Display

• US 8,358,459 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2011
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gally, Brian J, Cummings, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ben, Loha
• Application Number:
  US13/076,326
• Publication Number:
  US 20110175948A1
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 359/290, 359/291, 359/298, 359/599, 345/32, 345/85, 345/156, 345/204, 345/211, 345/214, 345/530, 345/536, 345/690, 368/70, 368/76, 368/79, 368/82, 368/107, 725/25, 725/30, 725/86, 710/33, 358/1.1
• US Class Current: 359/290
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 1/10 Changing, amusing, or secret pictures
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 1/14 Iridescent effects
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/001 based on interference in an adjustable optical cavity interference filters G02B5/28; devices or arrangements using multiple reflections in spectrometry or monochromators G01J3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/34 Stereoscopes providing a stereoscopic pair of separated images corresponding to parallactically displaced views of the same object, e.g. 3D slide viewers
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3466 based on interferometric effect
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3473 based on light coupled out of a light guide, e.g. due to scattering, by contracting the light guide with external means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

An ornamental display device having an interferometric modulator for displaying an ornamental image. The ornamental device may also have a signal receiver configured to receive an external signal. The ornamental device may further have a processor configured to control an image on the display based on the external signal. The external signal is emitted from a controller configured to control a plurality of ornamental devices to display coordinated images. The ornamental device may have a patterned diffuser formed on a transparent substrate to provide an ornamental image or information. The ornamental device may be a piece of jewelry or an article that may be worn. The image displayed may have an iridescent appearance. A controller may also be used to control images displayed on multiple ornamental device to provide coordinated images based on externals received or pre-programmed images.

Claims

1. An ornamental device, comprising:

a display having at least one display element;

a signal receiver configured to receive an external signal; and

a processor configured to control an image on the display based on the external signal, wherein the external signal is emitted from a controller configured to control a plurality of ornamental devices to display coordinated images.

2. The ornamental device of claim 1, wherein the ornamental device is jewelry.

3. The ornamental device of claim 1, further comprising a switch configured to activate the display.

4. The ornamental device of claim 3, wherein the switch is configured to activate at least a first mode and a second mode of the display, wherein the display reflects a first set of colors when the first mode is activated and the display reflects a second set of colors when the second mode is activated.

5. The ornamental device of claim 3, wherein the switch is configured to activate at least a first mode and a second mode of the display, wherein the display reflects a first image when the first mode is activated and the display reflects a second image when the second mode is activated, wherein the first and second images are different.

6. The ornamental device of claim 1, further comprising a memory device in electrical communication with said processor, wherein the processor is in electrical communication with said display, said processor being configured to process image data.

7. The ornamental device of claim 6, further comprising a driver circuit configured to send a second signal to said display.

8. The ornamental device of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to send at least a portion of said image data to said driver circuit.

9. The ornamental device of claim 6, further comprising an image source module configured to send said image data to said processor.

10. The ornamental device of claim 9, wherein said image source module comprises at least one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter.

11. The ornamental device of claim 6, further comprising an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate said input data to said processor.

12. A method of making an ornamental device, comprising:

providing a display having a display element;

providing a signal receiver configured to receive an external signal; and

coupling a processor with the display and the signal receiver, wherein the processor is configured to control an image on the display based on the external signal, wherein the external signal is emitted from a controller configured to control a plurality of ornamental devices to display coordinated images.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the ornamental device is jewelry.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising coupling a switch to the display, wherein the switch is configured to activate the display.

15. he method of claim 14, wherein the switch is configured to activate at least a first mode and a second mode of the display, wherein the display reflects a first set of colors when the first mode is activated and the display reflects a second set of colors when the second mode is activated.

16. An ornamental device formed by the method of claim 12.

17. An ornamental device, comprising:

means for displaying an image;

receiving means for receiving an external signal; and

processing means for controlling the image on the displaying means based on the external signal, wherein the external signal is emitted from a controller configured to control a plurality of ornamental devices to display coordinated images.

18. The ornamental device of claim 17, wherein the receiving means comprises an antenna.

19. The ornamental device of claim 17, wherein the processing means comprises a processor.

20. The ornamental device of claim 17, wherein the ornamental device is jewelry.

21. The ornamental device of claim 17, further comprising a switching means for activating the displaying means.

22. The ornamental device of claim 21, wherein the switching means is configured to activate at least a first mode and a second mode of the displaying means, wherein the displaying means reflects a first set of colors when the first mode is activated and the displaying means reflects a second set of colors when the second mode is activated.

23. The ornamental device of claim 21, wherein the switching means is configured to activate at least a first mode and a second mode of the displaying means, wherein the displaying means reflects a first image when the first mode is activated and the displaying means reflects a second image when the second mode is activated, wherein the first and second images are different.

24. A device for controlling display of coordinated images on a plurality of ornamental devices, the device comprising:

a controller configured to;

emit a first signal to at least a first ornamental display device to display a first image; and

emit a second signal to at least a second ornamental display device to display a second image, wherein the first image and the second image are coordinated with one another.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the first ornamental display device comprises jewelry.

26. A method for controlling display of coordinated images on a plurality of ornamental devices, the method comprising:

emitting a first signal to at least a first ornamental display device to display a first image; and

emitting a second signal to at least a second ornamental display device to display a second image, wherein the first image and the second image are coordinated with one another.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the first ornamental display device comprises jewelry.