Method and apparatus for two particle total internal reflection image display
AssigneeCLEARink Displays, Inc.
InventorLorne A. Whitehead
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Brightness in total internal reflection image displays may be enhanced by addition of a plurality of light reflecting particles. The particles may be charged, uncharged or weakly charged. The particles may be designed such that they do not enter the evanescent wave region and frustrate TIR when near the surface of the convex protrusions but be close enough to reflect light rays that pass through the dark pupil region to enhance brightness.
Claims26
A Totally Internally Reflective (TIR) display, comprising:
- a front assembly having a front sheet and a front electrode;
- a back assembly having a backplane and a rear electrode, the back assembly and the front assembly forming a gap therebetween;
- a medium to fill the gap, the medium having a first refractive index value;
- a plurality of electrophoretically mobile light absorbing particles and a plurality of light reflecting particles dispersed in the medium;
- and
- wherein the at least one light reflecting particle further comprises a core and a coating substantially covering the core, and wherein the coating having a second refractive index value.
A Totally Internally Reflective (TIR) display, comprising:
- a front assembly having a front electrode;
- a back assembly having a rear electrode, the back assembly and the front assembly forming a gap therebetween;
- a medium to fill the gap, the medium having a first refractive index value;
- a plurality of electrophoretically mobile light absorbing particles and a plurality of light reflecting particles dispersed in the medium, the light reflecting particles having a core and a coating, the coating having a second refractive index value;
- and
- wherein the coating of at least one light reflecting particle creates a steric hindrance to prevent the core of the at least one light reflecting particle to substantially come into contact with the front electrode or the rear electrode.
A method for switching a Totally Internally Reflective (TIR) image display from a dark state to a light state, comprising:
- receiving a plurality of incoming light rays at a front electrode of the display, the front electrode of the display forming a gap with a back electrode of the display;
- moving a plurality of light absorbing particles to the front electrode by supplying a first bias to the front electrode relative to the back electrode, the light absorbing particles substantially absorbing the incoming light rays at the front electrode;
- moving a plurality of light reflecting particles proximal to the front electrode by supplying a second bias to the front electrode relative to the back electrode, the light reflective particles substantially reflecting the plurality of incoming light rays back through the front electrode, the light-reflecting particles having a core and a coating;
- and
- wherein the coating of the plurality of light refracting particles comprises a steric hindrance layer to remain proximal to the front surface without contacting the front electrode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.