Abstract: The invention relates to an improved apparatus and method for the design and manufacture of MEMS anchoring structures for light modulators in order to address the stresses of beams mounted on them.

Abstract: A latch circuit which can control a drain avalanche effect and improve reliability is provided. The latch circuit includes an input transistor importing a voltage corresponding to “0” or “1” when the scanning voltage is input to a gate, a storage capacitance storing a voltage imported by the input transistor, and having a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode is input with a capacitance control signal and the second electrode is connected to a second electrode of the input transistor, a first conduction type first transistor having a gate connected to the second electrode of the input transistor, a second electrode connected to a first output terminal, and a first electrode input with a first latch control signal, and a second conduction type second transistor having a gate connected to the second electrode of the first transistor, a second electrode connected to a second output terminal, and a first electrode input with a second latch control signal.

Abstract: A method of operating a display including loading image data to pixels in multiple rows of pixels in an array of pixels during a data loading phase, actuating the pixels in the multiple rows during an update phase, and illuminating at least one lamp during an lamp illumination phase to illuminate the actuated pixels to form an image on the display, in which each of the loading, actuating and illuminating phases partially overlap in time.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus, and methods are disclosed herein for displaying images. One such apparatus includes an input, subfield derivation logic, subframe generation logic, dark subframe detection logic, and output logic. The input is configured to receive image data associated with an image frame. The subfield derivation logic is configured to derive at least one color subfield for the received image frame. The subframe generation logic is configured to generate a plurality of subframes for each of the at least one derived color subfields. The dark subframe detection logic is configured to identify dark subframes. The output logic is configured to, in response to identification of a dark subframe, suppress the outputting of the dark subframe and to modify a display parameter associated with at least one other subframe based on a timing value associated with the identified dark subframe.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for providing analog control for operating the states of a light modulator in a pixel. In one aspect, a pixel circuit can be coupled to the light modulator, and can control the duration for which the light modulator is operated in an open or closed state based on an analog data voltage. In some implementations, the pixel circuit includes a voltage controlled current source (VCCS), which draws a current of a magnitude that is based on the magnitude of the data voltage. The current drawn by the VCCS can be used to control a charge and a voltage on an actuation capacitor coupled to the light modulator. The rate of change of the voltage on the actuation capacitor, and the duration for which the light modulator is maintained in a particular state, is a function of the data voltage applied to the VCCS.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and apparatus for forming images on a display utilizing a control matrix to control the movement of MEMS-based light modulators.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for a display apparatus including dummy display elements that can be switched between being coupled to a test bus and a drive bus. When connected to the drive bus, the circuit components, including thin-film transistors, of the dummy display element experience exposure to typical operating loads. When connected to the test bus, the display apparatus can test the operating parameters of the dummy display element circuit components.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for providing a cascode driver circuit for providing positive and negative polarities of two or more voltages at an output node. The voltages provided by the cascode driver circuit can be used to provide voltages to various interconnects and terminals of the display apparatus. The cascode driver circuit includes a first circuit for providing a positive polarity of two or more voltages to an output node via a first set of cascode transistors and a second circuit for providing negative polarities of the two or more voltages via a second set of cascode transistors. The driver circuit includes body-effect mitigation circuitry for reducing the impact of body-effect on the performance of the driver circuit. The driver circuit also includes circuitry for reducing substrate leakage current.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for shutter-based EMS light modulators controlled by electrode actuators that include complementary sets of corrugations or teeth along the opposing beams of the actuators. The complementary sets of corrugations substantially engage one another when drawn together via an actuation voltage. By applying the actuation voltage across the opposing beams of such an actuator, the beams are drawn together both by the electromotive force resulting from the electric field acting between the portions of the beams that are substantially perpendicular to the direction of actuation of the actuator, and by fringing fields between the sides of the corrugations, which are substantially parallel to the direction of actuation. The additional fringing fields provide for increased electromotive force for a given input voltage.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for a MEMS display apparatus incorporating a tiered backplane slot structure. The backplane can include two or more light-blocking layers defining optical windows and positioned at different heights. Light can pass through the optical windows of the display apparatus at an angle. In some implementations, the angle can be based on the index of refraction of a transparent material inside the display apparatus. The transmission of off-axis and on-axis light can be improved by varying the widths of the optical windows in each layer of the backplane. In some implementations, the difference in the widths of optical windows of adjacent layers can be substantially equal to the separation distance between the layers.

Abstract: A display apparatus includes a backlight and an aperture layer that is positioned in front of the backlight and defines a plurality of apertures. The display apparatus also includes a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) light modulator configured to modulate light emitted by the backlight passing through the apertures to form an image on the display apparatus. The MEMS light modulator includes a shutter that has a light blocking portion having an aperture layer-facing surface and a front-facing surface and at least one depression formed in the light blocking portion. The width of the at least one depression accounts for at least 50% but less than 100% of a distance separating two edges of the shutter.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods, non-transitory computer readable storage media, and apparatus for displaying images using hue-based frame-specific contributing colors (FSCCs). In one aspect, an input is configured to receive image data corresponding to a current image frame. Contributing color selection logic is configured, based on received image data, to obtain a set of FSCCs for use in conjunction with a set of frame-independent contributing colors (FICCs) to generate the current or a subsequent image frame on a display. The set of FSCCs are obtained from determining the dominant hues in the image frame. The image frame is displayed such that subframes associated with displaying the FSCCs have weights that are greater than the subframes associated with displaying the FICCs.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of display elements arranged in an array and a control matrix coupled to the plurality of display elements to communicate data and drive voltages to the display elements. For each display element, the control matrix includes an actuation circuit coupling a voltage source to the display element. The control matrix is configured to apply an actuation voltage to an actuator of the display element throughout an actuation stroke of the actuator and to initiate the actuation of the actuator after a pre-charging signal that initiated the application of the actuation voltage to the actuator has been deactivated.

Abstract: A fixed aperture includes a first fixed slit and a second fixed slit which are arranged respectively in regions positioned on both sides with a moving line sandwiched therebetween. A drive aperture includes a first drive slit and a second drive slit which are arranged on both sides with the moving line sandwiched therebetween. The first fixed slit and the first drive slit are formed in an extending manner along a first line, and are arranged such that these slits communicate with each other when a shutter is at a position where the transmission of light is allowed. The second fixed slit and the second drive slit are formed in an extending manner along a second line which intersects with the first line, and are arranged such that these slits communicate with each other when the shutter is at a position where the transmission of light is allowed.

Abstract: Provided is a display device, including: a sealing member including an opening and surrounding a space defined by a pair of light transmissive substrates; an end seal for closing the opening of the sealing member to form an encapsulation space; oil filled in the encapsulation space; a spacer for maintaining an interval between the pair of light transmissive substrates; a shutter; a drive portion arranged in the oil, for mechanically driving the shutter; and a wall portion formed on at least one of opposed surfaces of the pair of light transmissive substrates. The wall portion includes a part arranged at a position interrupting a shortest path between the opening of the sealing member and a display region. The wall portion is made of a material forming the spacer, the shutter, and the drive portion.

Abstract: A pixel circuit includes a first control electrode and a second control electrode between which a mechanical shutter is put, and a first control voltage application circuit for inputting a first control voltage to the first control electrode according to an image signal. The first control voltage application circuit includes an input transistor, a retaining capacitor and a first transistor. One of current terminals of the input transistor is connected to a signal line. A gate of the input transistor is connected to a scanning line. One terminal of the retaining capacitor is input with a capacitor control signal and the other terminal is connected to the input transistor. The first transistor has a gate connected to the retaining capacitor and two current terminals, one of which is connected to a first control electrode and the other of which is input with a first control signal.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses and methods are provided for increasing the aperture ratio of a display by increasing the total travel distance of respective light modulating bodies in a display while maintaining fast switching speeds. Increasing the total travel distance allows for a larger aperture ratio in a display, which provides greater power savings and increased display brightness. The total travel distance of a light modulating body includes the distance the body travels from an open position to a closed position, and vice-versa. In one example, the travel distance of a light modulating body (e.g., any of the light modulators as described above) is asymmetric: from a neutral position, the body travels a greater distance in a first direction than in a second direction.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for addressing an array of pixels in a display. In one aspect, an electromechanical device includes a movable element coupled between a first and second actuator, and a charge distribution circuit arranged to electronically couple the first actuator to the second actuator and capable of equalizing a potential between the first actuator and the second actuator. In certain implementation, a method for addressing an array of pixels in a display, where a given pixel in the array of pixels includes a light modulator coupled between first and second actuator capacitors, includes equalizing a potential between the first actuator capacitor and the second actuator capacitor prior to discharging and re-charging the actuator capacitors. Equalizing a potential may include transferring charge from one actuator capacitor to another actuator capacitor until the voltage across each actuator capacitor is approximately equal.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for forming electromechanical systems (EMS) displays where the area of a substrate occupied by a pixel circuit can be reduced if portions of the pixel circuit can be built in three dimensions. In some aspects, certain EMS displays can incorporate structures that are substantially normal to the surface of a substrate. Incorporating circuit components, such as transistors, into such structures, can reduce the area they occupy within the plane of the substrate. In some aspects, the components of a transistor can be fabricated directly into a MEMS anchor that supports a light modulator or a portion of an actuator over the substrate. In some other aspects, the transistor can be fabricated on one or more sidewalls of any MEMS structure.

Abstract: Provided are a display device that can suppress occurrence of a color breakup as well as occurrence of a false contour, and a control method therefor. In the display device, a plurality of sub-frame periods forming one frame period are divided into a first group to which sub-frame periods with the same length of light transmission periods belong; and a second group to which sub-frame periods with lengths of light transmission periods shorter than those of the sub-frame periods in the first group and different from each other belong. Further, among the sub-frame periods that belong to the first group, sub-frame periods having the light transmission period increase in number from a middle of the one frame period toward a start point and an endpoint of the one frame period in accordance with an increase of the gray level.