WO2000000947A1 - Device for generating images and texts which can be identified by incident light - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for generating images and texts which can be identified by incident light. The aim of the invention is to create a device with which a clearly visible to brilliant image results when exposed to incident light. To this end, the image surface composes itself from a multitude of electronically controllable, point elements which are arranged in a grid-like manner, and each point element comprises at least one colorant reflector (3). Said colorant reflector is formed by a receptacle which is flat and at least transparent on the visible side. The interior space of the colorant reflector is connected to a colorant receptacle via a channel (6). The content of the colorant receptacle can be subjected to pressure by electronic control in such a way that colorant can be fed from the colorant container to the colorant reflector (3) and such that the colorant can be suctioned out from the colorant reflector (3) by reducing the pressure in the colorant container.

Description

Description:

Device for creating images and texts recognizable by striking light

The invention relates to a device for creating images and texts recognizable by incident light.

In the known devices for generating standing or moving pictures, either an electron beam is directed onto a fluorescent screen, on which an image or text is then formed, or a projector shines light on a translucent or reflecting screen, on which the standing or moving pictures and Texts can be seen.

The images and texts created on a screen of a display or on a screen fade or disappear completely as soon as a stronger light strikes the screen or on the screen.

The invention has for its object to provide a device in which a clearly visible to brilliant image is formed in the light.

This object is achieved in that the image surface is composed of numerous electronically controllable, grid-like arranged point elements and that each point element has at least one color mirror formed by a flat container and closed at least on the visible side by a transparent wall, the interior of which via a channel is connected to a paint container, the content of which can be put under pressure by electronic control so that color reaches the color mirror from the paint container and the color can be sucked out of the color mirror by reducing the pressure in the paint container.

For black-and-white representations or texts, it is sufficient if the dot elements take on the colors white or black or light or dark. In this case, it is sufficient if a point element or pixel has a color mirror that is connected to a color container that has a dark one Color, eg black, is filled. The rear bottom of the color mirror then has a light or white color.

For colored representations, a point element has at least three or four color mirrors which are connected to color containers which are filled with different colors, in particular black, cyan, yellow and magenta. The point elements composed in this way can assume the colors of the selected color containers in the image area. Since two or more color containers of a point element can also be controlled, the point elements can also take on the colors of color mixtures.

The color can be mixed in an additive manner using the primary colors red, green and blue. However, it can also be done in a subtractive manner using the basic colors cyan, magenta and yellow and, if appropriate, using a contrasting color: black.

The flat containers of the color mirrors can be arranged next to each other to form mixed colors for each point element or pixel, or else one behind the other, provided that the respective upstream color mirrors consist of clear, transparent material and are connected to color containers filled with transparent colors.

The ink containers are advantageously put under pressure by means of piezo actuators. These piezo actuators can be controlled via a diode matrix.

For picture areas on which standing pictures in particular are to be generated, it is expedient to arrange a valve in the channel between the color mirror and the color container, which valve opens or closes depending on the control. This valve can also be formed by a piezo actuator.

A color mirror can also be connected to two color containers via two color mirrors arranged at a distance from one another. Two colors can then be pressed into a color mirror, taking care that the colors do not mix with one another. That can once happen that a movable wall is arranged within the color mirror or else the colors have a relatively large surface tension and two colors pressed into a color mirror are separated from a gas cushion.

An image area should consist of several modules and these of several units, each unit then having at least 200 to 300 point elements. The modules each have a (bidirectional) interface on their edges, via which it can communicate with another module adjacent to it. The data to be displayed for a module network is only fed into one of the modules via a free edge equipped with an interface and then passed on via the other edges. An appropriate algorithm can be used to ensure optimized data distribution once the network structure has been identified. All modules are supplied with all available input data via this data network. With the aid of the network structure data determined, each module can determine its exact position within the module network in order to display the image section of the overall image to be displayed. The scaling and interpolation work that occurs when displaying video images (PAL) on large screens can thus be processed in parallel by the modules, which on the one hand enables high quality and on the other hand low costs of using small-sized module processors.

Hardware is required for a module:

- a central processor (e.g. approx. 68030 or 80486);

- A random access memory RAM, sufficient for real resolution and image resolution as well as possibly additional data;

- A ROM / EPROM for the operating program and possibly vector information for standard font;

- four Firewire ports,

- Control electronics for piezo grids, multiplexers, if possible, distributed over the full module size.

The approximately 1 to 3 mm ³ large paint containers are expediently incorporated as rectangular or square chambers in a plate made of ceramic material. The color mirror as well as the channels that the Connecting the paint container to the color mirror can be incorporated into plates made of ceramic material. These plates are glued together and form a unit of 30 x 30 or 50 x 50 dot elements or pixels. These tile-like units can, for example, be square and have a side length of 80 to 120 mm. Several of these pixel units are put together to form a module and several modules form a screen.

Because the ceramic plates for the color mirrors can be made of transparent material and the colors that can be pressed into the color mirrors - apart from black - are transparent, the screen can also be designed to be self-illuminating by arranging light sources behind the color mirrors.

Further features of the invention emerge from the patent claims and from the following description in which exemplary embodiments of the screen according to the invention and its parts are explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. The drawings show in:

1 is a plan view of a module of an image area composed of four units,

2 is a sectional view of a point element with a color mirror,

3 is a plan view of a point element with four color mirrors,

4 is a plan view of a point element with three color mirrors, FIG. 5 is a plan view of a point element with three color mirrors,

6 is a plan view of a point element with six color mirrors,

7 is a plan view of four point elements, each with three color mirrors,

8 is a plan view of four modules of an image area, FIG. 9 9 is a screen,

10 shows a longitudinal section of two point elements,

11 is a plan view of two point elements,

12 is a view along the section line XII-XII in Fig. 1 1,

13 is an exploded perspective view of a corner of a point element or pixel unit with a color mirror located in two planes. The invention relates to a device, in particular a screen, which shows a colored or black / white still image or moving image in the case of incident light. The stronger the incident light, the better the picture quality.

The screen 13 according to FIGS. 8 and 9 is composed of modules 12, which in turn are composed of units 10 or tiles. 1 shows a unit 10 with 30 x 40 point elements or pixels 1.

Each point element 1 has at least one color mirror 3 shown in FIG. 2, which consists of a flat container, the wall 2 facing the visible side of which is transparent and which is connected to a color container 5 via a thin channel 6. In the paint container 5 there is a micropump 7 which, by changing the volume, can press paint from the paint container 5 into the color mirror 3 and can retrieve color from the color mirror 3.

As FIG. 3 shows, a point element 1 can also have four color mirrors 3, which are connected via their channels 6 to color containers 5, which are filled with the colors cyan, magenta, yellow and black.

4 and 5 each show a point element or pixel 1 with three color mirrors 3, which are connected via channels 6 to two color containers 5 each. 4 so that the different colors in the color mirrors 3 do not mix, the sections assigned to the channels 6 are separated from one another by movable walls 9. The movable walls 9 are designed in the manner of a slide and are shaped so that they cannot cover the inlets of the channels 6.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 5, a gas or air cushion 11 separates the colors pressed into the color mirror 3.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 6, the point element 1 has six color mirrors 3, which are each connected to only one color container 5.

The color mirror 3 have the shape of a rectangular in plan view

Triangular. Two color mirrors 3 are arranged so that they are rectangular Cover the area, the hypotenuses of the triangles running diagonally through the rectangular area.

7 shows four pixels or point elements 1, each with three color mirrors 3 arranged next to one another. Each color mirror 3 is connected via channels 6 to two color containers 5, one of which has the color black and the other color container 5 has the color cyan, or Magenta or yellow is filled. So that the colors in the color mirrors 3 remain separate, they are separated by a gas cushion 11. A basic color or a contrasting color can thus be introduced into each color mirror 3. The amount of ink pressed into the color mirror 3 is controlled via a micropump 7 or a piezo actuator 7 and electronics.

As shown in FIG. 8, the image area or the screen 13 is composed of four modules 12. All modules 12 can be used anywhere on the image area 13. In order to enable this simple and quick construction of an image area, each module 12 has a bidirectional interface on each of its edges, via which it can communicate with the adjacent modules 12.

With the aid of the determined network structure data, each module 12 can determine its exact position within the module network in order to display the image section of the overall image to be displayed. The scaling and interpolation work involved in the display of video images (PAL) on large screens can thus be processed in parallel by the modules, which on the one hand enables high quality and on the other hand low costs by using small-sized module processors.

For individual control of the micropumps 7, the control signal must be multiplexed via a diode matrix due to its large number. For this purpose, the piezo actuators 7 are connected via a matrix. When a potential is applied to exactly one column and one row, a capacitor is charged and feeds the piezo actuator 7 until the refresh with the voltage required for the representation of the image at this point. A discharge of the capacitor via the matrix is not possible due to a diode. To achieve the required packing density, production is in Prefer thin film technology. To further increase the circuit density, higher integration of the matrix electronics within an integrated circuit is conceivable.

A screen according to FIG. 9 with a very high image and color quality and a size of 1.5 x 2 m is composed, for example, of twelve square modules 12 with a side length of 50 cm. Each module 12 is composed of twenty-five units or tiles 10 together with a side length of 100 mm. Each unit 10 has 40 x 40 = 1600 point elements or pixels 1. Each pixel 1 has three to six color mirrors 3 which are connected to six color containers 5. This means that each module consists of 25 x 1600 = 40,000 pixels and the screen has 12 x 40,000 = 480,000 pixels 1.

10 shows a longitudinal section through two point elements or pixels 1, each having three color mirrors 3, 3 'and 3 "arranged one above the other, which are connected to the color containers 5.5' and 5" via channels 6, 6 'and 6 " are.

In each paint container 5, 5 ', 5 "there is a micropump 7, which presses more or less paint into the color mirror 3, 3', 3" by changing the volume.

The micropump 7 is composed of a bending piezo actuator 14, 15 and an elastic, compressible body 16, e.g. made of foam plastic or foam rubber.

The bending piezo actuator has a metal strip 14 to which a strip of piezoceramic 15 is glued. This piezoceramic strip 15 expands or shortens depending on the voltage applied. Similar to a bimetal, this changes the shape of the metal strip 14, as a result of which the body 16 is more or less compressed and accordingly less or more dye gets into the color levels 3, 3 ', 3 ".

The volume of the ink containers or ink chambers is 1 to 2 mm ³ . The color liquid can be a hydrocarbon, especially a liquid one Be paraffin. The inner surface of the color mirror 3, 3 ', 3 "can be treated or coated with a surface energy reducing agent, thereby reducing the adhesion of the liquid paint pressed into the color mirror 3, 3', 3".

11 shows the top view of two point elements 1, each with four color mirrors 3, 3 '.

Each dot element or pixel 1 has three transparent color mirrors 3 'arranged next to one another, which are connected to two color containers 5' via channels 6 '. Among these three color mirrors 3 'is a round color mirror 3, which is contrasted with a contrasting color, e.g. Black, can be filled.

FIG. 12 shows a sectional view along the section line XII-XII in FIG. 11. This FIG. 12 shows the structure of a unit 10 or tile, which is composed of a plurality of plates 21 to 24, preferably made of ceramic, which are glued to one another. The back is formed by the base plate 21. There is an ink chamber plate 22 in which the ink containers 5 for the inner ink level 3 are incorporated. On this rear ink chamber plate 22 there is another ink chamber plate 23, in which the ink tanks 5 'for the front ink mirror 3' are incorporated. There follows a color mirror plate 24, in which the color mirrors 3 are incorporated, and the outer color mirror plate 25, in which the color mirrors 3 'are incorporated. On the front side there is a cover and protective pane 26. This protective pane 26 and the outer color mirror plate 25 are made of a clear material. In the ink chamber plate 23 and in the color mirror plate 24 there are channels 6, 6 'which connect the color mirrors 3, 3' with the respective ink containers 5, 5 '. The color chambers 5 for the contrast colors for the color mirror 3 are accommodated in the color chamber plate 22, while the color chambers 5 'are filled with the transparent colors yellow, magenta and cyan. The rear color mirror plate 24 can consist of white ceramic.

It is also possible to produce not only the front mirror plate 25, but also the rear mirror plate 24 from transparent material and behind the color mirrors 3, 3 'and in front of the paint containers 5, 5' or in front of the To arrange color chamber plates 22, 23 light sources which illuminate the image generated by the pixels from behind in the dark. The lighting can be carried out according to the functional principle of a Planon flat lamp, in that a phosphor layer is applied behind the color mirrors 3, 3 'and is irradiated with UV rays emanating from a flat space filled with xenon gas. Anodes and cathodes are to be arranged in this flat, insulated space, which ensure a uniform distribution of the UV radiation and thus also the light behind the color mirrors 3, 3 '.

13 shows that the base plate 21 is composed of a contact plate 27 which produces the contacts between the piezo actuators 14, 15 and the conductor tracks of the conductor track layer 28. A further layer 29 can have a multiplex circuit for controlling the piezo actuators 14, 15.

Reference symbol list:

1 point element, pixel

2 transparent wall

5 3, 3 ', 3 "color mirror

4 bottom

5, 5 ', 5 "paint container

6, 6 ', 6 "channel

7 micropump, piezo actuator

10 8 valve

9 movable wall, slide

10 units, tile

11 gas pads

12 module

15 13 screen

14 metal strips

15 piezoceramic strips

16 elastic, stretchable body

21 base plate

20 22 rear ink chamber plate

23 front ink chamber plate

24 rear color mirror plate

25 front color mirror plate

26 protective screen

25 27 contact plate

28 interconnect layer

29 Matrix with column and row conductor tracks

C cyan

M magenta

30 g yellow

Claims

Expectations: 1. A device for creating images and texts recognizable by striking light, characterized in that the image surface is composed of numerous electronically controllable, grid-like arranged point elements (1) and that each point element (1) has at least one color mirror (3) by a flat and at least on the visible side transparent container is formed and the interior of which is connected via a channel (6) to a paint container (5), the content of which can be pressurized by electronic control so that paint can be obtained from the paint container (5) gets into the color mirror (3) and by reducing the pressure in the paint container (5) the paint can be sucked out of the color mirror (3). 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the back bottom (4) of the color mirror (3) has a very light or white color substantially. 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the bottom (4) of the color mirror (3) is funnel-shaped and the channel (6) opens into the center of the color mirror (3) in the tip of the funnel cone. 4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a point element (1) has at least three color mirrors (3) which are connected to different colors, in particular black, cyan, yellow, magenta, filled color containers (5). 5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a closed color mirror (3 ') via two at a great distance from each other in the color mirror (3') opening channels (6) is connected to two paint containers (5 ') and the different colors flowing into the color mirror (3 ') are separated from one another by a gas cushion (11) or by a movable wall (9) arranged in the color mirror (3'). 6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the color mirror (3) of a point element (1) are arranged one behind the other, the upstream color mirror (3) or the upstream color mirror (3) made of clear material and are connected to the paint container (5) with transparent colors. 7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the colors located in the paint containers (5) are pressurized by piezo actuators controlled via diode matrix (7). 8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a channel (6) blocking or opening valve (8) is arranged between the color mirror (3) and the paint container (5). 9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the cross section of the point elements (1) is circular or square and the side length or the diameter is not greater than 4 mm. 10. Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that two hundred to three hundred point elements (1) or pixels to one Unit (10) are combined and several units (10) form a module (12) of the image area (13). 11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that each unit (10) consists of at least four plates arranged one above the other (21, 22, 23, 24), preferably composed of ceramic, namely - A base plate (21), which closes the paint container (5) on the back and receives the contacts for controlling the piezo actuators (14, 15), - A paint container plate (23), into which the paint container (5) are incorporated and which the controllable piezo actuators (14, 15) - A color mirror plate (24), in which the color mirror (3) and the color mirror (3) with the paint containers (5) connecting channels (6) are arranged and - a clear cover plate (26). 12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that in each paint container (5) a volume of the paint container (5) changing micropump (14, 15) is arranged. 5 13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that the micropump a resetting elastic body (16), e.g. Made of foam rubber, which can be compressed by a bending piezo actuator (14, 15) depending on the voltage applied. 10 14. Device according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that one or more light sources are arranged behind the color mirrors (3, 3 ') made of transparent material and in front of the paint containers (5, 5'). 15 15. The apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the light source is a behind the color mirrors (3,3 ') applied phosphor layer which is irradiated according to the principle of operation of a Planon flat lamp from a room filled with xenon gas UV rays . 20th