Patents by Inventor Charles I. Levey

Charles I. Levey has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230282163
    Abstract: An active-matrix display comprising a power source VDD; a pixel array of columns and rows, each light-emitting pixel having an individually controlled segmented electrode and an opposite electrode; a driving circuit comprising at least one data line that supplies a data signal for each pixel along a column, wherein the data signal controls the gate of a driving transistor whose source and drain are connected between the power source VDD and the segmented electrode and at least one scan line that supplies a scan signal that controls the gate of a scan transistor that enables the loading of the data signal from the data line to the gate of the driving transistor for each pixel along a row; and a pixel control circuit in electrical contact with the segmented electrode wherein the pixel control circuit prevents light emission by the pixel based on the value of the data signal for that pixel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: John HAMER, Charles I. LEVEY
  • Patent number: 8834729
    Abstract: A method for making a printed wiring member including wire-bondable contact pads and wear-resistant connector pads, the method includes the steps of a) providing a blank printed wiring member comprising a copper foil laminated to a dielectric substrate; b) masking the blank printed wiring member to protect regions of the copper foil; c) removing copper in unprotected regions of the blank printed wiring member to form a patterned printed wiring member including contact pads and connector pads; d) depositing a nickel coating on the patterned printed wiring member using an electroless nickel deposition process; e) depositing a gold layer on the nickel coating using an electroless gold deposition process; and f) depositing palladium on the gold layer using an electroless palladium deposition process to improve wear resistance of the connector pads while preserving bondability of the contact pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Samuel Chen, Charles I. Levey
  • Patent number: 8801914
    Abstract: A method for making a printed wiring member including wire-bondable contact pads and wear-resistant connector pads, the method includes a) providing a blank printed wiring member comprising a copper foil laminated to a dielectric substrate; b) masking the blank printed wiring member to protect regions of the copper foil; c) removing copper in unprotected regions of the blank printed wiring member to form a patterned printed wiring member including contact pads and connector pads; d) depositing a nickel coating on the patterned printed wiring member; e) electrolytically depositing a hard gold layer on the nickel coating; and f) depositing palladium on a surface of the hard gold layer to improve bondability of the contact pads while preserving wear resistance of the connector pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Samuel Chen, Allan F. Camp, Charles I. Levey, Vincent J. Andrews
  • Patent number: 8358256
    Abstract: Compensation is performed for initial nonuniformity or aging of drive transistors and electroluminescent (EL) emitters in 3T1C EL subpixels of an EL display, such as an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display. A readout transistor connected to the EL emitter is used to readout the voltage of the emitter and compensation for ?Vth, ?VEL, and OLED efficiency loss is performed using a model. Measurements are taken during a frame by driving a target subpixel at a higher luminance for a shorter time, then using the remaining time in the frame to measure. Measurements can be taken with an A/D converter or with a ramp generator and comparator. Compensation is performed for each subpixel individually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Global OLED Technology LLC
    Inventors: John W. Hamer, Gary Parrett, Charles I. Levey
  • Publication number: 20120298517
    Abstract: A method for making a printed wiring member including wire-bondable contact pads and wear-resistant connector pads, the method includes a) providing a blank printed wiring member comprising a copper foil laminated to a dielectric substrate; b) masking the blank printed wiring member to protect regions of the copper foil; c) removing copper in unprotected regions of the blank printed wiring member to form a patterned printed wiring member including contact pads and connector pads; d) depositing a nickel coating on the patterned printed wiring member; e) electrolytically depositing a hard gold layer on the nickel coating; and f) depositing palladium on a surface of the hard gold layer to improve bondability of the contact pads while preserving wear resistance of the connector pads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Inventors: Samuel Chen, Allan F. Camp, Charles I. Levey, Vincent J. Andrews
  • Patent number: 8299983
    Abstract: A method of compensating for differences in characteristics of a plurality of electroluminescent (EL) subpixels having readout transistors, includes providing a first voltage source connected through a first switch to each subpixel's drive transistor and a second voltage source connected through a second switch to each subpixel's EL emitter; providing a current source connected through a third switch, and a current sink connected through a fourth switch, to the readout transistor; providing a test voltage to a subpixel; closing only the first and fourth switches and measuring the readout transistor voltage to provide a first signal representative of characteristics of the drive transistor; closing only the second and third switches and measuring the voltage to provide a second signal representative of characteristics of the EL emitter; repeating for each subpixel; and using the first and second signals for each subpixel to compensate for differences in characteristics of the EL subpixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Global OLED Technology LLC
    Inventors: Charles I. Levey, Gary Parrett
  • Patent number: 8251494
    Abstract: A printed wiring member includes a dielectric substrate; a patterned copper layer formed on the dielectric substrate. The patterned copper layer includes i) contact pads for wire bonding; ii) connector pads for making electrical connection with an electrical connector; and iii) conductor traces between contact pads and corresponding connector pads. A nickel coating is formed on the contact pads and the connector pads, and a gold layer is formed on the nickel coating on the contact pads and the connector pads. A palladium deposit is formed on the gold layer on at least the connector pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Samuel Chen, Charles I. Levey
  • Patent number: 8217928
    Abstract: An electroluminescent (EL) subpixel, such as an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) subpixel, is compensated for aging effects such as threshold voltage Vth shift, EL voltage Voled shift, and OLED efficiency loss. The drive current of the subpixel is measured at one or more measurement reference gate voltages to form a status signal representing the characteristics of the drive transistor and EL emitter of the subpixel. Current measurements are taken in the linear region of drive transistor operation to improve signal-to-noise ratio in systems such as modern LTPS PMOS OLED displays, which have relatively small Voled shift over their lifetimes and thus relatively small current change due to channel-length modulation. Various sources of noise are also suppressed to further increase signal-to-noise ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Global OLED Technology LLC
    Inventors: Charles I. Levey, John W. Hamer
  • Patent number: 8217867
    Abstract: A method of compensating for changes in the characteristics of transistors and electroluminescent devices in an electroluminescent display, includes: providing an electroluminescent display having a two-dimensional array of subpixels arranged forming each pixel having at least three subpixels of different colors, with each having an electroluminescent device and a drive transistor, wherein each electroluminescent device is driven by the corresponding drive transistor; providing in each pixel a readout circuit for one of the subpixels of a specific color having a first readout transistor and a second readout transistor connected in series; using the readout circuit to derive a correction signal based on the characteristics of at least one of the transistors in the specific color subpixel, or the electroluminescent device in the specific color subpixel, or both; and using the correction signal to adjust the drive signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Global OLED Technology LLC
    Inventors: John W. Hamer, Dustin L. Winters, Charles I. Levey
  • Patent number: 8212581
    Abstract: Inoperative or defective electroluminescent (EL) emitters in an EL display having a plurality of subpixels are detected. Current flow through a drive transistor in a subpixel is turned off, a selected test current is provided through the EL emitter in the subpixel using a current source, and the voltage at a second electrode of a readout transistor in the subpixel is measured to provide a status signal representative or characteristics of the selected EL emitter. The status signal for the subpixel is compared to the respective status signals of neighboring subpixels to determine whether the EL emitter in the subpixel is defective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Global OLED Technology LLC
    Inventors: Charles I. Levey, Felipe A. Leon
  • Patent number: 8194063
    Abstract: Subpixels on an electroluminescent (EL) display panel, such as an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel, are compensated for initial nonuniformity (“mura”) and for aging effects such as threshold voltage Vth shift, EL voltage Voled shift, and OLED efficiency loss. The drive current of each subpixel is measured at one or more measurement reference gate voltages to form status signals representing the characteristics of the drive transistor and EL emitter of those subpixels. Current measurements are taken in the linear region of drive transistor operation to improve signal-to-noise ratio in systems such as modern LTPS PMOS OLED displays, which have relatively small Voled shift over their lifetimes and thus relatively small current change due to channel-length modulation. Various sources of noise are also suppressed to further increase signal-to-noise ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Global OLED Technology LLC
    Inventors: Charles I. Levey, John W. Hamer
  • Patent number: 8130182
    Abstract: An electroluminescent (EL) subpixel driven by a digital-drive scheme has a readout transistor driven by a current source when the drive transistor is non-conducting. This produces an emitter-voltage signal from which an aging signal representing the efficiency of the EL emitter can be computed. The aging signal is used to determine the loss in current of the subpixel when active, and an input signal is adjusted to provide increased on-time to compensate for voltage rise and efficiency loss of the EL emitter. Variations due to temperature can also be compensated for.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Global OLED Technology LLC
    Inventors: Charles I. Levey, Felipe A. Leon, John W. Hamer, Gary Parrett, Christopher J. White
  • Publication number: 20120019704
    Abstract: A digital camera having a plurality of photography modes, comprising: an imaging sensor; an optical system for imaging a scene onto the imaging sensor; an image capture control for initiating an image capture operation; a photography mode user interface for selecting between a plurality of photography modes, the photography modes having associated image capture and image processing settings; a power control for turning the digital camera on or off, wherein when the camera is in an off state and the power control is activated with a first activation pattern the digital camera is turned on and set to operate in a default photography mode and when the power control is activated with a second activation pattern the digital camera is turned on and set to operate in a previously selected photography mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Inventor: Charles I. Levey
  • Patent number: 8004479
    Abstract: A method of compensating for changes in the characteristics of transistors and EL devices in an EL display, includes providing an EL display having a two-dimensional array of EL devices arranged in rows and columns, wherein each EL device is driven by a drive circuit in response to a drive signal; providing a first drive circuit for an EL device having three transistors and providing a second drive circuit for an EL device having only two transistors, and wherein a first column in the display includes at least one first drive circuit and an adjacent second column includes at least one second drive circuit; deriving a correction signal based on the characteristics of a transistor in a first drive circuit, or the EL device; and using the correction signal to adjust the drive signals applied to the first drive circuit and one or more adjacent second drive circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Global OLED Technology LLC
    Inventors: Christopher J. White, Charles I. Levey, Michael E. Miller, Felipe A. Leon
  • Publication number: 20110128325
    Abstract: A printed wiring member includes a dielectric substrate; a patterned copper layer formed on the dielectric substrate. The patterned copper layer includes i) contact pads for wire bonding; ii) connector pads for making electrical connection with an electrical connector; and iii) conductor traces between contact pads and corresponding connector pads. A nickel coating is formed on the contact pads and the connector pads, and a gold layer is formed on the nickel coating on the contact pads and the connector pads. A palladium deposit is formed on the gold layer on at least the connector pads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Inventors: Samuel Chen, Charles I. Levey
  • Publication number: 20110127233
    Abstract: A method for making a printed wiring member including wire-bondable contact pads and wear-resistant connector pads, the method includes the steps of a) providing a blank printed wiring member comprising a copper foil laminated to a dielectric substrate; b) masking the blank printed wiring member to protect regions of the copper foil; c) removing copper in unprotected regions of the blank printed wiring member to form a patterned printed wiring member including contact pads and connector pads; d) depositing a nickel coating on the patterned printed wiring member using an electroless nickel deposition process; e) depositing a gold layer on the nickel coating using an electroless gold deposition process; and f) depositing palladium on the gold layer using an electroless palladium deposition process to improve wear resistance of the connector pads while preserving bondability of the contact pads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Inventors: Samuel Chen, Charles I. Levey
  • Patent number: 7928936
    Abstract: Compensating for changes in the threshold voltage of the drive transistor of an OLED drive circuit, the drive transistor includes a first electrode, second electrode, and gate electrode; connecting a first voltage source to the first electrode, and an OLED device to the second electrode and to a second voltage source; providing a test voltage to the gate electrode and connecting to the OLED drive circuit, a test circuit, that includes an adjustable current mirror causing voltage applied to the current mirror, to be at a first test level; providing a test voltage to the gate electrode of the drive transistor and connecting the test circuit to the OLED device producing a second test level after the drive transistor and the OLED device age; and using the first and second test levels to calculate changes in the voltage applied to the gate electrode of the drive transistor to compensate for drive transistor aging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Global OLED Technology LLC
    Inventors: Charles I. Levey, John W. Hamer
  • Publication number: 20110074429
    Abstract: Inoperative or defective electroluminescent (EL) emitters in an EL display having a plurality of subpixels are detected. Current flow through a drive transistor in a subpixel is turned off, a selected test current is provided through the EL emitter in the subpixel using a current source, and the voltage at a second electrode of a readout transistor in the subpixel is measured to provide a status signal representative or characteristics of the selected EL emitter. The status signal for the subpixel is compared to the respective status signals of neighboring subpixels to determine whether the EL emitter in the subpixel is defective.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Inventors: Charles I. Levey, Felipe A. Leon
  • Patent number: 7859501
    Abstract: A method of compensating for changes in an OLED drive circuit, includes: providing a drive transistor; providing a first voltage source and a first switch; providing an OLED device connected to the drive transistor. Voltages are measured and used to compensate for changes in the OLED drive transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Global OLED Technology LLC
    Inventors: Charles I. Levey, Gary Parrett
  • Publication number: 20100225634
    Abstract: Subpixels on an electroluminescent (EL) display panel, such as an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel, are compensated for initial nonuniformity (“mura”) and for aging effects such as threshold voltage Vth shift, EL voltage Voled shift, and OLED efficiency loss. The drive current of each subpixel is measured at one or more measurement reference gate voltages to form status signals representing the characteristics of the drive transistor and EL emitter of those subpixels. Current measurements are taken in the linear region of drive transistor operation to improve signal-to-noise ratio in systems such as modern LTPS PMOS OLED displays, which have relatively small Voled shift over their lifetimes and thus relatively small current change due to channel-length modulation. Various sources of noise are also suppressed to further increase signal-to-noise ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Inventors: Charles I. Levey, John W. Hamer