GB2263573A - Liquid crystal display animated face. - Google Patents

Abstract

An animated face display device has an LCD for providing animated facial movements. By forming parts of the face with selected elements of an LCD which are formed to correspond to elements A to G of a standard time piece LCD, a standard LCD number generator, clock integrated circuit, can be used. This means the cost of the face display device can be very low. <IMAGE>

Description

Animated DiSplay The invention relates to animated displays.

The invention relates more particularly to displays of faces and using a liquid crystal display for showing a face or part of a face. An example of an animated display is described in USA Patent No.4642710 where a liquid crystal display of a robot's face is controlled in conjunction with a tape recording of a voice. Other examples of more simple animated of somewhat similar arrangements can be found in U.K. Patent Application GB 2063531A and USA Patent No.

4466743.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple but effective face animation device that can be readily manufactured at low cost.

According to the invention there is provided an animated face display device comprising controllable liquid crystal elements formed in a liquid crystal display as part of a mouth of the face, which parts are formed of only selected parts of elements A to G of an otherwise conventional liquid display numeral, a standard sequencial number generating integrated drive circuit, and means for periodically electrically connecting the selected parts to the drive circuit.

The lips of the face may be formed by elements A and E. or the elements D and E.

The tongue of the face may be formed by the element C.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a standard numeral liquid crystal display (LCD) arrangement normally used in a time-piecet Figure 2 shows in plan an arrangement of liquid crystal display elements used to form part of a face; Figures 3 and 4 show an example of the same face using the elements to form the mouth of the face; and Figures 5, 6 and 7 show a different face using the elements to form the mouth of the face.

Referring to the drawings, in Figure 1 the standard elements for forming numbers 0 to 9 are identified in conventional fashion as elements A to G. In order to illuminate the elements, an electrical potential is applied between one part of the element and a substrate on which the elements are supported in conventional fashion. Thus to display numeral one, a potential is applied simultenaously to elements B and C, to display numeral two a potential applied simultaneously to elements A. B G, E and D. and so on. There are available at very low cost standard drive circuits or standard clock integrated circuits as used in electronic watches which are programmed to drive an LCD display in a repetitive sequence, to change every second (or even every fraction of a second) the number displayed in the time piece.Such drive circuits thus change the display in an repetitive sequence 0, 1, 2, 3 . . . 0. The output of the clock integrated circuit, to apply electrical potentials to the LCD, changes according to its programme in a corresponding sequence as will be apparent from Figure 1 for example: For numeral 0 a potential is applied to A, B, C. D, E, F; For numeral 1 a potential is applied to B, C; For numeral 2 a potential is applied to ABDEG; For numeral 3 a potential is applied to ABCDG; and so on.

In Figure 2, an LCD is formed in which there are elements corresponding to elements with legends A to G provided in the forms and configurations as shown in Figure 2. By arranging to these elements to be driven, according to their legends, by a standard clock integrated circuit, the elements will be activated when required and according to the sequence above. In other words, electrical potentials will be applied selectively to the elements in Figure 2 as if they represented the numerical display of Figure 1.

Importantly. it will be noted that the lips in Figure 2 are represented by the elements A and E (although element D and E could also be used) to represent mouth movements, that is to simulate talking. The tongue is represented by the element C; it is preferred or required that once the elements are activated the element C must only go off if the elements A and E (or D and E) are both on. Element C is therefore chosen specifically to satisfv this requirement.

Thus, in order to provide an animated face, the LCD elements forming the parts of the face are arranged as shown in Figure 2. An LCD having such shaped elements must be custom designed but arranging the elements in the forms required is not generally any more expensive in itself than providing other shapes and configmations for the elements.

When it is required to simulate facial movements, particularly talking, the output of the clock integrated circuit is electrically connected (e.g. by a switch) to the LCD for an appropriate period of time. In any random second or at least time interval of just more than a second, the potentials supplied to the LCD by the standard clock integrated circuit will change at least once. In other words, there will be two different potential combinations supplied to the LCD elements for every interval exceeding at least one second. This means for each period connection lasting about one or sav one and a half seconds, the face will change at least once.Most importantly the lips (or the mouth shape) will always change once whenever this happens; this is because in each step in a normal number sequence when driving a time piece LCD either A or E (or either D or E) change in some way, that is either to on from off or to off from on.

Typically, therefore when a doll or robot face is initiated to speak even for a second or so, there will be at least some apparent mouth movements.

As embodiments of the invention make use of the normal (sequential) outputs of standard clock integrated circuits relatively expensive custom built drive circuits are not required. The clock circuit will be turned on most of the time, that is at least whenever the toys is "in plea" and simply connected, through a switch, to the LCD for short periods as required to provide the simulated speaking, that is, the mouth movements.

In Figures 3 and 4, the LCD arrangements are generally the same except only elements A and E (or elements D and E) are incorporated for the lips to provide the mouth movements.

Figure 3 shows the face when all the elements are off and Figure 4 shows the face when elements A and E are on.

In Figures 5, 6 and . the elements are all off in Figure 5, the elements A and E are on the Figure 6, and the elements A, C, and E are on in Figure In practice, elements A and E (or D and E), preferably together with element C, are generally sufficient to give acceptable facial movements for simulating talking by the toys. As such, the faces in the Figures 3 to 7 can remain simple and perhaps more asethetically pleasing as only the mouth is formed by some selected of the elements normally required for a numerical LCD. As embodiments can incorporate standard clock integrated circuit which are mass produced and widely available, the animated faces can be provided at very low cost. Further, the same mouth movement may be used for several different faces so the same LCD format of the mouth can be used for a wide range of toys.

It will be appreciated that a special or dedicated standard clock integrated circuit may not always be required to drive the facial LCD. A toy or game may have a clock integrated circuit already for other purposes. As it does not matter at which part of the number sequence the output of the integrated circuit the circuit is connected to drive the LCD of the described faces, a "clock" output can be taken at any time and briefly connected as described for a second or so period to the facial elements of the LCD.

Claims (5)

Claims

1. An animated face display device comprising controllable liquid crystal elements formed in a liquid crystal display as part of a mouth of the face, which parts are formed of only selected parts of elements A to G of an otherwise conventional liquid display numeral, a standard sequencial number generating integrated drive circuit, and means for periodically electrically connecting the selected parts to the drive circuit.

2. A display device according to claim 1, in which the lips of the face are formed by elements A and E.

3. A display device according to claim 1 in which the lips of the face are formed by elements D and E.

4. A display device according to any of claims 1 to 3, in which a tongue of the face is formed by the element C.

5. Display device substantially as herein described with reference to any one or more of Figures 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.