Texas Instruments Corporation

Felix Garcia

Rodney D Williams

John Walter Orcutt

Glen C Shepherd

John E Slaughter

Joe W Crawford

Bobby D Blanton

James A Oursler

Thomas Bileski

Carl N Johnson

A system wherein the observer can be positioned at the interior of a three dimensional display and observe the display looking outwardly therefrom. In accordance with a first embodiment of the invention, the rotating disk of the prior art is made sufficiently large and at sufficient angle, preferably 45 degrees with respect to the shaft rotating the disk, so that the observer or a camera can be located in a conical portion of the cylinder swept out by the disk wherein the disk does not travel. In accordance with a second embodiment of the invention, the rotating shaft onto which the disk is anchored is a hollow, transparent cylinder and is sufficiently large to retain a viewer or a camera within the cylinder. In this way, the observer can rotate 360 degrees within the cylinder to view the entire display looking outwardly from the interior thereof.

Volume display system and method for inside-out viewing

A sensor which comprises a light transmitting body having first and second opposing surfaces, the first surface having a first plurality of parallel grooves therein and wall members spacing the first grooves from each other, the second surface having a second plurality of parallel grooves therein extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first grooves, each of the second grooves optically coupled to one of the wall members, a first array of photoresponsive devices disposed at one end portion of the first grooves, the first array having a photoresponsive device associated with each groove of the first grooves and a second array of photoresponsive devices disposed at one end portion of the second grooves, the second array having photoresponsive device associated with each groove of the second grooves.

Fiber optic input device having a light transmissive body with parallel

The disclosure relates to a pointer for a three dimensional display wherein a scanned light beam is displayed upon a rotating display member rotating about a fixed axis for receiving and displaying the scanned light beam on a first surface thereof, fixed points in the display impinging upon the display member to display a harmonic motion along an axis passing through the scanned light beam in response to rotation of the display means. A beam of focussed light, preferably from a laser is modulated to synchronize with rotation of the display member to provide a visible point in the display at a predetermined location therein. A second embodiment provides an encoder, light conducting rod bundle and sensor to determine the three dimensional location of the point denoted by the pointer.

Focussed light source pointer for three dimensional display

An electrical switch actuatable upon the occurrence of a preselected level, includes a generally cup shaped, open ended housing which mounts therein a spaced pair of stationary contacts. The housing has two pairs of upwardly extending channels in its side walls, the two channels of the first pair aligned with the stationary contacts and the two channels of the second pair aligned with platform surfaces. An electrically conductive, flexible cruciform element is disposed in the housing with the distal end portions of two legs of the cruciform received respectively in the two channels of the first pair, and the distal end portions of the other two legs of the cruciform received respectively in the two channels of the second pair and resting on the platform surfaces. The stationary contacts may be disposed above or beneath the cruciform element for a normally open or normally closed switch as desired. The stationary contacts may lie in a plane parallel to the plane of the snap acting member or in planes which intersect each other and the plane of the snap acting member. A motion transfer pin extends between the snap acting member and the cruciform element and may be provided with a shoulder to prevent overtravel of the pin.

Growing community of inventors

RoundRock, TX, United States of America

Felix Garcia