Light valve display having integrated driving circuits and shield electrode

Claim 2

In a light valve display device of a type having a layer of liquid crystal material contained therein behind a front optically transparent, electrically conductive layer and a driving electronic integrated circuit mounted behind the liquid crystal layer, the improvement comprising: a two-dimensional array of a plurality of light reflective electrodes positioned in a surface behind said liquid crystal layer and viewable through the liquid crystal layer, each of said electrodes being electrically insulated from adjacent electrodes, whereby an appropriate electrical potential between said front conductive layer and one of said electrodes causes a visual change of the liquid crystal material in front of said one electrode, the individual electrodes having the size and shape of image pixels, an electrically conductive, light opaque rear protective layer positioned between said array surface and said integrated circuit, said rear layer being connectable to an electrical potential independently of said array electrodes and front conductive layer, a plurality of conductors penetrating said rear protective layer and electrically insulated therefrom, a separate one of the plurality of conductors being positioned behind one of the array of electrodes and operably connecting this one electrode to the integrated circuit in a manner that the electrical potential of each electrode is independently controllable, and wherein said driving electronic circuit includes means electrically connected to said front conductive layer and said rear protective layer for independently controlling the voltages of said layers.

Claim 3

The improved display device according to claim 1 wherein said array of reflective electrodes is surrounded by a substantially optically transparent, electrically insulative material in a manner to provide a barrier between each of the electrodes of the array and the liquid crystal material layer.

Claim 4

In a light valve display device of a type having a front optically transparent electrically conductive layer, a layer of liquid crystal material therebehind that is characterized by making a desired change between two optical conditions when a level of voltage across the layer changes between two levels, and a driving electronic integrated circuit mounted behind the liquid crystal layer, the improvement comprising: a two-dimensional array of a plurality of light reflective electrodes positioned in a surface between said integrated circuit and said liquid crystal layer, each of said electrodes being electrically insulated from adjacent of said electrodes, whereby control of the voltage between said front conductive layer and one of said electrodes between said two levels causes said desired change of the liquid crystal material in front of said one electrode between said two optical conditions, an electrically conductive and light opaque rear protective layer positioned between said array surface and said integrated circuit, said rear layer being connectable to an electrical potential independently of said array electrodes and front conductive layer, a plurality of conductors penetrating said rear protective layer and electrically insulated therefrom, each of the plurality of conductors being positioned behind one of the array of electrodes and operably connecting this one electrode to the integrated circuit, and wherein said driving electronic circuit includes means electrically connected to said front conductive layer and said rear protective layer for independently controlling the voltages of said layers.

Claim 5

In a light valve display device of a type having a front optically transparent electrically conductive layer, a layer of liquid crystal material therebehind that is characterized by making a desired change between two optical conditions when a level of voltage across the layer changes between two levels, and a driving electronic integrated circuit mounted behind the liquid crystal layer, the improvement comprising: a two-dimensional array of a plurality of light reflective electrodes positioned in a surface between said integrated circuit and said liquid crystal layer, each of said electrodes being electrically insulated from adjacent of said electrodes, whereby control of the voltage between said front conductive layer and one of said electrodes between said two levels causes said desired change of the liquid crystal material in front of said one electrode between said two optical conditions, an electrically conductive and light opaque rear protective layer positioned between said array surface and said integrated circuit, said rear layer being connectable to an electrical potential independently of said array electrodes and front conductive layer, a plurality of conductors penetrating said rear protective layer and electrically insulated therefrom, each of the plurality of conductors being positioned behind one of the array of electrodes and operably connecting this one electrode to the integrated circuit, and wherein said driving electronic circuit includes means electrically connected to said front conductive layer and said rear protective layer for independently controlling the voltages of said layers.

Claim 6

The improved display device according to claim 3 which additionally comprises means included as part of said integrated circuit for alternately driving said rear layer between two predetermined voltage levels that are positive and negative with respect to a reference voltage, whereby the liquid crystal layer is biased.

Claim 7

The improved display device according to claim 4 which additionally comprises means included as part of said integrated circuit for applying to selected of said array of electrodes a voltage having the same polarity with respect to said reference as the biasing voltage applied to said rear layer, whereby the voltage of the electrode array combines with the bias voltage of the rear layer to control the optical properties of the liquid crystal material in front of said selected of the array of electrodes.

Claim 8

The improved display device according to claim 4 which additionally comprises means included as part of said integrated circuit for alternately driving said front layer between two predetermined voltage levels that are positive and negative with respect to said reference voltage in synchronism with the alternating voltage of said rear layer but with a polarity that is opposite thereto.

Claim 9

The improved display device according to claim 3 wherein said integrated circuit includes means responsive to external display control signals for individually controlling connection to each of said electrode array conductors between two voltages to result in the voltage across the liquid crystal layer changing between its said two levels at the location of said array electrode, thereby to individually control the state of the liquid crystal in front of each array electrode between its said two optical states.