Bistable electro-optic display, and method for addressing same
AssigneeE Ink Corporation
InventorJonathan D. Albert
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electro-optic display comprises a bistable electro-optic material having a viewing surface and an opposed writing surface; a deformable member disposed adjacent but spaced from the writing surface of the electro-optic material, and bearing elongate electrodes facing the writing surface of the electro-optic material; and a movable member disposed on the opposed side of the deformable member from the electro-optic material and movable parallel to the elongate electrodes, the movable member contacting and deforming the deformable member such that a portion of each elongate electrode contacts or lies closely adjacent the writing surface of the electro-optic material.
Claims26
An electro-optic display comprising:
- a bistable electro-optic material having on one side thereof a viewable surface visible to an observer viewing the display, and on the opposed side thereof a writing surface;
- a deformable member disposed adjacent but spaced from the writing surface of the electro-optic material, the deformable member bearing a plurality of elongate electrodes formed on its surface facing the writing surface of the electro-optic material;
- and
- a movable member disposed on the opposed side of the deformable member from the electro-optic material and movable relative to the deformable member in a direction substantially parallel to the length of the elongate electrodes, the movable member contacting and deforming the deformable member such that a portion of each elongate electrode contacts or lies closely adjacent the writing surface of the electro-optic material.
A method for addressing an electro-optic display, this electro-optic display comprising:
- a bistable electro-optic material having on one side thereof a viewable surface visible to an observer viewing the display, and on the opposed side thereof a writing surface;
- a deformable member disposed adjacent but spaced from the writing surface of the electro-optic material, the deformable member bearing a plurality of elongate electrodes formed on its surface facing the writing surface of the electro-optic material;
- and a movable member disposed on the opposed side of the deformable member from the electro-optic material and movable relative to the deformable member in a direction substantially parallel to the length of the elongate electrodes, the movable member contacting and deforming the deformable member such that a portion of each elongate electrode contacts or lies closely adjacent the writing surface of the electro-optic material,
- the method comprising:
- placing the movable member in a first position relative to the deformable member and placing a first set of potentials on the elongate electrodes, thereby writing a first column of pixels of the display, each of this column of pixels being defined by the portion of one elongate electrode which contacts or lies closely adjacent the writing surface of the electro-optic material when the movable member is in its first position;
- and
- moving the movable member to a second position relative to the deformable member, this second position being spaced from the first position, and placing a second set of potentials are placed on the elongate electrodes, at least one of the second set of potentials differing from the first set of potentials, thereby writing a second column of pixels of the display, each of this column of pixels being defined by the portion of one elongate electrode which contacts or lies closely adjacent the writing surface of the electro-optic material when the movable member is in its second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.