Abstract: A display comprising optical means for presenting an absence of light over a controlled viewing angle and means for selectively scattering or transmitting light in response to a prescribed input to effect a display of information within said viewing angle.

Abstract: A display comprising optical means for presenting an absence of light over a controlled viewing angle and means for selectively scattering or transmitting light in response to a prescribed input to effect a display of information within said viewing angle.

Abstract: A liquid crystal material contained in plural volumes in a containment medium and operative selectively to transmit light in the presence of a prescribed input or to scatter light, and non-pleochroic dye in at least one of the liquid crystal material and the containment medium. In one embodiment generally isotropic scattering of light by the liquid crystal together with enhanced scattering features which increase the path length of the light through dye results in increased coloration with minimum dye. The enchanced scattering features may be achieved using total internal reflection and/or optical interference principles. In an embodiment the dye is a fluorescent dye.

Abstract: Encapsulated liquid crystal material in a support medium illuminated from the viewing side or through a louvered light guide from the back side will appears bright relative to background when in distorted alignment absent an electric field. Incident light on the liquid crystal material is isotropically scattered into the support medium, and using the principle of total internal reflection and possibly also optical interference a relatively large part of the isotropically scattered light is directed back to illuminate the distorted liquid crystal material tending to brighten the same so that light it scatters back to the viewing direction out of the support medium.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display comprising a plurality of modules wherein each module includes a nematic curvilinearly aligned phases liquid crystal material. The modules are positioned adjacent to one another to effect a homogeneous display. Each module may include electrode means supported on a substrate. The substrate may include a flexible extension thereof on which conductive paths may be formed. The extension of the substrate is sufficiently flexible to permit the interconnection of the electrode means via the conductive paths to a circuit means for applying an electric field to the electrodes.

Abstract: A system and method employing a push-pull modulator for stereoscopic image selection. The modulator includes a pair of surface mode liquid crystal cells having orthogonal rub axes, and a linear polarizer having absorption axis bisecting the orthogonal rub axes, and has high speed, good transmission, and symmetrical dynamic range characteristics. A field-sequential steroscopic video image may be transmitted from a video display screen (or video projector) through the modulator as the cells of the modulator are driven so that fields of alternately left-handed circularly polarized light and right-handed circularly polarized light will emerge. The transmitted circularly polarized light may be viewed using passive spectacles incorporating circular polarizing filters.

Abstract: A switch apparatus comprising a nematic curvilinearly aligned phases liquid crystal material located between a pair of electrode means wherein a flexible substrate having a conductive segment formed therein may be positioned in a spaced substantially parallel relation to one of the electrode means. The flexible substrate has sufficient flexibility to deflect toward one of the electrode means in response to the application of pressure thereto so that at least a portion of the flexible substrate is deflected toward one of the electrode means to operatively couple the conductive segment to the electrode means to effect an input of information and to cause a display of the same.

Abstract: A display comprising optical means for presenting an absence of light over a controlled viewing angle and means for selectively scattering or transmitting light in response to a prescribed input to effect a display of information within said viewing angle.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing a color display from a substantially monochromatic source utilizes a liquid crystal cell combination together with a plechroic filter to differentially polarize the light components comprising the light emitted from the source. The liquid crystal cells are connected in push-pull fashion to individually retard light by one fourth of a wave as a function of the control signal applied to them. A fourth wave plate followed by a linear polarizer completes the optical combination. A signal at a first level applied to the cells causes transmission of one component color and blocks the other. A signal at a second level blocks the one component color and transmits the other. An intermediate level signal transmits both colors, resulting in a third, combination color.

Abstract: Apparatus (10) for responding to incident electromagnetic radiation (16) to prevent direct transmission thereof when the magnitude of E-vector exceeds a predetermined value includes a first medium (12) through which incident electromagnetic radiation may be transmitted and smectic liquid crystal (14) positioned with respect to the first medium for responding to such E-vector to undergo Kerr effect in proportion to such E-vector so as to cooperate with such first medium to effect refraction of such electromagnetic radiation at an interface of the first medium and liquid crystal to prevent direct transmission of such radiation when the E-vector exceeds such predetermined magnitude. Smectic to nematic phase transition also may be used to prevent direct light transmission when incident radiation causes heating in the liquid crystal material.

Abstract: A display comprising optical means for presenting an absence of light over a controlled viewing angle and means for selectively scattering or transmitting light in response to a prescribed input to effect a display of information within said viewing angle.

Abstract: A liquid crystal apparatus includes a plurality of volumes of liquid crystal material in a containment medium. At least some of the volumes are interconnected. The walls defining the volumes tend to distort the natural liquid crystal structure in the absence of an electric field, and the optical and electrical properties of the materials are such that in the absence of a field incident light is scattered or absorbed and in the presence of a field, scattering and/or absorption are reduced. The apparatus may be used in an optical display, optical shutter, billboard, etc., and it functions independently of polarization. Methods of making and using the apparatus also are included in the invention.

Abstract: A liquid crystal apparatus comprising a nematic curvilinearly aligned phases liquid crystal material located between two electrodes wherein a control element is incorporated into the electrodes. The electrodes may also form a circuit means integral therewith for selectively applying an electric field across the liquid crystal material.

Abstract: A liquid crystal moving picture projector includes a liquid crystal imager or display device and projection optics for projecting images sequentially created by the imager. The imager, sometimes referred to as a liquid crystal display, includes a continuous strip of liquid crystal material capable of temporarily storing charge to create characteristics of an image on a frame by frame basis capable of being projected and a dynamic electrode system selectively to apply charge to the liquid crystal material to create the sequential images. The projection optics includes light source, mask, shutter and lens systems capable of projecting the sequential images created by the imager.

Abstract: The present invention relates to use of liquid crystal material encapsulated in a containment medium to produce a controlled colored or multicolored output, for example, in response to the application, removal and variation in an electric field. A non-pleohroic dye is imbibed in the containment medium itself. Different color dyes may be placed at different areas of the encapsulated liquid crystal structure to achieve different color outputs. In the imbibing process water soluble dye is applied to the exposed surface of a water base containment medium of already encapsulated liquid crystal material. Humidity is applied, and the dye imbibes into a proximate area of the containment medium preferably going into solution therewith.

Abstract: Briefly, according to one aspect of the invention, liquid crystal material, and especially nematic material, is encapsulated; according to another aspect the encapsulated liquid crystal material is used in liquid crystal devices, such as relatively large size visual display devices; and according to further aspects there are provided methods for encapsulating liquid crystal material and for making a liquid crystal device using such encapsulated liquid crystal material.

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.

Abstract: In the present invention encapsulated liquid crystal material in a support medium illuminated from the viewing side or direction will appear bright or white relative to background when in distorted alignment, e.g. in the absence of an electric field. Incident light impinging on the liquid crystal material is isotropically scattered thereby into the support medium, and using the principle of total internal reflection a relatively large part of the isotropically scattered light is reflected back to illuminate the distorted liquid crystal material tending to brighten the same so that light it scatters back to the viewing direction out of the support medium causes the liquid crystal material to appear relatively light or bright as compared to the background where there is no liquid crystal material or where the liquid crystal material is in parallel alignment in field-on condition, i.e. aligned with respect to an electric field, and, thus, substantially transmissive.

Abstract: Briefly, according to one aspect of the invention, liquid crystal material, and especially nematic material, is encapsulated; according to another aspect the encapsulated liquid crystal material is used in liquid crystal devices, such as relatively large size visual display devices; and according to further aspects there are provided methods for encapsulating liquid crystal material and for making a liquid crystal device using such encapsulated liquid crystal material.

Abstract: A light modulator for generating a beam of phase modulated light including a source of polarized light, at least one and preferably two liquid crystal cells having a thin layer of nematic liquid crystals of positive dielectric anistropy through which the polarized light is directed to produce a beam of light having a phase shift corresponding to a modulating electrical signal which is applied to each of the liquid crystal cells. The liquid crystal cells in addition have a continuing electrical bias applied across the layers in order to achieve the rapid response times necessary to achieve modulation of the polarized light. Demodulation of the polarized light occurs by splitting the modulated light beam into its quadrature components and developing an electrical signal corresponding to the phase difference between the two quadrature components. A communication system involving its modulators and demodulators delivers communication through light as a transmission medium.