Electrochromic projection and writing device

• US 6,441,942 B1
• Filed: 09/25/1998
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alliance For Sustainable Energy LLC
• Original Assignee: Midwest Research Institute
• Inventors: Benson, David K., Branz, Howard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Hung Xuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRA, TUYEN Q
• Application Number:
  US09/092,475
• Time in Patent Office: 1,432 Days
• Field of Search: 359/265, 359/268, 359/269, 359/270, 359/275, 359/241, 359/274, 359/273, 353/42, 345/179-183
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1533 structural features not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/157 Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/12 photoconductor
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/12 spatial light modulator

Abstract

A display and projection apparatus includes an electrochromic material and a photoconductive material deposited in tandem used in conjunction with a light filtering means for filtering light transmitted through the electrochromic material. When an electric field is applied across the electrochromic material and the photoconductive material, light that is incident onto the photoconductive material through the surface of the projection apparatus causes the photoconductive material to conduct current locally in proportion to the amount of light incident on the photoconductive material. The flow of current causes the underlying portions of the electrochromic material to switch from an opaque state to a clear or transmissive state, thereby allowing back-light to propagate through the electrochromic material to create a visible image on the surface of the projection apparatus. Reversal of the electric field causes the electrochromic material to revert back to its opaque state, thereby blocking the transmission of back-light and effectively erasing the image from the surface of the projection apparatus.

Claims

1. Image projection and writing apparatus, comprising:

an electrochromic cell comprising an electrolyte positioned between an electrochromic material and an ion storage material, said electrochromic cell being positioned between a transparent front electrode and a transparent back electrode, said front electrode and said back electrode being connected to a voltage source in a manner that applies a voltage across said electrochromic cell,

a photodiode positioned between the front electrode and the electrochromic cell, said photodiode having electrical resistance that varies in response to light;

a back light source positioned adjacent said back electrode; and

an inscribing light source positioned adjacent said front electrode.

4. The image projection and writing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said electrochromic material has a colorized state that is substantially opaque to light produced by said back light source that is outside of a wavelength band range while being transmissive of at least some light produced by said back light source that is within said wavelength band range, and wherein said image projection and writing apparatus includes a light filter positioned between said back light source and said electrochromic material, said light filter being substantially opaque to light in said wavelength band range.

5. The image projection and writing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said photodiode has decreasing electrical resistance in response to increasing light intensity in a characteristic wavelength band, and wherein said image and writing apparatus includes a light filter positioned between said back light source and said photodiode, which light filter is substantially opaque to light in said characteristic wavelength band.

6. The image projection and writing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said photodiode is a half-diode and is positioned in contact with said ion storage material.

7. The image projection and writing apparatus of claim 6, wherein said half-diode is a p-i semiconductor device.

8. The image projection and writing apparatus of claim 6, wherein said half-diode is a p+/n−

/i semiconductor device.

9. The image projection and writing apparatus of claim 6, wherein said half-diode is a p+/n−

/i semiconductor device.

10. The image projection and writing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said front electrode and said back electrode are connected to said voltage source in a reversible manner such that polarity of voltage applied across said electrochromic cell is reversible.

2. The image projection and writing apparatus of clam 1, wherein said photodiode has a total light-absorbing area and said inscribing light source has a light beam that is directed onto an incident area on said photodiode that is smaller than said total light absorbing area.

3. The image projection and writing apparatus of claim 2, wherein said inscribing light source is moveable in relation to said photodiode.

11. A method of writing and projecting an image, comprising the steps of:

positioning an electrochromic cell between a transparent front electrode and a transparent back electrode with a photodiode that has a decreasing electrical resistance in response to incident light of increasing intensity interposed between the front electrode and the electrochromic cell;

applying a bleaching voltage to said front electrode and said back electrode across said electrochromic cell;

directing a back-light through said back electrode onto said electrochromic cell; and

directing an inscribing light beam through the front electrode and onto a portion of the photodiode to decrease electrical resistance of said portion of the photodiode and thereby allow electric current to flow through said portion of the photodiode and through a portion of the electrochromic cell that is adjacent said portion of the photodiode.

12. The method of claim 11, including the step of moving the inscribing light beam in relation to the photodiode.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of directing an inscribing light beam comprises directing an inscribing light beam onto an incident area of said photodiode, said incident area having an area smaller than a total light absorbing area of said photodiode.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of filtering said directed back-light.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said step of filtering comprises inhibiting light transmission within a wavelength band range corresponding to a wavelength band range of said back light to which said electrochromic cell is at least partially transmissive.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said step of filtering comprises inhibiting light transmission within a wavelength band range corresponding to a wavelength band range of said back light to which said photodiode has a decreasing electrical resistance.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

directing at least a portion of said back light through a localized area of said electrochromic cell; and

forming an image corresponding to said localized area of said electrochromic cell.