Method and apparatus utilizing waveguide and polarized light for display of dynamic images

Claim 2

A visual display device having a viewing side, said device comprising: a light waveguide having a viewing face adjacent to the viewing side of said display device, and an oppositely located rear face; an array of liquid crystal cells adjacent to the rear face of said waveguide, each cell including a dielectric layer and a pair of electrodes on opposite faces of said layer, said dielectric layer having a dielectric constant to define a critical angle relative to the normal to said rear face such that above said critical angle light will remain trapped within said light waveguide; and means for changing the voltage level across any of said pairs of electrodes to change said critical angle so that light may escape from said light waveguide and through the liquid crystal cell between said pair of electrodes so as to be visible on the viewing side of said display device.

Claim 3

The visual display device of claim 1 further comprising means, located behind each of said liquid crystal cells, for dispersing said escaped light.

Claim 4

The display device of claim 2 wherein said dispersing means comprises a shaped mirror.

Claim 5

The display device of claim 3, further comprising a layer of dye adjacent said mirror for providing a color display.

Claim 6

The display device of claim 2 wherein said dispersing means comprises ultraviolet phosphors and said light trapped within said light waveguide is ultraviolet.

Claim 7

The display device of claim 1 further comprising a light source for supplying said light waveguide with light at an angle greater than a minimum critical angle.

Claim 8

The display device of claim 6 wherein said light source comprises means for directing ambient light into said light waveguide.

Claim 9

The display device of claim 7 wherein said directing means is a cylindrical lens.

Claim 10

The display device of claim 6 wherein said light source comprises a fluorescent bulb.

Claim 11

The display device of claim 6 wherein said light source includes means for supplying polarized light to said light waveguide.

Claim 12

The display device of claim 1 further comprising an antireflection sheet overlying the viewing face of said light waveguide.

Claim 13

A visual display device comprising: a light waveguide having a front face and a rear face; an array of liquid crystal cells overlying the front face of said waveguide, each cell including a dielectric layer and a pair of transparent electrodes on opposite faces of said layer, said dielectric layer having a dielectric constant to define a critical angle relative to the normal to said front face, said critical angle being the angle above which light will remain trapped within said waveguide; means for changing the voltage level across any of said pairs of electrodes to change said critical angle so that previously trapped light may escape said light waveguide through the liquid crystal layer between said pair of electrodes; and a grooved surface overlying said array of liquid crystal cells for directing said escaped light, said grooved surface having a plurality of transparent surfaces facing in one direction alternately positioned with a plurality or mirror surfaces facing in a second direction.

Claim 14

A visual display device comprising: a light waveguide having a front face and a rear face; an array of liquid crystal cells overlying the front face of said waveguide, each cell including a dielectric layer and a pair of transparent electrodes on opposite faces of said layer, said dielectric layer having a dielectric constant to define a critical angle relative to the normal to said front face, said critical angle being the angle above which light will remain trapped within said waveguide; means for changing the voltage level across any of said pairs of electrodes to change said critical angle so that previously trapped light may escape said light waveguide through the liquid crystal layer between said pair of electrodes; and a grooved surface overlying said array of liquid crystal cells for directing said escaped light, said grooved surface having a plurality of transparent surfaces facing in one direction alternately positioned with a plurality or mirror surfaces facing in a second direction.

Claim 15

The display device of claim 12 wherein said mirror surfaces have a light absorbing layer on their rear side facing the light waveguide.

Claim 16

The display device of claim 12 wherein said plurality of transparent surfaces comprise anti-reflection transformer plates.

Claim 17

The display device of claim 12 further comprising a light absorbing layer separated by a gap from said rear face of said light waveguide.

Claim 18

The display device of claim 12 further comprising means for supplying polarized light to said light waveguide.

Claim 19

A visual display device comprising: a light source of ultraviolet light; a waveguide having a front face and a rear face, for guiding ultraviolet light from said light source, an array of liquid crystal cells overlying the front face of said waveguide, each cell including a dielectric layer and a pair of transparent electrodes on opposite faces of said layer, said dielectric layer having a dielectric constant to define a critical angle relative to the normal to said front face, said critical angle being the angle above which light will remain trapped within said light waveguide; means for changing the voltage level across energizing any of said pairs of electrodes to change said critical angle so that previously trapped light may escape said light waveguide through the liquid crystal layer between said pair of electrodes; and a layer of ultraviolet phosphors overlying said array of liquid crystal cells for producing visible light in response to said escaped ultraviolet light.

Claim 20

A visual display device comprising: a light source of ultraviolet light; a waveguide having a front face and a rear face, for guiding ultraviolet light from said light source, an array of liquid crystal cells overlying the front face of said waveguide, each cell including a dielectric layer and a pair of transparent electrodes on opposite faces of said layer, said dielectric layer having a dielectric constant to define a critical angle relative to the normal to said front face, said critical angle being the angle above which light will remain trapped within said light waveguide; means for changing the voltage level across energizing any of said pairs of electrodes to change said critical angle so that previously trapped light may escape said light waveguide through the liquid crystal layer between said pair of electrodes; and a layer of ultraviolet phosphors overlying said array of liquid crystal cells for producing visible light in response to said escaped ultraviolet light.

Claim 21

The display device of claim 17 further comprising a light absorbing layer separated by a gap from said rear face of said light waveguide.

Claim 24

A visual display device comprising: a light waveguide; means for supplying polarized light to said light waveguide; an array off liquid crystal cells adjacent to said light waveguide, each cell including a dielectric layer and a pair of transparent electrodes on opposite faces of said layer, said dielectric layer having a dielectric constant to define a critical angle relative to the normal to a face of said layer, said critical angle being the angle above which said polarized light remains trapped within said light waveguide; and means for changing the voltage level across any of said pairs of electrodes to change said critical angle so that previously trapped polarized light may escape said light waveguide through the liquid crystal layer between said pair of electrodes.

Claim 25

A visual display device comprising: a light waveguide; means for supplying polarized light to said light waveguide; an array off liquid crystal cells adjacent to said light waveguide, each cell including a dielectric layer and a pair of transparent electrodes on opposite faces of said layer, said dielectric layer having a dielectric constant to define a critical angle relative to the normal to a face of said layer, said critical angle being the angle above which said polarized light remains trapped within said light waveguide; and means for changing the voltage level across any of said pairs of electrodes to change said critical angle so that previously trapped polarized light may escape said light waveguide through the liquid crystal layer between said pair of electrodes.

Claim 26

The visual display device of claim 20 further comprising means for directing said escaped light.

Claim 27

The visual display device of claim 21 wherein said means for directing said escaped light comprises a grooved surface, adjacent to said array of liquid crystal cells opposite from said light waveguide.

Claim 28

The visual display device of claim 22 wherein said grooved surface comprises a plurality of transparent surfaces facing in one direction alternately positioned with a plurality of mirror surfaces facing in a second direction.

Claim 29

The visual display device of claim 23 wherein said mirror surfaces have a light absorbing layer on their rear side facing the light waveguide.

Claim 30

The visual display device of claim 23 wherein said plurality of transparent surfaces comprise anti-reflection transformer plates.

Claim 31

The visual display device of claim 21 further comprising a light absorbing layer separated by a gap from said rear face of said light waveguide.

Claim 32

The visual display device of claim 20 further comprising a light source for limiting the supply of light to said light waveguide to light having an angle greater than a minimum critical angle.

Claim 33

The visual display device of claim 27 wherein said light source comprises means for directing ambient light into said light waveguide.

Claim 34

The display device of claim 28 wherein said means for directing ambient light comprises a cylindrical lens.

Claim 35

A visual display device comprising: a light waveguide; an array of liquid crystal cells adjacent to said light waveguide, each cell including a dielectric layer and a pair of transparent electrodes on opposite faces of said layer, said dielectric layer having a dielectric constant to define a critical angle relative to the normal to a face of said layer, said critical angle being the angle above which light remains trapped within said light waveguide; means for directing ambient light into said light waveguide and limiting the supply of said ambient light to light having an angle greater than a minimum critical angle; means for changing the voltage level across any of said pairs of electrodes to change said critical angle so that previously trapped light may escape said light waveguide through the liquid crystal layer between said pair of electrodes; and means for directing said escaped light.

Claim 36

A visual display device comprising: a light waveguide; an array of liquid crystal cells adjacent to said light waveguide, each cell including a dielectric layer and a pair of transparent electrodes on opposite faces of said layer, said dielectric layer having a dielectric constant to define a critical angle relative to the normal to a face of said layer, said critical angle being the angle above which light remains trapped within said light waveguide; means for directing ambient light into said light waveguide and limiting the supply of said ambient light to light having an angle greater than a minimum critical angle; means for changing the voltage level across any of said pairs of electrodes to change said critical angle so that previously trapped light may escape said light waveguide through the liquid crystal layer between said pair of electrodes; and means for directing said escaped light.

Claim 37

The visual display device of claim 30 wherein said means for directing said escaped light comprises a grooved surface, adjacent to said array of liquid crystal cells opposite from said light waveguide.