Abstract: A videotelephony system has an electronically controllable camera with a field of view, a visual token disposed within the field of view, and a camera controller. The camera controller is configured to detect the visual token and reconfigure the field of view relative to a detected position of the visual token.

Abstract: A videotelephony system has an electronically controllable camera with a field of view, a visual token disposed within the field of view, and a camera controller. The camera controller is configured to detect the visual token and reconfigure the field of view relative to a detected position of the visual token.

Abstract: A user interface controller of a handheld electronic device (100) that has a camera that generates video images presents (1005) information on a display (105) of the handheld electronic device, processes (1010) the video images to track a three dimensional position of a directing object (260) that is within a field of view (225) of the camera, generates (1015) a two dimensional position of the directing object that is used to control a corresponding location in a scene on the display, and controls (1020) a function of the handheld electronic device in response to a comparison of the track of the directing device to a virtual surface (805, 810, 920, 925) that is defined relative to the handheld electronic device.

Abstract: A user interface controller of a handheld electronic device (100) that has a camera that generates video images presents (1105) information on a display (105) of the handheld electronic device, processes (1110) the video images to track at least one of a position and orientation of a directing object (260) that is within a field of view (225) of the camera, and modifies (1115) at least one scene presented on the display in response to a track of the directing object. Modification of scenes may include selecting one or more scene objects, moving a cursor object, and adjusting a viewing angle of successive scenes.

Abstract: Liquid crystal displays (10) and touch sensitive displays (41) are stacked with one or more solar cells (15) such that light passing through the displays will illuminate the light receiving active surface of the solar cells (15). No reflector or polarizer need be used when the liquid crystal display (10) uses cholesteric or polymer dispersed liquid crystals. When using supertwist nematic or twisted nematic liquid crystals, a reflector (21) can be used that comprises a selective color reflector. The resultant display/solar cell can be utilized in combination with a device such as a wireless communications device (62) with the solar cell (15) providing electricity to the display (61), the wireless communications device (62), or both. A mask (71) can be used to occlude surface features on the solar cell (15) as appropriate to provide a substantially uniformly colored appearance.

Abstract: High quality epitaxial layers of monocrystalline materials can be grown overlying monocrystalline substrates such as large silicon wafers by forming a compliant substrate for growing the monocrystalline layers. An accommodating buffer layer comprises a layer of monocrystalline oxide spaced apart from the silicon wafer by an amorphous interface layer of silicon oxide. The amorphous interface layer dissipates strain and permits the growth of a high quality monocrystalline oxide accommodating buffer layer. The accommodating buffer layer is lattice matched to both the underlying silicon wafer and the overlying monocrystalline material layer. Any lattice mismatch between the accommodating buffer layer and the underlying silicon substrate is taken care of by the amorphous interface layer. Optical processing layers can be placed on monocrystalline layers to process photons produced in the monocrystalline layers.

Abstract: A flat panel display (12) includes a backplate (14) and a faceplate (16) attached to the backplate (14) defining a vacuum enclosure (18) therebetween. A spacer (46, 62, 64, 78, 80, 90) is positioned between the backplate (14) and the faceplate (16). The spacer geometry is anti-symmetrical and non-integral with respect to an array of electron emitters (30, 48, 76) on a cathode plate (22) overlying the backplate (14). The spacers have a curved surface (52, 78, 82) that is characterized by a radius r, or by a length d.sub.3 of a unit shape having bend angles .alpha. and .beta., whereas the electron emitter arrays are characterized by orthogonally arranged rows (32) and columns (34). The anti-symmetrical and non-integral relationship between the spacers (46, 62, 64, 78, 80, 90) and the electron emitters reduces the number of electron emitters and pixels (49, 77, 86) that are occluded by the spacers.