Multi-color electronic display utilizing opponent colors

Claim 2

An improved method for producing color images with electronic display devices, comprising: developing a first channel of electronic information representing a first opponent color vector of an image to be displayed; developing a second channel of electronic information representing a second opponent color vector of an image to be displayed; creating, from the first channel of electronic information, a first image in the first opponent color vector; creating, from the second channel of electronic information, a second image in a second opponent color vector; and superimposing the first and second images whereby the two superimposed images appear to an observer as a multi-color image, capable of giving rise to perceived colors not found in one of the opponent color vectors alone.

Claim 3

The method in claim 1 wherein the first opponent color vector is a black/white opponent color vector and the second opponent color vector is an orange/cyan opponent color vector.

Claim 4

The method in claim 1 wherein the first opponent color vector is a red/green opponent color vector and the second opponent color vector is a yellow/blue opponent color vector.

Claim 5

An electronic display device for producing multi-color images, comprising: means for receiving first and second channels of electronic information representing first and second opponent color vectors of an image to be displayed; means for developing, from the first and second channels of electronic information, first and second images in the first and second opponent color vectors; and means for superimposing the first and second images whereby the two superimposed images use opponent colors to appear to an observer as a single multi-color image, capable of giving rise to perceived colors not found in one of the opponent color vectors alone.

Claim 6

An electronic display device for producing multi-color images, comprising: means for receiving first and second channels of electronic information representing first and second opponent color vectors of an image to be displayed; means for developing, from the first and second channels of electronic information, first and second images in the first and second opponent color vectors; and means for superimposing the first and second images whereby the two superimposed images use opponent colors to appear to an observer as a single multi-color image, capable of giving rise to perceived colors not found in one of the opponent color vectors alone.

Claim 7

The apparatus in claim 4 wherein the first opponent color vector is a black/white opponent color vector and the second opponent color vector is an orange/cyan opponent color vector.

Claim 8

The apparatus in claim 4 wherein the first opponent color vector is a red/green opponent color vector and the second opponent color vector is a blue/yellow opponent color vector.

Claim 9

The device in claim 4, wherein the developing and superimposing means include: a CRT including an inner surface coated with a plurality of phosphor elements capable of emitting first, second and third colors of light, and spaced in groupings of three, each grouping containing phosphor elements capable of emitting the first, second and third colors and comprising a picture element, the first color being substantially white, the second and third colors comprising the second opponent color vector, each phosphor element having an individual luminous intensity, and each pair of the second and third phosphor elements within each picture element having a combined luminous intensity; and electronic control means for exciting the white phosphor elements, in response to the first channel of electronic information, creating the first image in the first opponent color vector, and for exciting the second and third phosphor elements, in response to the second channel of electronic information, creating the second image in the second opponent color vector superimposed on the first image.

Claim 10

The device in claim 7 wherein the second and third colors are orange and cyan.

Claim 11

The device in claim 7 wherein the electronic control means: develops from the second channel of information a signal representative of a desired combined luminous intensity of the second and third color phosphor elements for each picture element; develops a signal representative of a desired difference ratio of the individual luminous intensities of the second and third color phosphor elements for each picture element; and excites the second and third phosphor elements in response to the desired combined luminous intensity signal and the desired difference signal so that their combined luminous intensity is the desired combined luminous intensity and the difference of their individual luminous intensities is the desired ratio.

Claim 12

The device in claim 7 wherein only one of the second and third color phosphor elements is excited at one time.

Claim 13

The device in claim 4 wherein the developing and superimposing means include: a CRT including a first inner surface coated alternately with first and second phosphor elements capable of emitting first and second colors of light, a second inner surface coated with a plurality of third phosphor elements capable of emitting a third color of light, the first color being substantially white, the second and third colors comprising the second opponent color vector, and a barrier layer between the first and second inner surfaces; and electronic control means for exciting the white phosphor elements, in response to the first channel of electronic information, creating the first image in the first opponent color vector, and for exciting the second and third color phosphor elements, in response to the second channel of electronic information, creating the second image in the second opponent color vector superimposed on the first image.

Claim 14

The device in claim 11 wherein the second and third colors are orange and cyan.

Claim 15

The device in claim 4 wherein the developing and superimposing means include: first and second substantially white light sources; first means for filtering the substantially white light from the first light source, including two neutral density polarizers, and an electro-optic device composed of electronically addressable pixels and capable of rotating the direction of light polarization, so that the first light source in combination with the filter means project the first image in the first opponent color vector; second means for filtering the substantially white light from the second light source, including a dichroic polarizer, a neutral density polarizer, and an electro-optic device composed of electronically addressable pixels and capable of rotating the direction of light polarization, so that the second light source in combination with the second filter means project the second image in the second opponent color vector; and means for focusing the first and second images onto a projection surface so that the images are superimposed, producing a multi-color image.

Claim 16

The device in claim 4 wherein the developing and superimposing means include: a substantially white light source; means for filtering the substantially white light from the light source, including a dichroic polarizer and two guest-host cells composed of electronically addressable pixels and capable of filtering light of a specific polarization, so that the light source in combination with the filter means project the second image containing both black and the second opponent color vector; and means for focusing the second image onto a projection surface so that the second image is superimposed with the first image, producing a multi-color image.

Claim 17

The device in claim 4 wherein the developing and superimposing means include: a first black/white CRT for projecting the first image in the first opponent color vector on a screen; means for projecting substantially white light; means for filtering the substantially white light, including a first dichroic polarizer, a neutral density polarizer, and an electro-optic device composed of electronically addressable pixels and capable of rotating the direction of light polarization, so that the white light source in combination with the filter means project the second image in the second opponent color vector, superimposed on the first image.

Claim 18

The device in claim 15 wherein the electro-optic device is a liquid crystal cell.

Claim 19

The device in claim 15 wherein the dichroic polarizer allows orange light of a first polarization to pass and cyan light of a second polarization to pass.

Claim 20

The device in claim 4 wherein the developing and superimposing means include: a first black/white CRT for projecting the first image in the first opponent color vector on a projection surface; means for projecting substantially white light; means for filtering the substantially white light, including a dichroic polarizer and two guest-host cells composed of electronically addressable pixels and capable of filtering light of a specific polarization, so that the light source in combination with the filter means project the second image containing both black and the second opponent color vector; and means for focusing the second image onto a projection surface so that the second image is superimposed with the first image, producing a multi-color image.

Claim 21

The device in claim 4 also including a flat panel matrix addressable display.

Claim 22

The apparatus in claim 19 wherein the first opponent color vector is the black/white opponent color vector and the second opponent color vector is the orange/cyan opponent color vector.

Claim 23

The apparatus in claim 19 wherein the first opponent color vector is the red/green opponent color vector and the second opponent color vector is the blue/yellow opponent color vector.

Claim 24

The device in claim 4 wherein the device is a flat panel matrix addressable display for generating a perceived full color image through the substantial registry of two opponent vector images, and wherein the device includes a light source and additionally comprises: first and second guest-host electro-optic devices composed of electronically addressable pixels, the first device capable of filtering light of a first polarization and the second device capable of filtering light of a second polarization, the two devices located in parallel planes, the second device behind the first; a patterned dichroic polarizer located behind and in a plane parallel to the second guest-host electro-optic device, the patterned dichroic polarizer having a plurality of polarizing elements and further having a plurality of non-polarizing elements; means for superimposing the pixels of the first electro-optic device over the pixels of the second electro-optic device; means for superimposing the elements of the patterned dichroic polarizer over the pixels of the two electro-optic devices; and address means for addressing the pixels of the two electroroptic devices to produce a display which is perceived as multi-color.

Claim 25

A flat panel matrix addressable display for generating a perceived full color image through the substantial registry of two opponent vector images, the device having a light source and comprising: an electro-optic device composed of electronically addressable pixels and capable of rotating the direction of light polarization; a neutral density polarizer located in the same plane as and in front of the electro-optic device for producing linear polarization; a patterned neutral density polarizer located in the same plane as and behind the electro-optic device, the patterned neutral density polarizer having a plurality of polarizing elements and further having a plurality of non-polarizing elements; a patterned dichroic polarizer located in the same plane as and behind the patterned neutral density polarizer, the patterned dichroic polarizer having a plurality of polarizing elements and further having a plurality of non-polarizing elements; a first superimposition means for superimposing the polarizing elements of the patterned neutral density polarizer on the non-polarizing elements of the patterned dichroic polarizer and further for superimposing the non-polarizing elements of the patterned neutral density polarizer on the polarizing elements of the patterned dichroic polarizer; a second superimposition means for superimposing the polarizing elements of both the patterned neutral density polarizer and the patterned dichroic polarizer over the pixels of the electro-optic device; and address means for addressing the pixels of the electro-optic device to produce a display which is perceived as multi-color.

Claim 26

A flat panel matrix addressable display for generating a perceived full color image through the substantial registry of two opponent vector images, the device having a light source and comprising: an electro-optic device composed of electronically addressable pixels and capable of rotating the direction of light polarization; a neutral density polarizer located in the same plane as and in front of the electro-optic device for producing linear polarization; a patterned neutral density polarizer located in the same plane as and behind the electro-optic device, the patterned neutral density polarizer having a plurality of polarizing elements and further having a plurality of non-polarizing elements; a patterned dichroic polarizer located in the same plane as and behind the patterned neutral density polarizer, the patterned dichroic polarizer having a plurality of polarizing elements and further having a plurality of non-polarizing elements; a first superimposition means for superimposing the polarizing elements of the patterned neutral density polarizer on the non-polarizing elements of the patterned dichroic polarizer and further for superimposing the non-polarizing elements of the patterned neutral density polarizer on the polarizing elements of the patterned dichroic polarizer; a second superimposition means for superimposing the polarizing elements of both the patterned neutral density polarizer and the patterned dichroic polarizer over the pixels of the electro-optic device; and address means for addressing the pixels of the electro-optic device to produce a display which is perceived as multi-color.

Claim 27

The display device of claim 23 wherein the electro-optic device is a liquid crystal cell.

Claim 28

The liquid crystal cell of claim 24 wherein the cell is a twisted nematic cell.

Claim 29

The liquid crystal cell of claim 24 wherein the cell is a super-twist cell.