is an analog projector.