Patents Assigned to E Ink Corporation
  • Patent number: 10771652
    Abstract: An image is rendered on a display having a limited number of primary colors by (104) combining input data representing the color of a pixel to be rendered with error data to form modified input data, determining in a color space the simplex (208—typically a tetrahedron) enclosing the modified input data and the primary colors associated with the simplex, converting (210) the modified image data to barycentric coordinates based upon the primary colors associated with the simplex and (212) setting output data to the primary having the largest barycentric coordinate. calculating (214) the difference between the modified input data and the output data for the pixel, thus generating error data, applying (106) this error data to at least one later-rendered pixel, and applying the output data to the display and thus rendering the image on the display. Apparatus and computer-storage media for carrying out this process are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventor: Kenneth R. Crounse
  • Patent number: 10726798
    Abstract: A method of operating an electro-optic display in which an image is scrolled across the display, and in which a clearing bar is provided between two portions of the image being scrolled, the clearing bar scrolling across in display in synchronization with said two portions of the image, the writing of the clearing bar being effected such that every pixel over which the clearing bar passes is rewritten.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Demetrious Mark Harrington, Theodore A. Sjodin, Robert W. Zehner, Timothy J. O'Malley, Benjamin Harris Paletsky
  • Patent number: 10705405
    Abstract: A composite particle is provided that includes a base particle and a plurality of hydrophilic oligomeric groups extending from an exterior portion of the base particle, the base particle including a cross-linked polyurea and at least one of a pigment and a dye. The cross-linked polyurea may form a network throughout the base particle. A method of making the composite particle includes providing either a solution containing a dye or a dispersion containing a pigment in a water-dispersible polyfunctional isocyanate dissolved in a water-miscible solvent, forming an emulsion of the solution/dispersion in water, agitating the emulsion while the polyfunctional isocyanate is converted into a cross-linked polyurea, and separating the composite particle containing the cross-linked polyurea and the dye/pigment from the emulsion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen J. Telfer, Craig A. Herb, Lee Yezek
  • Patent number: 10690955
    Abstract: A method and system for forming filter elements on a plurality of display substrates using a digital imaging system operable to selectively deposit filter material at a plurality of deposition locations is disclosed. The method involves receiving orientation information defining a disposition of a plurality of pixels associated with the at least one display substrate, identifying pixels in the plurality of pixels that are to receive filter material for forming a filter element on the pixel, selecting deposition locations within each of the identified pixels in accordance with the orientation information to meet an alignment criterion associated with placement of the filter element within the pixel, and controlling the digital imaging system to cause deposition of the filter material at the selected deposition locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Gil Rosenfeld, Eran Elizur, Gregory Dean Peregrym, David Victor Marcolin, Guy Sirton
  • Patent number: 10678111
    Abstract: An electrophoretic medium comprises a fluid, a first, light scattering particle (typically white) and second, third and fourth particles having three subtractive primary colors (typically magenta, cyan and yellow); at least two of these colored particles being non-light scattering. The first and second particles bear polymer coatings such that the electric field required to separate an aggregate formed by the third and the fourth particles is greater than that required to separate an aggregate formed from any other two types of particles. Methods for driving the medium to produce white, black, magenta, cyan, yellow, red, green and blue colors are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen J. Telfer, Stephen Bull, Jennifer M. Morrison, Luke M. Slominski, David Darrell Miller, Olga Vladimirova Barykina-Tassa, Christopher L. Hoogeboom, Ana L. Lattes, Lee Yezek, Brandon MacDonald, Kosta Ladavac, Craig A. Herb
  • Patent number: 10672350
    Abstract: A variety of methods for driving electro-optic displays so as to reduce visible artifacts are described. Such methods include (a) applying a first drive scheme to a non-zero minor proportion of the pixels of the display and a second drive scheme to the remaining pixels, the pixels using the first drive scheme being changed at each transition; (b) using two different drive schemes on different groups of pixels so that pixels in differing groups undergoing the same transition will not experience the same waveform; (c) applying either a balanced pulse pair or a top-off pulse to a pixel undergoing a white-to-white transition and lying adjacent a pixel undergoing a visible transition; (d) driving extra pixels where the boundary between a driven and undriven area would otherwise fall along a straight line; and (e) driving a display with both DC balanced and DC imbalanced drive schemes, maintaining an impulse bank value for the DC imbalance and modifying transitions to reduce the impulse bank value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Karl R. Amundson, Matthew J. Aprea, Kenneth R. Crounse, Demetrious Mark Harrington, Jason Lin, Theodore A. Sjodin, Chia-Chen Su
  • Patent number: 10670892
    Abstract: An image display apparatus having a flexible electronic display comprising a bendable portion that is flexible and configured to display an image, a support member comprising a substantially planar portion that resists bending and a bending-protection portion that bends and protects the bendable portion of the flexible display, and a retainer for retaining the flexible electronic display proximal to a surface of the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Nakazawa, Keisuke Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 10662354
    Abstract: Electro-optic assemblies and related materials (e.g., adhesive) tier use therein are generally provided. The adhesive layer may comprise an end-capped polyurethane. Some adhesive layers comprise two or more reactive functional groups (e.g., reactive functional groups configured to react with one or more curing species such that, for example, at least one of the two or more functional groups forms a crosslink). The adhesive may also comprise a chain-extending reagent that includes one or more reactive functional groups. In some embodiments, the adhesive is cured by reacting one or more reactive functional groups with one or more curing species. Curing the adhesive may comprise two or more curing steps. In some embodiments the adhesive layer may comprise one or more cross-linkers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Eugene Bzowej, David Darrell Miller, Ziyan Wu
  • Patent number: 10662334
    Abstract: Quinacridone pigments that are surface-functionalized with glycidyl methacrylate, maleic anhydride, or 4-methacryloxyethyl trimellitic anhydride to create a functionalized pigment. The functional groups are then activated to bond hydrophobic polymers, thereby coating the pigment with the hydrophobic polymers. The quinacridone pigments can be used for a variety of applications. They are well-suited for use in electro-optic materials, such as electrophoretic media for use in electrophoretic displays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Ziyan Wu, Jason D. Feick
  • Patent number: 10657869
    Abstract: An electrophoretic medium includes a fluid, a first, light scattering particle (typically white) and second, third and fourth particles having three subtractive primary colors (typically magenta, cyan and yellow); at least two of these colored particles being non-light scattering. The first and second particles bear polymer coatings such that the electric field required to separate an aggregate formed by the third and the fourth particles is greater than that required to separate an aggregate formed from any other two types of particles. Methods for driving the medium to produce white, black, magenta, cyan, yellow, red, green and blue colors are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen J. Telfer, Richard J. Paolini, Jr., Karl Raymond Amundson, Kenneth R. Crounse, Alain Bouchard, Sunil Krishna Sainis
  • Patent number: 10599005
    Abstract: The invention provides an electrophoretic medium comprising at least two types of particles having substantially the same electrophoretic mobility but differing colors. The invention also provides article of manufacture comprising a layer of a solid electro-optic medium, a first adhesive layer on one surface of the electro-optic medium, a release sheet covering the first adhesive layer, and a second adhesive layer on an opposed second surface of the electro-optic medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Gregg M. Duthaler, Karl R. Amundson, Barrett Comiskey, Alberto Goenaga, John E. Ritter, Michael L. Steiner, Robert W. Zehner
  • Patent number: 10597541
    Abstract: An electrophoretic particle includes a base particle (particle), a first compound, a second compound, and a third compound bonded to the base particle. The first compound is a polymer having a dispersion portion derived from a first monomer, and a bonding portion derived from a second monomer, and is connected to the base particle at the bonding portion. The second compound includes a non-polar group and a second functional group and is connected to the base particle at the second functional group. The third compound includes a charging group and a second functional group and is connected to the base particle at the second functional group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Keiichi Inoue, Kiyoshi Nakamura, Shinobu Yokokawa, Tomoyuki Ushiyama, Masahiko Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 10599004
    Abstract: A first substrate includes: a first base material including an insulating layer; and a partition wall disposed on the insulating layer. The insulating layer and the partition wall are formed of a resin material. The partition wall has a higher hardness than the insulating layer. A protective film that protects the insulating layer is disposed on a surface of the insulating layer. A portion of the protective film is located between the partition wall and the insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Miyata
  • Patent number: 10593272
    Abstract: A method for driving an electro-optic display having a front electrode, a backplane, and a display medium including at least three differently-colored particles, wherein the medium is positioned between the front electrode and the backplane. The method includes applying a reset phase and a color transition phase to the display such that the sum of all impulses results in an offset that maintains a DC-balance across the display medium. The invention additionally includes controllers for executing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen J. Telfer, Christopher L. Hoogeboom, Kenneth R. Crounse
  • Patent number: 10573222
    Abstract: A first display comprises a layer of electro-optic material with first and second electrodes on opposed sides thereof, at least one electrode. One or both electrodes having at least two spaced contacts, and voltage control means are arranged to vary the potential difference between the two spaced contacts attached to the same electrode. A second display comprises a layer of electro-optic material with a sequence of at least three electrodes adjacent thereto. Voltage control means vary the potential difference between the first and last electrodes of the sequence. The electrodes of the sequence alternate between the two surfaces of the layer of electro-optic material, and have edges which overlap with or lie adjacent the preceding and following electrodes of the sequence. The electrodes, other than the first and last, are electrically isolated such that the potential thereof is controlled by passage of current through the layer of electro-optic material. Methods for driving these displays are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Richard J. Paolini, Jr., Stephen Bull, Seth J. Bishop, Stephen J. Telfer, Karl Raymond Amundson
  • Patent number: 10573257
    Abstract: An electro-optic display having an electrophoretic material configured for displaying images, and an active component coupled to the electrophoretic material for discharging charges within the electrophoretic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Pierre-Yves Emelie, Teck Ping Sim, Kenneth R. Crounse, Karl Raymond Amundson, Chih-Hsiang Ho
  • Patent number: 10551713
    Abstract: A first display includes a layer of electro-optic material with first and second electrodes on opposed sides thereof. One or both electrodes have at least two spaced contacts. Voltage control means are arranged to vary the potential difference between the two spaced contacts attached to the same electrode. A second display includes a layer of electro-optic material with a sequence of at least three electrodes adjacent thereto. Voltage control means vary the potential difference between the first and last electrodes of the sequence. The electrodes of the sequence alternate between two surfaces of the layer of electro-optic material, and have edges that overlap or lie adjacent the preceding and following electrodes of the sequence. The electrodes, other than the first and last, are electrically isolated such that the potential thereof is controlled by passage of current through the layer of electro-optic material. Methods for driving these displays are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Richard J. Paolini, Jr., Stephen Bull, Seth J. Bishop, Karl Raymond Amundson, Stephen J. Telfer, George G. Harris
  • Patent number: 10554854
    Abstract: An image is rendered on a display having a limited number of primary colors by (104) combining input data representing the color of a pixel to be rendered with error data to form modified input data, determining in a color space the simplex (208—typically a tetrahedron) enclosing the modified input data and the primary colors associated with the simplex, converting (210) the modified image data to barycentric coordinates based upon the primary colors associated with the simplex and (212) setting output data to the primary having the largest barycentric coordinate. calculating (214) the difference between the modified input data and the output data for the pixel, thus generating error data, applying (106) this error data to at least one later-rendered pixel, and applying the output data to the display and thus rendering the image on the display. Apparatus and computer-storage media for carrying out this process are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventor: Kenneth R. Crounse
  • Patent number: 10545622
    Abstract: A recording layer is described that comprises a magnetizable material configured to store an image represented by magnetized regions of the magnetizable material. The magnetizable material may be brought into proximity with a magnetically responsive display layer, which may cause a change in an optical state of the display layer such that a facsimile of the image represented by the magnetized regions is produced within the display layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventor: Richard J. Paolini, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10527880
    Abstract: Processes are provided for depositing multiple color filter materials on a substrate to form color filters. In a first process, the surface characteristic of a substrate is modified by radiation so that a flowable form of a first color filter material will be deposited on a first area, and converted to a non-flowable form. A second color filter material can then be deposited on a second area of the substrate. In a second process, first and second color filter materials are deposited on separate donor sheets and transferred by radiation to separate areas of the substrate. A third process uses flexographic printing to transfer the first and second color filter materials to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventor: Guy M. Danner