Abstract:
Method and apparatus for document content publishing, distribution, and display, including a method of doing business. An electronic display includes at least one reusable imaging stratum forming a pixel array of a bi-modal molecular colorant. Preferably, the molecules have bistable orientations. The imaging stratum having a viewing surface and a back surface. Adjacent said back surface is a background stratum. An addressing device is mounted for selectively switching colorant molecules of the imaging stratum between a transparent orientation and a color-exhibiting orientation. The present invention is adaptable to reflective light, back lit, and projection implementations.
Abstract:
A molecular system is provided for nanometer-scale reversible electronic and optical switches, specifically, electric field-activated molecular switches that have an electric field induced band gap change that occurs via rotation of rotor units connected to immobile stator units. The molecular system has two branches on one side of an immobile junction unit and one or two branches on the opposite side to thereby provide “Y” and “X” configurations, respectively. The ends of the branches opposite the junction unit are connected to, or electrically associated with, other molecular systems or substrates, such as electrodes. The rotor units each rotate between two states as a function of an externally-applied field. Both multi-stable molecular mechanical devices and electric field-activated optical switches are provided.
Abstract:
A molecular light valve mechanism is used for imaging on an adjacent pixel-patterned construct. An electrical fringe field or through field is used to transform targeted pixels by switching light valve molecules between a first non-transparent state and transparent state, providing information content on the adjacent pixel-patterned imaging layer.
Abstract:
An electronic writing instrument for rewritable electronic writing surfaces. A self-powered, untethered, pencil-like instrument uses a fringe field for changing the orientation of pixels composed of molecular colorant elements. An appendix hereto describes the molecular colorant.
Abstract:
A low cost, high speed, high resolution laser printer method and apparatus for re-writable media is presented. Three aspects are presented: 1) a bi-stable, microencapsulated colorant and surface coating therefore for producing an electric field writable and erasable medium--such as paper or a paper-like display, 2) an electrophotographic printer that is capable of conventional toner-based printing and re-writable "paper" printing and 3) a greatly simplified electrophotographic printer that is dedicated to printing re-writable media. The printer embodiments are based on conventional low cost laser printer designs, and have significant advantages in product cost, printing resolution and speed over the electrode array printer. A laser scanner is used to writably erase the uniform, high voltage charge deposited on the surface of a photoconductor drum or belt. When the re-writable paper is brought in contact with the charge written photoconductor through a biased back electrode roller, fields generated between the photoconductor and back electrode cause orientation of the colorant within the microcapsules to develop the desired print image.
Abstract:
A low cost, high speed, high resolution laser printer method and apparatus for re-writable media is presented. Three aspects are presented: 1) a bi-stable, microencapsulated dichroic sphere colorant and surface coating therefore for producing an electric field writable and erasable medium--such as paper or a paper-like display, 2) an electrophotographic printer that is capable of conventional toner-based printing and re-writable "paper" printing and 3) a greatly simplified electrophotographic printer that is dedicated to printing re-writable media. The printer embodiments are based on conventional low cost laser printer designs, and have significant advantages in product cost, printing resolution and speed over the electrode array printer. A laser scanner is used to writably erase the uniform, high voltage charge deposited on the surface of a photoconductor drum or belt. When the re-writable paper is brought in contact with the charge written photoconductor through a biased back electrode roller, fields generated between the photoconductor and back electrode cause color rotation of the dichroic spheres to develop the desired print image.
Abstract:
Various laser patterns for vertical cavity surface emitting lasers are disclosed. The patterns utilize lasers with different size apertures. By utilizing these laser patterns, an image forming system is able to form images with improved resolution and halftoning. Apparatus and method implementations which use these laser patterns are disclosed.
Abstract:
A thermal ink-jet printer (10) including a paper advancing mechanism (14) and a pen traversing mechanism (18) and a pen (20) is disclosed. The pen (20) includes a nozzle plate portion (22) which includes irregularly spaced columns of nozzles (24) for staggering application of inks onto the print medium (16) such that a drying time is provided between applications of differing inks to adjacent areas. The printer (10) further includes a platen heater assembly (68) as a means of fixing and drying the ink on the print medium (16), and a vacuum fan (62) and an associated plurality of platen vacuum holes (74) as a means of holding the print medium (16) in close contact with the heater plate assembly (68), thus increasing efficiency of heat transfer. The printer (10) is characterized in that it is capable of producing, at relatively high speeds on ordinary untreated paper or other print medium, a highly defined image relatively free from the problems of color bleeding, feathering, ink coalescence, and paper cockle normally associated with ink-jet printers. The primary usage of the printer (10) is in computer generated data printout applications.
Abstract:
The trichromatic beamsplitter consists of composited dichroic beamsplitter plates that separate a projected image into its three color components with spacial as well as spectral precision. The three linear array photosensor comprises a monolithic sensor having three parallel photodiode arrays spaced precisely to accept the color component images of the trichromatic beamsplitter.
Abstract:
A heated transfer line for heating a small glass capillary tube is disclosed. The transfer line is small and removable yet highly efficient, capable of uniformly heating a glass capillary tube over a 5-inch length to more than 400.degree. C. with less than 30 watts of power. The power is applied to an electrically conductive heater tube, which encircles the glass capillary, via first and second current conductors attached to respective ends of the heater tube. The first and second current conductors are arranged in proximity to the heater tube and back along the heater tube to a common point without touching each other. Electrical insulation is disposed between the heater tube and the first and second current conductors to electrically isolate the heater tube from the current conductors. A cover of thermal insulation is disposed over the heater tube and the current conductors and is used to thermally isolate the heater tube. An outer tube is disposed around the thermal insulation as a cover. A mounting ferrule is connected to the outer tube at the common point for mechanically mounting the transfer line and for providing an exit for the first and second current conductors.