System and method for illuminating interferometric modulator display
AssigneeIdc, LLC
InventorsBrian Gally, William Cummings
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Abstract of the Disclosure Methods and apparatus are disclosed for directing light from a remote light source into interferometric modulator structures. Light redirectors, including reflective structures, scattering centers, and fluorescent or phosphorescent material, are used to redirect light from a light source into interferometric modulator structures.
Claims56
A reflective display, comprising:
- a substrate having a first surface;
- a plurality of interferometric modulators disposed on a second surface of said substrate opposite the first surface;
- and
- a cover having a third surface, the cover positioned in optical communication with the first surface with a gap existing between the first and third surfaces, the cover including a plurality of light redirectors, the light redirectors configured to redirect at least a portion of light incident on the third surface of the cover onto the first surface.
A system for illuminating a reflective display, comprising:
- a display cover configured to be placed in front of the reflective display and including a plurality of light redirectors, the display cover having a first surface configured to face the front of the reflective display, there being a gap between the first surface and the front of the display;
- and
- a light source configured to transmit light onto the first surface of the display cover along a path that is oblique to the display cover, wherein said light redirectors are configured to redirect at least a portion of the incident light onto the front of the reflective display.
A method of illuminating a reflective display, comprising:
- transmitting light onto a first surface of a display cover along a path that is oblique to the cover, the first surface of the display cover facing a second surface of a reflective display, there being a gap between the first surface and the second surface;
- and
- redirecting at least a portion of said transmitted light towards the second surface of the reflective display.
A reflective display, comprising:
- a substrate having a first surface;
- a plurality of reflective display elements disposed on a second surface of said substrate opposite the first surface;
- and
- a plurality of light redirectors in optical communication with said substrate and reflective display elements so as to redirect at least a portion of light originating along a path that is oblique to said first surface into the substrate and reflective display elements.
A method of illuminating a reflective display, comprising:
- transmitting light onto a reflective display panel along a path that is oblique to the display panel;
- and
- redirecting at least a portion of said transmitted light so that redirected light is directed along a path that is less oblique to said display panel than said transmitted light.
An illuminated reflective display system, comprising:
- a plurality of reflective display elements;
- and
- fluorescent or phosphorescent material located in optical communication with the display elements and configured such that said material absorbs light having a first wavelength and emits light having a second wavelength different from said first wavelength into said reflective display elements.
A method of illuminating a reflective display, comprising:
- transmitting light onto fluorescent or phosphorescent material that absorbs at least a portion of said light;
- and
- emitting from said fluorescent or phosphorescent material light having a different wavelength than said transmitted light onto reflective display elements.
An illuminated reflective display, comprising:
- a substrate having a plurality of reflective display elements disposed on a first surface thereof;
- a light source adapted to emit light into the substrate;
- a first material disposed on a second surface of the substrate opposite said first surface, said first material comprising a plurality of light redirectors;
- and
- a second material disposed on the first material, wherein the second material has an index of refraction different than said first material.
An illuminated interferometric modulator display, comprising:
- a plurality of interferometric modulators having a front from which incident light is reflected;
- a plurality of at least partially transparent posts supporting a reflective surface of said interferometric modulators;
- a plurality of light redirectors aligned with said posts;
- and
- a light source positioned on a side opposite the front of the interferometric modulators.
An illuminated interferometric modulator display, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a plurality of interferometric modulators disposed on the substrate and having a front from which incident light is reflected;
- a plurality of at least partially transparent posts supporting a reflective surface of said interferometric modulators;
- a plurality of light redirectors disposed on or in said substrate;
- and
- a light source positioned on a side opposite the front of the interferometric modulators.
A method of illuminating a reflective display, comprising:
- transmitting light through a plurality of at least partially transparent posts into a substrate, wherein the posts support a reflective surface in a plurality of interferometric modulators disposed on the substrate;
- and
- redirecting at least a portion of said transmitted light from the substrate into said interferometric modulators.
An illuminated reflective display produced by a process comprising:
- positioning a plurality of interferometric modulators on a substrate;
- and
- positioning a plurality of light redirectors in optical communication with said interferometric modulators, the light redirectors configured to redirect at least a portion of light incident on the light redirectors into the interferometric modulators.
An illuminated reflective display, comprising:
- a plurality of interferometric modulators having a front surface from which light is reflected;
- means for redirecting light originating along a path that is oblique to the front surface into the interferometric modulators;
- and
- means for providing light to said means for redirecting.
A reflective display produced by a process, comprising:
- positioning a plurality of interferometric modulators on a first surface of a substrate;
- forming a plurality of light redirectors in a cover, the cover having a second surface;
- and
- positioning the cover in optical communication with the plurality of interferometric modulators such that a gap exists between the second surface and a third surface on the substrate opposite the first surface, the light redirectors configured to redirect at least a portion of light incident on the second surface onto the third surface.
A system for illuminating a reflective display produced by a process, comprising:
- forming a plurality of light redirectors in a cover, the cover having a first surface;
- positioning the cover in front of a reflective display with a gap between the first surface and the front of the display;
- and
- positioning a light source to transmit light onto the first surface of the display cover along a path that is oblique to the display cover, wherein said light redirectors are configured to redirect at least a portion of the incident light onto the front of the reflective display.
A reflective display produced by a process, comprising:
- positioning a plurality of reflective display elements on a first surface of a substrate;
- and
- positioning a plurality of light redirectors in optical communication with said substrate and reflective display elements so as to redirect at least a portion of light originating along a path that is oblique to a second surface of the substrate opposite the first surface into the substrate and reflective display elements.
An illuminated reflective display system produced by a process, comprising positioning fluorescent or phosphorescent material in optical communication with a plurality of reflective display elements, wherein said material absorbs light having a first wavelength and emits light having a second wavelength different from said first wavelength into said reflective display elements.
An illuminated reflective display produced by a process, comprising:
- positioning a plurality of interferometric modulators on a first surface of a substrate;
- positioning a light source so as to emit light into the substrate;
- positioning a first material on a second surface of the substrate opposite said first surface, said first material comprising a plurality of light redirectors;
- and
- positioning a second material on the first material, wherein the second material has an index of refraction different than said first material.
An illuminated interferometric modulator display produced by a process, comprising:
- forming a plurality of at least partially transparent posts to support a reflective surface in a plurality of interferometric modulators, the interferometric modulators having a front from which incident light is reflected;
- positioning a plurality of light redirectors to be aligned with said posts;
- and
- positioning a light source on a side opposite the front of the interferometric modulators.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.