Patents Assigned to QUALCOMM MEMS
  • Publication number: 20140098109
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatuses reduce stress and/or reduce stiffness in a movable layer of an electromechanical systems (EMS) device. Stress or stiffness can be reduced by including one or more compressive stress layers to compensate for the tensile stress exhibited by other layers of the movable layer. The movable layer can include a dielectric core with a first tensile stress layer and a first compressive stress layer on a first side of the dielectric core, and a second tensile stress layer and a second compressive stress layer on a second side of the dielectric core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Charles Chengyea Leu, Yi Tao, Fan Zhong
  • Publication number: 20140099992
    Abstract: A mobile device may include a sensor array. The sensor array may be a touch sensor array, such as a projected capacitive touch (PCT) sensor array. The mobile device may be configured to determine whether one or more sensor signals from the sensor array indicate an ear gesture and/or the presence of an ear. One or more device operations may be invoked according to the determination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: David William Burns, Daniel Felnhofer, Donald John Elloway
  • Publication number: 20140092110
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for an electromechanical systems (EMS) device with one or more protrusions connected to a surface of the EMS device. In one aspect, the EMS device includes a substrate, a stationary electrode over the substrate, and a movable electrode over the stationary electrode. The movable electrode is configured to move to three or more positions across a gap by electrostatic actuation between the movable electrode and the stationary electrode. When the protrusions contact any surface of the EMS device at one of the positions across the gap, the protrusions change the stiffness of the EMS device. At least one of the surfaces in contact with the one or more protrusions is non-rigid. In some implementations, the protrusions have a height greater than about 20 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Edward Keat Leem Chan, Isak Clark Reines, Bing Wen, Chong Uk Lee
  • Patent number: 8681079
    Abstract: An optical device suitable for forming a pixel in a video display. The optical device includes a first layer having a first refractive index; a second layer over the first layer, the second layer having a second refractive index less than the first refractive index; and a third layer over the second layer, the third layer having a third refractive index larger than the second refractive index; and a fourth layer that is at least partially optically absorptive, wherein the optical stack and the fourth layer are a first distance from one another when the device is in a first state and are a second distance from one another when the device is in a second state, the first distance different from the second distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Gang Xu
  • Patent number: 8674616
    Abstract: The present invention introduces a new class of lightweight tile-based illumination systems for uses wherein thin directionally-illuminating light distributing engines are embedded into the body of otherwise standard building materials like conventional ceiling tiles along with associated means of electrical control and electrical power interconnection. As a new class of composite light emitting ceiling materials, the present invention enables a lighter weight more flexibly distributed overhead lighting system alternatives for commercial office buildings and residential housing without changing the existing materials. One or more spot lighting, task lighting, flood lighting and wall washing elements having cross-sectional thickness matched to that of the building material or tile into which they are embedded, are contained and interconnected within the material body's cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Holman, Matthew B. Sampsell, Jeffrey B. Sampsell
  • Publication number: 20140069802
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to physical vapor deposition. In one aspect, an apparatus includes a magnet assembly including a magnet element, a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate, a target holder configured to hold a target positioned between the magnet assembly and the substrate, a motor configured to move the magnet assembly across a face of the substrate, and a controller. The controller includes program instructions for conducting a process including moving the magnet assembly across the face of the substrate using the motor to sputter material from the target onto the substrate. The material sputtered onto the substrate may have a substantially uniform thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Yih, Wen-I Hsieh, Cheng-Pin Yang, Chuan-Yi Chen, Chih-Ping Huang, Tien-Peng Chen, Jui-Chih Liao, Shih-Lun Huang
  • Publication number: 20140071139
    Abstract: Pixels that include display elements that are configured with different structural dimensions corresponding to the color of light they provide are disclosed. In one implementation, a display device includes an array having a plurality of electromechanical pixels disposed on a substrate, each pixel including at least a first display element and a second display element. Each of the first and second display elements interferometrically modulating light by moving a reflective element between a relaxed position spaced apart from the substrate to an actuated position further away from the substrate than the relaxed position by applying a voltage across the reflective element and a stationary electrode. The stationary electrode of each display element is sized to provide actuation of the movable reflective element using the same actuation voltage even though the electrical gap through which the reflective element moves is different within a pixel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Kostadin D. Djordjev, Alok Govil, Yi Tao, Fan Zhong
  • Publication number: 20140071516
    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: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chong U. Lee, John H. Hong, Marc M. Mignard, Alok Govil
  • Publication number: 20140071118
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for use in an autostereoscopic display system. In one aspect, a display device can include a pixel array having a first set of pixels configured to display image data for a viewer's right eye and a second set of pixels configured to display image data for a viewer's left eye. The pixels of the first set can be interspersed amongst the pixels of the second set. A prismatic array can be positioned forward of the pixel array and can have a plurality of prisms coupled to the pixel array. Each prism can be aligned with a pixel from the first set of pixels and a pixel from the second set of pixels. The prisms can be configured to selectively guide light from the pixels to an associated one of the left or right eyes, thereby forming a 3D image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Christopher Tyler
  • Publication number: 20140071173
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, to reproduce a target color in an output device. In one aspect, the output device can include display elements and a processor. The processor can be configured to (a) receive data on the target color to be reproduced, (b) select the display element associated with the highest brightness, (c) determine a portion of the target color to be reproduced by the selected display element, (d) calculate a remaining amount of the target color, (e) use the display element having the next highest brightness as the selected display element of (c), and (f) repeat (c) to (e) iteratively until all display elements have been selected or the remaining amount of the target color is below a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Behnam Bastani
  • Patent number: 8670171
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods, systems, and apparatus for directing incident light toward central regions of interferometric modulator displays. In one aspect, a display includes an array of microlenses embedded in a substrate adjacent a first surface of the substrate. An array of light modulators can be disposed over the first surface of the substrate. A light modulator can be disposed over a corresponding microlens. The microlenses can converge or concentrate incident light onto central regions of the corresponding light modulators. The microlenses may include single-element lenses, compound lenses, and/or graded-index lenses. Various methods of manufacturing such displays are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Russel Allyn Martin, Koorosh Aflatooni
  • Patent number: 8669926
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for writing a display image to a display having an array of pixels according to a selected driving sequence. In one aspect, display elements in a row are driven using a tall and narrow voltage pulse. This allows display elements of a row to be driven in a shorter line time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Marc M. Mignard, Clarence Chui, Alan G. Lewis
  • Publication number: 20140063588
    Abstract: Embodiments of an interferometric modulator are disclosed having various enhancements and features including a conductive bus. In certain embodiments, the interferometric modulator has a first conductive layer suspended over a second electrode layer. In certain embodiments, a second conductive layer is provided over the first conductive layer. One of the first and/or second conductive buses may further connect to the first electrode layer and/or the second electrode layer. Other disclosed features can be incorporated into embodiments of the interferometric modulator to improve response time, power consumption, and image resolution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: QUALCOMM MEMS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • Patent number: 8659611
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for storing image data for successive frames in a frame buffer. Specifically, the method and apparatus allow for a display-sized frame buffer to be utilized where a host system provides image data in a format different from that which the display requires to be written to it while retaining the beneficial aspects of concurrent read and write operations from and to the frame buffer. Using this method a buffer controller receives image data from a host system in a first format (e.g. row-by-row) and writes it to the frame buffer in the first format. When the buffer is completely filled with the first frame, it is read out in a second format (e.g. column-by-column) by the buffer controller and provided to a display driver that writes the data to the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark M. Todorovich
  • Patent number: 8654061
    Abstract: An integrated illumination apparatus includes a light injection portion having a first end for receiving light from a light source. The light injection portion includes material that supports propagation of said light along the length of the light injection portion. Turning microstructure is disposed on a first side of the light injection. The turning microstructure is configured to turn at least a substantial portion of light incident on the first side and to direct the portion of the light out a second opposite side of the light injection portion. A slit is disposed along the length of the light injection portion. The slit forms an optical interface on the second opposite side of the light injection portion that provides total internal reflection for light propagating along the length of the light injection portion to be guided therein. The optical interface further transmits light turned by said turning microstructure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Marek Mienko, Gang Xu, Ion Bita, Lai Wang, Russell W. Gruhlke
  • Publication number: 20140043216
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatuses for providing a boron nitride layer in a cavity of an optical electromechanical systems (EMS) device. The boron nitride layer can be deposited, for example using ALD, after removal of the sacrificial layer to define an EMS cavity. The boron nitride layer may reduce stiction between a first and second electrode structure of the EMS device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Chiung-Wen Tang
  • Publication number: 20140043349
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for improving the visual appearance of displayed images at high frame rates by skipping writing lines of display data. In one aspect, clusters of changed image regions are detected, and lines are preferentially written when such clusters are detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Manu Parmar, Jeho Lee, Nao S. Chuei, Koorosh Aflatooni
  • Publication number: 20140041174
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for making and using gyroscopes. Some gyroscopes include a drive frame, a central anchor and a plurality of drive beams disposed on opposing sides of the central anchor. The drive beams may connect the drive frame to the central anchor. The drive beams may include a piezoelectric layer and may be configured to cause the drive frame to oscillate torsionally in a plane of the drive beams. The gyroscope may also include a proof mass and a plurality of piezoelectric sense beams. At least some components may be formed from plated metal. The drive frame may be disposed within the proof mass. The drive beams may constrain the drive frame to rotate substantially in the plane of the drive beams. Such devices may be included in a mobile device, such as a mobile display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Cenk Acar, Ravindra V. Shenoy, Justin Phelps Black, Kurt Edward Petersen, Srinivasan Kodaganallur Ganapathi, Philip Jason Stephanou
  • Publication number: 20140036340
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for a thin film stack with surface-conditioning buffer layers. In one aspect, the thin film stack includes a plurality of thin film layers each having a thickness greater than about 10 nm and a plurality of surface-conditioning buffer layers each having a thickness between about 1 nm and about 10 nm. The surface-conditioning buffer layers are alternatingly disposed between the thin film layers. Each of the surface-conditioning buffer layers are formed with the same or substantially the same thickness and composition. In some implementations, the surface-conditioning buffer layers are formed by atomic layer deposition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: John Hyunchul Hong, Isak Clark Reines, Chong Uk Lee, Tallis Young Chang, Yaoling Pan, Edward Keat Leem Chan
  • Publication number: 20140035892
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for glass via bars that can be used in compact three-dimensional packages, including package-on-packages (PoPs). The glass via bars can provide high density electrical interconnections in the PoPs. In some implementations, the glass via bars can include integrated passive components. Packaging methods employing glass via bars are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Ravindra V. Shenoy, Kwan-Yu Lai, Philip Jason Stephanou, Mario Francisco Velez, Jonghae Kim, Evgeni Petrovich Gousev