Abstract: An illumination system (1) comprises a plurality of light source units (10) arranged according to an array, each light source unit comprising at least one controllable light source (12) and a unit controller (11). A communication network (30) has communication lines (32; 33) extending along a straight line between neighboring light source units (1OA, 1OB; 1OB, 10C). A common system controller (20) issues control signals (Sc) for the individual unit controllers (11), taking into account their positions and orientations, to achieve a desired illumination effect. The common system controller is capable of automatically determining the positions and orientations of the light source units (10). To this end, the light source units comprise length detection means (60) for detecting the lengths of the communication lines, and direction detection means (50) for detecting the relative directions of the communication lines, and communicate the measured results to the common system controller.

Abstract: For the electrophoretic display panel (1) to be able to have a pixel (2) which is able to have a relative large number of different attainable optical states for displaying a picture, even if the pixel (2) has three electrodes, the electrophoretic display panel (1) has a pixel (2) and drive means (100); the pixel (2) has an electrophoretic medium (5) having first and second charged particles (6,7), the first and the second particles (6,7) having opposite polarity and dissimilar optical properties and being able to occupy positions in the pixel (2), a first, a second and a reset electrode (11,12,13) for receiving potentials, and an optical state depending on the positions of the particles (6,7) in the pixel (2); the drive means (100) are arranged for controlling a sequence of the potentials received by the electrodes (11,12,13) for enabling the first and the second particles (6,7) to occupy their positions for displaying the picture, the sequence comprising first particles positioning potentials for enabling t

Abstract: The electrophoretic display panel (1) for displaying a picture has a pixel (2) having an electrophoretic medium (5) having first and second charged particles (6,7), the first charged particles (6) having a first optical property, the second charged particles (7) having a second optical property different from the first optical property, and an optical state depending on positions of the particles (6,7). Furthermore, particle movement means (10,11,100) are arranged to enable a picture movement of the first and the second particles (6,7) to their respective position for displaying the picture, and particles movement decoupling means are arranged to provide unequal abilities of the first and the second particles (6,7) to move for substantially decoupling the picture movement of the first particles (6) from the picture movement of the second particles (7).

Abstract: A color display screen has a plurality of cells (2). Each cell (2) has a pixel (P) capable of providing a first output light of a first color and a second output light of a second color and a photosensitive device (D) for converting an optical display control signal (Li) into electrical signals (1). The optical display control signal (Li) includes information about the first output light and the second output light to control the first output light and the second output light. The photosensitive device (D) includes a decoder (DM) for decoding the information about the first and the second output light.

Abstract: A dynamic foil display 900 is provided wherein the spacer elements 902, 904 also serve as resistance-reducing tracks for the electrode circuitry. Resistance-reduction can thereby be provided for the row and column electrodes as well as for the foil electrode. To this end a foil display 900 comprises a light guide plate 905; a passive plate 910; and a transparent light-scattering foil 903 sandwiched between and separated from said plates by means of spacer elements 902, 904 is described. The spacer elements 902, 904 are arranged essentially along rows and columns on said plates 905, 910 and thereby define a plurality of pixel elements arranged in a matrix configuration along said rows and columns.

Abstract: A display device comprising a light guide (12), a front plate (14), and an intermediate electromechanically operable foil (16). Two electrode layers (22, 23) are arranged on either side of the foil (16) to induce electrostatic forces on the foil (16) and to bring selected portions of the foil into contact with the light guide (12), thereby extracting light from the light guide (12). The second electrode layer (22) is arranged on the opposite side of the light guide (12) with reference to the foil (16), and separated from the light guide (12) by means of a refractive layer (28). As no electrode layer is required on the light guide itself, the light path of rays extracted from the light guide is cleaner, and the absorption of light is reduced.

Abstract: A display device comprising a light guide (12), a back plate (14), a flexible element (15) arranged in between said light guide (12) and said back plate (14), and addressable electrodes (23) for inducing electrostatic forces on said element (15) a for bringing selected portions of said element (15) into contact with said light guide (12), in order to extract light from said light guide (12). The addressable electrodes (23) are arranged only on one of said light guide (12) and said back plate (14), and a biasing force acts on said flexible element (15) in a direction away from said addressable electrodes (23). The voltages required to operate the display will also be lower compared to the conventional foil display. In principle it is feasible to keep the electrode of the flexible element at ground potential while applying 10-20V pulses to the addressable electrodes to overcome the biasing force.

Abstract: A display device comprises electrophoretic particles, a display element comprising a pixel electrode and a counter electrode between which a portion of the electrophoretic particles are present and a controller for supplying a drive signal to the electrodes to bring the display element in a predetermined black or white state, corresponding to the image information to be displayed. In order to improve the refresh time of the display, the controller is further arranged for supplying a preset signal preceding the drive signal comprising a preset pulse having an energy sufficient to release the electrophoretic particles at a first position near one of the two electrodes corresponding to a black state, but too low to enable the particles to reach a second position near the other electrode corresponding to a white state. The duration of the preset pulses is less than 19 msec, preferably between 1 and 10 msec. Setting the duration of the preset pulses to less than 19 msec reduced visible flicker F.

Abstract: A driving circuit for an electrophoretic display has a plurality of pixels (18) of an electrophoretic material which comprises charged particles (8, 9). The pixels (18) are associated with a respective first electrode (6) and second electrode (5, 5?) which present a drive voltage (VD) to the pixels (18) to at least enable the charged particles (8, 9) to occupy one of two limit positions between the first electrode (6) and the second electrode (5, 5?). The driving circuit comprises an addressing circuit (16, 10) which generates the drive voltage (VD) by applying between the first electrode (6) and the second electrode (5, 5?): (i) an reset pulse (RE) which has an energy content sufficient or larger than required for the charged particles (8, 9) to reach one of the limit positions, and (ii) a shaking pulse (SP1) which at least partially overlaps the reset pulse (RE). The shaking pulse SP1 has, during the reset pulse (RE), at least partially a level with an opposite polarity than a level of the reset pulse (RE).

Abstract: The display device (1) comprises a light transmitting first plate (2), a second plate (4) facing the first plate (2), a movable element (3) between the first plate (2) and the second plate (4) able to decouple light out of the first plate (2). The first plate (2) has a first surface (40) facing away from the movable element (3) and a second surface (14) facing the movable element (3), and electrodes (5,6,25) on the first plate (2), the second plate (4) and the movable element (3), able to locally bring the movable element (3) into contact with the first plate (2) by applying voltages to the electrodes (5,6,25).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a light generating device comprising a slab light guide (1), at least one light input unit (2) arranged on at least one side (10) of said light guide (1) comprising at least one light source (20) and a light incoupling means (21) for coupling light into said light guide (1), and at least one light output unit (3) arranged on at least one side (11) of said light guide (1). In order to provide a device that provides polarized light of a high homogeneity the light output unit (3) according to the present invention comprises a polarized light emitting waveguide plate (31) for selectively coupling light of a first polarization state out of said light guide (1). The present invention further relates to a display device, in particular an LCD, comprising a light generating device according to the invention.

Abstract: Display apparatus comprising an image-generating screen (46) repetitively scanned at a predetermined rate to display images, and a backlight for illuminating the screen. The backlight includes a light guide (10) arranged to constrain light by total internal reflection, the light guide having an output surface (22) with various locations from which light may be selectively coupled using a scanning arrangement (44). The scanning arrangement sequentially and repeatedly illuminates selected areas of said screen in synchronism with the repetitive scanning of the screen.

Abstract: The electrophoretic display panel (1), for displaying a picture, has drive means (100) which are arranged for controlling the potential difference of each picture element (2) to be a preset potential difference having a predetermined duration and subsequently to be a picture potential difference having an actual duration in the range between a smallest duration and a largest duration.

Abstract: A display device comprising a plurality of pixels (26), a light source (23), and addressing means (24, 25) for coupling a selected pixel to said light source to thereby emit light, wherein the addressing means (24, 25) are arranged to address each pixel using pulse-width modulation (PWM). Further, the display comprises means (20) for amplitude modulating the intensity of said light source (23). The combination of the two modulations generates an exponentially distributed emitted light intensity, enabling proper gray scale rendering for a limited resolution in the time domain.

Abstract: A backlight including a light guide (10) wherein light from one or more light sources (32) is constrained by total internal reflection and from which light may be output to provide backlighting for a display screen, and a light reservoir (34) for feeding said light guide with light. The light guide has an input surface (20) including incoupling elements (24) rising therefrom and extending into the light reservoir, the incoupling elements having at least three mutually non-coplanar sidewall sections (26) extending transversely from the input surface, each sidewall section covering a different part of the input surface. The light reservoir is arranged such that light passing through one area of the light reservoir is capable of entering the light guide through each of said sidewall sections.

Abstract: The display panel (21) comprises a light guide (2), a second plate (4) and a movable element (3) between both plates for locally decoupling light out of the light guide (2). Voltages, applied to electrodes (5,6 resp. 25), associated with the light guide (2), the second plate (4) and the movable element (3), locally bring the movable element (3) into 5 contact with the light guide plate (2) or the second plate (4). If, between the light guide (2) and the first electrodes (5) a layer (51) is present with a second refractive index being smaller than the first refractive index of the light guide (2), and the light guide (2) is positioned between the first electrodes (5) and the movable element (3), absorption of the light transported through the light guide plate (2) is reduced, providing a display panel (21) with 10 improved power efficiency.

Abstract: The invention relates to a display device (10) comprising a light guide (2) and a plate (4), which extend essentially parallel in a mutually spaced relationship, said display device further comprising a movable element (3) which is arranged between the light guide and the plate in a spaced relationship to the light guide, selection means (5, 6) to locally bring said movable element into contact with the light guide, and a number of spacing elements (13) arranged on the light guide or the plate for maintaining the space between the movable element and the light guide and the plate, respectively, characterized in that the spacing elements form an integral part of the movable element. The invention also relates to a method of producing the display device according to the invention.

Abstract: Applying the method of manufacturing a polymeric foil (30) having partly embedded inorganic particles (19) results in the polymeric foil (30) being suitable for use as a movable element (3) in a display panel (21). The method starts by embedding inorganic particles (19) partly into a release layer (32) which covers a substrate (31). This product (37) is covered with a layer of polymeric material (18), which is solidified to obtain the polymeric foil (30). By removing the release layer (32), the polymeric foil (30) having a surface with a roughness brought about by the partly embedded inorganic particles (19) is set free.

Abstract: The display panel 21 comprises a light guide plate 2, a second plate 4 and a movable element 3 between both plates, for locally coupling light out of the light guide plate 2. Voltages applied to electrodes 5, 6 and 25 locally bring the movable element 3 into contact with the light guide plate 2 or the second plate 4. Means for reducing sticking of the movable element 3 to the plates comprise a roughness R1 at the contact surface 14 of the light guide plate 2 facing the movable element 3, a roughness R2 at the contact surface 15 of the movable element 3 facing the light guide plate 2, a roughness R3 at the contact surface 16 of the second plate 4 facing the movable element 3 and a roughness R4 at the contact surface 17 of the movable element 3 facing the second plate 4. The roughnesses R1 and R2 are smaller than at least one of the roughnesses R3 and R4. By virtue thereof, sticking is reduced and the display panel 21 requires relatively little energy to be operated.

Abstract: Transflective display device having a transflector (10) which is switchable between a transparent state and a mirror-like state. Preferably, a metal hydride optical switch is used as the transflector.