Electronic display with semitransparent back layer
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electronic display comprising:
- electrically conductive layers;
an active layer disposed between adjacent said electrically conductive layers, said active layer including cholesteric liquid crystal material;
a transparent front substrate disposed adjacent one of said electrically conductive layers near a front of said display;
a semitransparent back layer that absorbs light that passes through said active layer, reflects grey light or light of a color and is light transmitting, wherein said semitransparent back layer comprises one of;
ink coated on a transparent substrate; and
a transparent substrate including ink;
wherein said semitransparent back layer forms a bottom surface of said display, or a semitransparent or clear layer below said semitransparent back layer forms a bottom surface of said display; and
electronic circuitry for applying a voltage to said electrically conductive layers that enables at least one of erasing or writing of said active layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic display includes electrically conductive layers. An active layer is disposed between adjacent electrically conductive layers. The active layer includes cholesteric liquid crystal material. At least one transparent front substrate is disposed adjacent one of the electrically conductive layers near a front of the display. A semitransparent back layer absorbs light that passes through the active layer, reflects grey light or light of a color and is light transmitting. Electronic circuitry applies a voltage to the conductive layers that enables at least one of erasing or writing of the active layer.
105 Citations
28 Claims
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1. An electronic display comprising:
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electrically conductive layers; an active layer disposed between adjacent said electrically conductive layers, said active layer including cholesteric liquid crystal material; a transparent front substrate disposed adjacent one of said electrically conductive layers near a front of said display; a semitransparent back layer that absorbs light that passes through said active layer, reflects grey light or light of a color and is light transmitting, wherein said semitransparent back layer comprises one of;
ink coated on a transparent substrate; and
a transparent substrate including ink;wherein said semitransparent back layer forms a bottom surface of said display, or a semitransparent or clear layer below said semitransparent back layer forms a bottom surface of said display; and electronic circuitry for applying a voltage to said electrically conductive layers that enables at least one of erasing or writing of said active layer. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. An electronic display comprising:
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electrically conductive layers; an active layer disposed between adjacent said electrically conductive layers, said active layer including cholesteric liquid crystal material; a transparent front substrate disposed adjacent one of said electrically conductive layers near a front of said display; a semitransparent back layer that absorbs light that passes through said active layer, reflects grey light or light of a color and is light transmitting, wherein said semitransparent back layer comprises ink or a colored filter; wherein said semitransparent back layer forms a bottom surface of said display, or a semitransparent or clear layer below said semitransparent back layer forms a bottom surface of said display; and electronic circuitry for applying a voltage to said electrically conductive layers that enables at least one of erasing or writing of said active layer; wherein said display is adapted to be used with a back pattern that is removably disposed behind said semitransparent back layer, wherein said back pattern is visible through said semitransparent back layer. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An electronic display comprising:
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electrically conductive layers; an active layer disposed between adjacent said electrically conductive layers, said active layer including cholesteric liquid crystal material; a transparent front substrate disposed adjacent one of said electrically conductive layers near a front of said display; a semitransparent back layer that absorbs light that passes through said active layer, reflects grey light or light of a color and is light transmitting, wherein said semitransparent back layer comprises ink or a colored filter; wherein said semitransparent back layer forms a bottom surface of said display, or a semitransparent or clear layer below said semitransparent back layer forms a bottom surface of said display; and electronic circuitry for applying a voltage to said electrically conductive layers that enables at least one of erasing or writing of said active layer; wherein said display is adapted to be placed over a variety of articles for viewing, the articles being free of attachment to said display.
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10. A writing device comprising:
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electrically conductive layers; at least one active layer disposed in a gap between adjacent said electrically conductive layers, said active layer including bistable cholesteric liquid crystal material; an outer layer of flexible transparent material forming a writing surface; wherein said active layer is adapted to enable writing pressure applied to said writing surface to reduce thickness of said gap to form a reduced gap region in which the liquid crystal is light reflecting so as to reflect light of a color or is essentially transparent, a texture of said liquid crystal being unchanged in a non-reduced gap region; and a semitransparent back layer that absorbs light that passes through said active layer, reflects grey light or light of a color and is light transmitting, wherein said semitransparent back layer comprises one of;
ink coated on a transparent substrate; and
a transparent substrate including ink;wherein said semitransparent back layer forms a bottom surface of said writing device, or a semitransparent or clear layer below said semitransparent back layer forms a bottom surface of said writing device. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A writing device comprising:
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electrically conductive layers; at least one active layer disposed in a gap between adjacent said electrically conductive layers, said active layer including bistable cholesteric liquid crystal material; an outer layer of flexible transparent material forming a writing surface; wherein said active layer is adapted to enable writing pressure applied to said writing surface to reduce thickness of said gap to form a reduced gap region in which the liquid crystal is light reflecting so as to reflect light of a color or is essentially transparent, a texture of said liquid crystal being unchanged in a non-reduced gap region; and a semitransparent back layer that absorbs light that passes through said active layer, reflects grey light or light of a color and is light transmitting, wherein said semitransparent back layer comprises ink or a colored filter; wherein said semitransparent back layer forms a bottom surface of said writing device, or a semitransparent or clear layer below said semitransparent back layer forms a bottom surface of said writing device; wherein said writing device is adapted to be used with a back pattern that is removably disposed behind said semitransparent back layer, wherein said back pattern is visible through said semitransparent back layer. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A writing device comprising:
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electrically conductive layers; at least one active layer disposed in a gap between adjacent said electrically conductive layers, said active layer including bistable cholesteric liquid crystal material; an outer layer of flexible transparent material forming a writing surface; wherein said active layer is adapted to enable writing pressure applied to said writing surface to reduce thickness of said gap to form a reduced gap region in which the liquid crystal is light reflecting so as to reflect light of a color or is essentially transparent, a texture of said liquid crystal being unchanged in a non-reduced gap region; and a semitransparent back layer that absorbs light that passes through said active layer, reflects grey light or light of a color and is light transmitting, wherein said semitransparent back layer comprises ink or a colored filter; wherein said semitransparent back layer forms a bottom surface of said writing device, or a semitransparent or clear layer below said semitransparent back layer forms a bottom surface of said writing device; wherein said writing device is adapted to be placed over a variety of articles for viewing through said semitransparent back layer, the articles being free of attachment to said writing device.
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24. An electronic display comprising:
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electrically conductive layers; an active layer disposed between adjacent said electrically conductive layers, said active layer including cholesteric liquid crystal material; a transparent front substrate disposed adjacent one of said electrically conductive layers near a front of said display; a semitransparent back layer that absorbs light that passes through said active layer, reflects grey light or light of a color and is light transmitting, wherein said semitransparent back layer comprises a colored filter and a lower one of said electrically conductive layers is in contact with said colored filter; wherein said semitransparent back layer forms a bottom surface of said display, or a semitransparent or clear layer below said semitransparent back layer forms a bottom surface of said display; and electronic circuitry for applying a voltage to said electrically conductive layers that enables at least one of erasing or writing of said active layer.
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25. An electronic display comprising:
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electrically conductive layers; an active layer disposed between adjacent said electrically conductive layers, said active layer including cholesteric liquid crystal material; a front substrate disposed adjacent one of said electrically conductive layers near a front of said electronic display; a semitransparent back layer that absorbs light that passes through said active layer, reflects grey light or light of a color and is light transmitting; wherein said semitransparent back layer forms a bottom surface of said electronic display, or a semitransparent or clear layer below said semitransparent back layer forms a bottom surface of said electronic display; and electronic circuitry for applying a voltage to said electrically conductive layers that enables at least one of erasing or writing of said active layer, wherein writing formed on said cholesteric liquid crystal material contrasts with said semitransparent back layer and said semitransparent back layer is see through. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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Specification