Patents Assigned to QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies
  • ULTRASONIC SENSOR WITH BONDED PIEZOELECTRIC LAYER
    Publication number: 20140352440
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus related to an ultrasonic sensor for detecting ultrasonic energy. In some implementations, the ultrasonic sensor includes a piezoelectric receiver layer bonded with an adhesive to an array of pixel circuits disposed on a substrate, each pixel circuit in the array including at least one thin film transistor (TFT) element and having a pixel input electrode electrically coupled to the pixel circuit. Methods of forming ultrasonic sensors include bonding piezoelectric receiver layers to TFT arrays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Leonard Eugene Fennell, Nicholas Ian Buchan, David William Burns, Kostadin Dimitrov Djordjev, Stephen Michael Gojevic, Jack Conway Kitchens, II, John Keith Schneider, Nathaniel Robert Bennett, Kristopher Andrew Lavery
  • Holographic brightness enhancement film
    Patent number: 8902484
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including a display device that includes an overlying holographic film. In one aspect, the holographic film includes a hologram that is configured to turn light incident on the film. The light is turned towards the display device at desired angles. The display can be formed of interferometric modulators and the turned light can be reflected off the display, and towards a viewer, to form an image. For light that is incident on the film at angles outside of a view cone, the holographic film is provided with holographic light turning features that turn this light so that it is reflected off the display at angles within a view cone of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell Wayne Gruhlke, Russel Allyn Martin
  • Metal-insulator-metal capacitors on glass substrates
    Patent number: 8896521
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for metal-insulator-metal capacitors on glass substrates. In one aspect, an apparatus may include a glass substrate, with the glass substrate defining at least one via in the glass substrate. A first electrode layer may be disposed over surfaces of the glass substrate, including surfaces of the at least one via. A dielectric layer may be disposed on the first electrode layer. A second electrode layer may be disposed on the dielectric layer, with the dielectric layer electrically isolating the first electrode layer from the second electrode layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jon Bradley Lasiter, Ravindra V. Shenoy, Donald William Kidwell
  • Display device
    Patent number: 8885244
    Abstract: An ornamental display device having at least one interferometric modulator, a signal receiver configured to receive an external signal and a processor configured to control the display based on the external signal is disclosed. In one aspect, the external signal is emitted from a controller. In another aspect, the external signal is emitted from a computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian J. Gally, William J. Cummings
  • Charge pump for producing display driver output
    Patent number: 8884940
    Abstract: A system for driving an array of display elements includes a supply line, at least one capacitor, a plurality of drive lines and overdrive lines, a plurality of switches and a controller configured to activate and deactivate subsets of the switches in order to selectively couple the at least one capacitor to the drive lines and to the overdrive lines. A method for generating an overdrive voltage includes activating and deactivating a plurality of switches to couple a drive voltage line and/or an overdrive voltage line to at least one capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Wilhelmus Johannes Robertus Van Lier, Pramod K. Varma
  • In-plane resonator structures for evanescent-mode electromagnetic-wave cavity resonators
    Patent number: 8884725
    Abstract: This disclosure provides implementations of electromechanical systems (EMS) resonator structures, devices, apparatus, systems, and related processes. In one aspect, a device includes an evanescent-mode electromagnetic-wave cavity resonator. In some implementations, the cavity resonator includes a lower cavity portion and an upper cavity portion that together form a volume. The cavity resonator also includes an in-plane lithographically-defined resonator structure having a portion that is located at least partially within the volume to support one or more evanescent electromagnetic wave modes. In some implementations, an upper surface of the resonator structure is connected with the upper cavity portion while a lower mating surface is connected with the lower cavity portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip Jason Stephanou, Sang-June Park, Ravindra V. Shenoy
  • Method and system for reducing power consumption in a display
    Patent number: 8878771
    Abstract: A method and system for reducing power consumption in a display includes driving a display comprising a plurality of display elements having selectable resolution, wherein the display device is configured to operate at a plurality of selectable operational modes. In a first operational mode, data at a first resolution is provided to the display at a first data rate, and in a second operational mode, data at a second resolution is provided to the display at a second data rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey B. Sampsell
  • Analog interferometric modulator
    Patent number: 8879141
    Abstract: Methods and devices for calibrating and controlling the actuation of an analog interferometric modulator configured to have a plurality of actuation states. Devices and methods for calibrating an analog interferometric modulator to respond in linear relation to an applied voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chong U. Lee, John H. Hong, Marc M. Mignard, Alok Govil
  • System and method for providing a variable refresh rate of an interferometric modulator display
    Patent number: 8878825
    Abstract: Embodiments includes methods and systems for updating display devices at a variable refresh rate. One embodiment includes a method of updating an image displayed on a display device. The method includes setting an indicator to a first state that indicates that image data has been received subsequent to a previous update of a display device and periodically updating at least a portion of the display device to display the image. The updating is deferred for at least one period when the indicator is in a state other than the first state. In another embodiment, updates of the display are substantially asynchronous and occur as the processor writes data to one or more shift registers. When a shift register is filled, for example, having received data for a row within the display, the data in the shift register is written to the display. Other embodiments include methods of manufacturing such devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Manish Kothari, Clarence Chui, Gaurav Sethi, Jeffrey B. Sampsell
  • Illumination systems incorporating a light guide and a reflective structure and related methods
    Patent number: 8872764
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems and methods for illumination systems with one or more reflective structures over a light guide. In one aspect, each reflective structure can have an absorber structure with a width greater than a width of the reflective structure. The absorber structure can have overhanging portions that are in parallel with and laterally protrude past one or more edges of the reflective structure, or the absorber structure can have enclosing portions that substantially enclose the reflective structure. The reflective structures can include light-turning features, such as facets, and/or conductive wires, such as touch sensor wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jyotindra Raj Shakya, Russel Allyn Martin, Ion Bita, Donald John Elloway, Rashmi Raghavendra Rao
  • Touch sensing display devices and related methods
    Patent number: 8872804
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus relating to touch sensing display devices that include a sensing device and a display device. In one aspect, a touch sensing display device can include adaptive addressing architecture to adjust an addressing characteristic based at least in part in a sensing characteristic of a sensing device. In another aspect, a touch sensing display device can include adaptive sensing architecture to adjust a sensing characteristic of a sensing device based at least in part on an addressing characteristic of a display device and/or on an electrical interference characteristic altered by an addressing circuit of the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Russel A. Martin, William J. Cummings
  • Display device having front illuminator with turning features
    Patent number: 8872085
    Abstract: In various embodiments described herein, a display device includes a front illumination device that comprises a light guide disposed forward of an array of display elements, such as an array of interferometric modulators, to distribute light across the array of display elements. The light guide panel may include a turning layer to deliver uniform illumination from a light source to the array of display elements. For many portable display applications, the light guide panel comprises the substrate used in fabricating the display elements. The light guide panel may include additional films as well. The light guide panel, for example, may include a diffuser and/or an optical isolation layer to further enhance the optical imaging characteristics of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell Wayne Gruhlke, Brian James Gally, Marek Mienko, Ion Bita, Gang Xu
  • Coated light-turning feature with auxiliary structure
    Patent number: 8866757
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for a front illumination device with metalized light-turning features. In one aspect, an illumination device includes a light guide having light-turning features that include recesses formed on the light guide and that extend down into the light guide. The recesses may be coated with a material where the material also forms an auxiliary structure outside of the recesses on the light guide. The auxiliary structure may be conductive and may form, for example, an electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ion Bita, Stephen P. Dhanens, Evgeni P. Gousev, Kollengode S. Narayanan
  • Method and device for compensating for color shift as a function of angle of view
    Patent number: 8861071
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a display is provided and includes a plurality of interferometric display elements. The display further includes at least one diffuser. Optical properties of the diffuser are selected to reduce color shift of the display when viewed from at least one angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Manish Kothari
  • Method of making an electronic device with a curved backplate
    Patent number: 8853747
    Abstract: A package is made of a transparent substrate having an interferometric modulator and a back plate. A non-hermetic seal joins the back plate to the substrate to form a package, and a desiccant resides inside the package. A method of packaging an interferometric modulator includes providing a transparent substrate and manufacturing an interferometric modulator array on a backside of the substrate. A back plate includes a curved portion relative to the substrate. The curved portion is substantially throughout the back plate. The back plate is sealed to the backside of the substrate with a back seal in ambient conditions, thereby forming a package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Lauren Palmateer, Brian J. Gally, William J. Cummings, Manish Kothari, Clarence Chui
  • Systems, devices, and methods for driving an interferometric modulator
    Patent number: 8847862
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for controlling the actuation of an analog interferometric modulator. In one aspect, a voltage may be determined from a sense electrode. A distance between one or more of the electrodes may be determined based on the voltage. The sense electrode may be capacitively coupled to another electrode, and may be implemented in a mirror of a movable layer of an interferometric modulator, or may be implemented in a floating fixed layer of an interferometric modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Alok Govil
  • Method and structure capable of changing color saturation
    Patent number: 8848294
    Abstract: Various embodiments include an interferometric modulator device configured to provide improved saturation. In some embodiments, saturation is improved by optically matching the impedance of two materials with different refractive indices using a multilayer having a refractive index gradient. In various embodiments, the thickness one or more of the layers in the multilayer are selected to provide increased saturation. Accordingly, in various embodiments the multilayer having a refractive index gradient helps to narrow the resonance of a pixel such that the band of wavelengths that are reflected from the pixel is smaller. In turn, a device including a combination of red, green and blue pixels may expand the spectrum of colors that are reflected by the device in operation. Additionally, there may be better contrast between whites and blacks, as darker blacks with less hue are produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jian Liu, Kostadin Djordjev, Marc Maurice Mignard
  • Flash illumination system
    Patent number: 8845115
    Abstract: Systems and methods for flash illumination are disclosed. In one aspect, a flash illumination system includes sections each including a light source and a reflector. Each of the light sources includes a single light-emitting region having a first centroid and a package surrounding the single light-emitting region. The package has an exit aperture having a second centroid. The first centroid can be laterally offset from the second centroid. The reflectors include an input aperture, an output aperture, and one or more sidewalls therebetween. The input aperture is optically coupled to the exit aperture. One or more sidewalls are configured to collimate light propagating from the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Holman, Matthew B. Sampsell
  • Microbolometer supported by glass substrate
    Publication number: 20140267756
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for forming microbolometers on glass substrates. In one aspect, the formation of microbolometers on glass substrates can reduce the size and cost of the resultant array and associated circuitry. In one aspect, a portion of the measurement and control circuitry can be formed by thin-film deposition on the glass substrate, while sensitive measurement and control circuitry can be formed on ancillary CMOS substrates. In one aspect, the microbolometers may be packaged using a variety of techniques, including a wafer-level packaging process or a pixel-level packaging process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Evgeni Gousev, David W. Burns, Nicholas I. Buchan, Ana R. Londergan
  • NEAR-FIELD OPTICAL SENSING SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20140264034
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for sensing touch and/or gestures in the near-field area overlying a light-guiding layer within a device or other optical sensing system. In one aspect, modulated infrared light is emitted into the overlying area, and the light reflected by objects within the overlying area is redirected through the light-guiding layer to infrared sensors. In one aspect, a masking structure can be located between the light-guiding layer and the infrared sensors. In some aspects, probability mapping or backtracing can be used to estimate the locations of objects within the overlying area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: XIQUAN CUI, Muhammed I. Sezan, Russell Wayne Gruhlke, Qiang Zhang