Method and apparatus for sensing the state of an electrophoretic display
AssigneeE Ink Corporation
InventorsJoseph M. Jacobson, Paul Drzaic
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for sensing the state of an electrophoretic display includes the steps of applying an electrical signal to a display element, measuring an electrical response for the display element, and deducing the state of the display element from the measured electrical response.
Claims29
A method for measuring the physical state of an electrophoretic display element, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing an electrophoretic display element comprising a capsule containing a plurality of particles dispersed in a suspension fluid and having two electrodes adjacent said capsule;
- (b) applying an electrical signal to said two electrodes;
- (c) measuring an electrical characteristic of the display element, the electrical characteristic generated in response to the applied electrical signal;
- and
- (d) deducing the physical state of the electrophoretic display element based on the measured electrical characteristic.
An apparatus for determining the physical state of an electrophoretic display element having two electrodes adjacent a capsule containing a plurality of particles dispersed in a suspension fluid, comprising:
- (a) a signal generator for applying an electrical signal to two electrodes of a display element;
- (b) a detection circuit for measuring an electrical response of the display element to the applied signal;
- and
- (c) a discriminator circuit for determining a state of the display element based on said electrical response.
An electrophoretic display comprising a plurality of display elements and capable of determining the physical state of an individual display element, the display comprising:
- (a) an electrophoretic display element comprising a capsule containing a plurality of particles dispersed in a suspension fluid, and having two electrodes adjacent said capsule;
- (b) a signal generator for applying an electrical signal to said two electrodes;
- (c) a detection circuit for measuring an electrical response of said display element to said applied signal;
- and
- (d) a discriminator circuit for determining a state of said display element based on said electrical response.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.