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US 7,161,728 B2Granted
Area array modulation and lead reduction in interferometric modulators
AssigneeIdc, LLC
InventorsJeffrey Brian Sampsell, Clarence Chui, Manish Kothari
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A light modulator is arranged as an array of rows and columns of interferometric display elements. Each element is divided into sub-rows of sub-elements. Array connection lines transmit operating signals to the display elements, with one connection line corresponding to one row of display elements in the array. Sub-array connection lines electrically connect to each array connection line. Switches transmit the operating signals from each array connection line to the sub-rows to effect gray scale modulation.
Claims28
A light modulator, comprising:
- an array comprising rows and columns of interferometric display elements, each element being divided into sub-rows of one or more sub-elements;
- array connection lines to transmit operating signals to the display elements, wherein one connection line corresponds to one row of display elements in the array;
- sub-array connection lines electrically connected to each array connection line;
- and
- switches to transmit the operating signals from each array connection line to the sub-rows to effect image data modulation.
2 more elements
A method of manufacturing an interferometric light modulator, the method comprising:
- providing an array of interferometric display elements arranged in rows and columns, each display element comprising:
- a predetermined number of sub-rows of sub-elements, wherein the predetermined number of sub-rows depends upon a desired bit-depth for a display;
- and
- a predetermined number of sub-columns within each sub-row, wherein the predetermined number of sub-columns corresponds to a desired number of colors for the display;
- arranging array connection lines for each row, such that each connection line corresponds to one row of the array;
- and
- providing electrical connection between the array connection line for each row to one of the sub-rows of the corresponding row of the array.
4 more elements
A light modulator, comprising:
- an array of interferometric display elements arranged in rows and columns, each element comprising a predetermined number of sub-elements, wherein the number of sub-elements is determined by a desired bit depth and each element is approximately the same size;
- and
- an array connection line corresponding to each row of display elements, wherein each array connection line is electrically connected to a sub-element in each display element;
- wherein at least one sub-element is configured to selectively form an electrical connection connecting said array connection line to at least one other sub-element.
1 more element
A light modulator, comprising:
- an array of interferometric display elements arranged in rows and columns, each element comprising a predetermined number of sub-elements, wherein the number of sub-elements is determined by a desired bit depth and each element is approximately the same size;
- electrical connections between the sub-elements such that the electrical connections form a sub-element cascade;
- and
- an array connection line corresponding to each row of display elements, wherein each array connection line is electrically connected to a sub-element in each display element;
- wherein each element comprises a predetermined number of sub-elements cascades, and the predetermined number of cascades corresponds to the number of colors in the element.
2 more elements
A light modulator, comprising:
- an array of interferometric display elements arranged in rows and columns, each element comprising a predetermined number of sub-elements, wherein the number of sub-elements is determined by a desired bit depth and each element is approximately the same size;
- electrical connections between the sub-elements such that the electrical connections form a sub-element cascade;
- an array connection line corresponding to each row of display elements, wherein each array connection line is electrically connected to a sub-element in each display element;
- and
- addressing circuitry to provide an addressing pulse to each sub-element cascade, wherein a number of sub-elements in the cascade that become active depends upon a length of the addressing pulse.
2 more elements
A method of manufacturing a light modulator, comprising:
- providing an array of interferometric display elements arranged in rows and columns, each element comprising at least one sub-element cascade of a predetermined number of sub-elements, such that at least one sub-element is configured to selectively form an electrical connection connecting said array connection line to at least one other sub-element;
- and
- electrically connecting a first element in each sub-element cascade in a row to a corresponding connection line for that row.
A method of manufacturing a light modulator, comprising:
- providing an array of interferometric display elements arranged in rows and columns, each element comprising at least one sub-element cascade for each of a desired color comprising a predetermined number of sub-elements;
- and
- electrically connecting a first element in each sub-element cascade in a row to a corresponding connection line for that row.
A light modulator, comprising:
- an array of interferometric elements, each element comprising a pre-determined number of sub-elements, each sub-element comprising a single movable layer having a surface area, wherein the surface area corresponds to a different binary weight of display information, and wherein the number of sub-elements depends upon a desired bit depth.
A light modulator, comprising:
- an array of interferometric elements, each element comprising a pre-determined number of sub-elements, wherein one or more of the sub-elements are of a different size corresponding to a different binary weight of display information, wherein the number of sub-elements depends upon a desired bit depth;
- and
- one connection line for each display element, and a set of switches electrically connected between the display element and the sub-elements, wherein the light modulator is configured such that sub-elements needed to create a weighting of a pixel are activated in accordance with display information.
A method of manufacturing a light modulator, the method comprising:
- providing an array of interferometric display elements;
- forming sub-elements within each display element of a size approximately equal to one half a the display element;
- and
- forming additional sub-elements as desired, each additional sub-element having a movable layer having a surface area approximately equal to half the surface area of a next largest movable layer of another sub-element.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.