Patent US4613207A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4613207A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Liquid crystal projector and method
Assignee: Manchester R&D Partnership
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Filing: 1984-05-08
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Granted: 1986-09-23
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Expires: 2004-05-08
Abstract
Abstract A liquid crystal image forming projector includes a liquid crystal display selectively operable for affecting light incident thereon, and an optical device for selectively projecting light affected or not affected by the liquid crystal display. The liquid crystal display, for example, selectively transmits light and at least one of scatters and absorbs light, and the optical device includes a projection lens for projecting light to form an image that is a function of selective operation of said liquid crystal display and a selecting device, such as a mask or aperture, for selecting the light from the liquid crystal display for projection to form such image. A method for projecting an image also is disclosed and includes directing incident light to a liquid crystal device capable of affecting or not affecting such incident light, and selectively projecting light affected or not affected by such liquid crystal device to form an image. The projected light may be colored, for example using a selectively operable liquid crystal filter and/or a liquid crystal display that colors light incident thereon.
Inventors
- 👤 James L. Fergason
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 20:41
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N9/00; H04N9/12; H04N9/31; H04N9/3102; H04N9/3105; H04N9/3108; G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/13; G02F1/133; G02F1/1333; G02F1/1334; G03; G03B; G03B21/00; G03B21/132
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 113
Claim 1
Independent Claim
79 words
A projector, comprising liquid crystal means selectively operable for affecting light incident thereon by selectively primarily scattering or transmitting light in repsonse to a prescribed input, and optical means for selectively projecting light that is affected or not affected by said liquid crystal means, said optical means comprising discriminating means for discriminating between light scattered and light transmitted by said liquid crystal means and output meand for projecting as output light the light scattered by said liquid crystal means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
79 words
A projector, comprising liquid crystal means selectively operable for affecting light incident thereon by selectively primarily scattering or transmitting light in repsonse to a prescribed input, and optical means for selectively projecting light that is affected or not affected by said liquid crystal means, said optical means comprising discriminating means for discriminating between light scattered and light transmitted by said liquid crystal means and output meand for projecting as output light the light scattered by said liquid crystal means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
78 words
The invention of claim 1, said optical means comprising a projection lens having a focal length f, said liquid crystal means being positioned an object distance s 1 away from said lens, and said lens being operable to project at an image distance s 2 away from said lens an image formed by said liquid crstal means, wherein f, s 1 , and s 2 are at least approximately related by the equation (1/s 1 )+(1/s 2 )=1/f.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
78 words
The invention of claim 1, said volumes of liquid crystal means comprising at least one layer of encapsulated operationally nematic liquid crystal material in said support medium means, the liquid crystal material in said volumes having positive dielectric anisotropy and an ordinary index of refraction substantially matched to that of said support medium means to maximize optical transmission in the presence of an electric field and to effect substantially isotropic scattering in the absence of an electric field.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The invention of claim 3, said liquid crystal material having an extraordinary index of refraction that is different from that of said support medium means to effect such substantially isotropic scattering in the absence of an electric field.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The invention of claim 4, further comprising means for applying an electric field to said encapsulated liquid crystal material as such prescribed input.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The invention of claim 5, said means for applying comprising electrode means positioned between said support medium means and said layer of encapsulated liquid crystal material for applying an electric field to align said liquid crystal with respect thereto.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The invention of claim 6, further comprising electric drive means for delivering electric signals to said electrode means to apply such electric field.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
The invention of claim 6, at least one of said electrode means comprising a patterned electrode with multiple electrode portions that can be selectively energized to apply electric field to selected portions of said encapsulated liquid crystal material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The invention of claim 1, further comprising pleochroic dye in said liquid crystal means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The invention of claim 1, said optical means comprising input means for supplying incident light to said liquid crystal means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
The invention of claim 1, said support medium means comprising containment means for containing discrete quantities of operationally nematic liquid crystal material to distort the same when in random alignment and to permit alignment thereof in the presence of an electric field.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
The invention of claim 11, further comprising additive means in said operationally nematic liquid crystal material for expediting such distorting and return to random alignment upon the removal of such electric field.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
The invention of claim 12, said additive means comprising a chiral additive.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The invention of claim 1, further comprising a containment medium for holding discrete quantities of such liquid crystal means in respective capsule-like volumes, and a substantially optically transparent support.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The invention of claim 14, said substantially optically transparent support comprising a polyester or polycarbonate material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
57 words
The invention of claim 14, further comprising electrode means for applying an electric field to said liquid crystal means to cause the latter to change from distorted alignment condition distorted in configuration or shape by the wall of such respective capsule-like volumes for scattering light incident thereon to generally parallel alignment condition to transmit light incident thereon.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
The invention of claim 14, further comprising means reactive with said containment medium means for tending to force at least a portion of at least some of said liquid crystal means into substantially normal alignment with the wall of such capsule-like volumes.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
The invention of claim 1, further comprising support medium means for supporting and containing volumes of said liquid crystal means, and non-pleochroic dye in at least one of said liquid crystal means and support medium means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
The invention of claim 18, wherein non-pleochroic dye of different respective colors is in different respective portions of said at least one of said liquid crystal means and support medium means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
The invention of claim 19, further comprising electric drive means for applying electric field to selected areas of said liquid crystal means to create areas of different color for projection by said optical means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
The invention of claim 1, wherein said liquid crystal means is operative to form characteristics of an image for projection by said optical means without substantial absorption of energy from light incident on said liquid crystal means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
The invention of claim 1, further comprising light source means for supplying light to said liquid crystal means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention of claim 1, further comprising drive means for applying an electric field to selected portions of said liquid crystal means for enabling transmission of light through such portions.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
148 words
The invention of claim 1, said liquid crystal means comprising liquid crystal means for selectively primarily scattering or transmitting light in response to a prescribed input, and a support medium means for supporting and containing volumes of said liquid crystal means, said volumes of liquid crystal means comprising at least one layer of encapsulated operationally nematic liquid crystal material in said support medium means, the liquid crystal material in said volumes having positive dielectric anisotropy and an ordinary index of refraction substantially matched to that of said support medium means to maximize optical transmission in the presence of an electric field and to effect substantially isotropic scattering in the absence of an electric field, and said liquid crystal material having an extraordinary index of refraction that is different from that of said support medium means to effect such substantially isotropic scattering in the absence of an electric field.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
62 words
The invention of claim 24, wherein walls of said support medium means bounding said volumes of liquid crystal material tend to distort the natural structure of said liquid crystal material, and further comprising electrode means positioned between said support medium means and said layer of encapsulated liquid crystal for applying an electric field to align said liquid crystal structure with respect thereto.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
37 words
The invention of claim 1, wherein said liquid crystal means is operative to form characteristics of an image for projection by said optical means without substantial absorption of energy from light incident on said liquid crystal means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
26 words
The invention of claim 1, said liquid crystal means comprising a sheet-like material, and further comprising a fresnel lens positioned in proximity to said sheet-like material.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
70 words
The invention of claim 27, said discriminating means comprising selecting means for selecting between transmitted light and scattered light from said liquid crystal means for projection, and said fresnel lens being positioned with respect to said liquid crystal means for directing incident light from a source of light onto said liquid crystal means and to focus light transmitted through said liquid crystal means at least approximately at said selecting means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
25 words
The invention of claim 28, said projection means comprising projection lens means for projecting an image created by light scattered by said liquid crystal means.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
26 words
The invention of claim 29, further comprising drive means for selectively determining respective portions of said liquid crystal means for operation in transmitting or scattering mode.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
88 words
A projector, comprising liquid crystal means selectively operable for affecting light incident thereon by selectively primarily scattering or transmitting light in repsonse to a prescribed input, optical means for selectively projecting light that is affected or not affected by said liquid crystal means, said optical means comprising discriminating means for discriminating between light scattered and light transmitted by said liquid crystal means whereby primarily only one of scattered or transmitted is projected by said optical means, and color means for selectively coloring light projected by said optical means.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
88 words
A projector, comprising liquid crystal means selectively operable for affecting light incident thereon by selectively primarily scattering or transmitting light in repsonse to a prescribed input, optical means for selectively projecting light that is affected or not affected by said liquid crystal means, said optical means comprising discriminating means for discriminating between light scattered and light transmitted by said liquid crystal means whereby primarily only one of scattered or transmitted is projected by said optical means, and color means for selectively coloring light projected by said optical means.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
91 words
The invention of claim 31, said discriminating means comprising aperture means for transmitting light transmitted by said liquid crystal means and for blocking light scattered by said liquid crystal means, and means for focusing light transmitted by said liquid crystal means into said aperture means for transmission by said aperture means and for projection, and said color means comprising further volumes of liquid crystal material in a containment medium, at least one of said liquid crystal material and said containment medium being colored by non-pleochroic dye to color light passing therethrough.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
61 words
The invention of claim 32, said color means comprising multiple color sections positioned to intersect light directed to said aperture, plural of said sections being of different respective colors, and further comprising means for delivering a prescribed input to one or more respective selected sections of said color means to permit transmission of light therethrough as such light is colored thereby.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
14 words
The invention of claim 32, said liquid crystal material comprising operationally nematic liquid crystal.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
106 words
The invention of claim 31, said liquid crystal means comprising plural volumes of operationally nematic liquid crystal material in a support medium means, the liquid crystal material in said volumes having positive dielectric anisotropy and an ordinary index of refraction substantially matched to that of said support medium means to maximize optical transmission in the presence of an electric field and to effect substantially isotropic scattering in the absence of an electric field, and said liquid crystal material having an extraordinary index of refraction that is different from that of said support medium means to effect substantially isotropic scattering in the absence of an electric field.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
42 words
The invention of claim 35, said support medium means comprising containment means for containing discrete quantities of operationally nematic liquid crystal material to distort the same when in random alignment and to permit alignment thereof in the presence of an electric field.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
22 words
The invention of claim 35, further comprising non-pleochroic dye in at least one of said liquid crystal means and support medium means.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
31 words
The invention of claim 37, wherein non-pleochroic dye of different respective colors is in different respective portions of said at least one of said liquid crystal material and support medium means.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
27 words
The invention of claim 35, said liquid crystal means being operable to transmit or to scatter light independently of the direction of polarization of light incident thereon.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
14 words
The invention of claim 35, further comprising pleochroic dye in said liquid crystal means.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
18 words
The invention of claim 35, further comprising input means for supplying incident light to said liquid crystal means.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
38 words
The invention of claim 35, said support medium means comprising a containment medium means for holding discrete quantities of such liquid crystal means in respective capsule-like volumes, said support medium means further comprising a substantially optically transparent support.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
63 words
The projector of claim 31, said optical means having an image plane, said color means comprising multiple color sections positioned out of such image plane to intersect light directed for projection to said image plane by said optical means, plural of said sections being of different respective colors or non-colored, and said sections being selectively operable to transmit light or to scatter light.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
51 words
The projector of claim 43, said optical means being operative to project light transmitted through said color means and primarily not to project light scattered by said color means whereby the color of projected light is a function of the coloring effected by one or more of said multiple color sections.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
53 words
The projector of claim 44, said liquid crystal means being in the image plane of said optical means, said optical means comprising focusing means for focusing light transmitted through said liquid crystal means toward a focal point, and said color means being positioned in the path of light directed through said optical means.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
75 words
The projector of claim 45, said discriminating means comprising aperture means for transmitting light transmitted by said liquid crystal means and for blocking light scattered by said liquid crystal means, said focusing means being positioned to focus light at or proximate said aperture means, and said color means being operative to color light transmitted therethrough and through said aperture means and said aperture means being operative primarily to block light scattered by said color means.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
24 words
The projector of claim 46, said optical means comprising projection means for projecting light transmitted through said aperture means and through said color means.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
47 words
The projector of claim 31, said liquid crystal means comprising liquid crystal and a support medium means for at least one of supporting and containing volumes of said liquid crystal, said color means comprising dye in at least one of said liquid crystal and support medium means.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
14 words
The projector of claim 48, said dye comprising pleochroic dye in said liquid crystal.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
10 words
The projector of claim 48, said dye comprising non-pleochroic dye.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
30 words
The projector of claim 50, wherein non-pleochroic dye of different respective colors is in different respective portions of said at least one of said liquid crystal and support medium means.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
33 words
The projector of claim 51, further comprising electric drive means for applying electric field to selected areas of said liquid crystal to create areas of different color for projection by said optical means.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
60 words
The projector of claim 52, said optical means having an image plane, said color means further comprising multiple color sections positioned out of such image plane to intersect light directed for projection by said optical means, plural of said sections being of different respective colors or non-colored, and said sections being selectively operable to transmit light or to scatter light.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
63 words
The projector of claim 53, said optical means being operative to project light transmitted through said color means and primarily not to project light scattered by said color means, whereby the color of projected light is a function of the coloring effected by said dye in said liquid crystal means and the coloring effected by one or more of said multiple color sections.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
39 words
The projector of claim 54, said optical means comprising focusing means for focusing light transmitted through said liquid crystal means toward a focal point, said color means being positioned in the path of light directed through said optical means.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
75 words
The projector of claim 55, said discriminating means comprising aperture means for transmitting light transmitted by said liquid crystal means and for blocking light scattered by said liquid crystal means, said focusing means being positioned to focus light at or proximate said aperture means, and said color means being operative to color light transmitted therethrough and through said aperture means and said aperture means being operative primarily to block light scattered by said color means.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
24 words
The projector of claim 56, said optical means comprising projection means for projecting light transmitted through said aperture means and through said color means.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
170 words
A projector, comprising liquid crystal means selectively operable for affecting light incident thereon, and optical means for selectively projecting light affected or not affected by said liquid crystal means, said liquid crystal means being operative to at least one of scatter or absorb light in the absence of a presecribed input and transmit light incident thereon in response to a prescribed input applied thereto, said optical means comprising input means for directing light to said liquid crystal means and output means for projecting as output light one of the light scattered or the light transmitted by said liquid crystal means, said output means comprising discriminating means for discriminating between light scattered and light transmitted by said liquid crystal means, and projecting means for projecting light received from said discriminating means, said discriminating means comprising an optical stop, and said projecting means comprising means for focusing light transmitted thorugh said liquid crystal means onto said stop for blocking thereby and for directing light scattered by said liquid crystal means for projection.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
170 words
A projector, comprising liquid crystal means selectively operable for affecting light incident thereon, and optical means for selectively projecting light affected or not affected by said liquid crystal means, said liquid crystal means being operative to at least one of scatter or absorb light in the absence of a presecribed input and transmit light incident thereon in response to a prescribed input applied thereto, said optical means comprising input means for directing light to said liquid crystal means and output means for projecting as output light one of the light scattered or the light transmitted by said liquid crystal means, said output means comprising discriminating means for discriminating between light scattered and light transmitted by said liquid crystal means, and projecting means for projecting light received from said discriminating means, said discriminating means comprising an optical stop, and said projecting means comprising means for focusing light transmitted thorugh said liquid crystal means onto said stop for blocking thereby and for directing light scattered by said liquid crystal means for projection.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
23 words
The invention of claim 58, said input means comprising collimating means for directing collimated light as incident light to said liquid crystal means.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
20 words
The invention of claim 59, said input means further comprising a light source for providing light to said collimating means.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
41 words
The invention of claim 58 further comprising housing means for housing said liquid crystal means and said optical means, said housing means also including wall means for blocking passage therethrough of some of the light scattered by said liquid crystal means.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
28 words
The invention of claim 58, said liquid crystal means comprising a sheet-like material, and said input means comprising a fresnel lens positioned in proximity to said sheet-like material.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
70 words
The invention of claim 62, said discriminating means comprising selecting means for selecting between transmitted light and scattered light from said liquid crystal means for projection, and said fresnel lens being positioned with respect to said liquid crystal means for directing incident light from a source of light onto said liquid crystal means and to focus light transmitted through said liquid crystal means at least approximately at said selecting means.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
148 words
The invention of claim 63, said liquid crystal means comprising liquid crystal means for selectively primarily scattering or transmitting light in response to a prescribed input, and a support medium means for supporting and containing volumes of said liquid crystal means, said volumes of liquid crystal means comprising at least one layer of encapsulated operationally nematic liquid crystal material in said support medium means, the liquid crystal material in said volumes having positive dielectric anisotropy and an ordinary index of refraction substantially matched to that of said support medium means to maximize optical transmission in the presence of an electric field and to effect substantially isotropic scattering in the absence of an electric field, and said liquid crystal material having an extraordinary index of refraction that is different from that of said support medium means to effect such substantially isotropic scattering in the absence of an electric field.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
62 words
The invention of claim 64, wherein walls of said support medium means bounding said volumes of liquid crystal material tend to distort the natural structure of said liquid crystal material, and further comprising electrode means positioned between said support medium means and said layer of encapsulated liquid crystal for applying an electric field to align said liquid crystal structure with respect thereto.
Claim 69
Dependent Claim
18 words
The invention of claim 58, further comprising light source means for supplying light to said liquid crystal means.
Claim 70
Dependent Claim
26 words
The invention of claim 58, further comprising drive means for selectively determining respective portions of said liquid crystal means for operation in transmitting or scattering mode.
Claim 71
Dependent Claim
18 words
The invention of claim 58, further comprising housing means for supporting said liquid crystal means and optical means.
Claim 72
Dependent Claim
38 words
The invention of claim 68, said housing means comprising access means for permitting manual access to at least the proximity of said liquid crystal means for writing thereon or in proximity thereto to permit projecting of such writing.
Claim 73
Dependent Claim
17 words
The invention of claim 68, said housing comprising an enclosure for preventing undesired release of light therefrom.
Claim 74
Dependent Claim
37 words
The invention of claim 58, wherein said liquid crystal means is operative to form characteristics of an image for projection by said optical means without substantial absorption of energy from light incident on said liquid crystal means.
Claim 75
Dependent Claim
216 words
A projector, comprising liquid crystal means selectively operable for affecting light incident thereon, and optical means for selectively projecting light affected or not affected by said liquid crystal means, said liquid crystal means being operative to at least one of scatter or absorb light in the absence of a prescribed input and transmit light incident thereon in response to a prescribed input applied thereto, said optical means comprising input means for directing light to said liquid crystal means and output means for projecting as output light one of the light scattered or the light transmitted by said liquid crystal means, said output means comprising discriminating means for discriminating between light scattered and light transmitted by said liquid crystal means, and projecting means for projecting light received from said discriminating means, said discriminating means comprising aperture means for transmitting light transmitted by said liquid crystal means and for blocking light scattered by said liquid crystal means, said projecting means comprising means for focusing light transmitted by said liquid crystal means onto said aperture means for transmission by said aperture means and for projection, and further comprising housing means for housing said liquid crystal means and said optical means, said housing means also including wall means for blocking passage therethrough of light scattered by said liquid crystal means.
Claim 76
Dependent Claim
216 words
A projector, comprising liquid crystal means selectively operable for affecting light incident thereon, and optical means for selectively projecting light affected or not affected by said liquid crystal means, said liquid crystal means being operative to at least one of scatter or absorb light in the absence of a prescribed input and transmit light incident thereon in response to a prescribed input applied thereto, said optical means comprising input means for directing light to said liquid crystal means and output means for projecting as output light one of the light scattered or the light transmitted by said liquid crystal means, said output means comprising discriminating means for discriminating between light scattered and light transmitted by said liquid crystal means, and projecting means for projecting light received from said discriminating means, said discriminating means comprising aperture means for transmitting light transmitted by said liquid crystal means and for blocking light scattered by said liquid crystal means, said projecting means comprising means for focusing light transmitted by said liquid crystal means onto said aperture means for transmission by said aperture means and for projection, and further comprising housing means for housing said liquid crystal means and said optical means, said housing means also including wall means for blocking passage therethrough of light scattered by said liquid crystal means.
Claim 77
Dependent Claim
67 words
The invention of claim 72, said input means comprising lens means on one side of said liquid crystal means for directing light into said liquid crystal means, and reflector means on the opposite side of said liquid crystal means for reflecting light transmitted through said liquid crystal means back into said liquid crystal means, and said lens means including means for focusing light to said output means.
Claim 78
Dependent Claim
12 words
The invention of claim 73, said lens means comprising a fresnel lens.
Claim 79
Dependent Claim
70 words
The invention of claim 74, said output means comprising selecting means for selecting between transmitted light and scattered light from said liquid crystal means for projection, and said fresnel lens being positioned with respect to said liquid crystal means for directing incident light from a source of light onto said liquid crystal means and to focus light transmitted through said liquid crystal means at least approximately at said selecting means.
Claim 80
Dependent Claim
43 words
The invention of claim 75, said selecting means comprising aperture means positioned at least approximately at the focus of said fresnel lens for transmitting light focused there by said fresnel lens, and means for blocking light not so focused by said fresnel lens.
Claim 81
Dependent Claim
14 words
The invention of claim 72, further comprising pleochroic dye in said liquid crystal means.
Claim 82
Dependent Claim
78 words
The invention of claim 72, said optical means comprising a projection lens having a focal length f, said liquid crystal means being positioned an object distance s 1 away from said lens, and said lens being operable to project at an image distance s 2 away from said lens an image formed by said liquid crystal means, wherein f, s 1 , and s 2 are at least approximately related by the equation (1/s 1 )+(1/s 2 )=1/f.
Claim 83
Dependent Claim
18 words
The invention of claim 72, further comprising color means for selectively coloring light projected by said output means.
Claim 84
Dependent Claim
79 words
The invention of claim 79, said discriminating means comprising aperture means for transmitting light transmitted by said liquid crystal means and for blocking light scattered by said liquid crystal means, and means for focusing light transmitted by said liquid crystal means onto said aperture means for transmission by said aperture means and for projection, and said color means comprising further volumes of liquid crystal material in a containment medium being colored by non-pleochroic dye to color light passing therethrough.
Claim 85
Dependent Claim
61 words
The invention of claim 80, said color means comprising multiple color sections positioned to intersect light directed to said aperture, plural of said sections being of different respective colors, and further comprising means for delivering a prescribed input to one or more respective selected sections of said color means to permit transmission of light therethrough as such light is colored thereby.
Claim 86
Dependent Claim
14 words
The invention of claim 80, said liquid crystal material comprising operationally nematic liquid crystal.
Claim 87
Dependent Claim
78 words
A projector, comprising liquid crystal means operable in response to a selectively applied prescribed input selectively to affect light incident thereon to form characteristics of an image, and optical means for selectively projecting light that is affected or not affected by said liquid crystal means to form an image, and wherein said liquid crystal means is operational to form such characteristics of such an image without substantial absorption of energy from light incident on said liquid crystal means.
Claim 88
Dependent Claim
78 words
A projector, comprising liquid crystal means operable in response to a selectively applied prescribed input selectively to affect light incident thereon to form characteristics of an image, and optical means for selectively projecting light that is affected or not affected by said liquid crystal means to form an image, and wherein said liquid crystal means is operational to form such characteristics of such an image without substantial absorption of energy from light incident on said liquid crystal means.
Claim 89
Dependent Claim
94 words
An optical filtering device, comprising optical means for directing light along an optical path, aperture means for discriminating between light directed for passage therethrough and light not directed for passage therethrough, and optical filter means positioned in the path of light directed through said aperture means for selectively coloring light, said optical filter means comprising plural volumes of liquid crystal material in a containment medium operative selectively to transmit or to scatter light, at least one of said liquid crystal material and said containment medium being colored by dye to color light transmitted therethrough.
Claim 90
Dependent Claim
94 words
An optical filtering device, comprising optical means for directing light along an optical path, aperture means for discriminating between light directed for passage therethrough and light not directed for passage therethrough, and optical filter means positioned in the path of light directed through said aperture means for selectively coloring light, said optical filter means comprising plural volumes of liquid crystal material in a containment medium operative selectively to transmit or to scatter light, at least one of said liquid crystal material and said containment medium being colored by dye to color light transmitted therethrough.
Claim 91
Dependent Claim
52 words
The device of claim 84, said optical means comprising focusing means for focusing light at a focal point at or proximate said aperture means for transmission through said aperture means, and said color means being positioned in the path of said light focused by said focusing means prior to said aperture means.
Claim 92
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of claim 85, said optical means further comprising projecting means for projecting light transmitted through said aperture means.
Claim 93
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device of claim 85, said color means comprising multiple color sections positioned to intersect light directed to said aperture means, plural of said sections being of different respective colors.
Claim 94
Dependent Claim
36 words
The device of claim 87, further comprising means for delivering a prescribed input to one or more respective selected sections of said color means to permit transmission of light therethrough as such light is colored thereby.
Claim 95
Dependent Claim
28 words
The device of claim 88, wherein at least one of said sections does not include dye and is substantially completely transparent in the presence of such prescribed input.
Claim 96
Dependent Claim
14 words
The device of claim 87, said liquid crystal material comprising operationally nematic liquid crystal.
Claim 97
Dependent Claim
90 words
An optical filtering device, comprising optical means for directing light along an optical path, said optical means having an image plane, aperture means for discriminating between light directed for passage therethrough and light not directed for passage therethrough, and optical filter means positioned in the path of light directed through said aperture means and out of such image plane for selectively coloring light, said optical filter means comprising liquid crystal apparatus and color means for at least one of coloring or not coloring light transmitted through said liquid crystal apparatus.
Claim 98
Dependent Claim
90 words
An optical filtering device, comprising optical means for directing light along an optical path, said optical means having an image plane, aperture means for discriminating between light directed for passage therethrough and light not directed for passage therethrough, and optical filter means positioned in the path of light directed through said aperture means and out of such image plane for selectively coloring light, said optical filter means comprising liquid crystal apparatus and color means for at least one of coloring or not coloring light transmitted through said liquid crystal apparatus.
Claim 99
Dependent Claim
58 words
The device of claim 91, said liquid crystal apparatus comprising liquid crystal material in a containment plural volumes of liquid crystal material in a containment medium operative selectively to transmit or to scatter light, and said color means comprising dye in at least one of said liquid crystal material and said containment medium to color light transmitted therethrough.
Claim 100
Dependent Claim
72 words
The device of claim 92, further comprising aperture means for discriminating between light directed for passage therethrough and light not directed for passage therethrough, and said optical means comprising focusing means for focusing light at a focal point at or proximate said aperture means for transmission through said aperture means, and said color means being positioned in the path of said light focused by said focusing means prior to said aperture means.
Claim 101
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of claim 93, said optical means further comprising projecting means for projecting light transmitted through said aperture means.
Claim 102
Dependent Claim
62 words
The device of claim 93, said color means comprising multiple color sections positioned to intersect light directed to said aperture means, plural of said sections being of different respective colors, and further comprising means for delivering a prescribed input to one or more respective selected sections of said color means to permit transmission of light therethrough as such light is colored thereby.
Claim 103
Dependent Claim
14 words
The device of claim 95, said liquid crystal material comprising operationally nematic liquid crystal.
Claim 104
Dependent Claim
69 words
A projector, comprising liquid crystal means selectively operable for affecting light incident thereon by selectively primarily scattering or transmitting light in response to a prescribed input, optical means for selectively projecting light that is affected or not affected by said liquid crystal means, and multiplex drive means for selectively determining which of plural areas of said liquid crystal means is to scatter light and which is to transmit light.
Claim 105
Dependent Claim
69 words
A projector, comprising liquid crystal means selectively operable for affecting light incident thereon by selectively primarily scattering or transmitting light in response to a prescribed input, optical means for selectively projecting light that is affected or not affected by said liquid crystal means, and multiplex drive means for selectively determining which of plural areas of said liquid crystal means is to scatter light and which is to transmit light.
Claim 106
Dependent Claim
157 words
The projector of claim 97, further comprising electrode means for selectively applying electric field to respective areas of said liquid crystal means, and said multiplex drive means comprising for selectively supplying to respective electrode means either positive, negative, or effectively no voltage, whereby when both positive and negative voltages are supplied to a respective pair of electrode means proximate a respective area of said liquid crystal means adequate electric field is applied to such area of said liquid crystal means to effect optical transmission condition of such area of said liquid crystal means; and otherwise light will be scattered by such area of liquid crystal means with the extent of scattering being a function of the magnitude or nonexistence of the reduced electric field when the voltages supplied a respective pair of electrode means proximate a respective area of said liquid crytal means are both positive, both negative, or no voltage and either positive or negative, respectively.
Claim 107
Dependent Claim
40 words
The projector of claim 97, said optical means comprising discriminating means for discriminating between light scattered and light transmitted by said liquid crystal means and output means for projecting as output light the light scattered by said liquid crystal means.
Claim 108
Dependent Claim
45 words
The projector of claim 99, said discriminating means comprising an optical stop, and said output means comprising means for focusing light transmitted through said liquid crystal means onto said stop for blocking thereby and for directing light scattered by said liquid crystal means for projection.
Claim 109
Dependent Claim
25 words
The projector of claim 100, further comprising wall means for defining with said optical step an opening through which scattered light is passed for projection.
Claim 110
Dependent Claim
67 words
The projector of claim 101, said wall means being operative to block at least some of the light scattered by said liquid crystal means, the amount of scattering and, thus, of such blocked light being a function of the magnitude of electric field applied to said liquid crystal means, whereby the intensity of light transmitted through said opening is variable as a function of such electric field.
Claim 111
Independent Claim
67 words
A method for projecting an image, comprising directing incident light to a liquid cryystal device capable of affecting or not affecting such incident light, selectively applying a prescribed input to such liquid crystal device to cause the same to scatter or to transmit light incident thereon, blocking light transmitted through such liquid crystal device, and projecting light scattered by such liquid crystal device to form an image.
Claim 112
Independent Claim
67 words
A method for projecting an image, comprising directing incident light to a liquid cryystal device capable of affecting or not affecting such incident light, selectively applying a prescribed input to such liquid crystal device to cause the same to scatter or to transmit light incident thereon, blocking light transmitted through such liquid crystal device, and projecting light scattered by such liquid crystal device to form an image.
Claim 113
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 103, further comprising selectively coloring such projected image.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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Cited
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Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-09-22 | 1990-03-24 | 1990-09-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-09-22 | 1994-03-24 | 1994-09-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-09-22 | 1998-03-24 | 1998-09-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |