Lighting-independent color video display

A multicolor video display for viewing by reflected light, having a layered structure and employing light-modulating capacitor pixels, said layered structure comprising:

• i) a movable electrode shutter layer having a composite array of movable electrodes disposed toward a viewer, said movable electrodes having an open, retracted position defining a pixel aperture and providing a dear light path past said movable electrode and a second, extended position in which said light path is occluded by said movable electrode;
• ii) a dielectric layer having a transparent dielectric member in capacitive contact with said movable electrodes in said extended position of said movable electrodes;
• iii) a control electrode layer having an array of translucent control electrodes contacting and in electrostatic engagement with a second surface of said dielectric member to control said movable electrodes, said movable electrodes, said dielectric member and said control electrodes providing an array of light-modulating capacitors;
• iv) a reflective, static color screen layer disposed behind the shutter layer with respect to the viewer, said color screen layer being fixedly composed of colored segments, each said colored segment corresponding with and being aligned with said one of said pixel apertures to intercept said pixel aperture light path, adjacent said segments having different colors to provide multicolor display capabilities;
• whereby said color screen layer can be selectively masked by actuation of said movable electrode shutter layer to permit reflection to the viewer of an image composed of selected color screen segments.

A reflective, thin-panel, multicolor video display having a layered structure and employing light-modulating capacitive pixels, said layered structure comprising:

• I) a movable electrode shutter layer formed from a continuous film of flexible material and having a composite array of movable electrodes, said movable electrodes each having:
• a) a pigmentable reflective surface disposable toward the viewer;
• b) an open, retracted position providing a clear light path past the movable electrode;
• and
• c) a second, extended position in which said light path is occluded by the movable electrode and the movable electrode's reflective surface is disposed toward the viewer;
• ii) a dielectric layer formed from a continuous film of dielectric material and comprising a transparent, sheet-like dielectric member in capacitive contact with the movable electrodes in said extended position of each said movable electrode;
• iii) a light-transmissive control electrode layer disposed in electrostatic engagement with a second surface of said dielectric member to control said movable electrodes;
• wherein said movable electrodes, said dielectric member and said control electrodes provide an array of light-modulating capacitors;
• iv) drive circuitry to apply drive voltages selectively between said fixed electrodes and said movable electrodes to effect movement of selected movable electrodes;
• and
• v) a reflective color screen layer disposed adjacent to said shutter layer and behind said shutter layer with respect to said viewer, said color screen layer being composed of a mosaic of reflective colored screen segments individually configured and dimensioned to correspond with said capacitive pixels, adjacent said segments having different colors to provide multi-color display capabilities;
• whereby multicolored images can be selectively displayed by electronic manipulation of said movable electrodes.

A method of manufacturing a reflective, thin-panel, multicolor video display having a layered structure and employing light-modulating capacitive pixels, comprising:

• I) forming a movable electrode shutter layer from a continuous film of flexible material to have a composite array of movable electrodes, said movable electrodes each having:
• a) a pigmentable reflective surface disposable toward the viewer;
• b) an open, retracted position providing a clear light path past the movable electrode;
• and
• c) a second, extended position in which said light path is occluded by the movable electrode and the movable electrode's reflective surface is disposed toward the viewer;
• ii) forming a dielectric layer from a continuous film of dielectric material to comprise a transparent, sheet-like dielectric member in capacitive contact with the movable electrodes in said extended position of each said movable electrode;
• iii) forming a light-transmissive control electrode layer disposed in electrostatic engagement with a second surface of said dielectric member to control said movable electrodes;
• whereby said movable electrodes, said dielectric member and said control electrodes provide an array of light-modulating capacitors;
• iv) providing drive circuitry to apply drive voltages selectively between said fixed electrodes and said movable electrodes to effect movement of selected movable electrodes;
• and
• v) providing a reflective color screen layer disposed adjacent to said shutter layer and behind said shutter layer with respect to said viewer, said color screen layer being composed of a mosaic of reflective colored screen segments individually configured and dimensioned to correspond with said capacitive pixels, adjacent said segments having different colors to provide multi-color display capabilities;
• whereby multicolored images can be selectively displayed by electronic manipulation of said movable electrodes.