US3946154A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Reduced initial delay in projecting high quality images from a fluid light valve
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1974-03-22
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Granted: 1976-03-23
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Expires: 1994-03-22
Abstract
Abstract Elapsed time from turn-on of a fluid light valve to the time when the initial, turbulent fluid has settled to a quiescent condition on which a noise free image may be inscribed by an electron beam is reduced by expanding vertical sweep size of the raster, expanding horizontal sweep size of the raster, or reducing electron beam current. These operations, which may be controlled individually or in combination during the turn-on period, sweep out excess fluid from the raster area to ensure that fluid depth is adjusted to less than critical depth over the entire desired raster area so as to establish a smooth and uniform fluid surface by the time the turn-on sequence has been completed.
Inventors
- 👤 Alfred G. Roussin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 11:31
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N5/00; H04N5/74; H04N5/7416; H04N5/7425
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
91 words
In an optical projection system wherein an electron beam is deflected in accordance with a signal to impinge in a raster over the surface of a light-modulating fluid medium, apparatus for controlling the charge deposited by said electron beam on said medium during an initial start-up period, comprising: electron beam generating means, and means coupled to said electron beam generating means for altering electron beam current to control the charge density throughout said raster so as to sweep out excess fluid from the raster area until said medium reaches operating condition.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
91 words
In an optical projection system wherein an electron beam is deflected in accordance with a signal to impinge in a raster over the surface of a light-modulating fluid medium, apparatus for controlling the charge deposited by said electron beam on said medium during an initial start-up period, comprising: electron beam generating means, and means coupled to said electron beam generating means for altering electron beam current to control the charge density throughout said raster so as to sweep out excess fluid from the raster area until said medium reaches operating condition.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
123 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means coupled to said electron beam generating means comprises: comparator means having an output and first and second inputs; electron beam sensing means coupled to the first input of said comparator means, said electron beam sensing means producing a signal in accordance with intensity of said electron beam; and timing means coupled to the second input of said comparator means, said timing means producing a time varying signal of predetermined characteristics upon initiation of said electron beam, said output of said comparator means being coupled to said electron beam generating means for adjusting amplitude of electron beam current in accordance with any difference in signals produced by said electron beam sensing means and said timing means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
103 words
In an optical projection system wherein an electron beam impinges on a light-modulating fluid medium, said electron beam being deflected over the surface of said medium in raster fashion in accordance with a signal so as to control light energy directed upon said medium, apparatus for quieting turbulence of said medium so as to render said surface uniformly calm and smooth, comprising: electron beam generating means for generating said beam with controllable intensity; and means coupled to said electron beam generating means for decreasing electron beam current at a controlled time rate from an initial higher intensity level to a predetermined operating level.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
103 words
In an optical projection system wherein an electron beam impinges on a light-modulating fluid medium, said electron beam being deflected over the surface of said medium in raster fashion in accordance with a signal so as to control light energy directed upon said medium, apparatus for quieting turbulence of said medium so as to render said surface uniformly calm and smooth, comprising: electron beam generating means for generating said beam with controllable intensity; and means coupled to said electron beam generating means for decreasing electron beam current at a controlled time rate from an initial higher intensity level to a predetermined operating level.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
123 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means coupled to said electron beam generating means comprises: comparator means having an output and first and second inputs; electron beam sensing means coupled to the first input of said comparator means, said electron beam sensing means producing a signal in accordance with intensity of said electron beam; and timing means coupled to the second input of said comparator means, said timing means producing a time varying signal of predetermined characteristics upon initiation of said electron beam, said output of said comparator means being coupled to said electron beam generating means for adjusting amplitude of electron beam current in accordance with any difference in signals produced by said electron beam sensing means and said timing means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
135 words
In an optical projection system wherein an electron beam impinges on a light-modulating fluid medium, said electron beam being deflected over the surface of said medium in accordance with a signal so as to control light energy directed upon said medium, apparatus for quieting turbulence of said medium so as to render said surface uniformly calm and smooth, comprising: electron beam deflection means for sweeping said beam over said medium in a raster of size controllable between a predetermined operating size and an initial size smaller than said predetermined operating size; and means coupled to said electron beam deflection means for expanding said raster from said initial size at a controlled time rate by enlarging the sweep of said beam at said controlled time rate until said raster has increased to said predetermined operating size.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
135 words
In an optical projection system wherein an electron beam impinges on a light-modulating fluid medium, said electron beam being deflected over the surface of said medium in accordance with a signal so as to control light energy directed upon said medium, apparatus for quieting turbulence of said medium so as to render said surface uniformly calm and smooth, comprising: electron beam deflection means for sweeping said beam over said medium in a raster of size controllable between a predetermined operating size and an initial size smaller than said predetermined operating size; and means coupled to said electron beam deflection means for expanding said raster from said initial size at a controlled time rate by enlarging the sweep of said beam at said controlled time rate until said raster has increased to said predetermined operating size.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said means coupled to said electron beam deflection means comprises means for producing vertical sweep voltage excursions between gradually widening amplitude limits.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said means coupled to said electron beam deflection means comprises means for producing horizontal sweep voltage excursions between gradually widening amplitude limits.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 6 including additional means for producing horizontal sweep voltage excursions between gradually widening amplitude limits.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus of claim 6 including electron beam generating means for generating said beam with controllable intensity, and means coupled to said electron beam generating means for decreasing electron beam current at a controlled time rate while the amplitude limits of said vertical sweep voltage excursions are gradually widening.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus of claim 7 including electron beam generating means for generating said beam with controllable intensity, and means coupled to said electron beam generating means for decreasing electron beam current at a controlled time rate while the amplitude limits of said horizontal sweep voltage excursions are gradually widening.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
53 words
THe apparatus of claim 8 including electron beam generating means for generating said beam with controllable intensity, and means coupled to said electron beam generating means for decreasing electron beam current at a controlled time rate while the amplitude limits of each of said vertical and horizontal sweep voltage excursions are gradually widening.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
102 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said means for producing vertical sweep voltage excursions between gradually increasing amplitude limits comprises: an integrator circuit; constant current generator means having an output coupled to the input of said integrator circuit so as to furnish current to said integrator circuit; and timing means coupled to the output of said constant current generator means, said timing means gradually receiving less current from said constant current generator means so as to gradually divert more current to said integrator circuit and thereby permit said integrator circuit to produce vertical sweep voltage excursions between said gradually increasing amplitude limits.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
91 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said means for producing horizontal sweep voltage excursions between gradually increasing amplitude limits comprises: charge storage means; means coupled to said charge storage means for supplying charge pulses thereto at a constant frequency; circuit means coupled to said charge storage means for controllably supplying a leakage path for said charge storage means; and timing means coupled to said circuit means for gradually increasing conductivity of said circuit means to permit horizontal sweep voltage excursions on said charge storage means between said gradually widening amplitude limits.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
83 words
In an optical projection system wherein an electron beam is deflected to impinge in a raster over the surface of a light-modulating fluid medium, a method for sweeping out excess fluid from said raster area with minimum delay during an initial start-up period, comprising: establishing a control signal varying at a predetermined rate, and altering flow of said electron beam toward said medium under control of said control signal to adjust the charge density throughout said raster until said medium reaches operating condition.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
83 words
In an optical projection system wherein an electron beam is deflected to impinge in a raster over the surface of a light-modulating fluid medium, a method for sweeping out excess fluid from said raster area with minimum delay during an initial start-up period, comprising: establishing a control signal varying at a predetermined rate, and altering flow of said electron beam toward said medium under control of said control signal to adjust the charge density throughout said raster until said medium reaches operating condition.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the step of altering said electron beam comprises increasing, at a controlled time rate, the area of said surface over which said electron beam is deflected.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the step of altering said electron beam comprises increasing, at a controlled time rate, the distance over which said electron beam is deflected vertically.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the step of altering said electron beam comprises increasing, at a controlled time rate, the distance over which said electron beam is deflected horizontally.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the step of altering said electron beam comprises increasing, at separately determined time rates, the horizontal and vertical distances, respectively, over which said electron beam is deflected.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the step of altering said electron beam comprises decreasing to a predetermined operating level, at a controlled time rate, the intensity of said electron beam.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 15 including the step of decreasing electron beam current, at a controlled time rate, to a predetermined operating level.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
96 words
In an optical projection system wherein an electron beam is deflected in accordance with a signal to impinge in a raster over the surface of a light-modulating fluid medium, apparatus for controlling the charge deposited by said electron beam on said medium during an initial start-up period, comprising: electron beam generating and deflecting means, and means coupled to said electron beam generating and deflecting means for altering electron beam flow toward said medium to control the charge density throughout said raster, thereby sweeping out excess fluid from the raster area until said medium reaches operating condition.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
96 words
In an optical projection system wherein an electron beam is deflected in accordance with a signal to impinge in a raster over the surface of a light-modulating fluid medium, apparatus for controlling the charge deposited by said electron beam on said medium during an initial start-up period, comprising: electron beam generating and deflecting means, and means coupled to said electron beam generating and deflecting means for altering electron beam flow toward said medium to control the charge density throughout said raster, thereby sweeping out excess fluid from the raster area until said medium reaches operating condition.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said means alters electron beam current to decrease charge density from an initial high value to the value required for normal operation.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said means alters said signal to increase the size of said raster from an initial small size to the size required for normal operation.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said means alters electron beam current and alters said signal to decrease the charge density throughout said raster from an initial value to a predetermined operating value.
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) | 1979-03-23 | 1979-09-22 | 1980-03-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-03-23 | 1983-09-22 | 1984-03-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-03-23 | 1987-09-22 | 1988-03-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |