Z-axis redundant display/multilayer display

Abstract

A display system for presenting one or more planes of display information. The display system may include two or more display modules positioned in a spaced relationship in a stacked formation substantially along a Z-axis perpendicular to a display face of a display module. Each display module may be selectively activated to display a visual image or deactivated to a quiescent state. Further, when a display module is activated to display the viewed image, the viewed image can be viewed through a prior display module which is deactivated to a quiescent state.

1 . A display system comprising: 
 a first visually transparent display module; and    a second display module positioned in a spaced relationship to the first display module in a stacked formation substantially along a Z-axis perpendicular to a display face of the first display module;    wherein each display module can be selectively activated to display a visual image or deactivated to a quiescent state, and wherein when the second display module is activated to display the viewed image, the viewed image can be viewed through the first display module.    
     
     
         2 . The display system of  claim 1 , further comprising a third display module positioned in spaced relationship to the second display module in a stacked formation substantially along the Z-axis.  
     
     
         3 . The display system of  claim 1 , wherein when the second display module is in an active state displaying the viewed image, the first display module is visually transparent in the quiescent state.  
     
     
         4 . The display system of  claim 1 , wherein a single display module is activated to display an image at a point in time.  
     
     
         5 . The display system of  claim 1 , wherein more than one display module is activated to display an image at a point in time.  
     
     
         6 . The display system of  claim 1 , further comprising a static opaque layer positioned behind the second display module distal from the first display module in the Z-axis, wherein the second display module is visually transparent.  
     
     
         7 . The display system of  claim 1 , further comprising a dynamic opaque layer positioned behind the second display module distal from the first display module in the Z-axis, wherein the dynamic opaque layer can be activated to an opaque visual state and deactivated to a transparent visual state.  
     
     
         8 . The display system of  claim 1 , further comprising an opaque layer positioned behind the second display module distal from the first display module in the Z-axis, and a dynamic opaque layer positioned between the first and second display modules wherein the dynamic opaque layer can be activated to a visually opaque visual state and deactivated to a visually transparent state.  
     
     
         9 . The display system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second display modules are substantially parallel to each other along their X and Y axes.  
     
     
         10 . The display system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second display modules are not parallel to each other along their X and Y axes, but are aligned so that a viewed image displayed by the second display module is viewable through the first display module.  
     
     
         11 . A method of operating a display system comprising the steps of: 
 providing a first visually transparent display module, wherein the first visually transparent display module can be activated to display an image and deactivated to a quiescent state;    providing a second display module positioned in a spaced relationship to the first display module in a stacked formation substantially along a Z-axis perpendicular to a display face of the first display module, wherein the second display module can be selectively activated to display the image and deactivated to a quiescent state; and    activating a display module to display the visual image, wherein when the second display module is activated to display the viewed image, the viewed image can be viewed through the first display module.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further providing a third display module positioned in spaced relationship to the second display module in a stacked formation substantially along the Z-axis, wherein the third display module can be selectively activated to display the image and deactivated to a quiescent state, wherein when the third display module is activated to display the viewed image, the viewed image can be viewed through the first and the second display modules.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of activating a single display module to display the image at a point in time, wherein when the second display is activated to display the image the first display module is visually transparent in the quiescent state.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of activating more than one display module to display the image.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further providing a static opaque layer positioned behind the second display module distal from the first display module in the Z-axis, wherein the second display module is visually transparent.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further providing a dynamic opaque layer positioned behind the second display module distal from the first display module in the Z-axis, wherein the dynamic opaque layer can be activated to an opaque visual state and deactivated to a transparent visual state.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of activating the dynamic opaque layer to an opaque visual state.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of deactivating the dynamic opaque layer to a transparent visual state.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , further providing an opaque layer positioned behind the second display module distal from the first display module in the Z-axis, and a dynamic opaque layer positioned between the first and second display modules, wherein the dynamic opaque layer can be activated to a visually opaque visual state and deactivated to a visually transparent state.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the steps of: 
 activating the first display module to display the image; and    activating the dynamic opaque layer to a opaque visual state.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the steps of: 
 activating the first display module to display the image; and    deactivating the dynamic opaque layer to a visually transparent state.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of: 
 activating the second display module to display the image, wherein the first display module is visually transparent in the quiescent state and the dynamic opaque layer is in the deactivated visually transparent state.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the opaque layer positioned behind the second display module is a dynamic opaque layer, wherein the dynamic opaque layer can be activated to a visually opaque visual state and deactivated to a visually transparent state.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 12 , further providing a dynamic opaque layer positioned behind the third display module distal from the first display module in the Z-axis, wherein the dynamic opaque layer can be activated to an opaque visual state and deactivated to a transparent visual state.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 12 , further providing an opaque layer positioned behind the third display module distal from the first display module in the Z-axis, and a dynamic opaque layer positioned between the first and second display modules, wherein the dynamic opaque layer can be activated to a visually opaque visual state and deactivated to a visually transparent state.  
     
     
         26 . A display system comprising: 
 a first visually transparent display module having a display face; and    a second display module having a display face;    wherein the display modules are positioned in a stacked formation substantially along a Z-axis perpendicular to a display face of the first display module, and wherein the display module faces are not aligned in the same in the X-Y plane;    wherein each display module can be selectively activated to display a visual image or deactivated to a quiescent state, and wherein when the second display module is activated to display the viewed image, the viewed image can be viewed through the first display module.    
     
     
         27 . The display system of  claim 26 , further comprising a third display module having a display face, the third display module positioned in spaced relationship to the second display module in a stacked formation substantially along the Z-axis and wherein the display module faces are not aligned in the same X-Y plane.  
     
     
         28 . The display system of  claim 26 , wherein the display module faces are substantially parallel to each other along their X and Y axis.  
     
     
         29 . The display system of  claim 26 , wherein the display module faces are not parallel to each other along their X and Y axes, but are aligned so that a viewed image displayed by the second display module is viewable through the first display module.  
     
     
         30 . The display system of  claim 26 , further comprising a dynamic opaque layer positioned behind the second display module distal from the first display module in the Z-axis, wherein the dynamic opaque layer can be activated to an opaque visual state and deactivated to a transparent visual state.  
     
     
         31 . The display system of  claim 26 , further comprising an opaque layer positioned behind the second display module distal from the first display module in the Z-axis, and a dynamic opaque layer positioned between the first and second display modules wherein the dynamic opaque layer can be activated to a visually opaque visual state and deactivated to a visually transparent state.  
     
     
         32 . The display system of  claim 27 , further comprising a dynamic opaque layer positioned behind the third display module distal from the first display module in the Z-axis, wherein the dynamic opaque layer can be activated to an opaque visual state and deactivated to a transparent visual state.  
     
     
         33 . The display system of  claim 27 , further comprising an opaque layer positioned behind the third display module distal from the first display module in the Z-axis, and a dynamic opaque layer positioned between the first and second display modules, wherein the dynamic opaque layer can be activated to a visually opaque visual state and deactivated to a visually transparent state.  
     
     
         34 . A display system comprising: 
 a plurality of display modules positioned in a stacked formation substantially along a Z-axis, wherein each of said plurality of display modules is positioned in a spaced-apart relation with respect to one another; and    a three-dimensional image displayed in said plurality of display modules, wherein each of said plurality of display modules displays a line of intersection between said three-dimensional image and a plane of its display module.    
     
     
         35 . A display system comprising: 
 a first display module configured to display a first type of information; and    a second display module positioned in a spaced apart relation to said first display module, wherein said second display module is configured to display a second type of information;    wherein said first type of information is displayed upon receipt of a first password, wherein said second type of information is displayed upon receipt of a second password.