Color display device

Abstract

A color display apparatus and method for displaying colors using radiation sources uses displays that may include multiple radiation sources, a display surface and control hardware and software that enable accurate and reproducible color display. Another apparatus provides means for generating colors upon request and communicating digital information regarding the generation of the color spectrum to local or remote display devices. The apparatus may be used in selecting and ordering colors subject to supplier constraints. Methods for displaying colors and enabling display of the colors in remote locations, as well as methods for conducting business by communicating the color display information are all provided.

1 . A display apparatus comprising: 
 a prismatic structure having a front end, a back end, an interior space, an axis J intercepting both said front and said back ends, at least one sidewall in a plane extending between said front and said back ends, said at least one wall comprising a reflective inner surface in said interior space, and an interior space outer perimeter in a plane substantially perpendicular to said axis;    a radiation emitter adapted to emit radiation having a desired wavelength spectrum; and    a viewing window comprising a diffuse display surface located at the front end of the prismatic structure.    
     
     
         2 . The display apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said radiation emitter comprises a plurality of distinct radiation sources.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2  further comprising: 
 means for receiving an input signal representing respective intensities of a multiplicity of wavelength bands;    an intensity modulator, responsive to the input signal for generating a multiplicity of modulation control signals each corresponding to a respectively different one of the multiplicity of wavelength bands; and wherein    the plurality of modulated radiation sources is responsive to the multiplicity of the modulation control signals and provides a plurality of radiation beams, each of the beams corresponding to a respectively different one of the multiplicity of wavelength bands.    
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the means for receiving the input signal is configured to receive signals representing at least four wavelength bands.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3  further comprising a color control system comprising: 
 means for monitoring characteristics of the radiation emitted from the radiation source at one or more wavelengths; and    feedback means for comparing the monitored characteristics to a desired set of characteristics and adjusting the input signal to the intensity modulator to provide the desired set of characteristics.    
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the plurality of radiation sources comprise light emitting diodes.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 2  further comprising a concave radiation reflector extending outside the inner space outer perimeter adjacent the back end, the reflector comprising a reflective surface oriented to reflect radiation directed onto the reflector into the interior space of said prismatic structure, and wherein at least one of the plurality of the radiation sources are located outside the outer perimeter and are oriented to direct emitted radiation onto said reflector.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  further comprising a convex impinging surface, symmetrical about a plane bisecting the interior space from the front end to the back end, the convex impinging surface positioned at the back of the reflector opposite the display window.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the prismatic structure and the reflector each have a rectangular cross section having a respective cross-sectional length and cross-sectional width, the reflector cross-sectional width being equal to the prismatic structure cross-sectional width, and the reflector cross-sectional length being greater than the cross-sectional length of the prismatic structure.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a radiation diffuser positioned between the radiation emitter and the viewing window.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the prismatic structure is a transparent solid block comprising a solid interior space surrounded by reflective walls.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising means for displaying a reference color adjacent to the display surface.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the reference color is a shade of gray.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the means for displaying a reference color further comprises an illumination source configured to provide illumination representative of environmental lighting.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising means for superimposing a texture image pattern on the display surface.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the means for superimposing texture image patterns comprises a transmissive liquid crystal display.  
     
     
         17 . The display apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a communication means for interfacing with a computer network.  
     
     
         18 . A display apparatus comprising: 
 a light-conducting sheet having a periphery, a center, a back side, and a front side; and    a plurality of radiation sources distributed about the periphery of the sheet and adapted to emit radiation toward the center,    wherein the back side of the sheet has a roughness sufficient to reflect the radiation toward a display surface on the front side of the sheet.    
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  further comprising a neutral density filter of variable transmission attached to the front side of the sheet.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 18  further comprising a sheet of microlenses or a hologram attached to the display surface.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the display apparatus is adapted to project the radiation onto a textured surface.  
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 18  further comprising imaging means including a transmissive display positioned in front of the display surface.  
     
     
         23 . A display apparatus having a front and a back, and comprising: 
 a first reflector in the back of the display having a concave, reflective inner surface symmetrical about a first plane and having a first effective diameter;    a second reflector in the front of the display having a concave, reflective inner surface symmetrical about the first plane and facing the first reflector, the second reflector having a second effective diameter smaller than the first effective diameter;    a viewing window in the second reflector at the front of the device;    a convex, reflective impinging surface mounted at the back of the first reflector facing the second reflector and symmetrical about the first plane; and    one or more radiation sources positioned in an annular region between the first reflector and the second reflector and adapted to emit radiation toward the first reflector, the radiation reflecting off of the first reflector and optionally off of the impinging surface, toward the second reflector and ultimately to the viewing window.    
     
     
         24 . The display of  claim 23  further comprising a shield, symmetrical about the first plane, positioned between the radiation sources and the first plane, for preventing a first reflection of radiation emitted from the radiation sources from reaching the viewing window without at least one additional reflection.  
     
     
         25 . The display of  claim 23 , wherein the first reflector, the second reflector, and the impinging surface are all rotationally symmetrical about a common polar axis.  
     
     
         26 . The display of  claim 25 , wherein the first reflector, the second reflector, and the impinging surface are all spherical.  
     
     
         27 . A display apparatus comprising: 
 at least a partial outer sphere having a polar axis of rotation and a reflective inner surface;    at least a partial inner sphere mounted at least partially within the outer sphere along the polar axis, the inner sphere having a reflective inner surface and a reflective outer surface, forming a radiation path between the reflective outer surface of the inner sphere and the reflective inner surface of the outer sphere;    a plurality of radiation sources adapted to introduce one or more beams of radiation into the radiation path;    a viewing window extending through the outer sphere to the inner sphere and located along the polar axis, the viewing window surrounded by a sidewall extending from the outer sphere to the inner sphere, the sidewall having an inner reflective surface bordering the radiation path;    a transparent radiation entry portal in the inner sphere adjacent the viewing window for allowing radiation to enter the inner sphere from the radiation path; and    a display surface located in the viewing window substantially perpendicular to the polar axis.    
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27  wherein the plurality of radiation sources are located essentially on or adjacent to the polar axis.  
     
     
         29 . The apparatus according to  claim 27  wherein the outer sphere extends only partially around the inner sphere from the viewing window sidewall to a circle concentric with the polar axis, further comprising a perimeter wall radially extending from the outer sphere along the circle to the inner sphere, wherein radiation sources for are adapted to introduce the radiation into the radiation path at the perimeter wall.  
     
     
         30 . The apparatus according to  claim 29  wherein the circle is an equatorial circle and the perimeter wall is located along a plane that bisects the inner sphere perpendicular to the viewing window.  
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 27  wherein the inner sphere has a diameter and the viewing window approaches the inner sphere diameter.  
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 27  wherein the viewing window has a cylindrical shape.  
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 27  wherein the viewing window sidewall inner surface has a truncated conical shape.  
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 27  wherein the inner sphere is a hemisphere.  
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 27  wherein the inner sphere is greater than a hemisphere.  
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 27  wherein the viewing window is cylindrical and has an inner end adjacent the inner sphere and an outer end, the display surface located at the inner end of the viewing window and the sidewall extending from the outer sphere to a portion of the viewing window intermediate the outer end and the inner end in a truncated conical shape.