Light beam message character generating system

Claim 2

In a light deflecting device of the type having a transparent parallelapiped member with a plurality of light reflecting surfaces directing a light beam along a helical path of plural revolutions through the transparent member, said revolutions being side-by-side along a length dimension of said member, at least first and second transducer means intimately joined to a surface of said member and positioned thereon, side-by-side, in the direction of said length and coinciding, respectively, with first and second revolutions of the helical path along which said light beam is directed, the improvement comprising: means for connecting ultrasonic frequency voltages, selectively, to said first and second transducer means for establishing correspondingly first and second series of individual light diffraction gratings in said transparent member and effecting, thereby, a redirecting of said light beam away from said helical path and along first and second series of individual secondary paths stemming, respectively, from said first and second series of individual light diffraction gratings, said light along each said secondary path undergoing a succession of light reflections within said plurality of light reflecting surfaces extending to, and thereupon beyond, the light reflecting limits of said plurality of light reflecting surfaces.

Claim 3

The invention as set forth in claim 1 including, light beam display means presenting a display surface having a width dimension; and means for directing light, extending beyond said reflecting limits of the plurality of light reflecting surfaces, toward said display surface for establishing thereon first and second series of incident light stemming, respectively, from said first and second series of secondary paths, said incident light representative of first and second series of light beam reference positions at said display surface and positioned thereon in a spaced apart side-by-side relationship in the direction of said width dimension of the display surface.

Claim 4

The invention as set forth in claim 2 including, secondary light deflector means with transducer means, and having a light transparent interaction medium positioned in the paths of the light stemming, respectively, from said first and second series of secondary paths and being directed toward said display surface; means for connecting ultrasonic frequency voltages, selectively, to said transducer means for establishing, accordingly, light diffraction gratings in said interaction medium for controlling said directing of light toward said display surface and a directing of said light to positions thereon adjacent, respectively, said first and second series of light beam reference positions.

Claim 5

In a light deflecting device of the type having a light input surface, a light output surface, and an array of light reflecting surfaces intermediate said input surface and said output surface, a source of light and means for directing light therefrom along an input path toward said input surface and thereupon along an optical path while undergoing a series of light reflections within said array of light reflecting surfaces so as to establish an availability of light from said source coincident with at least first and second locations along said optical path for an optically controlled redirecting of said light, selectively, at either one of said locations and a reflecting of said light along a corresponding one of first or second secondary paths within said array of reflecting surfaces toward said light output surface and thereupon beyond the light reflecting limits of said array of surfaces, each of said locations being representative of a light output control position of said device, said array of reflecting surfaces each angularly oriented so as to allow said light to follow said optical path forming a helix of plural revolutions, said first and second locations coinciding, respectively, with first and second ones of said revolutions, light redirecting means operatively associated with each of said control positions for establishing, selectively, a light diffraction grating in the path of said light thereat for effecting said controlled redirecting of the light at said location, wherein the improvement comprises: said light redirecting means including first and second acousto-optic light deflectors each having a light conducting interaction medium positioned along said optical path for said light coinciding, respectively, with said first and second locations, first and second transducer means intimately joined, respectively, to the interaction medium of said first and second light deflectors and means for connecting an ultrasonic frequency voltage, selectively, to said first or second transducer means for said establishing of a light diffraction grating in the path of said light; said optically controlled redirecting of the light at either of the locations including a redirecting of said light along a selected one of first or second secondary paths stemming from said first location and corresponding to voltages connected to said first transducer means, or, a redirecting of said light along a selected one of first or second secondary paths stemming from said second location and corresponding to voltages connected to said second transducer means, said light along each said secondary path undergoing a succession of light reflections within said array of light reflecting surfaces extending to, and thereupon beyond, the light reflecting limits of said array of light reflecting surfaces.

Claim 6

In a light deflecting device of the type having a light input surface, a light output surface, and an array of light reflecting surfaces intermediate said input surface and said output surface, a source of light and means for directing light therefrom along an input path toward said input surface and thereupon along an optical path while undergoing a series of light reflections within said array of light reflecting surfaces so as to establish an availability of light from said source coincident with at least first and second locations along said optical path for an optically controlled redirecting of said light, selectively, at either one of said locations and a reflecting of said light along a corresponding one of first or second secondary paths within said array of reflecting surfaces toward said light output surface and thereupon beyond the light reflecting limits of said array of surfaces, each of said locations being representative of a light output control position of said device, said array of reflecting surfaces each angularly oriented so as to allow said light to follow said optical path forming a helix of plural revolutions, said first and second locations coinciding, respectively, with first and second ones of said revolutions, light redirecting means operatively associated with each of said control positions for establishing, selectively, a light diffraction grating in the path of said light thereat for effecting said controlled redirecting of the light at said location, wherein the improvement comprises: said light redirecting means including first and second acousto-optic light deflectors each having a light conducting interaction medium positioned along said optical path for said light coinciding, respectively, with said first and second locations, first and second transducer means intimately joined, respectively, to the interaction medium of said first and second light deflectors and means for connecting an ultrasonic frequency voltage, selectively, to said first or second transducer means for said establishing of a light diffraction grating in the path of said light; said optically controlled redirecting of the light at either of the locations including a redirecting of said light along a selected one of first or second secondary paths stemming from said first location and corresponding to voltages connected to said first transducer means, or, a redirecting of said light along a selected one of first or second secondary paths stemming from said second location and corresponding to voltages connected to said second transducer means, said light along each said secondary path undergoing a succession of light reflections within said array of light reflecting surfaces extending to, and thereupon beyond, the light reflecting limits of said array of light reflecting surfaces.