Display screen with optical memory

• US 7,911,673 B1
• Filed: 11/15/2007
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Yap, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson; Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US11/940,944
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: 359/232, 359/238, 359/241, 359/242, 250/461, 345/204, 345/214
• US Class Current: 359/242
• 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 1/213 Fabry-Perot type
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/14 photochromic

Abstract

The invention is a multi-color display screen that has built in optical memory for each pixel location. The optical memory is optically read and optically programmed. The screen itself distinguishes between the specific colors from which a full-color (or multi-color) image is constructed and modulates the intensities of the component colors that it directs toward a viewer. The screen provides enhanced image resolution and reduces information bandwidth required to control the display the image.

Claims

1. A projection screen on which an image can be displayed by receiving a projection light, the screen comprising a plurality of pixels, each of the plurality of pixels comprising at least two pixel portions, each pixel portion comprising:

a programmable wavelength selective layer having a photochromic material and a multi-peak transmission filter layer;

wherein the programmable wavelength selective layer has a state that can be modified by programming light of specific wavelengths associated with that pixel portion, and wherein the multi-peak transmission filter layer transmits to the programmable wavelength selective layer those specific wavelengths of programming light associated with that pixel portion and rejects those other wavelengths of programming light associated with other pixel portions of said each of the plurality of pixels;

whereby each pixel portion modulates a different predetermined wavelength of projection light, said wavelength being associated with that pixel portion.

2. The projection screen of claim 1 wherein the photochromic material of a pixel portion has a variable absorption of the predetermined wavelength of projection light associated with that pixel portion,

said absorption being modified by programming light of specific wavelengths associated with that pixel portion.

3. The projection screen of claim 1 wherein the photochromic material of a pixel portion has a variable refractive index at the predetermined wavelength of projection light associated with that pixel portion,

said refractive index being modified by programming light of specific wavelengths associated with that pixel portion.

4. The projection screen of claim 3 wherein the programmable wavelength selective layer of a pixel portion comprises multiple layers of photochromic material and wherein said multiple layers of photochromic layers are separated by layers of non-photochromic material,

said multiple layers of photochromic material and said layers of non-photochromic material forming a programmable reflection filter.

5. The projection screen of claim 1 wherein the multi-peak transmission filter layer of a pixel portion also transmits the predetermined wavelength of projection light associated with that pixel portion.

6. The projection screen of claim 1 wherein the multi-peak transmission filter layer of a pixel portion reflects the predetermined wavelengths of projection light associated with other pixel portions of said each of the plurality of pixels.

7. The projection screen of claim 1 further comprising an output transmission filter, wherein the programmable wavelength selective layer is situated between the multi-peak transmission filter and the output transmission filter;

said output transmission filter transmitting the predetermined wavelength of projection light associated with that pixel portion.

8. The projection screen of claim 1 further comprising a black absorber layer, wherein the programmable wavelength selective reflection layer is situated between the multi-peak transmission filter layer and the black absorber layer, said black absorber layer absorbing light of all wavelengths of projection light and all wavelengths of programming light.

9. The projection screen of claim 8 further comprising the black absorber layer selected from the group consisting essentially of:

carbon-black paint, gold-black films and carbon-nanotube coatings.

10. The projection screen as claimed in claim 8 wherein the each pixel portion further comprises a retro-reflecting structure.

11. The projection screen of claim 1 wherein the multi-peak transmission filter layer of a pixel portion also transmits the predetermined wavelengths of projection light associated with all pixel portions of a pixel;

wherein the programmable wavelength selective layer reflects only the predetermined wavelength of projection light associated with that pixel portion and transmits other wavelengths of projection light not associated with that pixel portion.

12. The Projection screen of claim 1 further comprising a multi-peak reflection filter layer;

a diffractive element layer; and

a black absorber layer;

wherein the programmable wavelength selective layer is situated between a first side of the multi-peak transmission filter layer and the multi-peak reflection filter layer; and

wherein the diffractive element layer is situated between the second side of the multi-peak transmission filter layer and the black absorber layer, said black absorber layer absorbing light of all wavelengths of projection light and all wavelengths of programming light.

13. The projection screen of claim 12 further comprising the black absorber layer selected from the group consisting essentially of:

carbon-black paint, gold-black films and carbon-nanotube coatings.

14. The projection screen of claim 1 wherein each pixel portion comprises:

an optical waveguide with at least one end, a front side, and a back side;

the waveguide comprising a plurality of spherical beads forming bulged areas on the front side and the back side of the waveguide where the beads are located;

wherein said programmable wavelength selective layer is disposed on the front side of the waveguide substantially covering the bulged areas thereon.

15. The projection screen of claim 14 further comprising a first programming light reflection filter layer overlaid on the programmable wavelength selective layer;

and

a black absorber layer disposed on the back side of the waveguide substantially covering the bulged areas thereon, said black absorber layer absorbing light of all wavelengths of projection light and all wavelengths of programming light.

16. The projection screen of claim 15 wherein each pixel portion further comprises a second programming light reflection filter layer disposed between the black absorber layer and the back side of the waveguide.

17. The projection screen of claim 14 wherein the programmable wavelength selective layer reflects only the predetermined wavelength of projection light associated with that pixel portion and transmits other wavelengths of projection light not associated with that pixel portion.

18. The projection screen of claim 14 wherein said multi-peak transmission filter layer is disposed on the front side of the waveguide substantially covering the bulged areas thereon;

and

wherein said programmable wavelength selective layer is overlaid on the transmission filter layer.

19. The projection screen of claim 14 wherein said multi-peak transmission filter layer is disposed on at least one end of said optical waveguide.

20. A method of displaying an image on a projection screen comprising the steps of:

programming the state of each pixel of the projection screen by temporarily illuminating that pixel with programming light; and

illuminating each pixel of the projection screen with projection light of at least two wavelengths;

wherein said each pixel comprises at least two pixel portions, each one of said at least two pixel portions having a programmable state that modulates a particular wavelength of said projection light associated with that pixel portion and that does not modulate other wavelengths of said projection light not associated with that pixel portion; and

wherein each pixel is capable of retaining its state when said pixel is not being illuminated with said programming light.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said programming light comprises multiple different wavelengths;

each pixel portion selecting specific wavelengths of programming light associated with that pixel portion and rejecting other wavelengths of programming light not associated with that pixel portion.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of programming the state of each pixel of the projection screen comprises controlling the transmission of a particular wavelength of said projection light associated with a pixel portion of said pixel, said pixel portion not transmitting other wavelengths of said projection light that are not associated with that pixel portion.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of programming the state of each pixel of the projection screen comprises controlling the reflection of a particular wavelength of said projection light associated with a pixel portion of said pixel, said pixel portion not reflecting other wavelengths of said projection light that are not associated with that pixel portion.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of programming the state of each pixel of the projection screen comprises illuminating first one size area of the projection screen with programming light and then illuminating a different size area of the projection screen with programming light.