Fiber-based flat panel display

A fiber-based display comprising:

• a plurality of transparent fibers disposed in side-by-side arrangement to define a viewing surface of the fiber-optic display;
• a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed along a surface of each of said plurality of transparent fibers opposite the viewing surface of the fiber-optic display, each said light-emitting element having first and second electrodes between which an electrical signal is applied to cause said light-emitting element to emit light;
• a source of first and second electrical signals representative of information to be displayed;
• and
• at least one electrical circuit board including:
• a plurality of first electrical conductors coupled between said source and the first electrodes of said plurality of light-emitting elements of each particular transparent fiber to apply the first electrical signal thereto, and
• a plurality of second electrical conductors coupled between said source and the respective second electrodes of corresponding ones of said plurality of light-emitting elements of a group of adjacent ones of said plurality of transparent fibers to apply the second electrical signal thereto;
• thereby causing said light-emitting elements to emit light to display the information on the viewing surface.

A display comprising:

• an electrical circuit substrate having a plurality of data line conductors in a central region of a first surface thereof and having a plurality of select line conductors proximate at least one edge thereof;
• a plurality of light-emitting transparent fibers disposed on the first surface of said electrical circuit substrate in side-by side relationship over at least the central region thereof, each said light-emitting transparent fiber comprising:
• a transparent fiber disposed on said first surface to define a viewing surface of the display, and having first and second ends;
• a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed along a surface of said transparent fiber proximate said electrical circuit substrate and opposite the viewing surface of the display, each said light-emitting element having first and second electrodes at which electrical select and data signals are respectively applied to cause said light-emitting elements to emit light;
• means for connecting the first electrodes of said light-emitting fibers to said select line conductors and said second electrodes to said data line conductors;
• a plurality of data line drive circuits responsive to data signals representative of information to be displayed for applying the data signals to said data line conductors;
• and
• a plurality of select line drive circuits responsive to select signals representative of information to be displayed for applying select signals to said select line conductors.

A display comprising:

• a plurality of light-emitting transparent fibers disposed in side-by side relationship to define a viewing surface of the display, each said light-emitting transparent fiber comprising:
• an elongated transparent fiber having first and second ends;
• a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed along a surface of said transparent fiber, each said light-emitting element having first and second electrodes at which electrical select and data signals are respectively applied to cause said light-emitting elements to emit light;
• a plurality of first electrical circuit boards each having a plurality of data line conductors thereon;
• at least one second electrical circuit substrate having a plurality of select line conductors thereon;
• means for connecting the first electrodes of said light-emitting transparent fibers to said select line conductors of said at least one second electrical circuit substrate, and for connecting the second electrodes of said light-emitting transparent fibers to said data line conductors of said plurality of first electrical circuit boards;
• a plurality of data line drive circuits responsive to data signals representative of information to be displayed for applying the data signals to said data line conductors;
• and
• a plurality of select line drive circuits responsive to select signals representative of information to be displayed for applying select signals to said select line conductors.