Light modulation element, array-type light modulation element, drive method thereof, and flat-panel display unit
AssigneeFuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
InventorKoichi Kimura
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A light modulation element for performing electromechanical operation of generating a first electromechanical force for a needle 15 for displacing the needle, thereby changing a transmission factor of light. The light modulation element has drive means for generating or canceling a second electromechanical force 25 for the needle in a vertical direction different from the horizontal direction of the first electromechanical force 29 and holding or canceling the displacement state of the needle, so that active and stable matrix drive is provided by the first and second electromechanical forces that can be controlled in drive separately.
Claims26
A light modulation element for performing electromechanical operation of generating a first electromechanical force for a needle for displacing the needle, thereby changing a transmission factor of light, said light modulation element comprising:
- drive means for generating or canceling a second electromechanical force for the needle in a direction different from that of the first electromechanical force so as to hold or cancel the displacement state of the needle,
- wherein the directions of the first and second electromechanical forces are substantially orthogonal to each other;
- wherein the directions of the first and second electromechanical forces are selected from the group consisting of the direction of the first electromechanical force is substantially horizontal and the direction of the second electromechanical force is substantially vertical, and the direction of the first electromechanical force is substantially vertical and the direction of the second electromechanical force is substantially horizontal.
A drive method of an array-type light modulation element for performing electromechanical operation of generating a first electromechanical force for a needle for displacing the needle, thereby changing a transmission factor of light, said light modulation element comprising:
- drive means for generating or canceling a second electromechanical force for the needle in a direction different from that of the first electromechanical force so as to hold or cancel the displacement state of the needle;
- a plurality of parallel scan signal electrodes;
- a plurality of image signal electrodes orthogonal to the scan signal electrodes;
- and
- light modulation elements being placed at intersection points of the scan signal electrodes and the image signal electrodes;
- wherein the displacement state of each needle is held or canceled by a signal of the scan signal electrode and the displacement state of each needle is changed by a signal of the image signal electrode,
- said method comprising the steps of:
- in a write scan period of the light modulation element, canceling holding the needle by a scan signal or a scan signal and a latch signal and displacing the needle to any desired position by an image signal;
- and
- in a non-write scan period, holding the displacement state of the needle by a scan signal or a scan signal and a latch signal.
A light modulation element for performing electromechanical operation of generating a first electromechanical force for a needle for displacing the needle, thereby changing a transmission factor of light, said light modulation element comprising:
- a drive element which generates or cancels a second electromechanical force for the needle in a direction different from that of the first electromechanical force so as to hold or cancel the displacement state of the needle,
- wherein the directions of the first and second electromechanical forces are substantially orthogonal to each other;
- wherein the directions of the first and second electromechanical forces are selected from the group consisting of the direction of the first electromechanical force is substantially horizontal and the direction of the second electromechanical force is substantially vertical, and the direction of the first electromechanical force is substantially vertical and the direction of the second electromechanical force is substantially horizontal.
A drive method of an array-type light modulation element for performing electromechanical operation of generating a first electromechanical force for a needle for displacing the needle, thereby changing a transmission factor of light, said light modulation element comprising:
- drive means for generating or canceling a second electromechanical force for the needle in a direction different from that of the first electromechanical force so as to hold or cancel the displacement state of the needle;
- a plurality of parallel scan signal electrodes;
- a plurality of latch signal electrodes being placed side by side with the scan signal electrodes;
- a plurality of image signal electrodes orthogonal to the scan signal electrodes and the latch signal electrodes;
- and
- light modulation elements being placed at intersection points of the scan signal electrodes and the latch signal electrodes and the image signal electrodes;
- wherein the displacement state of each needle is held or canceled by signals of the scan signal electrode and the latch signal electrode and the displacement state of each needle is changed by a signal of the image signal electrode,
- said method comprising the steps of:
- in a write scan period of the light modulation element, canceling holding the needle by a scan signal or a scan signal and a latch signal and displacing the needle to any desired position by an image signal;
- and
- in a non-write scan period, holding the displacement state of the needle by a scan signal or a scan signal and a latch signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.