Patents Assigned to QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies
  • Etching processes used in MEMS production
    Patent number: 8308962
    Abstract: The efficiency of an etching process may be increased in various ways, and the cost of an etching process may be decreased. Unused etchant may be isolated and recirculated during the etching process. Etching byproducts may be collected and removed from the etching system during the etching process. Components of the etchant may be isolated and used to general additional etchant. Either or both of the etchant or the layers being etched may also be optimized for a particular etching process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip Floyd, Chok Ho, Teruo Sasagawa, Xiaoming Yan
  • Printable static interferometric images
    Patent number: 8310758
    Abstract: A static interferometric image device including a plurality of solidified liquid layers is formed over a substrate by an inkjet process such that the layers are lateral to one another. In some embodiments, the substrate includes pre-defined cavities, and the liquid layers are formed in the cavities. In other embodiments, the substrate includes a substantially planar, stepped, or continuously transitioning surface, and the solidified liquid layers are formed on the surface. Optical fillers or spacers are provided for defining interferometric gaps between absorbers and reflectors in the display device, based at least partially on an image that the display device is designed to display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Qualcomm Mems Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark W. Miles, Brian W. Arbuckle, Ion Bita, Manish Kothari, Patrick F. Brinkley, Gang Xu, Nassim Khonsari, Jonathan C. Griffiths
  • DEVICES AND METHODS FOR ACHIEVING NON-CONTACTING WHITE STATE IN INTERFEROMETRIC MODULATORS
    Publication number: 20120281270
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for providing white light color output from an electromechanical systems (EMS) device with reduced likelihood of stiction. In one aspect, interferometric modulators are configured to provide a white color output while having a non-zero modulator gap dimension. Such a feature can reduce problems associated with zero modulator gap dimensions such as stiction. Various methodologies can be used to yield such a non-zero modulator gap and a white color output. In some implementations, for example, an optical element that introduced wavelength dependent phase shift is used. In some implementations this wavelength dependent phase shifting optical element includes a stack of color filters, a hologram, a diffraction grating, or layers of material having specific thicknesses and wavelength dependent indices of refraction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: John H. Hong, Marc Maurice Mignard
  • System and method for improving the quality of halftone video using a fixed threshold
    Patent number: 8305394
    Abstract: A system and method for processing video data are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes generating halftone data for a first video frame and generating halftone data for a second video frame. The method further includes, to reduce at least one visual artifact, selectively copying the halftone data for the first video frame into the halftone data for the second video frame, the selective copying being based upon a comparison between a predetermined fixed threshold and the difference in the human visual system model-based perceptual error of the originally generated halftone data for the second video frame and the human visual system model-based perceptual error of the halftone data for the second video frame after the copying is done.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hamood-Ur Rehman, Marc Mignard, Clarence Chui
  • WIRING AND PERIPHERY FOR INTEGRATED CAPACITIVE TOUCH DEVICES
    Publication number: 20120274602
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for a projected capacitive touch (PCT) sensor that may include thin sensor electrodes coated with additional layers to form an optical cavity that reinforces a wavelength range or color of incident light. The sensor electrodes and a cover glass border and/or decorations may be fabricated simultaneously. In some implementations, the thickness of the optical cavity will be selected such that the “color” of reflected light is black. The sensor electrodes may not be noticeable to a human observer. However, in some other implementations, the thickness of the optical cavity may be selected such that the sensor electrodes and/or the decorative portions will have another color. Routing wires of the touch sensor may be shielded by a grounded conductive layer in the border.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Ion Bita, Rashmi Raghavendra Rao, Kebin Li
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TUNING MULTI-COLOR DISPLAYS
    Publication number: 20120274666
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatuses, including computer programs encoded on computer-readable storage media, for calibrating a display. In one aspect, a method of calibrating a display includes determining one or more array voltages and, based on the determined array voltages, determining one or more drive scheme voltages. The determined drive scheme voltages may include, for example, a single segment voltage applied to all of the display elements of the array, and multiple common voltages applies to multiple subsets of the display elements of the array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Koorosh Aflatooni, Tao Yu, Court A. Arning, Farnaz Parhami, Nathaniel R. Bennett
  • PIEZOELECTRIC RESONATORS AND FABRICATION PROCESSES
    Publication number: 20120274647
    Abstract: This disclosure provides implementations of electromechanical systems resonator structures, devices, apparatus, systems, and related processes. In one aspect, a sacrificial layer is deposited on an insulating substrate. A lower electrode layer is formed proximate the sacrificial layer. A piezoelectric layer is deposited on the lower electrode layer. An upper electrode layer is formed on the piezoelectric layer. At least a portion of the sacrificial layer is removed to define a cavity such that at least a portion of the lower electrode layer is spaced apart from the insulating substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Je-Hsiung Lan, Sang-June Park, Jonghae Kim, Evgeni Gousev, Matthew Nowak, Philip J. Stephanou, Justin Black, Kurt Petersen, Srinivasan Ganapathi
  • THIN FILM TRANSISTORS (TFT) ACTIVE-MATRIX IMOD PIXEL LAYOUT
    Publication number: 20120274611
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus relating to pixel designs for use in active matrix displays which employ poly-silicon (p-Si) thin-film transistors (TFTs) having dual gate structures to control the pixels. The poly-silicon island of the TFT is configured to take advantage of the black mask area attributable to other non-reflective display components, thus enhancing the fill factor of the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Jae Hyeong Seo, Marc Maurice Mignard, Ming-Hau Tung, Russel Allyn Martin
  • Family of current/power-efficient high voltage linear regulator circuit architectures
    Patent number: 8299774
    Abstract: Power efficient power supply regulator circuits are disclosed. The circuits are configured to modify their overhead current according to current load. This is particularly advantageous for use in display devices with widely varying current loads. Such displays include bi-stable displays, such as interferometric modulation displays, LCD displays, and DMD displays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Qualcomm Mems Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Sameer Wadhwa
  • MEMS devices with multi-component sacrificial layers
    Patent number: 8300299
    Abstract: Methods of forming a protective coating on one or more surfaces of a microelectromechanical device are disclosed comprising the steps of forming a composite layer of a sacrificial material and a protective material, and selectively etching the sacrificial material to form a protective coating. The protective coatings of the invention preferably improve one or more aspects of the performance of the microelectromechanical devices in which they are incorporated. Also disclosed are microelectromechanical devices formed by methods of the invention, and visual display devices incorporating such devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ming-Hau Tung, Lior Kogut
  • MEMS devices having support structures with substantially vertical sidewalls and methods for fabricating the same
    Patent number: 8298847
    Abstract: Embodiments of MEMS devices include support structures having substantially vertical sidewalls. Certain support structures are formed through deposition of self-planarizing materials or via a plating process. Other support structures are formed via a spacer etch. Other MEMS devices include support structures at least partially underlying a movable layer, where the portions of the support structures underlying the movable layer include a convex sidewall. In further embodiments, a portion of the support structure extends through an aperture in the movable layer and over at least a portion of the movable layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Lior Kogut, Chun-Ming Wang, Chengbin Qui, Stephen Zee, Fan Zhong
  • Integrated front light diffuser for reflective displays
    Patent number: 8300304
    Abstract: A reflective electronic display includes a front light assembly with a diffuser for enlarging the viewing cone of the display. The front light may include a substrate, a plurality of optical turning features, and a diffuser formed therebetween. The haze of the diffuser may be spatially non-uniform and switchable between two or more levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian J. Gally, Gang Xu, Ion Bita, Marek Mienko, Russell Gruhlke
  • WIDENING RESONATOR BANDWIDTH USING MECHANICAL LOADING
    Publication number: 20120268440
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, apparatus and techniques by which electromechanical resonators are implemented. In one aspect, by mechanically loading the resonator body in specific ways, multiple resonance modes are created within the resonator body resulting in wider bandwidths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Changhan Hobie Yun, Chengjie Zuo, Chi Shun Lo, Sanghoon Joo, Jonghae Kim
  • METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVED DITHERING ON A LINE MULTIPLIED DISPLAY
    Publication number: 20120268479
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus including computer programs encoded on computer storage media for producing line multiplied images with better visual appearance. In one aspect, before lines of the image are multiplied, they are dithered with a noise signal that increases faster with higher frequency along the multiplied dimension of the image data than along the non multiplied dimension of the image. This results in a line multiplied image was improved image quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Manu Parmar, Jennifer Lee Gille, Alan Lewis
  • MECHANICAL LAYER AND METHODS OF MAKING THE SAME
    Publication number: 20120268430
    Abstract: This disclosure provides mechanical layers and methods of forming the same. In one aspect, a method of forming a pixel includes depositing a black mask on a substrate, depositing an optical stack over the black mask, and forming a mechanical layer over the optical stack. The black mask is disposed along at least a portion of a side of the pixel, and the mechanical layer defines a cavity between the mechanical layer and the optical stack. The mechanical layer includes a reflective layer, a dielectric layer, and a cap layer, and the dielectric layer is disposed between the reflective layer and the cap layer. The method further includes forming a notch in the dielectric layer of the mechanical layer along the side of the pixel so as to reduce the overlap of the dielectric layer with the black mask along the side of the pixel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yi Tao, Hojin Lee, Fan Zhong
  • EMS tunable transistor
    Patent number: 8294184
    Abstract: A field effect transistor comprises an electrostatically moveable gate electrode. The moveable gate is supported by at least two posts, and the source, drain, and channel of the transistor are centrally located under the moveable layer. At least one electrode is positioned on at least two sides of the source, drain, and channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Manish Kothari, Alok Govil
  • Electromechanical device with optical function separated from mechanical and electrical function
    Patent number: 8289613
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical (MEMS) device includes a substrate, a movable element over the substrate, and an actuation electrode above the movable element. The movable element includes a deformable layer and a reflective element. The deformable layer is spaced from the reflective element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Qualcomm Mems Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Clarence Chui, William Cummings, Brian Gally, Lior Kogut, Ming-Hau Tung, Yeh-Jiun Tung, Chih-Wei Chiang, Denis Endisch
  • MEASUREMENT AND APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICAL MEASUREMENT OF ELECTRICAL DRIVE PARAMETERS FOR A MEMS BASED DISPLAY
    Publication number: 20120256615
    Abstract: Methods and devices to measure voltage margins of electromechanical devices are disclosed. The voltage margins are determined based on responses to test voltages which cause the devices to change states. State changes of the devices are detected by monitoring integrated current or charge used to drive the devices with the test voltages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Alok Govil, Kostadin Djordjev, Alan Lewis, Wilhelmus Johannes Robertus Van Lier
  • INTERFEROMETRIC MODULATOR ARRAY WITH INTEGRATED MEMS ELECTRICAL SWITCHES
    Publication number: 20120256819
    Abstract: An array of display elements, such as interferometric modulators, is integrated with collapsible cavity microelectromechanical system (MEMS) electrical switches. The electrical switches and the display elements may be at least partially formed with the same manufacturing operations. The switches may form row or column select functions for the display elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Clarence Chui
  • MEMS device fabricated on a pre-patterned substrate
    Patent number: 8285089
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical systems device fabricated on a pre-patterned substrate having grooves formed therein. A lower electrode is deposited over the substrate and separated from an orthogonal upper electrode by a cavity. The upper electrode is configured to be movable to modulate light. A semi-reflective layer and a transparent material are formed over the movable upper electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Clarence Chui