US3659149A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Information display panel using amorphous semiconductor layer adjacent optical display material
Assignee: Energy Conversion Devices Inc
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Filing: 1970-11-18
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Granted: 1972-04-25
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Expires: 1990-11-18
Abstract
Abstract An amorphous semiconductor layer is employed in the display panel disclosed herein. An electroluminescent layer is sandwiched between the amorphous semiconductor layer and a set of parallel spaced conductors. An AC signal is applied to the conductors so that adjacent conductors are 180* out of phase. A field is established between adjacent conductors which passes up through the electroluminescent layer across the layer of amorphous semiconductor material and back down through another portion of the electroluminescent layer. If the amorphous semiconductor material is in a low resistance state the field across the electroluminescent material is made sufficiently strong to cause it to emit light. By switching the amorphous semiconductor material at selected regions, the electroluminescent material emits light in accordance with a desired pattern of information to be displayed. Systems are disclosed for switching the amorphous material in a variety of ways, and techniques for varying the intensity and contrast of the display are also disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Gordon R Fleming
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 22:54
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09G; G09G3/00; G09G3/20; G09G3/22; G09G3/30; G09G2300/00; G09G2300/08; G09G2300/088; G09G2300/0885; G09G2360/00; G09G2360/14; G09G2360/145; G09G2360/147; G09G2360/148
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
218 words
Apparatus for displaying information comprising: a layer of amorphous semiconductor material capable of having portions thereof switched between at least a high resistance state and a low resistance state in response to the application of a pattern of energy corresponding to the information to be displayed; a layer of optical display material placed in close proximity to said semiconductor material and capable of changing its optical properties to produce an image in response to the application of an electrical potential thereacross; a plurality of electrical conductors placed in close proximity to said layer of optical display material so that at least a portion of said optical display material is located between said amorphous material and at least two of said electrical conductors; and coupling means for applying an electrical voltage to said at least two conductors in sufficient quantity to establish a potential between said at least two conductors which potential is applied across the series combination of a portion of said dispLay material, a portion of said amorphous material and another portion of said display material so that when said amorphous material is in said low resistance state the optical properties of those portions of said display material which have said potential applied thereacross are changed to produce an image corresponding to the information to be displayed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
218 words
Apparatus for displaying information comprising: a layer of amorphous semiconductor material capable of having portions thereof switched between at least a high resistance state and a low resistance state in response to the application of a pattern of energy corresponding to the information to be displayed; a layer of optical display material placed in close proximity to said semiconductor material and capable of changing its optical properties to produce an image in response to the application of an electrical potential thereacross; a plurality of electrical conductors placed in close proximity to said layer of optical display material so that at least a portion of said optical display material is located between said amorphous material and at least two of said electrical conductors; and coupling means for applying an electrical voltage to said at least two conductors in sufficient quantity to establish a potential between said at least two conductors which potential is applied across the series combination of a portion of said dispLay material, a portion of said amorphous material and another portion of said display material so that when said amorphous material is in said low resistance state the optical properties of those portions of said display material which have said potential applied thereacross are changed to produce an image corresponding to the information to be displayed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said amorphous semiconductor material is capable of having portions thereof reversibly switched between said high resistance state and low resistance state so that the information to be displayed can be modified.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further characterized by the addition of input means for selectively applying said energy to certain portions of said amorphous semiconductor material in accordance with a pattern of information to be displayed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said energy is a laser beam.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said energy is an electron beam.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said energy is in the form of photoflash lamp light.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said electrical conductors are constructed in the shape of flat ribbons of conductive material arranged in parallel rows separated by a non-conductive gap between rows.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein alternate ribbons of said conductive material are connected in common forming at least two separate electrical networks.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 8 further characterized by the addition of a source of alternating current connected to said coupling means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said non-conductive gap between each row of conductive material is filled with a dielectric material to inhibit the establishment of a high potential at the edges of said conductive material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said optical display material is an electroluminescent material which emits light in response to the application of an electric field thereacross.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 11 further characterized by the addition of a source of alternating current having a pair of terminals one connected through said coupling means to one of said networks and the other connected through said coupling means to the other of said networks.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said source of alternating current includes means for varying the amplitude of said alternating current to change the intensity of light emitted from said electroluminescent material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said source of alternating current includes means for varying the frequency of said alternating current to change the contrast between the light emitted from different portions of said electroluminescent material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
83 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 9 further characterized by the addition of a source of radio-frequency alternating current having a pair of terminals one connected through said coupling means to one of said networks and the other connected through said coupling means to the other of said networks, and having sufficient energy to switch those portions of said amorphous semiconductor material which are in said low resistance state into said high resistance state so that the information to be displayed can be modified.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
51 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further characterized by the addition of a matrix of light emitting elements including means for energizing selected elements in said matrix and located in close proximity to said amorphous semiconductor material for generating said pattern of energy corresponding 21 to the information to be displayed.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further characterized by the addition of feed means for moving the position of said layer of amorphous semiconductor material with respect to the position of said layer of optical display material so that different information is displayed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-04-25 | 1975-10-25 | 1976-04-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-04-25 | 1979-10-25 | 1980-04-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-04-25 | 1983-10-25 | 1984-04-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |