Field Emissive (e.g., Fed, Spindt, Microtip, Etc.) Patents (Class 345/75.2)
  • Patent number: 6863942
    Abstract: One or more highly-oriented, multi-walled carbon nanotubes are grown on an outer surface of a substrate initially disposed with a catalyst film or catalyst nano-dot by plasma enhanced hot filament chemical vapor deposition of a carbon source gas and a catalyst gas at temperatures between 300° C. and 3000° C. The carbon nanotubes range from 4 to 500 nm in diameter and 0.1 to 50 ?m in length depending on growth conditions. Carbon nanotube density can exceed 104 nanotubes/mm2. Acetylene is used as the carbon source gas, and ammonia is used as the catalyst gas. Plasma intensity, carbon source gas to catalyst gas ratio and their flow rates, catalyst film thickness, and temperature of chemical vapor deposition affect the lengths, diameters, density, and uniformity of the carbon nanotubes. The carbon nanotubes of the present invention are useful in electrochemical applications as well as in electron emission, structural composite, material storage, and microelectrode applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: The Research Foundation of State University of New York
    Inventors: Zhifeng Ren, Zhongping Huang, Jui H. Wang, Dezhi Wang
  • Patent number: 6847337
    Abstract: With the present invention, there is provided a driving method that favorably drives an electron source, which is driven in a passive matrix manner, without being affected by a disturbance. There is also provided an image-forming apparatus that uses this electron source. An anode electrode having a constant potential is arranged over a plurality of electron-emitting devices including gate electrodes and cathode electrodes. During passive matrix driving of the electron source where the amount of electrons to be emitted is adjusted by modulating potentials between the cathode electrodes and the gate electrodes, a predetermined time difference is maintained between the driving of signal lines in a group and the driving of signal lines in another group during the driving of signal lines divided into N groups after selection of scanning lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeshi Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 6842160
    Abstract: For decreasing hardware for correction to compensate for decrease of luminance due to decrease in drive voltage of devices, a plurality of electron-emitting devices are arranged in a matrix pattern and wired by a plurality of row and column lines, a column wiring driving unit applies voltage pulses to the column lines, and row wiring driving units apply voltages to the row lines to switch a row to be selected. The image signal processing unit divides a luminance level of an image signal into plural areas in the signal amplitude direction in response to each split timing signal. There are provided means for detecting frequencies of luminance signals included in the respective amplitude areas, a correction quantity calculating unit for outputting correction signals based on the detected values, and an adding unit for adding the correction signals and luminance signals, which outputs results of addition as electron emission requirements to the column wiring driving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsuro Yamazaki, Makiko Mori, Osamu Sagano
  • Patent number: 6838835
    Abstract: Methods of operating field emission displays are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for operating a field emission display includes applying a voltage to an extraction grid with respect to an emitter in proximity to the extraction grid to extract electrons from the emitter, regulating a supply of electrons from the emitter in response to a control signal, and accelerating the electrons from the emitter towards a faceplate with an accelerating voltage that also reverse biases a semiconductor diode extending from a baseplate that includes the extraction grid and the emitter to the faceplate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Won-Joo Kim
  • Publication number: 20040257311
    Abstract: An image display apparatus of this invention includes a neighborhood data integration section 20 which integrates image data on respective colors corresponding to electron emitting devices proximate to an electron emitting device to be driven, and corresponding to a phosphor contributing to a halation, an adder 6 adds the integrated image data R22, G22, and B22 on the respective colors, a coefficient operation section 7 which multiplies an addition result by a predetermined coefficient according to a luminous intensity of the halation, an adder 8 which adds outputs R23, G23, and B23 obtained by inverting a sign of multiplication results to image data R14, G14, and B14 corresponding to the electron emitting device to be driven, respectively, and a comparator 11 which compares an addition result with zero in magnitude, and which outputs a driving signal R25 for the respective colors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Izumi Kanai, Hisanobu Azuma
  • Patent number: 6831619
    Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes an image-forming device in an envelope. The image-forming device includes a member (e.g., a thin film electrode) which is carried on the inner surface of the envelope and is adapted to application of electron-accelerating voltage Va. The member-carrying part, such as a transparent face plate, of the envelope also includes on its outer surface a structure for applying a voltage substantially equal to the voltage Va (e.g., an electroconductive layer connected to the thin-film electrode by way of a certain resistance). The electric field across the part is significantly reduced to thereby prevent migration of sodium ions contained in the part, which can be made of soda lime glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Todokoro
  • Publication number: 20040233137
    Abstract: A back substrate has a plurality of electron emission elements. A display substrate comprises an optically transparent substrate disposed opposite to the back substrate; an accelerating electrode formed on the inner face of the optically transparent substrate for accelerating electron beams emitted from the electron emission elements; and luminescent materials excited by the electron beams to emit light toward the outer face of the optically transparent substrate. A frame member supports the back substrate and display substrate on their peripheries. A vacuum chamber is defined by the back substrate, display substrate, and frame member. A conductor electrically connected to the accelerating electrode is drawn out to the outside of the vacuum chamber. A high voltage connector for supplying an accelerating voltage to the conductor is removably connected to the conductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshie Kodera, Tetsu Ohishi, Nobuo Masuoka, Akinori Maeda, Junichi Ikoma, Hidenao Kubota
  • Publication number: 20040233136
    Abstract: One image is displayed in a period as one frame, which includes one charge accumulation period and one light emission period. In the charge accumulation period, all electron emitters are scanned, and voltages depending on the luminance levels of corresponding pixels are applied to the electron emitters which correspond to pixels to be turned on (to emit light), to accumulate charges (electrons) in amounts depending on the luminance levels of corresponding pixels in the electron emitters which correspond to pixels to be turned on. In the next light emission period, a constant voltage is applied to all the electron emitters to emit electrons in amounts depending on the luminance levels of corresponding pixels from the electron emitters which correspond to pixels to be turned on, thereby emitting light from the pixels to be turned on.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukihisa Takeuchi, Tsutomu Nanataki, Iwao Ohwada, Takayoshi Akao
  • Patent number: 6822397
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the adjustment of luminance. The present invention is a method of manufacturing image forming apparatus including a step of applying characteristic shift voltage comprising a plurality of pulses in which the amplitude of the pulse obtained from the look-up table has two or more values, to the emitter, the look-up table storing the amplitude of the pulse and the number of the pulse for shifting characteristic of emitters to a predetermined luminance target value on the basis of the measurement result of the luminance. Moreover, the present invention is a method of manufacturing image forming apparatus comprising a step of applying the second pulses of characteristic shift voltage having the amplitude which was determined in response to the measurement result of the luminance after the first characteristic shift voltage had been applied to the emitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideshi Kawasaki, Shuji Aoki, Izumi Tabata, Akihiko Yamano, Hisashi Sakata
  • Patent number: 6822628
    Abstract: Methods for compensating for brightness variations in a field emission device. In one embodiment, a method and system are described for measuring the relative brightness of rows of a field emission display (FED) device, storing information representing the measured brightness into a correction table and using the correction table to provide uniform row brightness in the display by adjusting row voltages and/or row on-time periods. A special measurement process is described for providing accurate current measurements on the rows. This embodiment compensates for brightness variations of the rows, e.g., for rows near the spacer walls. In another embodiment, a periodic signal, e.g., a high frequency noise signal, is added to the row on-time pulse in order to camouflage brightness variations in the rows near the spacer walls. In another embodiment, the area under the row on-time pulse is adjusted to provide row-by-row brightness compensation based on correction values stored in a memory resident correction table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignees: Candescent Intellectual Property Services, Inc., Candescent Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: James C. Dunphy, William Cummings, Christopher J. Spindt, Ronald L. Hansen, Jun (Gordon) Liu, Lee Cressi, Colin Stanners
  • Patent number: 6819054
    Abstract: An electronic circuit apparatus (5) for a field emission device (14) comprises a charge emission device electrically connected to a charge ballast electronic circuit (13,15). The charge ballast electronic circuit includes a capacitance device (25,26) electrically connected in series with a transistor (10,12) and electrically connected in parallel with a resistor (28,23) where the capacitance is chosen to adjust a charge emitted by the field emission device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott V. Johnson, Bernard F. Coll, Kevin O'Connor
  • Publication number: 20040207576
    Abstract: A spacer discharging apparatus and method of an FED are disclosed in which a pulse control signal synchronized with a vertical synchronous signal is outputted during a blanking time period. In the spacer discharging apparatus, a discharge path is formed to connect an anode electrode and a spacer ground electrode of an FED and a switch unit selectively connects the discharge path. Electric charge charged in the spacer is quickly discharged, so that generation of noise or visible appearance of the spacer can be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2004
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Seong Hak Moon
  • Publication number: 20040207575
    Abstract: An aging driving method of a field emission display device can secure long lifetimes of panel by reducing possibilities of generation of arcing, by largely increasing energy distribution under a low voltage, and by applying a pulse voltage which is varied to reduce energy distribution under a high voltage as time goes, in aging processing. In addition, aging is performed in a very short time by using small energy in a pulse supply, thereby preventing a damage of a panel and much shortening an aging time. In addition, aging is performed in each pre-aging process and a main-aging process, to reduce contaminants, thereby lengthening lifetimes of a panel and securing reliability of a product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2004
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Seong-Hak Moon
  • Publication number: 20040189552
    Abstract: Flat panel displays, such as field emission displays (FEDs) and plasma displays are provided having reduced through-vacuum interconnects by incorporating driver circuitry on the same substrate as the active display region of the display device. In one implementation, vacuum-sealed image display device comprises a substrate; an active display region on the substrate and including addressable rows and columns defining pixels; and driver ICs on the substrate, outputs of each driver IC coupled to the rows and columns, the drivers ICs adapted to drive the active display region to display an image. The device also comprises a vacuum envelope forming a sealed volume containing at least a portion of the substrate, the active display region and the driver ICs, the sealed volume maintained in a vacuum, the vacuum envelope defining a vacuum border. As the resolution of flat panel displays increases, reducing interconnects becomes increasingly important.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicants: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Shigeki Miyazaki
  • Publication number: 20040189553
    Abstract: The present invention provides a bright and high-resolution display apparatus having a dynamic range exceeding the number of gray-scale voltage (or current) outputs, which a signal driver is capable of generating. In accordance with the present invention, a select period, in which a group of pixels on each row is driven, is divided into a plurality of sub-periods. The signal driver supplies a voltage output varying from sub-period to sub-period to selected pixels through a signal electrode. The pixel is capable of expressing various values of a gray scale, the size of which is at least approximately equal to (the number of gray-scale voltage outputs, which the signal driver is capable of generating)×(the number of sub-periods). By changing the ratio of the length of a sub-period to the length of another sub-period or the range of the driving voltage (or current), the dynamic range of the display can be further increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuaki Kabuto, Toshimitsu Watanabe, Yoshie Kodera, Mutsumi Suzuki, Tetsu Ohishi
  • Publication number: 20040183757
    Abstract: In a driving method for an electron-emitting device in which an electron-emitting member made of an aggregate of carbon fibers is made to emit electrons by a voltage being applied between a cathode electrode on which the electron-emitting member is formed and a counter electrode disposed in opposition to the cathode electrode, a driving voltage V smaller than a maximum applied voltage Vmax is applied between the cathode electrode and the counter electrode to drive the electron-emitting device, the maximum applied voltage Vmax being a maximum voltage applied between the cathode electrode and the counter electrode before the start of driving.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2004
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazunari Oyama, Masafumi Kyogaku, Takeo Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 6791519
    Abstract: A sound and vision system includes a display device (1) and an acoustic transducer, such as a loudspeaker or a microphone. The display device includes display cells (9) having opposite electrodes (7, 8) and includes a conductive line (11) connected to the electrodes in order to address the display cells. The acoustic transducer is formed by the display cell itself and the conductive line is electrically coupled to the display cell/acoustic transducer in order to convey signals, as a result of which the acoustic transducer is an integral part of the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Ronaldus Maria Aarts, Mark Thomas Johnson
  • Publication number: 20040174323
    Abstract: A method of measuring luminance of an image display apparatus, a method of manufacturing the same, and a method and an apparatus for adjusting characteristics of the same, in which accuracy of measurement is improved while reducing time for measuring luminance of a pixel are provided. A plurality of devices that are not adjacent to each other (for example the devices of the same color out of R, G, and B) are selected and illuminated simultaneously, and luminance is measured for each of them. Based on measured luminance, the electron-emitting characteristics of the respective electron-emitting device as are adjusted based on measured luminance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masataka Yamashita, Eiji Yamaguchi, Akihiko Yamano
  • Publication number: 20040164935
    Abstract: A method of designing a fixed format emissive display is described using a computing device having a processor and a memory, the display comprising an array of emissive pixel elements, each pixel element comprising at least two sub-pixel elements made of different materials. The method comprises selecting areas of the at least two sub-pixel elements so that each pixel element displays white at a predetermined white point within a certain tolerance over a lifetime of the pixel, and such that the lifetimes of the sub-pixel areas are within a predetermined tolerance of each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Inventors: Nele Dedene, Robbie Thielemans, Herbert Van Hille, William E. Bird
  • Publication number: 20040155839
    Abstract: A scan driving apparatus of a field emission display device includes: a pulse generator for outputting a prescribed level of voltage through ON/OFF operation of a plurality of switching units; and a scan driving IC for receiving the prescribed level of voltage from the pulse generator and selectively outputting it to an external display panel. A delay time of a scan pulse can be reduced, a crosstalk due to an overlap phenomenon according to time repetition between scan lines can be reduced, a life span of a cell can be lengthened, and a uniformity of the cell can be enhanced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2004
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Seong Hak Moon
  • Publication number: 20040155838
    Abstract: An apparatus for testing pixels of a flat panel display has a palette for holding a TFT substrate, drive signal source units, and predetermined voltage source units. The palette is grounded. One of the predetermined voltage source units applies a predetermined voltage to a Cs electrode of each of pixels constituting the TFT substrate so that the predetermined voltage is used as a reference voltage of the TFT substrate 11. The drive signal source units supply drive signals to a gate electrode G and a source electrode S respectively in each of the pixels constituting the TFT substrate. The voltages of the drive signals are floated by predetermined voltages given by the corresponding predetermined voltage source units respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2003
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Applicant: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Guillermo Toro-Lira, David Baker
  • Patent number: 6771027
    Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for monitoring FED performance and compensating for adverse impacts associated with display emission generation. A present invention FED adjustment system and method is capable of providing real time emission characteristic monitoring during retrace periods. In one present emission compensation method a feedback type process is utilized that drives a constant level on dummy pixels not included in the active viewing area and compares the results (e.g., the current that is associated with the emission) to an expected certain predetermined amount. If the current is too high then the voltage supply is reduced to the drive level or if the current is to low the voltage is increased. A driver voltage is supplied and an image is presented in an active pixel region during an active presentation time. Emissions are produced in a test pixel during a nonactive presentation and a determination is made if the emissions in the test area are accurate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Candescent Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Ronald L. Hansen
  • Publication number: 20040145545
    Abstract: An image-forming device having, in an envelope, an electron-emitting element, an image-forming member for forming an image by irradiation of an electron beam emitted from the electron-emitting element, and an electroconductive supporting member for supporting the envelope (internally), comprises a means for controlling the potential of the supporting member to be not higher than the maximum potential applied to the electron-emitting element. The electron-emitting element and the image-forming member can be placed in juxtaposition on the same substrate, an electroconductive substrate can be additionally provided in opposition to the face of the substrate, and the supporting member can be connected electrically to one of said electrodes and also to the electroconductive substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2004
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ichiro Nomura, Hidetoshi Suzuki, Tetsuya Kaneko, Shinya Mishina, Naoto Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20040145544
    Abstract: In a method of driving a display apparatus, a first combination of a first anode voltage and a first element voltage is selected to apply the first anode voltage to the anode electrode and apply the first element voltages to electron emitting elements selectively, during a first period. The first combination is changed to a second combination of a second anode voltage and a second element voltage after the first period to apply the second anode voltage to the anode electrode and apply the second element voltages to the electron emitting elements selectively, during a second period. After the second period, the second combination is also change to the first combination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Inventors: Koji Suzuki, Keiko Albessard, Masahiko Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20040130511
    Abstract: A current controlled field emission display includes a controller that provides a pair of pulsed clocking signals that allows current to flow from ground potential to an emitter in the field emission display during each clocking signal pulse. The number of electrons, and thus the intensity of the light will depend upon the number N of clocking signal pulses during an activation interval. In one embodiment, each of the pulsed signals includes a number N of pulses that corresponds to a desired intensity of pixels. The pulsed signals are formed by gating a clock signal in response to digital data applied to the display such that the transfer of electrons is controlled directly by the digital data. In another embodiment, the pulsed signals are produced by comparing a decoded image signal to counts from a high speed counter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Inventor: David A. Zimlich
  • Publication number: 20040130510
    Abstract: A knocking treatment method in a flat-type display device in which a first substrate provided with a first electrode and a second substrate provided with a second substrate are disposed with a vacuum space interposed between the first and second substrates and the first substrate and the second substrate are bonded to each other in their circumferential portions, the method comprising applying to the first electrode a pulse voltage V1 higher than a voltage to be applied to the second electrode to remove a projection present in the first electrode by field evaporation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2002
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Inventors: Morikazu Konishi, Koichi Iida
  • Patent number: 6760001
    Abstract: The present application discloses a characteristic adjusting method of executing a step of changing the characteristics of display devices in an image display apparatus. In particular, the present invention discloses a configuration in which target values for changes in characteristics are obtained by reducing the high-frequency components of the spatial distribution of the characteristics of the display devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Kanda, Takahiro Oguchi, Akihiko Yamano
  • Patent number: 6750854
    Abstract: An image displaying apparatus includes a transparent film adhered to an outer surface of a face plate, and a transparent conductive film formed on an outer surface of the transparent film. When a potential difference is formed between the transparent conductive film and an inner surface of the face plate, a reduction in voltage of the transparent film becomes greater than a reduction in voltage of the face plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoya Onishi
  • Publication number: 20040108976
    Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for monitoring FED performance and compensating for adverse impacts associated with display emission generation. A present invention FED adjustment system and method is capable of providing real time emission characteristic monitoring during retrace periods. In one present emission compensation method a feedback type process is utilized that drives a constant level on dummy pixels not included in the active viewing area and compares the results (e.g., the current that is associated with the emission) to an expected certain predetermined amount. If the current is too high then the voltage supply is reduced to the drive level or if the current is to low the voltage is increased. A driver voltage is supplied and an image is presented in an active pixel region during an active presentation time. Emissions are produced in a test pixel during a nonactive presentation and a determination is made if the emissions in the test area are accurate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Publication date: June 10, 2004
    Inventor: Ronald L. Hansen
  • Patent number: 6747416
    Abstract: An electron emitting structure having deflectable electrodes, such as found in grating light valves (GLVs) is provided. In one implementation, the structure includes a substrate having base electrodes and gate electrodes coupled thereto and insulated from each other, and an emitting material deposited on active regions of the base electrodes. Upon applying a voltage potential difference between a base electrode and a gate electrode, a portion of one of the base electrode and the gate electrode deflects through electrostatic force positioning the portion of the one of the base electrode and the gate electrode relative to another one of the base electrode and the gate electrode such that an electric field is produced that is sufficient to cause an emission from an emitting material deposited on the base electrode. In preferred form, lower drive voltages are required to provide the electric field without requiring sub-micron spacing between electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Jack Barger, James Qian Wang, Benjamin Edward Russ, Jean-Pierre Guillou
  • Publication number: 20040100426
    Abstract: A present invention field emission display brightness compensation system and method is capable of providing uniform display correction. In one present compensation system and method a masking process is utilized that adjusts the emissions for a particular area. In one exemplary implementation, the relative value of a pixel driver voltage is adjusted to correspond to a base brightness area. For example, an emitter uniformity area adjustment table is utilized to adjust the voltage value of the emitters. An emitter uniformity area adjustment table provides a correlation between a pixel location and a brightness level adjustment. The emitter uniformity area adjustment tables are utilized to create a software filtering mask that provides compensation for uniformity differences between different spots or areas in the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Publication date: May 27, 2004
    Inventors: Madhukar Gaganam, Krishna A. Rao, Don L. Danielson
  • Publication number: 20040090398
    Abstract: A display comprises a housing having a mother board, an outer frame, and a transparent plate, and a plurality of modules each having a plurality of electron emitters arrayed on a module board. The modules are disposed as a matrix on the mother board, and sealed in vacuum in the housing. One or more spacers may be interposed between the mother board and the transparent plate to keep a gap at a predetermined distance between the mother board and the transparent plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukihisa Takeuchi, Tsutomu Nanataki, Iwao Ohwada, Nobuyuki Kokune
  • Publication number: 20040080469
    Abstract: A vacuum envelope of an image display apparatus includes a rear substrate and a front substrate opposed to each other and a sidewall interposed between the rear substrate and the front substrate. An image display surface is formed on an inner surface of the front substrate, and a large number of electron emitting elements that emit electrons toward the image display surface are arranged on an inner surface of the rear substrate. A grid is located between the rear substrate and the front substrate and fixed to the rear substrate. The grid has a thermal expansion coefficient higher than that of the rear substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2003
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Inventors: Hirotaka Murata, Takashi Nishimura
  • Patent number: 6710756
    Abstract: A current controlled field emission display includes a controller that provides a pair of pulsed clocking signals that allows current to flow from ground potential to an emitter in the field emission display during each clocking signal pulse. The number of electrons, and thus the intensity of the light will depend upon the number N of clocking signal pulses during an activation interval. In one embodiment, each of the pulsed signals includes a number N of pulses that corresponds to a desired intensity of pixels. The pulsed signals are formed by gating a clock signal in response to digital data applied to the display such that the transfer of electrons is controlled directly by the digital data. In another embodiment, the pulsed signals are produced by comparing a decoded image signal to counts from a high speed counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: David A. Zimlich
  • Patent number: 6700554
    Abstract: A transmissive display device using a micro light modulator that is capable of improving a light efficiency. In the display device, light-path converting members are provided on stationary members to change a path of a light inputted obliquely through stationary members and movable members vertically with respect to a display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: LG. Philips LCD Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong Sung Ham, Heum Il Baek, Je Hong Kim
  • Publication number: 20040021624
    Abstract: The present invention can suppress rupture of distance holding members, a back substrate or a front substrate attributed to atmospheric pressure. In a display device of the present invention, between the back substrate having cathode lines and plate-member control electrodes and the front substrate, a large number of distance holding members which hold a distance between the substrates are mounted in an erected manner. At portions where the distance holding members are brought into contact with the back substrate and/or the front substrate, a buffering/fixing material which is constituted of a buffering material having high resiliency and an adhesive is interposed for dispersing the atmospheric pressure applied from the back substrate and the front substrate substantially uniformly. Further, the distance holding members are fixed between the back substrate and the front substrate by a heat treatment and pressurizing step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventors: Shigemi Hirasawa, Yoshiyuki Kaneko, Susumu Sasaki, Yuuichi Kijima, Hiroshi Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20030210211
    Abstract: A driving circuit and method of an MIM FED are disclosed. A luminance compensation amount is determined according to a data amount of an input image signal and/or a position of a scan line, and compensated, thereby obtaining a uniform luminance on the entire screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Publication date: November 13, 2003
    Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Seong-Hak Moon
  • Publication number: 20030201954
    Abstract: A field emission display (FED) having a correction system with a correction coefficient derived from emission current is presented. Within one embodiment in accordance with the present invention, a field emission display has an anode at the faceplate and a focus structure. The anode potential is held at ground while the focus structure potential is held between, but is not limited to, 40 and 50 volts. The current flowing to the focus structure is measured and used as the basis for the correction coefficient for the field emission display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Publication date: October 30, 2003
    Inventors: Ronald L. Hansen, James C. Dunphy, Christopher J. Spindt, James M. Cleeves, Jerome M. Truppa, Gregory M. Fink, Yukinobu Iguchi
  • Patent number: 6639573
    Abstract: A current controlled field emission display includes a controller that provides a pair of pulsed clocking signals that allows current to flow from ground potential to an emitter in the field emission display during each clocking signal pulse. The number of electrons, and thus the intensity of the light will depend upon the number N of clocking signal pulses during an activation interval. In one embodiment, each of the pulsed signals includes a number N of pulses that corresponds to a desired intensity of pixels. The pulsed signals are formed by gating a clock signal in response to digital data applied to the display such that the transfer of electrons is controlled directly by the digital data. In another embodiment, the pulsed signals are produced by comparing a decoded image signal to counts from a high speed counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: David A. Zimlich
  • Patent number: 6624590
    Abstract: The method of driving a field emission display comprising the step of applying a potential between one or more gate wires positioned over a plurality of emitter lines of a cathode substrate and one of the plurality of emitter lines, wherein producing an electric field that releases electrons from a portion of the one of the plurality of emitter lines. For example, a positive voltage is applied to two adjacent gate wires with respect to the one of the plurality of emitter lines, wherein releasing the electrons from a portion of the one of the plurality of emitter lines between the two adjacent gate wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Edward Russ, Jack Barger
  • Patent number: 6621475
    Abstract: It is an object of this invention to provide an electron generating apparatus which eliminates, with a simple process, variations in electron-emitting characteristics of electron sources caused by various factors, a method of adjusting the characteristics of the electron generating apparatus, a method of manufacturing the electron generating apparatus, and an image forming apparatus using the electron generating apparatus. Characteristic measuring voltages are applied from pulse generators (6, 7) to each surface-conduction emission device of a display panel (1), so that the electron-emitting characteristics are measured by a current detector (12). A pulse peak value setting circuit (8) is controlled to output a voltage signal having a peak value determined in the above manner, and characteristic shift voltages are applied from the pulse generators (6, 7) to the surface-conduction emission device. With this process, the electron-emitting characteristics of the surface-conduction emission devices are equalized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Eiji Yamaguchi, Hidetoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6617798
    Abstract: A flat panel display includes a back plate, gate electrode and cathode electrodes disposed on the back plate and insulated from each other by an insulating layer, a planar field emission source formed of carbonaceous material disposed on the cathode electrode, a grid plate provided with a plurality of apertures corresponding to a pixel area and spaced from the back plate, first and second grid electrodes formed on each surface of the grid plate, respectively, and a faceplate spaced from the grid plate and a screen formed on one surface thereof facing the grid plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun-Gyoo Lee, Sung-Ho Jo, Jong-Hun You, Jong-Min Kim
  • Patent number: 6608620
    Abstract: A display apparatus capable of reducing power consumption comprising a display element, said display element comprising a first substrate, and a second substrate having phosphors; said first substrate comprising a plurality of transistor elements, a plurality of electron emitter elements, a plurality of first signal lines stretched in a first direction, and a plurality of second signal lines stretched in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction; each of said electron emitter elements being provided for one of said transistor elements, having a structure comprising a base electrode, an insulator and a top electrode stacked as layers placed one on another in this order of enumeration, and emitting electrons when a positive-polarity voltage is applied to said top electrode; wherein each of said transistor elements and each of said electron emitter elements are provided in each intersection region of said plurality of first signal lines and said plurality of second signal lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mutsumi Suzuki, Yoshiyuki Kaneko, Toshiaki Kusunoki, Masakazu Sagawa
  • Patent number: 6603450
    Abstract: This invention suppresses power consumption in an image forming apparatus using an electron-emitting device. For this purpose, an image forming apparatus has a plurality of electron-emitting devices, a light-emitting substance for emitting light by irradiation of electrons emitted by the electron-emitting devices, a first potential application means for sequentially selecting the plurality of electron-emitting devices and applying, to a selected electron-emitting device, a predetermined potential different from a potential applied to an unselected electron-emitting device, and a second potential application means for applying a potential corresponding to an image signal to at least a selected electron-emitting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsuro Yamazaki, Naoto Abe
  • Patent number: 6600464
    Abstract: Method reducing cross-talk between adjacent column conductors in a field emission display (10) that has a plurality of column conductors (17A, 17B, 17C, 18A, 18B, 18C) on which electron emission structures (24) are disposed. The field emission display (10), also includes a plurality of row conductors (27, 28, 29). Cross-talk is prevented by ensuring that adjacent conductors are not in an active state at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert T. Smith
  • Publication number: 20030137474
    Abstract: An active matrix display that does not require a transistor or similar current switching device at each pixel. Instead, the display employs in each pixel a temperature-controlled current source that provides to the field emitters of the pixel an amount of electrical current which varies in response to the temperature of a temperature sensor. Each pixel further includes a thermoelectric heat transfer circuit which transfers heat to or from the sensor in an amount which varies in response to the video signal. Consequently, the video signal controls the temperature of the sensor within a pixel's temperature-controlled current source, which controls the current flow through the pixel's field emitters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Publication date: July 24, 2003
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: John K. Lee
  • Publication number: 20030098826
    Abstract: A field emission display device is disclosed. Since the size of the cells adjacent to the spacer is set smaller than the size of the other cells, the luminance and aperture rate of the panel can be improved. In addition, the width of the pulse supplied to the cells adjacent to the spacer and the width of the pulse supplied to the cells not adjacent to the spacer are set different, so that the same luminance can be displayed in every cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2002
    Publication date: May 29, 2003
    Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Seong Hak Moon
  • Patent number: 6570547
    Abstract: There is a driving circuit disclosed for a field emission display which can reduce the power consumption and thus improve the reliability of high voltage elements by reducing the swing width of the driving voltage necessary for driving the gate, cathode and anode lines arranged to the field emission display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Orion Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seung Tae Kim, Oh Kyong Kwon
  • Patent number: 6559819
    Abstract: A field emission display (100) includes a cathode plate (104) having a plurality of electron emitters (112), ballast resistors (118), an anode plate (120) having an anode (124), and a scan mode control circuit (130). The scan mode control circuit (130) is coupled to a video control circuit (160) via a scan mode switching circuit (150). The scan mode control circuit (130) cooperates with the scan mode switching circuit (150) and the video control circuit (160) to automatically switch between a single scan mode of operation and a multi-scan mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert C. Rumbaugh, Ken Foo
  • Patent number: 6559818
    Abstract: A method for determining functionality of pixels comprising the addressing of at least one but not more than ten pixels at a time, thereby producing a current. The pixels are comprised of cathode emitters. The current is collected on an anode disposed opposite the pixels, and the current is measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Jim Browning