Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for displaying image frames. A smoothing process can be utilized for mitigating image artifacts similar to dynamic false contouring (DFC). In some implementations, were a display to transition from an field specific contributing color (FSCC) having only two component colors to a target FSCC with meaningful intensities of all three component colors, or vice versa, and that target FSCC remained constant over a series of image frames, DFC-like artifacts would be mitigated at the transition by gradually, over a first number of image frames in a series of image frames, reducing the intensities of all component colors of the FSCC to values at or near zero, before gradually increasing the intensities of the component colors included in the target FSCC to their final target values over a remainder of image frames in the series of image frames.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus including devices that include layers of passivation material covering at least a portion of an exterior surface of a thin film component within a microelectromechanical device. The thin film component may include an electrically conductive layer that connects via an anchor to a conductive surface on a substrate. The disclosure further provides processes for providing a first layer of passivation material on an exterior surface of a thin film component and for electrically connecting that thin film component to a conductive surface on a substrate. The disclosure further provides processes for providing a second layer of passivation material on any exposed surfaces of the thin film component after release of the microelectromechanical device.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for a display apparatus including dummy display elements that can be switched between being coupled to a test bus and a drive bus. When connected to the drive bus, the circuit components, including thin-film transistors, of the dummy display element experience exposure to typical operating signals. When connected to the test bus, the display apparatus can test the operating parameters of the dummy display element circuit components.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and apparatus for forming images on a display utilizing a control matrix to control the movement of MEMS-based light modulators.

Abstract: A direct-view display apparatus includes a transparent substrate, an internal light source, a plurality of light modulators coupled to the transparent substrate, and a controller for controlling the states of the plurality of light modulators and the internal light source. The controller is configured to cause the display to transition from one of a transmissive, reflective and transflective mode, to a second of said modes.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus including devices that include a layer of passivation material covering at least a portion of an exterior surface of a thin film component within a microelectomechanical device. The thin film component may include an electrically conductive layer that connects via an anchor to a conductive surface on a substrate. The disclosure further provides processes for providing a layer of passivation material on an exterior surface of a thin film component and for electrically connecting that thin film component to a conductive surface on a substrate.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for providing pixel circuits for controlling the state of operation of light modulators in a display device. The state of operation of the light modulator can be controlled by the pixel circuit based on a data voltage stored in a data storage element of the pixel circuit. The pixel circuit includes an actuation circuit for providing an actuation voltage to the light modulator and a feedback circuit for providing a positive feedback voltage from an output node of the actuation circuit to an input node of the actuation circuit. In some implementations, the feedback circuit includes the data storage element connected between the input node and the output node.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for generating images on a display. Images are generated by displaying, for a first color, a first number of subframes at a full intensity level and a second number of subframes at reduced intensity levels. A third number of subframes of a second color are displayed at a full illumination level and a fourth number of subframes of the second color are displayed at reduced illumination levels. The number of subframes of the second color shown at reduced illumination levels is fewer than the number of subframes of the first color shown at reduced intensity levels.

Abstract: A display device and a method for manufacturing the same, for discharging static electricity generated in the manufacturing process of a display device using a mechanical shutter and thus preventing the mechanical shutter from being deformed by the static electricity are provided. The display device includes a TFT substrate having thin film transistors thereon respectively provided with a plurality of mechanical shutters located in a matrix and also having terminals thereon for supplying a signal to the thin film transistors from outside; and a counter substrate joined with the TFT substrate. Along at least one of an edge of the TFT substrate and an edge of the counter substrate, an injection opening for injecting an insulating liquid into an area between the TFT substrate and the counter substrate and a ground electrode for covering at least a part of an inner surface of the injection opening are provided.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for reducing ambient light reflections from a surface of a display device in a power efficient manner. The display device includes a reflecting circular polarizer (RCP) and an absorbing circular polarizer (ACP) having the same polarity. The RCP provides light recycling functionality, while the ACP provides ambient light reflection suppression. In some implementations, the light generated by the display device is polarized by the RCP before it is incident on the ACP, which is located at the front of the display device. Because the polarities of the RCP and the ACP are the same, the ACP substantially passes all of the incident polarized light towards the front of the display device.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and apparatus for forming images on a display utilizing a control matrix to control the movement of MEMs-based light modulators.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for generating images on a display. A multi-primary display can include control logic that converts input image data into the multi-primary color space employed by the display by mapping the input pixel values into the XYZ color space according to a gamut mapping function and then decomposing the XYZ tristimulus values into color subfields associated with the display's primary colors. For example, such a process can be used to covert image frames encoded in an RGB color space into a RGBW color space. In some implementations, the control logic can adapt the gamut mapping and/or the decomposition processes based on a saturation level of the image being processed.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for forming an image on a display in a display device including a plurality of backlight segments. Each backlight segment is capable of illuminating a respective illumination display segment of a plurality of illumination display segments. In one aspect, a controller associated with the display device is capable of decomposing an image frame into a plurality of frame segments to be displayed on the plurality of illumination display segments. The controller can determine a separate frame segment specific contributing color (FSSCC) for each frame segment based on content of the respective frame segment and a criterion limiting the color difference between a pair of FSSCCs based on the spatial proximity of the respective display regions. The controller can display the image frame according to the plurality of determined FSSCCs.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for dissipating charge buildup within a display element with a conductive layer. The conductive layer is maintained in electrical contact with a fluid within the display element. The fluid, in turn, remains in contact with light modulators within the display elements. Any charge buildup that may be caused by the filling of the fluid during fabrication of the display device, or during operation of the light modulators can be dissipated by the conductive layer. Thus, by dissipating the charge buildup, the conductive layer reduces or eliminates electrostatic forces due to the charge buildup that may affect the operability of the light modulators. The display can include conductive spacers in an active display region of the display and a spacer-free region that allows the substrates to deform while retaining an electrical connection between the conductive layer and the spacers in the active display region.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for a display apparatus including dummy display elements that can be switched between being coupled to a test bus and a drive bus. When connected to the drive bus, the circuit components, including thin-film transistors, of the dummy display element experience exposure to typical operating loads. When connected to the test bus, the display apparatus can test the operating parameters of the dummy display element circuit components.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for shutter-based EMS light modulators controlled by electrode actuators that include complementary sets of corrugations or teeth along the opposing beams of the actuators. The complementary sets of corrugations substantially engage one another when drawn together via an actuation voltage. By applying the actuation voltage across the opposing beams of such an actuator, the beams are drawn together both by the electromotive force resulting from the electric field acting between the portions of the beams that are substantially perpendicular to the direction of actuation of the actuator, and by fringing fields between the sides of the corrugations, which are substantially parallel to the direction of actuation. The additional fringing fields provide for increased electromotive force for a given input voltage.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for improving light output resolution of a backlight by individually controlling light sources in the backlight. Illumination intensity levels of light sources are individually controlled such that an overall illumination intensity level of all the light sources is substantially equal to a desired whole backlight illumination intensity value. The individual illumination levels of the light sources or a group of the light sources is controlled such that the backlight is uniformly illuminated. In some implementations, the illumination intensity levels are varied over different portions of an illumination period to provide uniform illumination of the backlight.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for reducing flicker in display devices. In some image formation processes, a controller can form an image by utilizing a set of color subfields in displaying subframes associated with each of the color subfields. In some implementations, the controller may determine whether to divide or split the display of certain subframes based on environmental factors such as ambient light with or without concern for flicker. In some implementations, the controller may determine to divide or split the display of an x-channel subframe based on the ambient light. The controller can monitor the ambient light levels via an ambient light sensor, and compare the ambient light level to an ambient light threshold. If the ambient light levels go below the ambient light threshold, the controller can employ subframe division or splitting.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for reducing flicker in display devices. In some image formation processes, a controller can form an image by utilizing a set of color subfields and displaying subframes associated with each of the color subfields. In some implementations, the controller can determine a critical flicker frequency (CFF) associated with each subframe. The CFF for a subframe of a color is the minimum frequency at which the subframe of that color must be illuminated to avoid the perception of flicker by a viewer. If the CFF for any subframe is above an illumination frequency for that subframe, then the controller can employ flicker mitigation measures to reduce the perception of flicker of the subframe. In some implementations, the controller may carry out flicker mitigating measures such as dividing the display of subframes based on environmental factors such as ambient light.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a display having an array of pixels, a substrate, and a control matrix formed on the substrate are described. The array of pixels includes mechanical light modulators that can be referred to as micro-electro-mechanical or MEMS light modulators. The MEMS light modulators may be shutter-based light modulators, and an array of apertures may be formed on the substrate corresponding spatially to the shutters in the array of shutter-based light modulators. Each modulator is configured to be driven from a-light-blocking state to a-light-transmissive state through a movement direction. The array of light modulators are arranged to reduce the correlations in movement directions of neighboring pixels, thereby reducing the amplitude of acoustic emissions from the display.