Abstract: An interactive card or the like employs a piezoelectric charge generator (piezo-strip) for temporarily driving an indicator. The piezo-strip may be displaced (bent) in order to generate charge to drive the indicator. Printed electronic processes are utilized to produce the indicator and/or the piezoelectric charge generator The need for a printed battery or supplemental power source is obviated. The card may carry printed indicia which corresponds to the states of the indicator (e.g., indication of a test answer selection). Multiple display elements and selector switches may provide multiple indicator states. Multiple piezo-strips may provide a selection function as well as a rest function. Applications include business cards, greeting cards and novelty items, toys and games, advertising and promotions, testing and education, sensors, and so forth.

Abstract: An interactive card or the like employs a piezoelectric charge generator (piezo-strip) for temporarily driving an indicator. The piezo-strip may be displaced (bent) in order to generate charge to drive the indicator. Printed electronic processes are utilized to produce the indicator and/or the piezoelectric charge generator The need for a printed battery or supplemental power source is obviated. The card may carry printed indicia which corresponds to the states of the indicator (e.g., indication of a test answer selection). Multiple display elements and selector switches may provide multiple indicator states. Multiple piezo-strips may provide a selection function as well as a rest function. Applications include business cards, greeting cards and novelty items, toys and games, advertising and promotions, testing and education, sensors, and so forth.

Abstract: A printed circuit is produced with a base circuit and a number of optional circuit elements. One or more of the optional circuit elements may be added to the base circuit to determine or change the characteristics of the base circuit. Alternatively, one or more of the optional circuit elements may be removed from the base circuit to determine or change the characteristics of the base circuit. The base circuit and optional circuit elements may be printed on a single substrate. Mechanisms may be provided to facilitate the separation of the optional elements form the substrate either to introduce them into the base circuit or remove them from the base circuit to change the characteristics of the base circuit. A simple, low-cost, robust, and easy to use base circuit and optional circuit element is provided.

Abstract: An electronics module has a wavy substrate having ridges and creases, and an array of functional components on the substrate, the functional components including solar components and arranged on the substrate so at least one of the components lies between the creases. A method of manufacturing an electronics module includes providing functional components, at least one of the functional components being a portion of a solar cell, mounting the functional components on a flexible substrate, and forming creases and ridges in the flexible substrate, such that the functional components are arranged to reside between the creases.

Abstract: An electronics module has a flexible substrate having conductors, an array of functional components on the substrate, the functional components arranged to contact at least one conductor, and perforations in the flexible substrate, the perforations arranged to increase stretchability of the flexible substrate, the conductor arranged around the perforation and the functional components arranged to one of reside between the perforations or partially cover the perforations. A method of manufacturing a flexible electronics module involves mounting at least two functional components onto a flexible substrate, forming electrical interconnects configured to provide connection between the two functional components, and perforating the flexible substrate with cuts configured to increase stretchability of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for event sensing employs an event sensor comprising a detector and circuitry, connected thereto, produced by printed electronics processes. Operation may rely on fixed characteristic devices, such as a series resistive chain, or variable characteristic devices such as thin film transistors (TFTs) and the like. A pulse is input to the printed electronic circuitry. The printed electronic circuitry divides the pulse across the various devices comprising the circuitry according to pulse amplitude and pulse width. The circuitry provides an output signal which is provided to a plurality of display elements capable of indicating the division performed at the printed electronic circuitry. In one embodiment, each display element is an electrophoretic display which changes contrast as a function of the applied voltage. Not only the pulse amplitude and pulse width, but the number of pulses applied to the printed circuitry (i.e., sensed by the detector) may be indicated.

Abstract: An event sensor device comprises a detector and circuitry, connected thereto, produced by printed electronics processes. This circuitry may be comprised of fixed characteristic devices, such as a series resistive chain, or variable characteristic devices such as thin film transistors (TFTs) and the like. A pulse is input to the printed electronic circuitry. The printed electronic circuitry divides the pulse across the various devices comprising the circuitry according to pulse amplitude and pulse width. The circuitry provides an output signal which is provided to a plurality of display elements, which are capable of indicating the division performed at the printed electronic circuitry. In one embodiment, each display element is an electrophoretic display which changes contrast as a function of the applied voltage. Not only the pulse amplitude and pulse width, but the number of pulses applied to the printed circuitry (i.e., sensed by the detector) may be indicated.

Abstract: An organic non-volatile memory array including multiple pixels and associated signal lines that are disposed on and between a substrate, a single ferroelectric dielectric layer, and a single organic dielectric layer, where each pixel includes a ferroelectric field-effect transistor (FeFET) and at least one organic thin-film field effect transistor (FET) that are connected to associated signal lines in a way that facilitates addressable reading and writing to the FeFET of a selected pixel without disturbing the data stored in adjacent pixels. Analog data storage in the FeFET array is also introduced that does not require analog-to-digital conversion of the stored data.

Abstract: A system has a print head to dispense ink onto a print surface to form a printed image, a molding surface to contact the ink to form an informational image in at least the surface of the ink, and a radiation source to solidify the ink into the printed and informational images. A method includes dispensing ink onto a print medium to form a printed image, pressing a molding surface onto the printed image to transfer an informational image onto the printed image, and solidify the ink into the printed and informational images.

Abstract: An electrophoretic display device includes a multiplicity of individual reservoirs containing a display medium between conductive substrates, at least one of which is transparent, wherein the display medium includes one or more set of colored particles in a dielectric fluid, and wherein the multiplicity of individual reservoirs are defined by a unitary grid whose walls segregate the reservoirs. The gird may be formed via photolithography or from a master stamp derived from a mold of the grid pattern.

Abstract: A device has a substrate, a piezo polymer layer arranged adjacent the substrate, a first electrode in contact with a first side of the layer, and a second electrode arranged adjacent the first electrode, such that when the piezo layer flexes, the first and second electrodes are arranged to detect one of a change in voltage or resistance, wherein at least one of the piezo polymer layer or the electrodes are deposited by printing. A method including depositing a spacer layer onto a substrate, depositing a piezo polymer layer onto the substrate, patterning an array of first electrodes in contact with the piezo polymer layer, and patterning an array of second electrodes adjacent the array of first electrodes, wherein depositing includes one of printing and laminating and pattering includes one of printing and etching.

Abstract: A method of printing electronic circuits uses pattern recognition to detect locations of interconnects on electronic components oriented on a substrate such that the interconnects face away from the substrate, the interconnects having ramps between the interconnects and the substrate, adjusts routing paths as needed based upon a difference between an intended placement and an actual placement of the electronic components, and generates a new image file for printing with adjusted routing paths. A device has at least one electronic component having interconnects, a ramp from a surface of the substrate to the interconnects, wherein the ramp is formed of one of either a polymer or an adhesive, a printed, conductive path on the ramp providing electrical connection to at least one of the interconnects.

Abstract: A photovoltaic module having a textile substrate having conductors, an array of functional tiles on the substrate, wherein the functional tiles include solar tiles, the functional tiles arranged to be spaced apart from each other and to contact at least one conductor, and the solar tiles electrically connect in one of either electrical series or parallel configuration to produce and electrical power output. A method of manufacturing flexible, photovoltaic modules includes manufacturing at least one functional material, forming the functional material into functional tiles, mounting the functional tiles onto a textile substrate into an array of functional tiles, and forming circuitry on the flexible substrate to electrically connect the functional tiles to one of either input/output circuitry or other tiles.

Abstract: A flexible photovoltaic module has a flexible substrate having integrated electrically conductive portions, an array of functional tiles on the substrate, wherein the functional tiles include solar cell tiles, the functional tiles being separated by a spacing which determines the bending radius of the module, the tiles at least partially in electrical contact with the electrically conductive portions, the solar tiles electrically connected in one of either electrical series or parallel configuration to produce an electrical power output.

Abstract: A printing plate has a substrate, an array of cells on the substrate, wherein each cell corresponds to an element of a print image, a deformable polymer material localized into the cells such that each cell is at least partially formed from the deformable polymer material, a reservoir corresponding to each cell to collect the deformable polymer material as needed when the deformable polymer material is one of either melted or softened, and a heater to cause the deformable polymer material to either melt or soften.

Abstract: A printing plate has a substrate and a heat decomposable polymer layer arranged adjacent to the substrate, the decomposable polymer having defined regions within the polymer layer to form a printing pattern. The printing plate may be used in a printing system. The printing plate is formed in a process by providing a substrate, coating the substrate with a heat decomposable polymer to form a plate, and forming a printing pattern in the heat decomposable polymer by selectively decomposing regions of the heat decomposable polymer.

Abstract: A sensing device has at least two remote units mounted on an attachable tape, the remote units being mounted on separate branches of the attachable tape, a controller mounted on the attachable tape, electrical connections at least between each remote unit and the controller, the electrical connections on the attachable tape, and a surface to which the tape is attached such that the branches are separated from each other. A method of manufacturing a sensing device, including providing an attachable substrate, and fabricating electronic devices on the substrate, the electronic devices including at least two remote units, a controller and electrical connections between the remote units and the controller, and arranging the electronic devices such that at least two remote units are separated from each other.

Abstract: A printing plate has a substrate, an array of cells on the substrate, wherein each cell corresponds to an element of a print image, a deformable polymer material localized into the cells such that each cell is at least partially formed from the deformable polymer material, a reservoir corresponding to each cell to collect the deformable polymer material as needed when the deformable polymer material is one of either melted or softened, and a heater to cause the deformable polymer material to either melt or soften.

Abstract: A printing surface includes a substrate having latching electrodes on a first surface, a spacer layer on the first surface of the substrate, the spacer layer patterned to form wells such that the latching electrodes reside in the wells, a deformable membrane, the membrane having conductive regions, on the spacer layer to enclose the wells, each enclosed well and its associated region of the membrane forming a pixel membrane, and actuation circuitry to actuate the electrodes to cause selected ones of the pixel membranes to remain in a deflected state when the pixel membranes receive an impulse to return to an undeflected state.

Abstract: An organic non-volatile memory array including multiple pixels and associated signal lines that are disposed on and between a substrate, a single ferroelectric dielectric layer, and a single organic dielectric layer, where each pixel includes a ferroelectric field-effect transistor (FeFET) and at least one organic thin-film field effect transistor (FET) that are connected to associated signal lines in a way that facilitates addressable reading and writing to the FeFET of a selected pixel without disturbing the data stored in adjacent pixels. Analog data storage in the FeFET array is also introduced that does not require analog-to-digital conversion of the stored data.