Patent · US Expired

Liquid crystal display system using fiber optic faceplates

US4349817A · kind A · utility

66Cited by
11References
13Claims
0Family size

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 28, 1980
Grant dateSep 14, 1982
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 28, 2000

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02F1/135
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

In a liquid crystal image display system, a fiber optic faceplate which transmits light only through a well defined acceptance cone is optically coupled to the liquid crystal display surface of a reflective dynamic scattering mode liquid crystal display device. In an image projector embodiment, light from an external light source is directed through the faceplate onto the liquid crystal display surface. Light scattered by activated (on-state) regions of the liquid crystal is substantially absorbed by the faceplate while light reflected from the non-activated (off-state) regions of the display surface is transmitted back through the faceplate to a projection lens which forms an image on a viewing screen. In a second embodiment of the invention, a viewer directly observes the liquid crystal display surface under ambient light from either natural or artificial light sources. By absorbing light from unwanted sources outside its transmission acceptance cone, the faceplate prevents loss of image contrast while transmitting light from sources within its acceptance cone needed to illuminate the display.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.