Method and apparatus for preparing and displaying visual displays

A display system having a single-frame transparency which contains up to four independent images, each of said images having spaced apart groups of pixels interlaced with groups of pixels of the other of said images, each of said images being selectable for projection by a movable grid mask, comprising:

• a housing;
• a transparency film frame mounted on said housing and configured for projection of light therethrough from a back side thereof;
• a screen frame mounted on said housing;
• said single-frame transparency mounted in said transparency film frame, said interlaced groups of pixels defining a mosaic wherein each of said images is divided into a plurality of square shaped groups of pixels of predetermined width, said groups of pixels for each of said images being displaced each from the other a distance equal to said predetermined width and respective groups from each of said images being disposed in juxtaposition with one another in equal increments in two orthogonal directions;
• said grid mask mounted in said screen frame and in overlaying relationship with said transparency, said grid mask being defined by a plurality of opaque grid lines having a width dimension equal to said predetermined width of said pixel groups and forming a plurality of square apertures for displaying the pixel groups of one of said images responsive to a positional location of said grid mask with respect to said transparency;
• index means interposed between said frames for limiting and guiding relative movement therebetween;
• and,
• drive means coupled to said housing for shifting said screen frame in equal increments to form a closed loop defining a square pattern relative to said transparency film frame for sequentially aligning said grid mask apertures with respective pixel groups for each of said images, whereby light is permitted to be sequentially projected through said pixel groups overlaid by said apertures for sequentially displaying each of said images.

A method of preparing and displaying up to four images from a single-frame transparency, each of said images having spaced apart groups of pixels interlaced with groups of pixels of the other of said images, each of said images being selectable for projection from a back lighted box by a movable grid mask having square grid apertures, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. forming an individual transparency for each of said images from respective copy patterns wherein pixels representing said copy pattern are divided into spaced apart square shaped groups, said groups forming a square matrix of translucent optic segments defining a first portion of said transparency, said transparency having a second portion between said optic segments defining transparent group apertures;
• b. stacking each of said individual transparencies one upon the other with the optic segments of each transparency offset from the optic segments of the other transparencies and in registered alignment with said group apertures of each said other transparencies to form an interlaced pattern of said optic segments;
• c. reproducing said interlaced pattern of said optic segments to form a mosaic transparency;
• d. mounting said mosaic transparency to said back lighted box for projection of light therethrough;
• e. overlaying said mosaic transparency with said grid mask wherein said grid apertures are in registered alignment with the optic segments representing one of said images and blocking said projection of light through said other of said optic segments representing said other of said images;
• and,
• f. sequentially displacing said grid mask in equal increments to form a closed loop defining a square pattern to sequentially register said grid apertures with said optic segments representing each of the other of said images.