Rockwell International Corporation

USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force

Margie M Nicholson

Thomas P Weismuller

Parviz Soltan

Paul E Green

Frank A Pizzarello

Thomas E Phillips

John Marez

Randy Wyatt

Waldo R Robinson

An apparatus for displaying a multi-color pattern within a single device is shown and described. The apparatus utilizes an electrochromic light valve which comprises electrodes that cover a photoconductive layer and a two-dimensional plurality of electrochromic pixels. An insulating grid defines the electrochromic pixels in the multi-color display. Each electrochromic pixel has a conductive mirror onto which the electrochromic material is deposited. The electrochromic material and grid structure are covered by an electrolyte solution. Color selection for a given pixel is effected by applying a voltage pulse of controlled amplitude synchronized with a laser beam which illuminates the photoconductor associated with the addressed electrochromic pixel. The voltage applied when the laser beam addresses an electrochromic pixel determines the color of the pixel.

Apparatus for displaying a multi-color pattern

A planar matrix of display picture elements is operated by supplying power to the picture elements by a high current planar drive electrode connected to the picture elements, and a planar counter electrode slightly separated from the picture elements' display dots, and by addressing the picture elements with low current leads parallel to the plane of the matrix. The planes of the electrodes are parallel to the plane of the matrix. The elimination of high current power leads improves response time and resolution. The separation of the counter electrode from the display dots eliminates the need to refresh the picture elements. An isolation transistor in series with the drive transistor allows simultaneous color change of the entire matrix by simultaneous turning on and off of all isolation transistors.

Electrochromic display dot drive matrix

A chemically coupled color-changing matrix display device is disclosed wherein the display material is a surfactant-treated color changing metal-diphthalocyanine complex. For example, lutetium diphthalocyanine may be treated with a mixture of silicone glycol and imidazoline surfactants to provide a deposit having substantially the same color as electrolytically cycled deposits of the same material. Also disclosed is a non-electronic chemical sensing device comprising a surfactant-treated electrochromic metal diphthalocyanine complex. Upon exposure to a hazardous gas such as chlorine, the surfactant-treated material undergoes a change in color.

Electrochromic display device

A device usable as a tunable light filter or as a light valve having an electronically isolated element of a solid, insoluble material capable of reversibly changing state by reaction with soluble reactants. The state-changing element receives the reactants by diffusion through an electrolyte from a generator electrode.

Tunable electrochromic filter

A method of producing a color change in a distinct element of solid, insoluble color changing material capable of reversibly changing color by reaction with soluble reactants. Reactants at a point spaced apart from the distinct element are electrochemically generated, diffuse through an electrolyte, and react with the distinct element to cause a reversible color change.

Method of producing a color change in a chemically coupled

A deposit of electrochromic display material such as, for example, lutetium diphthalocyanine chemically treated to have substantially the same color as electrolytically cycled deposits of the same display material.

Chemical color conversion of electrochromic display material

A display device is disclosed having a display matrix composed of electronically isolated display elements of a solid, insoluble display material which is capable of reversibly changing color by reaction with soluble reactants. The display matrix is driven by a drive matrix which electrochemically generates the soluble reactants which consist of oxidizing and reducing agents. A selective separator, which is permeable to electrolyte but impermeable to the generated soluble reactants, divides the interior of the device into two compartments; it confines the electrochemically generated soluble reactants and certain soluble chemical species to the compartment containing the generator electrodes and the display matrix and thereby prevents contamination of the other compartment having counter electrodes therein.

Chemically coupled color-changing display

An electrochromic display cell including a pair of enclosure plates, at least one of which is transparent, and a counter electrode and a display electrode disposed between the enclosure plates. A layer of electrochromic material is disposed on the display electrode. A liquid electrolyte material is disposed between the counter electrode and display electrode, the electrolyte material being mildly acidic and having a pH between 2 and 5. The layer of electrochromic material is preferably selected from the group consisting of a diphthalocyanine of a rare-earth element, yttrium and scandium.

Phthalocyanine electrochromic display with improved cycle life

An electrochromic display utilizing a rare-earth diphthalocyanine complex as the electrochromic material and a low-freezing-point aqueous solution of a metal chloride as the electrolyte is disclosed. Displayed information can be switched in less than 50 milliseconds. The display has multicolor and color reversal capabilities even at very low temperatures.

Electrochromic display using rare-earth diphthalocyanines and a low

A dichroic transducer is disclosed including a light source, a film containing a dichroic material in the path of the light beam and an acoustic information-containing wave, and a detector in the path of the modulated light beam for detecting the intensity thereof. The detector may preferably be a fiber optics pickup device.

Dichroic transducer

An electrochromic display utilizing a metal diphthalocyanine complex as the electrochromic material is disclosed. Displayed information can be switched in less than 100 milliseconds. The display has multicolor and color reversal capabilities.

Growing community of inventors

San Marino, CA, United States of America

Margie M Nicholson