Abstract: Method for operating an electrophoretic display panel in a hold mode that reduces power required, increases display life and improves performance which entails applying a voltage to the anode electrode structure during the "hold" mode of operation which is substantially lower in amplitude than the voltage applied to the anode structure during a "write" mode of operation.

Abstract: An electrophoretic display includes a plurality of groups of intersecting row and column electrodes, and a plurality of parallel anode electrode segments disposed in spaced relation within a fluid-tight envelope containing a suspension of pigment particles in a dielectric fluid. Each respective group of row and column electrodes and a corresponding anode segment are indicative of a character line of displayed text. The display includes a line control system operable in a partial erase mode to partially erase a character line having a character thereof selected for erasure and operable in a rewriting mode to rewrite to the character line all characters not selected for erasure. The line control system is operable to alternate sequentially between the two modes until the selected character is simply erased or replaced entirely with a new character.

Abstract: An electrophoretic display has a grid cathode matrix arrangement consisting of a first plurality of parallel conductive lines insulated from a second plurality of parallel conductive lines transverse to said first plurality. Located with respect to the grid and cathode lines are first and second anode structures. The first anode is remote from the second with the second anode overlying the gird lines of the display and insulated therefrom. The second anode is biased to implement typical HOLD and ERASE modes independent of the first anode.

Abstract: There is disclosed a telephone subset which incorporates a high resolution electrophoretic display on the surface of a subset housing. The telephone subset includes a microprocessor which operates under the control of a mode selector. In this manner the display is employed to generate various keyboard formats and operates in conjunction with a position sensitive overlay to enable a subscriber to place telephone calls in a conventional manner when the keyboard display is implemented on the electrophoretic display. The telephone subset in conjunction with various subset buttons which control the mode selector is capable of operating in different modes. Due to the high resolution and large capacity of the display one can now present pages of stored telephone numbers which essentially enables a user to select any number by means of a movable cursor and by pressing another subset button can immediately dial that number.

Abstract: A telephone subset which incorporates a high resolution electrophoretic display on the surface of a subset housing. The telephone subset includes a microprocessor which operates under the control of a mode selector. In this manner the display is employed to generate various keyboard formats and operates in conjunction with a position sensitive overlay to enable a subscriber to place telephone calls in a conventional manner when the keyboard display is implemented on the electrophoretic display. The telephone subset in conjunction with various subset buttons which control the mode selector is capable of operating in different modes. Due to the high resolution and large capacity of the display one can now present pages of stored telephone numbers which essentially enables a user to select any number by means of a movable cursor and by pressing another subset button can immediately dial that number.

Abstract: A tetrode type electrophoretic display includes local anode lines electrically grouped into groups having the width of a character. In operation, the local anode may be used to blink selected characters by applying appropriate voltages to the various electrodes of the display in the proper sequence. Sequencing is controlled by a computer and associated software.

Abstract: An electrophoretic display includes a laminated triple pane construction with an electrophoretic fluid-containing envelope formed between the first and second panes and an ionizable gas-containing envelope between the second and third panes. A transparent reference electrode coats the first pane internal to the fluid envelope. A matrix of discrete pixels are disposed upon the second pane within the fluid envelope. Each pixel has a probe extending therefrom through the second pane and into the gas envelope. A plurality of row electrodes are disposed upon the second pane in the gas envelope in close proximity to corresponding rows of probes. A plurality of column electrodes disposed upon the third pane within the gas envelope perpendicular to the row lines establishes an addressable X-Y matrix. By impressing a sufficient voltage differential at selected intersections of the matrix, a local ionization of gas biases a proximate probe to the ionization potential.

Abstract: A tetrode type electrophoretic display includes local anode lines electrically grouped into groups having the width of a character. In operation, the local anode may be used to blink selected characters by applying appropriate voltages to the various electrodes of the display in the proper sequence. Sequencing is controlled by a computer and associated software.

Abstract: An EPID electrode configuration includes a plurality of parallel, tined, interdigitized anode and cathode lines deposited upon a faceplate. A plurality of guard elements are provided between adjacent pairs of anode and cathode lines. In a first embodiment, grid lines oriented perpendicularly to the anode and cathode lines are applied to a rearplate of the EPID. Alternatively, the grid lines may be deposited on an intermediate coating of SiO.sub.2 and photoresist overlying the anode and cathode lines.

Abstract: A triode-type electrophoretic display includes a fluid-tight envelope for containing an electrophoretic fluid with suspended pigment particles and has a glass viewing window upon which has been deposited a plurality of parallel cathode members. A plurality of elongated insulator strips are interposed between and electrically insulate the cathode members from a plurality of parallel vertical grid members. Each of the strips support a corresponding grid member thereon a selected distance from the cathode members and tapers at a least one end such that the grid member is supported by the window at that end. The window provides a stable substrate for wire bonding the grid members to display driver circuitry.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an improved an electrophoretic display having a cathode/grid/local anode matrix and a remote anode includes forming the local anode lines in the same plane as the grid lines from the same material and in the same fabricating step. The local anode lines are insulated from the grid lines and are interleaved therewith, each being formed on a common layer of photoresist. It is preferred that each grid line be associated with one local anode line, that the grid lines have tines and that the local anode lines be disposed between the tines.

Abstract: An electrophoretic display has a grid cathode matrix arrangement consisting of a first plurality of parallel conductive lines insulated from a second plurality of parallel conductive lines transverse to said first plurality. Located with respect to the grid and cathode lines are first and second anode structures. The first anode is remote from the second with the second anode overlying the gird lines of the display and insulated therefrom. The second anode is biased to implement typical HOLD and ERASE modes independent of the first anode.

Abstract: A tetrode type electrophoretic display includes local anode lines disposed perpendicular to the grid lines and having a tined configuration. In operation, the local anode may be used to write and erase selected independent pixels by applying appropriate voltages to the various electrodes of the display in the proper sequence. The tetrode employed preferably includes an intermediate mesh to permit maintaining displayed images after power removal.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of filling the interstice between the anode structure and the cathode structure of an electrophoretic image display (EPID) with a fluid dispersion containing solid pigment particles. And more specifically, a method of filling such EPIDs when the interstice between the anode structure and the cathode structure is less than 0.007 inches. The present invention method includes the steps of coating the anode structure with pigment particles prior to the assembly of the anode structure or cathode structure into the EPID. After the pigment particle coated anode or cathode structure has been assembled into the EPID, the EPID is filled with a suspension medium lacking any pigment particles. An electrophoretic effect is then created within the EPID causing the pigment particles to migrate away from the anode or cathode structure they coat, thereby becoming disperse within the suspension medium.

Abstract: Driver circuit chip mounting techniques for use in the fabrication of monolithic flat panel displays are disclosed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. According to a preferred embodiment, a driver circuit having a spot of optical cement is precisely positioned within a location of metalized, grouped and patterned row or column conductors. Thereafter collimated ultraviolet light is imaged through the display onto the rear of the driver circuit until the optical cement has become sufficiently tacky to permit the display to be inverted whereupon collimated ultraviolet light may be directly applied to complete the full curing of the optical cements.

Abstract: A triode type electrophoretic display (10) includes a pair of substantially identical glass faceplates (12, 14) sealed to a pair of interstitial spacers (16a, 16b) to form a fluid-tight envelope for containing an electrophoretic fluid. An anodized black screen or mesh element (28) is sandwiched between the spacers and is opaque when viewed by the naked eye, thereby providing enhanced background coloration and contrast with pigment particles suspended in the fluid. The mesh (28) occupies an intermediate position relative to the extreme limits of travel of the particles as controlled by grid (18) and cathode (20) deposited upon one faceplate (14) on one side and the anode (26) deposited upon the other faceplate (12) on the other side. The screen (28) is porous, permits particles to pass through it, and is biased electrically to assist in moving the particles during formation of a displayed image.

Abstract: A method for writing data to an EPID display includes loading data for a line of pixels onto the grid lines of the EPID. Instead of writing that single line fully by enabling the associated cathode row with a logical "1" voltage for the time necessary to cause complete pigment particle migration, the associated cathode line and at least the next adjacent cathode line are enabled for a shorter duration than is required for fully writing the lines. The grid is then loaded with data corresponding to the next line of pixels and the set of cathode lines enabled is shifted by one line, such that at least one cathode line previously enabled is enabled for a subsequent time whereby particle migration for writing is made more complete where the grid data is constant from one row of pixels to the next.

Abstract: A apparatus provides grey scale capability for an electrophoretic information display. The electrophoretic information display is an XY addressable display with each XY coordinate indicative of a given column and row and defining a pixel. There are described various circuit configurations coupled to the display for impressing upon the display a predetermined digital pattern to cause certain pixels in the display to be energized with respect to other pixels in the display where the combination due to the digital pattern causes a desired grey scale level to appear on a character or on the background of the display.

Abstract: A triode-type electrophoretic display includes a glass viewing window upon which has been deposited a plurality of parallel cathode members. A plurality of grid members are deposited upon a layer of insulation above the cathode members and perpendicular thereto. A fluid-tight envelope encapsulating the cathode and grid members is formed by a glass cap having an conductor layer deposited on an interior surface for forming an anode. The glass cap seals against the viewing window. An electrophoretic fluid having pigmented particles suspended therein is contained in the envelope. The cathode and grid members have no free terminal ends within the fluid, instead, such ends extend beyond the fluid containing space and are covered by the cap. The cathode, grid and anode are selectively electrically chargeable to induce movement of the particles within the fluid, localized concentrations of particles at the intersections of the cathode and grid being visible through the viewing window.

Abstract: Method for operating an electrophoretic display panel in a hold mode that reduces power required , increases display life and improves performance which entails applying a voltage to the anode electrode structure during the "hold" mode of operation which is substantially lower in amplitude than the voltage applied to the anode structure during a "write" mode of operation.