Photowriting display device and photowriting display unit incorporating the same

• US 7,116,309 B1
• Filed: 04/06/2000
• Issued: 10/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kimura, Koichi, Sawano, Mitsuru
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Sumati
• Assistant Examiner(s): ENGLISH, ALECIA DIANE
• Application Number:
  US09/544,567
• Time in Patent Office: 2,371 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/175, 345/176, 345/183, 345/87, 345/88, 345/105, 345/4, 345/5, 345/6, 345/49, 345/72, 345/83
• US Class Current: 345/105
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/0126 Opto-optical modulation, i.e. control of one light beam by another light beam, not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/135 Liquid crystal cells structurally associated with a photoconducting or a ferro-electric layer, the properties of which can be optically or electrically varied G02F1/133348 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/153 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/38 using electrochromic devices

Abstract

A photowriting display device which is capable of performing bright full color display and a photowriting display apparatus which incorporates the photowriting display device and on which the pen moving operation is directly reflected as information to be displayed. A photowriting display device is disclosed which incorporates: an electrochromic display member incorporating a photoconductor in which only regions irradiated with writing light generate carriers to realize conductivity; an electrochromic layer in which light absorption of the regions are reversibly changed owing to electrochemical oxidation and reduction reactions caused to occur due to the conductivity; an electrolyte in which the electrochromic layers are laminated or an electrochromic material is dissolved; and a pair of electrodes laminated through the photoconductor, the electrochromic layer and the electrolyte. A plurality of the electrochromic display members are laminated.

Claims

1. A photowriting display device comprising:

a plurality of electrochromic display members, each including;

a photoconductor in which only regions irradiated with writing light generate carriers to create conductivity;

an electrochromic layer in which light absorption at said regions is reversibly changed owing to electrochemical oxidation and reduction reactions caused to occur due to the conductivity;

an electrolyte on which said electrochromic layer is laminated or in which material of said electrochromic layer is dissolved; and

a pair of electrodes laminating said photoconductor, said electrochromic layer, and said electrolyte, in between,

wherein said electrochromic display members are developed into different colors, and

further wherein said electrochromic display members in corresponding layers have different photosensitive wavelengths for writing from one another, and writing on said electrochromic display member in an arbitrary layer is performed by selectively irradiating writing lights each emitting one of said different wavelengths.

4. A photowriting display device according to claims 1 or 2 or 3, wherein a separator for preventing diffusion of the carrier and/or the oxidation and reduction reactions in a direction in parallel with the surface of laminate is provided for at least any one of said photoconductor, said electrochromic layer and said electrolyte.

5. A photowriting display device according to claims 1 or 2, wherein writing on said electrochromic display members in an arbitrary layer is performed in such a way that said electrochromic display member in each layer is selectively applied with voltage or an electric current and simultaneously projected with a writing light.

6. A photowriting display device according to claims 1 or 2 or 3, wherein said electrochromic display members are changed between transparent and color states with respect to a visible-ray region.

7. A photowriting display device according to claims 1 or 2 or 3, wherein the wavelength of writing light is deviated from a visible ray region.

8. A photowriting display device according to claims 1 or 2 or 3, further comprising:

an electrochromic display member which is changed between a transparent state in a visible ray region and a yellow state,

an electrochromic display member which is changed between a transparent state in a visible ray region and a magenta state, and

an electrochromic display member which is changed between a transparent state in a visible ray region and a cyan state, wherein said electrochromic display members are laminated.

9. A photowriting display apparatus incorporating a photowriting display device according to claims 1 or 2 or 3, comprising:

a writing display plate provided with said photowriting display device; and

a light pen incorporating a light emitting portion arranged to emit a writing light and disposed at a leading end thereof.

10. A photowriting display device according to claims 1 or 2 or 3, wherein a separator for preventing diffusion of the carrier and/or the oxidation and reduction reactions in a direction in parallel with the surface of laminate is provided for said electrolyte.

11. A photowriting display device according to claims 1 or 2 or 3, wherein said plurality of electrochromic display members are laminated on one another so as to be capable of producing a multicolor image.

2. A photowriting display device comprising:

a plurality of electrochromic display members, each including;

a photoconductor in which only regions irradiated with writing light generate carriers to create conductivity;

an electrochromic layer in which light absorption at said regions is reversibly changed owing to electrochemical oxidation and reduction reactions caused to occur due to the conductivity;

an electrolyte on which said electrochromic layer is laminated or in which material of said electrochromic layer is dissolved; and

a pair of electrodes laminating said photoconductor, said electrochromic layer, and said electrolyte, in between,

wherein said electrochromic display members are developed into different colors, and

further wherein said electrochromic display members which are developed into different colors are shifted in a direction of the surface of lamination to expose each of said electrodes of said electrochromic display members respectively at an end of said writing display plate,

a writing head which incorporates at least one light emitting portion so as to emit writing light, and

a sliding contact, which is arranged to make electrical contact with each of said exposed electrodes respectively, is provided for said writing head.

3. A photowriting display device comprising:

a plurality of electrochromic display members, each including;

a photoconductor in which only regions irradiated with writing light generate carriers to create conductivity;

an electrochromic layer in which light absorption at said regions is reversibly changed owing to electrochemical oxidation and reduction reactions caused to occur due to the conductivity;

an electrolyte on which said electrochromic layer is laminated or in which material of said electrochromic layer is dissolved; and

a pair of electrodes laminating said photoconductor, said electrochromic layer, and said electrolyte, in between,

wherein said electrochromic display members are developed into different colors; and

wherein writing on said electrochromic display members in an arbitrary layer is performed in such a way that said electrochromic display member in each layer is selectively applied with voltage or an electric current and simultaneously projected with a writing light which emits light at a predetermined unique wavelength specific to each layer.

12. A photowriting display apparatus comprising:

a photowriting display device including an electrochromic display member containing;

a photoconductor in which only regions irradiated with writing light generate carriers to create conductivity;

an electrochromic layer in which light absorption at said regions is reversibly changed owing to electrochemical oxidation and reduction reactions caused to occur due to the conductivity;

an electrolyte on which said electrochromic layer is laminated or in which material of said electrochromic layer is dissolved; and

a pair of electrodes laminating said photoconductor, said electrochromic layer, and said electrolyte, in between,

a writing display plate provided with said photowriting display device; and

a writing head which incorporates a plurality of light emitting portions disposed in a line opposite to said writing display plate so as to emit writing lights, said plural light emitting portions being moved in parallel with said writing display plate in a direction perpendicular to a direction of the disposition of said plural light emitting portions.