US3670323A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Image-display devices comprising particle light modulators with storage
Assignee: Zenith Electronics LLC
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Filing: 1970-12-14
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Granted: 1972-06-13
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Expires: 1990-12-14
Abstract
Abstract An image-display panel is composed of horizontal rows and vertical columns of illumination-control cells, each of which includes anisometric particles of suspended magnetic material that normally obstruct light but become oriented to pass light in response to the application of a magnetic field. Individually associated with different cells are a plurality of magnetic storage elements that effect control of the application of the fields to the cells. A like plurality of magnetic-field-producing devices are individually associated with respective cells and storage elements. In response to vertical synchronizing signals, conditioning pulses are selectively applied to respective rows of the field-producing devices in order to create in the corresponding storage elements respective field components of magnitudes insufficient to orient the particles in the associated cells for light control. In response to horizontal synchronizing signals, control pulses are selectively applied to respective columns of the field-producing devices in order to create, in the corresponding storage elements, respective field components of magnitudes sufficient, together with the respective field components created in response to the conditioning pulses, to establish in the respective cells resultant fields sufficient to orient the affected particles for light control. At the same time, the amplitude of the conditioning or control pulses is modulated by video signals so that the total magnitude of each of the resultant fields is proportional to the instantaneous video level. The storage elements thereafter serve to maintain orientation of the particles until, finally, in response to synchronizing signals, the storage elements are periodically deactivated in time-correspondence with successive intervals of the video information. In one extension of the basic disclosure, a manually movable magnet is employed to write additional information into the display.
Inventors
- 👤 Alan Sobel
- 👤 Joseph Markin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 12:24
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09F; G09F9/00; G09F9/30; G09F9/37; G09F9/375; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/09; G02F1/091
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
327 words
An image-display system for controlled light transmission or light reflection comprising: a plurality of illumination-control cells distributed in horizontal rows and vertical columns and each including particles of magnetic material suspended in a medium and responsive to a magnetic field for being changed in orientation from a first condition to a second condition, one of said conditions constituting a light-obstructing condition and the other a light-translating condition; a corresponding plurality of magnetic storage elements respectively associated with said cells in sufficient proximity therewith to impress a controlling magnetic field thereon; means including a corresponding plurality of magnetic fieldproducing devices individually magnetically coupled to said storage elements and responsive to an applied current in excess of a predetermined magnitude to establish a remenent magnetic field therein; a source of picture signals and of row- and column-selection signals; means responsive to said row-selection signals for effecting selective application to individual rows of said fieldproducing devices of a set of conditioning pulses to establish in each storage element of the selected row a magnetizing current of a magnitude less than said predetermined magnitude; means responsive to said column-selection signals for effecting selective application to individual columns of said fieldproducing devices of a set of control pulses to establish in each storage element of the selected column a magnetizing current of a magnitude less than said predetermined magnitude to create a magnetic field component sufficient, when superimposed on a field component created by a conditioning pulse, to establish a resultant field sufficient to orient the particles of an illumination-control cell at the cross-point of the selected row and the selected column for controlled light translation; means responsive to said picture signals for effectively modulating the amplitude of at least one of said sets of pulses so that the total magnitude of each of said resultant fields varies with picture content; and means responsive to at least some of said selection signals for selectively restoring said storage elements to a reference condition.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
327 words
An image-display system for controlled light transmission or light reflection comprising: a plurality of illumination-control cells distributed in horizontal rows and vertical columns and each including particles of magnetic material suspended in a medium and responsive to a magnetic field for being changed in orientation from a first condition to a second condition, one of said conditions constituting a light-obstructing condition and the other a light-translating condition; a corresponding plurality of magnetic storage elements respectively associated with said cells in sufficient proximity therewith to impress a controlling magnetic field thereon; means including a corresponding plurality of magnetic fieldproducing devices individually magnetically coupled to said storage elements and responsive to an applied current in excess of a predetermined magnitude to establish a remenent magnetic field therein; a source of picture signals and of row- and column-selection signals; means responsive to said row-selection signals for effecting selective application to individual rows of said fieldproducing devices of a set of conditioning pulses to establish in each storage element of the selected row a magnetizing current of a magnitude less than said predetermined magnitude; means responsive to said column-selection signals for effecting selective application to individual columns of said fieldproducing devices of a set of control pulses to establish in each storage element of the selected column a magnetizing current of a magnitude less than said predetermined magnitude to create a magnetic field component sufficient, when superimposed on a field component created by a conditioning pulse, to establish a resultant field sufficient to orient the particles of an illumination-control cell at the cross-point of the selected row and the selected column for controlled light translation; means responsive to said picture signals for effectively modulating the amplitude of at least one of said sets of pulses so that the total magnitude of each of said resultant fields varies with picture content; and means responsive to at least some of said selection signals for selectively restoring said storage elements to a reference condition.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
An image-display system as defined in claim 1, in which said storage elements exhibits substantial non-linearity in response to said field components.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
An image-display system as defined in claim 1, in which said restoring means comprises means for subjecting said cells to an electric field that opposes the effect of said resultant magnetic field.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
An image-display system as defined in claim 3, in which said electric field acts upon said particles effectively at right angles to said resultant field.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
An image-display system as defined in claim 1, in which said field-producing means include electrical conductors at least partially encircling said cells.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
An image-display system as defined in claim 5, in which said storage elements are of a magnetic material and are disposed adjacent to respective ones of said conductors.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
An image-display system as defined in claim 1, which further comprises means for subjecting said cells to an electric field that aids the effect of said resultant field.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
An image-display system as defined in claim 1, in which said field-producing means includes a magnetic structure for enhancing the magnetic field to which each of said cells is subjected.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
An image-display system as defined in claim 5, in which at least two sEparate electrical conductors at least partially encircle each of said cells.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
An image-display system as defined in claim 9, in which separate conductors are similarly oriented with respect to each of said cells to provide substantial flux cancellation in the regions between adjacent cells.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
An image-display system according to claim 1, in which said magnetic storage elements also serve as containers for the magnetic particle suspension.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
An image-display system according to claim 1, in which at least some of said magnetic field producing devices comprise the magnetic storage element associated with the corresponding illumination-control cells.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
77 words
An image-display device comprising: a plurality of illumination-control cells arranged in rows and columns and each comprising a suspension of anisometric particles and means for impressing a particle-orienting field on said suspension to vary the light-translating capacity of the cell in response to variations in the strength of the applied field; and a corresponding plurality of storage elements, one associated with each of said cells and each disposed in the particle-orienting field impressed on the associated cell.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
77 words
An image-display device comprising: a plurality of illumination-control cells arranged in rows and columns and each comprising a suspension of anisometric particles and means for impressing a particle-orienting field on said suspension to vary the light-translating capacity of the cell in response to variations in the strength of the applied field; and a corresponding plurality of storage elements, one associated with each of said cells and each disposed in the particle-orienting field impressed on the associated cell.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
An image-display device according to claim 13, in which said particles are light-absorbing and each of said cells is provided with a reflective backing element to provide for direct-reflection-mode operation of said image-display device.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
An image-display device according to claim 13, in which said particles are light-reflective and each of said cells is provided with a light-absorbing backing element to provide for inverse-reflection-mode operation of said image-display device.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
An image-display device according to claim 13, in which said particles are optically resonant at a predetermined visible light frequency.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
An image-display device according to claim 13, in which each of said illumination-control cells is surrounded by light-absorbing material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
213 words
In a two-dimensional display apparatus for displaying continuous tone images, matrix of row and column addressable light control devices for modulating the intensity of input light in accordance with an electrical input signal, each device comprising: a light control cell including a container enclosing an optically transparent fluid within which is suspended a large number of randomly distributed light intensity affecting particles which are urged toward a state of random orientation by Brownian motion, said container having transparent window means for admitting said input light into said container; field-generating means responsive to said input signal for establishing across said light control cell a field to which said particles are responsive for ordering the orientation of said particles without substantially affecting the random distribution thereof so as to cause the intensity-affecting characteristic of said particles to have a value corresponding to the level of said input signal as applied to said field-generating means; and storage means associated with said cell for maintaining said field within said cell for a period of time substantially greater than a time interval during which said input signal is applied to said field-generating means such that said value of said intensity-affecting characteristics of said particles is also maintained for a period of time substantially greater than said time interval.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
213 words
In a two-dimensional display apparatus for displaying continuous tone images, matrix of row and column addressable light control devices for modulating the intensity of input light in accordance with an electrical input signal, each device comprising: a light control cell including a container enclosing an optically transparent fluid within which is suspended a large number of randomly distributed light intensity affecting particles which are urged toward a state of random orientation by Brownian motion, said container having transparent window means for admitting said input light into said container; field-generating means responsive to said input signal for establishing across said light control cell a field to which said particles are responsive for ordering the orientation of said particles without substantially affecting the random distribution thereof so as to cause the intensity-affecting characteristic of said particles to have a value corresponding to the level of said input signal as applied to said field-generating means; and storage means associated with said cell for maintaining said field within said cell for a period of time substantially greater than a time interval during which said input signal is applied to said field-generating means such that said value of said intensity-affecting characteristics of said particles is also maintained for a period of time substantially greater than said time interval.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
160 words
In two-dimensional visual display apparatus displaying continuous tone images, a matrix of row and column addressable elemental light control devices for modulating the intensity of input light in accordance with an electrical input signal, each of which devices includes a cell enclosing light-transmissive fluid within which is suspended a large number of randomly distributed magnetically sensitive particles and field-generating means responsive to said input signal for applying across said cell a magnetic field for altering the orientation of said parTicles without substantially affecting the random distribution thereof to thereby alter the intensity of said input light, the improvement characterized by said device having associated with said fluid cell passive magnetizable storage means independent of said field-generating means which is located in and magnetizable by said magnetic field for causing said magnetic field to be maintained on said particles for a period of time substantially greater than a time interval during which said input signal is applied to said field-generating means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
160 words
In two-dimensional visual display apparatus displaying continuous tone images, a matrix of row and column addressable elemental light control devices for modulating the intensity of input light in accordance with an electrical input signal, each of which devices includes a cell enclosing light-transmissive fluid within which is suspended a large number of randomly distributed magnetically sensitive particles and field-generating means responsive to said input signal for applying across said cell a magnetic field for altering the orientation of said parTicles without substantially affecting the random distribution thereof to thereby alter the intensity of said input light, the improvement characterized by said device having associated with said fluid cell passive magnetizable storage means independent of said field-generating means which is located in and magnetizable by said magnetic field for causing said magnetic field to be maintained on said particles for a period of time substantially greater than a time interval during which said input signal is applied to said field-generating means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device defined by claim 19 wherein said storage means is a hollow cylindrical member surrounding said fluid body and oriented perpendicular to said input light.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device defined by claim 20 wherein said member serves to at least partially contain said fluid in said cell.
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) | 1975-06-13 | 1975-12-13 | 1976-06-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-06-13 | 1979-12-13 | 1980-06-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-06-13 | 1983-12-13 | 1984-06-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |