Abstract: The application of optical micro structures improve the quality of light available to the viewer of an optical display system, or any display which works on the concept of moving one surface into direct contact or close proximity of a light guide to extract light through frustrated total internal reflection. Certain ones of the microstructures can act to assist in overcoming suction between the surface and the light guide.

Abstract: The application of optical microstructures improve the quality of light available to the viewer of an optical display system, or any display which works on the concept of moving one surface into direct contact or close proximity of a light guide to extract light through frustrated total internal reflection. Certain ones of the microstructures can act to assist in overcoming stiction between the surface and the light guide.

Abstract: A circuit for implementing a registration-free, contiguous conductive plane. A circuit may include a plurality of conductive structures in a first plane. The circuit may further include a contiguous conductive equipotential surface in a second plane parallel to the first plane. The circuit may further include activation means configured to adjust an electric field between the first and second planes thereby activating one or more structures in the first plane by increasing a potential difference between the first and second planes to a threshold level deemed to constitute an active state. The circuit may further include deactivation means configured to adjust the electric field between the first and second planes thereby deactivating one or more structures in the first plane by decreasing the potential difference between the first and second planes below a threshold level deemed to constitute a deactivated state.

Abstract: A circuit for implementing a registration-free, contiguous conductive plane. A circuit may include a plurality of conductive structures in a first plane. The circuit may further include a contiguous conductive equipotential surface in a second plane parallel to the first plane. The circuit may further include activation means configured to adjust an electric field between the first and second planes thereby activating one or more structures in the first plane by increasing a potential difference between the first and second planes to a threshold level deemed to constitute an active state. The circuit may further include deactivation means configured to adjust the electric field between the first and second planes thereby deactivating one or more structures in the first plane by decreasing the potential difference between the first and second planes below a threshold level deemed to constitute a deactivated state.

Abstract: The application of microstructures which improve the quality of light available to the viewer of an optical display system, or any display which works on the concept of moving one surface into direct contact or close proximity of a light guide to extract light through frustrated total internal reflection. Optical microstructures are introduced on one or both of the surfaces of the active layer to enhance its performance. Since the active layer has both an input and an output function, means for enhancing both are presented. The input function to the active layer occurs on the internal surface, so this is where the present invention adds a collector-coupler, a means for facilitating the migration of light from the waveguide into the active layer.

Abstract: A display device comprises a light guide and a movable element. By locally exerting a force on the movable element by means of selection means, optical contact between the movable element and the light guide can be brought about. Light emanates from the display device at the locations where optical contact takes place. Measures are taken to employ the force exerted by the selection means as efficiently as possible. This can be achieved by making the force act at the location where the optical contact takes place and/or by reducing other adhesive forces (caused, inter alia, by differences in pressure, static charging, surface stresses, van der Waals' forces and/or chemical forces).

Abstract: A circuit for implementing a registration-free, contiguous conductive plane. A circuit may include a plurality of conductive structures in a first plane. The circuit may further include a contiguous conductive equipotential surface in a second plane parallel to the first plane. The circuit may further include activation means configured to adjust an electric field between the first and second planes thereby activating one or more structures in the first plane by increasing a potential difference between the first and second planes to a threshold level deemed to constitute an active state. The circuit may further include deactivation means configured to adjust the electric field between the first and second planes thereby deactivating one or more structures in the first plane by decreasing the potential difference between the first and second planes below a threshold level deemed to constitute a deactivated state.

Abstract: Enhancement of the contrast ratio of optical flat panel displays by integrating an array of corner-cube retroreflectors into the front face of the optical display, said integration involving mutual adaptation of both the display and the corner-cube retroreflector geometry to unite the two disparate optical systems. The light emission from the display passes through the truncated vertex of the corner-cubes to the observer. The display directs its emitted light through the vertex apertures (either as a natural behavior, or by interposing a registered array of light concentrators between the display and the corner-cube array). The improvement in contrast ratio arises due to the corner-cube retroreflectors' ability to direct incident ambient light directly back to its source, rather than the viewer's eyes. Ambient light reflections are not attenuated but maximized; this maximization is directed away from the viewer, causing the array to appear dark even in direct sunlight.

Abstract: An electromechanical dynamic force profile articulating mechanism for recovering or emulating true parallel plate capacitor actuation behaviors from deformable membranes used in MEMS systems. The curved deformation of flexible membranes causes their MEMS behavior to deviate from known interactions between rigid plates that maintain geometric parallelism during ponderomotive actuation.

Abstract: An actuator (100) taking advantage of ponderomotive forces to enhance its electromechanical performance as a function of input energy. An actuator (100) may include a first conductive layer (102) residing on a first electret layer (101). The actuator (100) may further include a moveable second electret layer (103) which is spaced apart in relation to the first conductive layer (102) when the second electret layer (103) is in a quiescent state. The actuator (100) may further include a second conductive layer (104) in a spaced apart relation to the second electret layer (103) when the second electret layer (103) is in the quiescent state. The actuator (100) may further include a voltage source (105) configured to selectively apply a voltage between the first (102) and second (104) conductive layers thereby propelling the second electret layer (103) to either the first (102) or second (104) conductive layer.

Abstract: A method and system for generating colors efficiently. In one embodiment, a start signal for a primary color subcycle may be received. A primary light source used to drive the primary color may be activated if there is data in the primary color's buffer. The primary light source may be deactivated during the primary color subcycle if there is no data in the primary color's buffer. In another embodiment, a highest amplitude signal for one of a plurality of primary colors may be normalized. A drive light source intensity may be adjusted to a percentage of a maximum intensity where the percentage corresponds to a content of the normalized primary color in a frame. The amplitude of all but the normalized primary color may be adjusted proportionally. In another embodiment, a maximum intensity for a light source intensity may be set to a first value. A maximum pixel intensity for each of a plurality of pixels may be set to a second value.

Abstract: A display system for presenting one or more planes of display information. The display system may include two or more display modules positioned in a spaced relationship in a stacked formation substantially along a Z-axis perpendicular to a display face of a display module. Each display module may be selectively activated to display a visual image or deactivated to a quiescent state. Further, when a display module is activated to display the viewed image, the viewed image can be viewed through a prior display module which is deactivated to a quiescent state.

Abstract: An optical noise reduction mechanism for reducing undesired frustration of total internal reflected light. Such optical noise may stem from defects in waveguide construction. Such optical noise may also stem from the difference in refractive index between any cladding layers disposed onto the planar waveguide and the refractive index of the medium (e.g., air) between the light sources and the light insertion surface of the planar waveguide. By interposing a material of appropriate refractive index, either as a thin layer onto the light insertion surface of the waveguide or filling the space between the waveguide and the light source, the planar waveguide becomes more tolerant of geometry errors and cladding layer properties because a safe operating area is established between the unadjusted critical angle of the system and the actual range of ray angles allowed admittance into the waveguide.

Abstract: An electromechanical dynamic force profile articulating mechanism for recovering or emulating true parallel plate capacitor actuation behaviors from deformable membranes used in MEMS systems. The curved deformation of flexible membranes causes their MEMS behavior to deviate from known interactions between rigid plates that maintain geometric parallelism during ponderomotive actuation.

Abstract: A circuit for implementing a registration-free, contiguous conductive plane. A circuit may include a plurality of conductive structures in a first plane. The circuit may further include a contiguous conductive equipotential surface in a second plane parallel to the first plane. The circuit may further include activation means configured to adjust an electric field between the first and second planes thereby activating one or more structures in the first plane by increasing a potential difference between the first and second planes to a threshold level deemed to constitute an active state. The circuit may further include deactivation means configured to adjust the electric field between the first and second planes thereby deactivating one or more structures in the first plane by decreasing the potential difference between the first and second planes below a threshold level deemed to constitute a deactivated state.

Abstract: An addressing mechanism for charging and discharging quasi-capacitive elements in an X-Y matrix. The addressing mechanism may be configured to toggle a resistor-capacitor (RC) time constant between large and small values such as by opening or closing a circuit path to a low impedance resistor disposed in parallel with a higher impedance in-line resistor. When this occurs, elements in the X-Y matrix can be addressed and controlled. The X-Y matrix may be comprised of multiple “rows” and “columns” of conductors where crosstalk may occur along the columns and rows. Crosstalk may be curtailed by using either hysteresis management or global control of the row's impedance along its entire length. The resulting control obviates the need for active devices at each matrix element to perform the switching functions.

Abstract: A circuit for implementing a registration-free, contiguous conductive plane. A circuit may include a plurality of conductive structures in a first plane. The circuit may further include a contiguous conductive equipotential surface in a second plane parallel to the first plane. The circuit may further include activation means configured to adjust an electric field between the first and second planes thereby activating one or more structures in the first plane by increasing a potential difference between the first and second planes to a threshold level deemed to constitute an active state. The circuit may further include deactivation means configured to adjust the electric field between the first and second planes thereby deactivating one or more structures in the first plane by decreasing the potential difference between the first and second planes below a threshold level deemed to constitute a deactivated state.

Abstract: A method and system for generating colors efficiently. In one embodiment, a start signal for a primary color subcycle may be received. A primary light source used to drive the primary color may be activated if there is data in the primary color's buffer. The primary light source may be deactivated during the primary color subcycle if there is no data in the primary color's buffer. In another embodiment, a highest amplitude signal for one of a plurality of primary colors may be normalized. A drive light source intensity may be adjusted to a percentage or a maximum intensity where the percentage corresponds to a content of the normalized primary color in a frame. The amplitude of all but the normalized primary color may be adjusted proportionally. In another embodiment, a maximum intensity for a light source intensity may be set to a first value. A maximum pixel intensity for each of a plurality of pixels may be set to a second value.

Abstract: A circuit for implementing a registration-free, contiguous conductive plane. A circuit may include a plurality of conductive structures in a first plane. The circuit may further include a contiguous conductive equipotential surface in a second plane parallel to the first plane. The circuit may further include activation means configured to adjust an electric field between the first and second planes thereby activating one or more structures in the first plane by increasing a potential difference between the first and second planes to a threshold level deemed to constitute an active state. The circuit may further include deactivation means configured to adjust the electric field between the first and second planes thereby deactivating one or more structures in the first plane by decreasing the potential difference between the first and second planes below a threshold level deemed to constitute a deactivation state.

Abstract: An actuator (100) taking advantage of ponderomotive forces to enhance its electromechanical performance as a function of input energy. An actuator (100) may include a first conductive layer (102) residing on a first electret layer (101). The actuator (100) may further include a moveable second electret layer (103) which is spaced apart in relation to the first conductive layer (102) when the second electret layer (103) is in a quiescent state. The actuator (100) may further include a second conductive layer (104) in a spaced apart relation to the second electret layer (103) when the second electret layer (103) is in the quiescent state. The actuator (100) may further include a voltage source (105) configured to selectively apply a voltage between the first (102) and second (104) conductive layers thereby propelling the second electret layer (103) to either the first (102) or second (104) conductive layer.