Display apparatus employing fiber optics

Claim 1

Display apparatus for converting electrical signals representative of data into a visual display, comprising: drum means; a plurality of individually energizable light sources associated with the drum means, each of the plurality of light sources having an output end and each of the plurality of light sources being adaptive in response to electrical signals to generate a light signal at its output end; energizing means associated with the drum means and coupled to the plurality of light sources, said energizing means being adapted to couple electrical signals selectively to the plurality of light sources whereby light sources of the plurality may selectively be energized to generate selectively light signals at the output ends thereof; a plurality of sets of light conducting members spaced along the circumference of the drum means, the number of light conducting members in each set being equal to the number of light sources, each of the sets of light conducting members having first ends remote from the drum means and arranged in a linear pattern, the first ends of the plurality of sets of light conducting members defining a display surface, and each of the plurality of sets of light conducting members having opposite ends proximate to the drum means and arranged to define input connections for receiving light signals produced at the output ends of the plurality of light sources, each of said light conducting members being operative to conducting light signals from the opposite end thereof to said display surface; and means for producing relative motion between the drum means and the opposite ends of the plurality of sets of light conducting members to cause the plurality of light sources to move past the opposite ends of the plurality of sets of light conducting members in succession, the opposite ends of only one of the sets of light conducting members being in light signal receiving relationship with the plurality of light sources at any given instant, whereby when electrical signals are selectively applied by the energizing means to the plurality of light sources as the light sources move past the opposite ends of the plurality of sets of light conducting members in succession, the light signals at the output ends of the light sources are received by the opposite ends of the plurality of sets of light conducting members in succession and conducted to the linearly arranged first ends thereof, a display thereby being built up progressively at the linearly arranged first ends of the plurality of sets of light conducting members.