Light emitting display device having light receiving element for receiving light from light emitting element and self-holding and optical passage for guiding drive light to the light receiving element

• US 5,546,496 A
• Filed: 04/07/1995
• Issued: 08/13/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Takehiro, Wada, Yasuhiro, Tsuda, Yoichi, Kimoto, Masahiko, Nakamichi, Masumi, Funakoshi, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John D.
• Application Number:
  US08/418,756
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 385/15, 385/17, 385/24, 385/129, 385/130, 385/132, 385/133, 385/146, 385/147, 250/201.1, 250/553, 250/559.01, 250/559.19, 250/559.29, 250/206, 250/215, 250/227.11, 250/229, 250/231.11, 250/230, 250/578.1, 257/80-85, 356/317, 356/318
• US Class Current: 385/146
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0001 specially adapted for lighting devices or systems lighting or signalling on vehicles using light guides B60Q1/00; lighting devices for vehicle dashboards B60Q3/10; lighting devices for vehicle interior using light guides B60Q3/62; lighting devices mounted on the vehicle rear part using light guides F21S43/235; measuring arrangements having light conducting pointers G01D13/265; illumination of liquid crystal displays G02F1/1336; illuminated signs G09F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3512 the optical element being reflective, e.g. mirror
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02325 the optical elements not being integrated nor being directly associated with the device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/153 formed in, or on, a common substrate

Abstract

There is provided an inexpensive light emitting display device which has a simple wiring structure and produces a bright screen display. A photo-transistor is connected in series with a light emitting diode. The photo-transistor is arranged so that light emitted from the light emitting diode enters into the photo-transistor. There is provided an optical guide for guiding a data signal light to the photo-transistor and an optical guide for guiding a scanning signal light to the phototransistor. Further, an optical control section has a laser diode array, a lens array, and a deflection mirror. The above-mentioned arrangement obviates the need of an electric wiring for a data signal and a scanning signal, and is able to turn on the photo-transistor with the emission light from the light emitting diode and makes the photo-transistor self-hold its conductive state.

Claims

1. A light emitting display device comprising:

a light emitting element;

a light receiving element which is electrically connected in series with the light emitting element so that the light emitting element is driven to emit light when the light receiving element becomes conductive, and is arranged so that the light receiving element can be made conductive upon receiving light emitted from the light emitting element on a light receiving surface of the light receiving element; and

an optical passage which guides both drive lights of a data light representing data and a scanning light to the light receiving element to make the light receiving element conductive wherein the light receiving element becomes conductive when receiving both the data light and the scanning light.

2. A light emitting display device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

drive light output means for outputting the drive lights, the drive light output means outputting a drive light having a wavelength different from a wavelength of display light emitted from the light emitting element.

3. A light emitting display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein

each of the drive lights is infra-red light.

4. A light emitting display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the light receiving element has a mask for interrupting external light directed to the light receiving surface.

5. A light emitting display device as claimed in claim 4, wherein

the mask constitutes an electrode of the light receiving element.

6. A light emitting display device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a filter for removing a drive light for making the light receiving element conductive from external light directed to the light receiving element.

7. A light emitting display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the optical passage is a grating-shaped optical guide which has a data optical passage for guiding the data light and a scanning optical passage for guiding the scanning light, said data optical passage and said scanning optical passage crossing each other in an identical plane.

8. A light emitting display device as claimed in claim 7, wherein

the grating-shaped optical guide has a quadrangular pyramid-shaped optical reflector which is arranged at an intersection of the grating-shaped optical guide, and operates to reflect the data light and the scanning light in a direction perpendicular to a plane along the optical guide to direct the lights to the light receiving surface of the light receiving element.

9. A light emitting display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the optical passage has a data optical passage for guiding the data light and a scanning optical passage for guiding the scanning light, and one of the data optical passage and the scanning optical passage has an extension which extends from a portion adjacent to an intersection of the data optical passage and the scanning optical passage to a proximity of the other of the data optical passage and the scanning optical passage.

10. A light emitting display device as claimed in claim 9, wherein

the data optical passage is provided with a trigonal prism-shaped reflector which is arranged at a portion adjacent to the intersection, and has an inclined reflection surface for reflecting the data light in a direction perpendicular to the data optical passage and the scanning optical passage, and

the scanning optical passage is provided with a trigonal prism-shaped reflector which is arranged at a portion adjacent to the intersection, and has an inclined reflection surface for reflecting the scanning light in a direction perpendicular to the data optical passage and the scanning optical passage.

11. A light emitting display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

a plurality of display elements are respectively comprised of the light emitting element and the light receiving element,

a display section is constituted by arranging the plurality of display elements in a matrix comprised of rows and columns, and further comprising

an optical control section having a laser diode array which generates a signal light for line-sequentially driving the plural number of display elements, a lens array which converges the signal light from the laser diode array, and a mirror for deflecting the signal light from the lens array,

whereby the optical passage guides the signal light from the mirror of the optical control section to the light receiving element of the display section.

12. A light emitting display device as claimed in claim 11, wherein

the light emitting element is comprised of a light emitting diode, and the light receiving element is comprised of a photo-transistor.

13. A light emitting display device as claimed in claim 11, wherein

the display element is comprised of a light activated thyristor.

14. A light emitting display device as claimed in claim 11, wherein

the optical passage has a structure in which a waveguide sheet for transmitting the signal light from the optical control section and a reflection film for reflecting the signal light are alternately stacked one over the other in a laminate form.

15. A light emitting display device as claimed in claim 14, wherein

the optical passage comprises a light outlet portion including an inclined surface which reflects the signal light from the optical control section and guides the signal light to the display element.

16. A light emitting display device as claimed in claim 11, wherein

the laser diode array of the optical control section is comprised of a laser diode which emits infra-red light.

17. A light emitting display device as claimed in claim 11, wherein

a light interruption member including a passage portion which allows the signal light from the optical passage to pass toward the light receiving element of the display section, and an interrupting portion which prevents external light coming from outside the optical passage from travelling toward the light receiving element, and prevents the signal light coming from the optical passage from entering into any other adjacent display element is provided between the optical passage and the display section.

18. A light emitting display device as claimed in claim 11, wherein

the display section comprises:

a plurality of display elements arranged in a matrix comprised of rows and columns;

a transparent wiring board which transmits the signal light from the optical passage, and a light interruption frame board which prevents light from leaking to any element adjacent to the display element so as to prevent a cross-talk from occurring.

19. A light emitting display device comprising:

a light receiving element; and

a light emitting element which is mounted on a part of the light receiving element, and is electrically connected in series with the light receiving element and has a bottom surface fixed to the part of the light receiving element, wherein light emitted from a side surface of the light emitting element enters into an upper surface of another part of the light receiving element which is not facing the bottom surface of the light emitting element and is a light receiving surface to make the light receiving element conductive.

20. A light emitting display device comprising:

a light receiving element;

a light emitting element which is electrically connected in series with the light receiving element and has a bottom surface fixed to the light receiving element, wherein light emitted from a side surface of the light emitting element enters into a light receiving surface which is not facing the bottom surface of the light emitting element and is a part of an upper surface of the light receiving element to make the light receiving element conductive; and

an optical passage which has a body below the light receiving element and an extension which extends upward from the body and is arranged adjacent to the light receiving element, and reflects a drive light which travels upward through the extension at an upper end of the extension to make the drive light enter into the light receiving surface of the light receiving element.

21. A light emitting display device comprising:

a plurality of light emitting elements which output lights having different wavelengths;

a light receiving element which is connected in series with each of the plural number of light emitting elements, and becomes conductive upon receiving light having a wavelength corresponding to each color of the lights emitted from the light emitting elements;

an optical passage which transmits both of each of data lights representing data of the plural number of wavelengths corresponding to the plural number of different colors of lights and a scanning light, and guides both the lights to the light receiving element; and

a color filter which is provided between the optical passage and the light receiving element, and allows only light for making of the light receiving element conductive to pass through the color filter.

22. A light emitting display device comprising:

a light emitting element;

a light receiving element which is electrically connected in series with the light emitting element so that the light receiving element drives the light emitting element to make the light emitting element emit light when the light receiving element becomes conductive, and is arranged so that the light receiving element becomes conductive upon receiving light emitted from the light emitting element, and which becomes conductive upon receiving both drive signals of a data signal and a scanning signal;

an optical passage which guides a light signal representing one of the data signal and the scanning signal; and

an electric passage which conducts an electric signal representing the other of the data signal and the scanning signal to the light receiving element.

23. A light emitting display device comprising:

a semiconductor display section wherein a plurality of semiconductor display elements each comprised of a semiconductor light emitting element and a semiconductor light receiving element which is electrically connected in series with the semiconductor light emitting element so that the semiconductor light receiving element drives the semiconductor light emitting element when the semiconductor light receiving element becomes conductive and is arranged so that the semiconductor light receiving element becomes conductive upon receiving light from the semiconductor light emitting element are arranged in a matrix comprised of rows and columns;

an optical control section having a laser diode array which generates a signal light for line-sequentially driving the plural number of semiconductor display elements, a lens array which converges the signal light from the laser diode array, and a mirror for deflecting the signal light from the lens array; and

an optical guide section which guides the signal light from the mirror of the optical control section to the semiconductor light receiving element of the semiconductor display section.

24. A light emitting display device as claimed in claim 23, wherein

the semiconductor light emitting element is comprised of a light emitting diode, and the semiconductor light receiving element is comprised of a photo-transistor.

25. A light emitting display device as claimed in claim 23, wherein

the semiconductor display element is comprised of a light activated thyristor.

26. A light emitting display device as claimed in claim 23, wherein

the optical guide section has a structure in which a waveguide sheet for transmitting the signal light from the optical control section and a reflection film for reflecting the signal light are alternately stacked one over the other in a laminate form.

27. A light emitting display device as claimed in claim 26, wherein

the optical guide section has a light outlet portion including an inclined surface which reflects the signal light from the optical control section and guides the signal light to the semiconductor display element.

28. A light emitting display device as claimed in claim 23, wherein

the laser diode array of the optical control section is comprised of a laser diode which emits infra-red light.

29. A light emitting display device as claimed in claim 23, wherein

a light interruption member including a passage portion which allows the signal light from the optical guide section to pass toward the semiconductor light receiving element of the semiconductor display section, and an interrupting portion which prevents external light coming from outside the optical guide section from travelling toward the semiconductor light receiving element, and prevents the signal light coming from the optical guide section from entering into any other adjacent semiconductor display element is provided between the optical guide section and the semiconductor display section.

30. A light emitting display device as claimed in claim 23, wherein

the semiconductor display section comprises:

a plurality of semiconductor display elements arranged in a matrix comprised of rows and columns;

a transparent wiring board which transmits the signal light from the optical guide section, and a light interruption frame board which prevents light from leaking to any element adjacent to the semiconductor display element so as to prevent a cross-talk from occurring.