Magnet erased eWriter
AssigneeKent Displays Incorporated
InventorsAnthony Daniels, Todd Ernst, Nathan Hirt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A magnet erased writing device or eWriter includes cholesteric liquid crystal material, in which a written image is erased using magnetically activated electronic circuitry. By eliminating the mechanical erase button of Prior Art eWriters, the eWriter can be designed with a display footprint that can cover nearly the entire face of the eWriter. An erasing magnet can be used with the device, which can be handheld as, for example, by being part of a stylus. With the erasing magnet separated from the device and the mechanical erase button being omitted, the eWriter avoids unintentional erasures, a drawback of Prior Art eWriters.
Claims19
A writing device comprising:
- a liquid crystal layer including cholesteric liquid crystal material;
- electrically conductive layers between which said liquid crystal layer is disposed;
- a flexible substrate and a back substrate between which said electrically conductive layers and said liquid crystal layer are disposed;
- wherein application of pressure to said flexible substrate changes a texture of said cholesteric liquid crystal material to form an image;
- magnetically activated electronic circuitry for applying an erase voltage to said electrically conductive layers, wherein said magnetically activated electronic circuitry includes a magnetically activated switch;
- and
- a magnet which when brought in proximity to said magnetically activated switch, erases the image.
A writing device comprising:
- a liquid crystal layer including cholesteric liquid crystal material;
- electrically conductive layers between which said liquid crystal layer is disposed;
- a flexible substrate and a back substrate between which said electrically conductive layers and said liquid crystal layer are disposed;
- wherein application of pressure to said flexible substrate changes a texture of said cholesteric liquid crystal material to form an image;
- a magnet;
- and
- magnetically activated electronic circuitry for applying an erase voltage to said electrically conductive layers;
- wherein said magnetically activated electronic circuitry comprises:
- a magnetically activated switch that is activated by proximity to said magnet;
- and
- erase electronics that are activated by said magnetically activated switch;
- wherein moving said magnet in proximity to said magnetically activated switch results in an electrical signal that activates said erase electronics, and said activated erase electronics provide said erase voltage to said electrically conductive layers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.