Graduated electro-optic device and method

Abstract

A method of producing an optical gradient effect includes providing an optical device having one or more spatially variable optical response characteristics. The optical device includes one or more individual liquid crystal cells, wherein each individual cell includes i) a liquid crystal material contained between a single pair of substrates, each substrate having a transparent conductive layer provided thereon, ii) an electrode connection contacting each transparent conductive layer, and iii) a driving signal source in electrical communication with each electrode connection. The method includes applying a driving signal from the driving signal source to the electrode connections to create a voltage gradient in a gradient direction along the pair of transparent conductive layer leading away from the electrode connections. The voltage gradient is received by the liquid crystal material to produce the gradient effect in at least one optical response characteristic across at least a portion of the optical device.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.