Patents Assigned to E Ink Corporation
  • Electrophoretic media including charge control agents comprising quartenary amines and unsaturated polymeric tails
    Patent number: 11098206
    Abstract: Improved formulations of electrophoretic media that can be incorporated into displays, front plane laminates, inverted front plane laminates, or color changing films. The formulations include a non-polar fluid, a plurality of first charged particles, and charge control agents (CCA) including a quaternary amine and an unsaturated polymeric tail comprising monomers of at least 10 carbon atoms in length. The formulations show improved switching speeds, as well as a larger dynamic range at low temperatures (i.e., below about 0° C.), where compared to state-of-the-art electrophoretic media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Ziyan Wu, Jason D. Feick, James H. Aborn, John Lock, Kosta Ladavac, Erik Dunkerley, Hui Du, Olga Vladimirovna Barykina-Tassa
  • Stylus for addressing magnetically-actuated display medium
    Patent number: 11086417
    Abstract: A stylus for interacting with a magnetic writing medium, such as a magneto-electrophoretic media containing magnetic particles that can be switched electrically in the same way as a conventional electrophoretic display: e.g., between white and black states with the capability of also attaining stable intermediate states of gray. The stylus includes a magnetic sphere and a metal cylinder aligned in the tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Evan Griffith, Samantha Morrill, Richard J. Paolini, Jr.
  • Method of making functionalized quinacridone pigments
    Patent number: 11084935
    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: April 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Ziyan Wu, Jason D. Feick
  • Displays intended for use in architectural applications
    Patent number: 11087644
    Abstract: A display (100) primarily intended for use on an external surface of a building comprises a weatherproof housing (310, 340); a bistable electro-optic medium (326) enclosed within and visible through the housing; an electrode (324, 330) enclosed within the weatherproof housing and arranged to drive the electro-optic medium; a power source (504) enclosed within the weatherproof housing; data receiving means (508) enclosed within the weatherproof housing and arranged to receive data wirelessly from a source outside the weatherproof housing; and display drive means (510) arranged to receive data from the data receiving means and power from the power source, and to control the potential of the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Richard J. Paolini, Jr., Carl Taussig, Seth J. Bishop, David Victor Marcolin, Russell J. Dewitte
  • Woven electrophoretic material
    Patent number: 11086186
    Abstract: Variable transmission covering systems that can be used, for example, to control the amount of light passing through a window in a building. Using transmissive electrophoretic media that can switch between a first and second optical state, the invention can be used to change the color and/or transmissivity of a structure (or structures) that is placed in front of an object. In some embodiments, the variable transmission system can change transmission and color on command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Ana L. Lattes, Stephen J. Telfer
  • Multi-color electro-optic media
    Patent number: 11079651
    Abstract: An electro-optic medium that may be incorporated into an electro-optic display. The medium includes a first microcapsule containing at least one of a first dispersion of colored particles and a colored fluid and an encapsulated second dispersion that may include the first microcapsule and a plurality of electrophoretic particles. The colored particles of the first dispersion may include one or more sets of differently colored electrophoretic particles. The second dispersion may be encapsulated within a second microcapsule or a microcell, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Benjamin Romanowsky, Kosta Ladavac, Stephen J. Telfer, Jay William Anseth
  • Via placement for slim border electro-optic display backplanes with decreased capacitive coupling between t-wires and pixel electrodes
    Patent number: 11081066
    Abstract: An electro-optic display including an array of pixel electrodes, where each row of pixel electrodes is associated with a source line, and that source line is connected to a drive chip with a T-wire that connects from the back of the substrate to the front of the substrate through a via. The vias are spaced out, such as in a zig-zag pattern or a pseudo-random pattern to reduce the capacitive coupling between the T-wires when adjacent pixels are driven, for example when presenting text characters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Chih-Hsiang Ho, Yi Lu, Yuval Ben-Dov, Teck Ping Sim
  • Electro-optic displays and methods of driving the same
    Patent number: 11030969
    Abstract: An electro-optic display comprising, in order: a light-transmissive layer of conductive material; a layer of bistable electro-optic medium; a layer of light-shielding material; a plurality of pixel electrodes; a layer of photoconductive material; and one or more light emitters. In one exemplary embodiment, the layer of photoconductive material is adapted to bridge a gap between an address line and at least one of the pixel electrodes when the photoconductive material is in a low impedance state. In another, non-exclusive embodiment, the electro-optic display further comprises a second electrode layer between the layer of photoconductive material and the one or more light emitters and a driver adapted to apply voltage between the light-transmissive layer of conductive material and the second electrode layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Sunil Krishna Sainis, Teck Ping Sim, Richard J. Paolini, Jr., Stephen J. Telfer
  • Methods and apparatus for operating an electro-optic display in white mode
    Patent number: 11030936
    Abstract: Techniques for operating an electro-optic display to reduce the appearance of light edge artifacts in displayed images are described. A method for operating the electro-optic display includes detecting a null state transition of a first pixel when transitioning from a first image to a second image. The method further includes determining whether a threshold number of cardinal neighbors of the first pixel transition from a black state to a white state when transitioning from the first image to the second image. In response to a subsequent transition to a third image, the method further includes applying a voltage signal to the first pixel, wherein the voltage signal has a waveform configured to generate an optical black state for the first pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Pierre-Yves Emelie, Kenneth R. Crounse
  • Drivers providing DC-balanced refresh sequences for color electrophoretic displays
    Patent number: 11030965
    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: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen J. Telfer, Christopher L. Hoogeboom, Kenneth R. Crounse
  • Method for driving two layer variable transmission display
    Patent number: 11029576
    Abstract: An electro-optic display comprising at least two separate layers of electro-optic material, with one of these layers being capable of displaying at least one optical state which cannot be displayed by the other layer. The display is driven by a single set of electrodes between which both layers are sandwiched, the two layers being controllable at least partially independently of one another. Another form of the invention uses three different types of particles within a single electrophoretic layer, with the three types of particles being arranged to shutter independently of one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen J. Telfer, Richard J. Paolini, Jr., Sunil Krishna Sainis, Randal M. Hill, Isaac W. Moran, Lee Yezek, Alain Bouchard, William Vetterling, George G. Harris, Hywel Morgan, Luke Slominski, Jay William Anseth, Jennifer M. Morrison, Craig A. Herb
  • Passive thermally driven variable opacity materials
    Patent number: 11028319
    Abstract: A variable opacity material is provided that may be in the form of a mixture, such as an emulsion that contains a discontinuous aqueous polymeric solution having an LCST of 0 to 100° C. and a continuous phase containing a hydrophobic polymer, such as a polysiloxane. One or more salts, such as lithium bromide and sodium chloride, may be added to the aqueous solution to lower the LCST of the aqueous solution and to raise the refractive index of the aqueous polymeric solution to substantially match the refractive index of the hydrophobic polymer. The variable opacity materials may be applied in the form of a film to various substrates, such as glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Carsten Bailey Widger, Jay William Anseth, Richard J. Paolini, Jr., Craig Alan Breen, Wesley Viola
  • Method of forming a top plane connection in an electro-optic device
    Patent number: 11022854
    Abstract: An electrical connection between the backplane and the light-transmissive front electrode of an electro-optic display is provided by forming an aperture through the top front electrode coupled and a substrate coupled thereto and subsequently introducing a flowable, electrically-conductive material into the aperture. The flowable, electrically-conductive material provides an electrical contact between the light-transmissive electrically-conductive layer and the backplane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew Joseph Kayal, Steven Joseph Battista, Richard J. Paolini, Jr., Shyamala A. Subramanian
  • Porous backplane for electro-optic display
    Patent number: 11016358
    Abstract: A backplane for an electro-optic display including an electrode and a substrate. The substrate may be porous to liquids, e.g., water, and may formed, from cellulose or a similar hydrophilic polymer. The electrode is desirably also porous to the same liquid as the substrate, so that the electrodes do not form liquid-impervious areas on the substrate. For example, when the liquid is water (or an aqueous solution) the electrodes may be formed of a hydrophilic carbon black, which may be coated or screen-printed on to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Jay William Anseth, Richard J. Paolini, Jr.
  • Methods and circuitry for driving display devices
    Patent number: 10997930
    Abstract: A display device is operated by using several iterations of a scan phase followed by a global drive phase. In the scan phase, the state of each pixel in the display device is set to either “enabled” or “disabled”, during which time a global drive generator is inactive. Then, in the global drive phase, a global drive signal is sent to the display device. Only the subset of enabled pixels is affected by the global drive signal, which causes the enabled pixels to perform a transition to a desired display state. The sequence of the scan phase followed by the global drive phase is then repeated up to the number of unique transitions required to update the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventor: Kenneth R. Crounse
  • Electro-optic media including encapsulated pigments in gelatin binder
    Patent number: 10983410
    Abstract: An electro-optic medium exhibiting reduced haze and having other improved properties may be obtained by including a binder containing fish gelatin and acacia. The electro-optic medium may include a plurality of capsules in a binder, each capsule containing a plurality of electrically charged particles and a fluid, the charged particles being movable by application of an electric field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Carsten Bailey Widger, Jay William Anseth, Richard J. Paolini, Jr., Craig Alan Breen
  • Applications of electro-optic displays
    Patent number: 10976634
    Abstract: Electro-optic, especially electrophoretic, displays are used in variety of architectural and furniture applications, including a tile (100) comprising an electro-optic layer (110) capable of changing the color of the file, front and multiple rear electrodes and a light-transmissive polymeric layer (102), the exposed surface of which is textured to provide a plurality of facets inclined to the plane of the tile (100), the rear electrodes being aligned with the facets. A variable color writable board is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Richard J. Paolini, Jr., Michael D. McCreary, Carl Taussig, Paul Apen, George G. Harris, Sunil Krishna Sainis, Joseph Fillion
  • Electrophoretic display device and electronic apparatus
    Patent number: 10969648
    Abstract: An electrophoretic display device capable of having retention property of electrophoretic particles and exhibiting excellent display characteristics, and an electronic apparatus. The electrophoretic display device includes an element substrate, a counter substrate disposed to face counter substrate, a molecule X provided between the element substrate and the counter substrate, an electrophoretic dispersion liquid containing electrophoretic particles and a dispersion medium, wherein the electrophoretic dispersion liquid is disposed between counter substrate and molecule X, wherein molecule X includes an aromatic ring having a cyclic structure, for example, benzene, toluene, xylene, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventor: Michio Nakamori
  • Three dimensional display apparatus
    Patent number: 10969604
    Abstract: An apparatus for a three-dimensional display is disclosed that includes a waveguide having a pair of opposed faces configured to propagate radiation along a length of the waveguide between the faces, a radiation source optically coupled to the waveguide and configured to transmit the radiation to the waveguide, at least one prismatic element having a face optically coupled to at least one of the faces of the waveguide, and a layer of image modulating material optically coupled to at least one of the faces of the waveguide. The image modulating material may be optically coupled to an area of at least one of the faces of the waveguide, at least a portion of the area being located outside a perimeter of a face of the prismatic element optically coupled to at least one of the faces of the waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen J. Telfer, Stephen Bull, John L. Chuma, George G. Harris, Kosta Ladavac, Allan Sadun
  • Electrophoretic particle, method of manufacturing electrophoretic particle, electrophoresis dispersion liquid, electrophoresis sheet, electrophoresis device, and electronic apparatus
    Patent number: 10969647
    Abstract: An electrophoretic particle includes a particle and a coating layer, in which the coating layer includes at least one of dispersibility and chargeability, and includes a polymer that connects to the particle, where the polymer includes a first functional group and is connected to the particle via a connected body, the connected body has a molecular weight of 500 or less and includes a second functional group and a third functional group, and the particle, the connected body and the polymer are connected via the chemical bond formed by reacting the first and second functional groups and the chemical bond formed by reacting the hydroxyl group and the third functional group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: E Ink Corporation
    Inventors: Kozo Shitagami, Kei Kamakura, Masahiko Nakazawa, Hiroki Nakahara, Harunobu Komatsu