Abstract: A mirror device (1) which can be simultaneously used for display purposes, based on e.g. an LCD display (5) with a polarizing mirror (2) placed in front of it. When the surface area occupied by the display is smaller than the surface area of the mirror, the smaller display can be easily recognized at the front of the mirror. This is masked by introducing absorbing polarizers (30, 40).

Abstract: An improved moving particle display device having a plurality of pixels (12, 14; 21, 22, 23, 24) is disclosed. The pixels are formed between first (1) and second (2) substrates that are spaced apart by a plurality of partition walls (10; 20). Each pixel comprises charged particles (115) that are movable under the influence of primary electric field lines of force (16) to set the optical appearance of the pixel. The pixels further comprise blocking material (210) for physically blocking the charged particles from entering predetermined regions (200) of the pixels that are likely to have secondary electric field lines of force (18) that extend through the partition walls. Hence, the charged particles are blocked from entering regions of the pixels having secondary electric field lines of force that could attract the particles to move into any gaps (9) that exist between the partition walls and the substrates.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrophoretic device where a viewing electrode, which is used to attract an electrophoretic medium to a viewing area, is divided into a first (25) and a second (27) sub-electrode which are separated on the viewing area. When the electrophoretic medium is to cover the viewing area, the electrophoretic medium is first collected at one of the sub-electrodes and is then spread over the viewing area by applying a pulse between the sub-electrodes.

Abstract: A colour reflective display device uses two colour absorbing components (40,42), and the quantity of the two colour absorbing components within the pixel aperture can be independently controlled. The first colour absorbing component has a colour (C) at a point lying substantially between the green and blue regions of an (x,y) chromaticity diagram, and the second colour absorbing component has a colour (O) at a point lying substantially between the green and red regions of an (x,y) chromaticity diagram. The invention provides a colour active light shutter layer with only two colour components. One is selected to be near cyan and the other is selected to be near orange, and these together enable a range of colours to be produced which enables good quality colour images to be produced.

Abstract: An adjustable impedance matching network comprising passive elements (2, 4, 10, 12) and at least a pair of micro-electromechanical switch-assemblies (6, 8, 14, 16), said switch-assemblies (6, 8, 14, 16) being connected to the passive elements (2, 4, 10, 12) to form parallel circuits and/or serial circuits of said passive elements (2, 4, 10, 12) and said switch-assemblies (6, 8, 14, 16), said circuits having a range of impedance values.

Abstract: A driving circuit for driving an in-plane moving particle device has a pixel (P) comprising movable charged particles (PA). The pixel (P) has a reservoir electrode (RE), a display electrode (DE), and a gate electrode (GE) laterally placed in-between the reservoir electrode (RE) and the display electrode (DE). The driving circuit (DC) comprises a driver (DR), a controller (CO) which receives an input signal (OS) representing an image to be displayed on the moving particle device. The controller (CO) controls the driver (DR) to supply a first voltage difference (VD1) between the reservoir electrode (RE) and the gate electrode (GE) and a second voltage difference (VD2) between the gate electrode (GE) and the display electrode (DE). The image is written to the pixel (P) during a write phase (TW) by moving particles (PA) from the reservoir electrode (RE) via the gate electrode (GE) to the display electrode (DE) if the optical state of the pixel (P) should change in conformity with the image.

Abstract: An in-plane driven moving particle device comprises a first substrate (SUI) and an moving particle material (EM) comprising charged particles (PA), a first electrode (RE) and a second electrode (GE; DE), both arranged on the first substrate (SUI) for generating a predominantly in-plane electrical field in the moving particle material (EM), and a driver (DR). The driver (DR) supplies, during a transition phase wherein an optical state of the moving particle material (EM) has to change, a first voltage (VR) to the first electrode (RE), and a second voltage (VG; VD1) to the second electrode (GE; DE). Both the first voltage (VR) and the second voltage (VG; VD1) comprise a sequence of a plurality of predetermined levels having predetermined durations, and wherein the first voltage (VR) and/or the second voltage (VG; VD1) have a non-zero average level.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a first and a second micro-electromechanical switch assembly on a substrate, between which first and second switch assembly a first line having a first impedance and a second line having a second impedance are present. The first switch assembly includes an input terminal and a first and a second output terminal connected to the first and the second line, respectively. The second switch assembly includes an output terminal and a first and second input terminal connected to the first and second line, respectively.

Abstract: A mirror device (1) which can be simultaneously used for display purposes, based on e.g. an LCD display (5) with a polarizing mirror (2) placed in front of it. When the surface area occupied by the display is smaller than the surface area of the mirror, the smaller display can be easily recognized at the front of the mirror. This is masked by introducing absorbing polarizers (30, 40).

Abstract: A reflective display, comprising a plurality of pixels (10), each having a first electrode, a light-modifying layer (12), and a second electrode (3; 16) arranged to enable formation of an electric field in the light-modifying layer (12) through application of a voltage between the electrodes. The pixel (10) further includes an active portion (16) which is switchable between light-modifying states by means of said electric field, and an inactive portion (17). The inactive portion (17) is arranged for reflecting light so as to direct at least a fraction of incoming light (20) impinging on the inactive portion (17) towards the active portion (16). As a result, a contrast ratio of the reflective display is improved, since light is now directed from the inactive portion towards the active portion and thus contributes to the displayed image as observed by a viewer.

Abstract: A device is described, having a first (2) and a second (4) sound-generating means and an input for a stereo signal (S) comprising left (L) and right (R) sound signals. The device has an interconnected first (1) and second (3) part comprising a first (2) and a second (4) sound-generating means, respectively. The first part (1) is formed so as to couple soundwaves generated by the first sound-generating means (2) into a surface (6) when placed upon said surface (6), and the device has means (5) for sending a first signal (S1), which is a composite of the left (L) and right (R) sound signals, to the first sound-generating means (2) of the first part (1), and a second signal (S2), which is a different composite of the left (L) and right (R) sound signals, to the second sound generating means (4) of the second part (3).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a mirror device, the reflectivity of which may be varied by means of applying a voltage. According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a mirror device, the reflectivity of which may be varied by means of applying a voltage, comprising a cholesteric filter (33) which is arranged to be gradually switchable between a reflective and a transparent state by varying said voltage, and a display device (32) arranged to be at least partly covered by the cholesteric filter, wherein said display device is visible when the cholesteric filter is set in the transparent state and hidden when the cholesteric filter is set in the reflective state.

Abstract: The passive component (1) has a first part (22) of a material with a first resistance value, which value can be lowered to a second value by laser trimming. The second value is at most one tenth of the first value and preferably less. The material crystallizes in a laser trimming process, which locally heats the material to at least a transition temperature. The material contains at least two different elements, which are preferably aluminum and germanium. The passive component (1) may be, for example, a resistor or a capacitor and may be part of a thin-film network of resistors, capacitors and/or inductors. In a resistor, it is preferred to have a second part (4) which contains a different resistance material with a resistance value lower than the first value and preferably higher than the second value.

Abstract: The passive component (1) has a first part (22) of a material with a first resistance value, which value can be lowered to a second value by laser trimming. The second value is at most one tenth of the first value and preferably less. Said material crystallizes in a laser trimming process, which locally heats the material to at least a transition temperature. Said material contains at least two different elements, which are preferably aluminum and germanium.