Abstract: Liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) cells include a plurality of pixel elements formed between substrates. Spacers are formed on a portion of some of the pixel elements and positioned in the cell gap. The spacers on each of these LCOS cells reflecting different colors are formed in different locations in each cell. The result is that substantially none of the spacers create overlapping dead spots in a composite image. The spacers are further distributed among these pixel elements such that spacers are absent from some pixel elements and such that there is a substantially uniform thickness in the cell gaps. The reduced severity of the dead spots in the composite image as a result of the spacers in different locations, the reduced size and number of the spacers, and the uniformity in the cell gaps provide higher optical image quality.

Abstract: Liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) cells include a plurality of pixel elements formed between substrates. Spacers are formed on a portion of some of the pixel elements and positioned in the cell gap. The spacers on each of these LCOS cells reflecting different colors are formed in different locations in each cell. The result is that substantially none of the spacers create overlapping dead spots in a composite image. The spacers are further distributed among these pixel elements such that spacers are absent from some pixel elements and such that there is a substantially uniform thickness in the cell gaps. The reduced severity of the dead spots in the composite image as a result of the spacers in different locations, the reduced size and number of the spacers, and the uniformity in the cell gaps provide higher optical image quality.

Abstract: Liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) cells include a plurality of pixel elements formed between substrates. Spacers are formed on a portion of some of the pixel elements and positioned in the cell gap. The spacers on each of these LCOS cells reflecting different colors are formed in different locations in each cell. The result is that substantially none of the spacers create overlapping dead spots in a composite image. The spacers are further distributed among these pixel elements such that spacers are absent from some pixel elements and such that there is a substantially uniform thickness in the cell gaps. The reduced severity of the dead spots in the composite image as a result of the spacers in different locations, the reduced size and number of the spacers, and the uniformity in the cell gaps provide higher optical image quality.

Abstract: Liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) cells include a plurality of pixel elements formed between substrates. Spacers are formed on a portion of some of the pixel elements and positioned in the cell gap. The spacers on each of these LCOS cells reflecting different colors are formed in different locations in each cell. The result is that substantially none of the spacers create overlapping dead spots in a composite image. The spacers are further distributed among these pixel elements such that spacers are absent from some pixel elements and such that there is a substantially uniform thickness in the cell gaps. The reduced severity of the dead spots in the composite image as a result of the spacers in different locations, the reduced size and number of the spacers, and the uniformity in the cell gaps provide higher optical image quality.

Abstract: A single frame buffer system is provided for displaying pixels of differing types according to standard pixel information types. Memory receives the pixel information wherein the pixel associated with each item of pixel information is further associated with a control signal for indicating the pixel type of the associated pixel. Devices for interpreting each type of pixel information to provide pixel display information are provided. Based upon the pixel type control signal, the associated pixel information is interpreted by the correct interpretation device to provide the pixel display information. The different pixel types may be graphics pixels and video pixels. In this case the output of either graphics processing circuitry or the output of video processing circuitry is selected for display according to the control signal. This single frame buffer system is effective to provide one-to-one mapping between the received pixel information and displayed pixels.