Abstract: The present invention features procedures for correcting discoloration and brightness variations due to liquid crystal cell gap variations or other optical, electro-optical, ambient light, electronic, mechanical, and materials anomalies arising in tiled, flat-panel displays. The purpose of these corrections is to achieve a visually seamless appearance. Absolute, relative and/or smoothing corrections are implemented by performing pixel data video processing with correction data acquired from memory. Techniques for determining and applying these corrections are described.

Abstract: The present invention features procedures for correcting discoloration and brightness variations due to liquid crystal cell gap variations or other optical, electro-optical, ambient light, electronic, mechanical, and materials anomalies arising in tiled, flat-panel displays. The purpose of these corrections is to achieve a visually seamless appearance. Absolute, relative and/or smoothing corrections are implemented by performing pixel data video processing with correction data acquired from memory. Techniques for determining and applying these corrections are described.

Abstract: The present invention features a tiled, flat-panel display (FPD) that has color-matching between the tiles, which is accomplished by a direct transformation of video data through values stored in tables, and addressed by the spatial position in both the display and the input data value. One or more transformation tables are disposed proximate a graphics controller, which synchronizes, routes and controls the timing of data to data (column) drivers of the FPD. The transformation tables may be read-only or read-write memory devices. They are used to provide data representative of corrections or adjustments of color luminance on a pixel-by-pixel, or sub-pixel-by-sub-pixel basis, thus matching color of all portions of a display tile and all tiles in the FPD. This invention also describes a method of determining the values for the tables by measuring the common luminance response of the regions of the display.

Abstract: This invention describes tiling structures, methods, and circuits for making large flat-panel displays from an array of microdisplays. The inventive displays overcome the intrinsic size limits of monolithic microdisplays and allow the construction of large area, low cost, high brightness, high contrast magnified view or rear projection flat panel displays having visually imperceptible seams and are optically uniform. A structure wherein multiple microdisplay tiles are mounted on a thermally matched common substrate having inherent temperature control features is described. Additional integrated circuits such as CMOS circuits may be embedded either in the back plane of the microdisplay tiles themselves and/or in the common substrate if the common substrate is made from a suitable semiconductor material. These circuits can provide functions such pixel addressing, image control, or even complete microprocessor functions within the flat-panel display assembly itself.

Abstract: A large flat panel display having a plurality of tile display modules with capability in the range of 12 or more lines per inch, being precisely manufactured and aligned such that the interpixel spacing between two adjacent tiles maintains the uniformly periodic spacing of the interpixel spacing within tiles. The display is addressed as a single monolithic display, without reference to the plurality of individual tiles making up the display. All of the interconnections between tiles are located between tiles in the "shadow area", unless all tiles can have an edge around the periphery of the display. Also disclosed are methods of making and assembling the tiles and the displays.

Abstract: The present invention features methods and apparatuses for sealing tiled, flat-panel displays (FPDs). Tile edges corresponding with the display's perimeter edges are designed with a wide seal. Interior edges, however, have narrow seals in order to maintain the desired, constant, pixel pitch across tile boundaries. In some cases, this invention applies specifically to arrays of tiles 2.times.2 or less, and, in other cases, to N.times.M arrays, where N and M are any integer numbers. The tiles are enclosed with top and bottom glass plates, which are sealed with an adhesive bond to the tiles on the outside perimeter of the tiled display. Vertical seams (where tiles meet at the perimeter of the FPD) are sealed with a small amount of polymer. The seal may be constructed between a cover plate and a back plate, sandwiching the tiles. The AMLCD edges may be coated with either a non-permeable material or a polymer having an extremely low permeability (for example, Parylene.TM.).

Abstract: The present invention features a tiled, flat-panel, mosaic display with a luminance-correcting capability and having a seamlessness characteristic. Column and row inputs that are typically provided for a single flat panel are distributed over a number of tiles. The display is fabricated by sorting the tiles into groups, and matching their color coordinates prior to assembly. After assembly, measurements of the luminance of the display are processed to generate correction data, which is compressed into a reduced set of coefficients. A processor, located between a video controller and the display drivers for each of the tiles, has a memory containing these interpolation coefficients for correcting luminance in the tiles. A multiplicity of processing units is connected to the video controller and the processor for performing video correction in real time.

Abstract: The present invention features a tiled, substantially flat, panel display having the characteristic of visually imperceptible seams between the tiles for the intended viewing conditions, which include the perception thresholds of the human eye, the view distance, the display brightness and the level of the ambient light. The panel consists of an image source plane having spaced-apart pixels containing light-transmitting elements comprising single or multiple lightvalves. These lightvalves transmit monochromatic light, or primary color light spectra, for example, red, green and blue, in gray-scale and color displays, respectively. Each of the pixels is located along the image source plane at a uniform pitch greater than approximately 0.2 mm. Many adjacently-situated tiles are located in a plane in proximity to the image source plane. Secondary light rays can be controlled via light shields, aperture plates, masks and optical elements.

Abstract: A technique for fine line patterning for submicron devices is disclosed. A fine line pattern is defined on a positive resist, which is then developed to expose corresponding portions of a mask layer. The pattern is then transferred to the mask layer to produce an oxidation mask which is used to control local surface oxidation of an underlying metal film, such as aluminum. The selectively oxidized aluminum film is then etched, leaving a patterned Al film corresponding to the initial positive pattern, since the etch rate of oxidized Al film is much less than the etch rate of the unoxidized Al film. The patterned film may be the final desired device structure, or may serve as a mask for pattern transfer to an underlying substrate.