Patents by Inventor James C. Rutherford

James C. Rutherford has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10529279
    Abstract: An active matrix organic LED display having a matrix of multiple light emitting pixels and electronic drive circuitry for selectively addressing the pixels, each pixel containing an organic LED. The electronic drive circuitry includes row scan electrodes and column data electrodes that interconnect the matrix of pixels. The circuitry also includes a MEMS switching device and a memory capacitor for each pixel, the MEMS switching device connecting the memory capacitor to a column data electrode during addressing of a pixel and connecting the memory capacitor to the organic LED of each pixel during light emission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Inventor: James C. Rutherford
  • Patent number: 10211268
    Abstract: An active matrix organic LED display having a matrix of multiple light emitting pixels and electronic drive circuitry for selectively addressing the pixels, each pixel containing an organic LED. The electronic drive circuitry includes row scan electrodes and column data electrodes that interconnect the matrix of pixels. The circuitry also includes a MEMS switching device and a memory capacitor for each pixel, the MEMS switching device connecting the memory capacitor to a column data electrode during addressing of a pixel and connecting the memory capacitor to the organic LED of each pixel during light emission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Imaging Systems Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: James C. Rutherford
  • Patent number: 8698706
    Abstract: An organic electroluminescent display system comprising at least one organic-light-emitting diode (OLED), a zener diode in series to the organic light-emitting diode, a rectification diode, and a capacitor used as a memory device. During a frame period of the display device, there are address and light emission periods. A reverse bias voltage is applied across the organic light-emitting diode during the address period to prevent metal migration into the organic layers of the OLED. Current mode data programming is used to address the display device. During the light emission period, charge previously stored in selected capacitors during the address period supplies a forward current for the OLEDs. A ramp waveform applied to the row electrode during the light emission period, forces the capacitor to discharge through the OLED and controls the forward current level. This keeps the operation of the OLEDs in their area of maximum performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Imaging Systems Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: James C. Rutherford
  • Patent number: 8278828
    Abstract: An active matrix organic LED display having a matrix of multiple light emitting pixels and electronic drive circuitry for selectively addressing the pixels, each pixel containing an organic LED. The electronic drive circuitry includes row scan electrodes and column data electrodes that interconnect the matrix of pixels. The circuitry also includes a MEMS switching device and a memory capacitor for each pixel, the MEMS switching device connecting the memory capacitor to a column data electrode during addressing of a pixel and connecting the memory capacitor to the organic LED of each pixel during light emission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Imaging Systems Technology
    Inventor: James C. Rutherford
  • Patent number: 7808451
    Abstract: An organic electroluminescent display device connected by a blocking diode in series to an organic light-emitting diode (OLED). Each pixel or subpixel of the electroluminescent display device comprises an OLED, a blocking diode to prevent the OLED from being reversed biased, a rectification diode to isolate the column electrode from unselected rows and a capacitor as a memory device. The charge stored in each memory capacitor may be increased by the blocking diode in series with each OLED. A frame period of the display device is divided into sub-frames that have address and light emission periods. Current mode data programming is used to address the device in each sub-frame. A ramp waveform is applied to the row electrode during the light emission period, to cause the capacitor to discharge through the OLED and control the forward current level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Imaging Systems Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: James C. Rutherford
  • Patent number: 7714514
    Abstract: An active matrix organic LED display having a matrix of multiple light emitting pixels and electronic drive circuitry for selectively addressing the pixels, each pixel containing an organic LED. The electronic drive circuitry includes row scan electrodes and column data electrodes that interconnect the matrix of pixels. The circuitry also includes a MEMS switching device and a memory capacitor for each pixel, the MEMS switching device connecting the memory capacitor to a column data electrode during addressing of a pixel and connecting the memory capacitor to the organic LED of each pixel during light emission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignees: Imaging Systems Technology, PPD Systems
    Inventor: James C. Rutherford
  • Patent number: 7518576
    Abstract: The luminous efficiency of a plasma display panel (PDP) device is increased by positive column gas discharge sustaining, with higher voltage and Xe content, plus pre-discharges sustain priming. High-speed addressing by using address period priming discharge. Cost saving in row driver ICs is realized by row addressing separated from sustaining. High contrast ratio due to masking of setup and addressing discharges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Imaging Systems Technology
    Inventor: James C. Rutherford
  • Patent number: 6861810
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide an organic electroluminescent display device and driving method including an apparatus comprised of at least one organic-light-emitting diode (OLED), a rectification diode and a capacitor used as a memory device. A frame period of the display device is divided into sub-frames, which have address and light emission periods. Current mode data programming is used to address the display device in each sub-frame. In the light emission period, charge previously stored in selected capacitors during the address period, supplies the forward current for the OLEDs. A ramp waveform applied to the row electrode, during the light emission period, forces the capacitor to discharge through the OLED and controls the forward current level. The operation of the OLEDs are retained in their area of maximum performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignees: FPD Systems, Imaging Systems Technology
    Inventor: James C. Rutherford
  • Publication number: 20030076048
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide an organic electroluminescent display device and driving method including an apparatus comprised of at least one organic-light-emitting diode (OLED), a rectification diode and a capacitor used as a memory device. A frame period of the display device is divided into sub-frames, which have address and light emission periods. Current mode data programming is used to address the display device in each sub-frame. In the light emission period, charge previously stored in selected capacitors during the address period, supplies the forward current for the OLEDs. A ramp waveform applied to the row electrode, during the light emission period, forces the capacitor to discharge through the OLED and controls the forward current level. The operation of the OLEDs are retained in their area of maximum performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2002
    Publication date: April 24, 2003
    Inventor: James C. Rutherford
  • Patent number: 6492776
    Abstract: The plasma display panel (PDP) cells are defined at the cross points of the electrodes and sustain discharges are provided in the cells by changing electrical potential of the sustain/scan and sustain electrodes with respect to one another. The sustain/scan and sustain electrodes are driven simultaneously substantially at opposite phase and between low and high electrical potentials with respect to one another thereby substantially eliminating electrical potential pulses from being induced on the data electrodes. Preferably, the PDP is divided into a plurality of display areas which are electronically independently controlled. Because electrical potential pulses are not induced in the data electrodes, in operation, while one display area is being addressed the remaining panel display areas are in sustain mode providing discharge pulses and producing light emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Inventor: James C. Rutherford
  • Publication number: 20020047584
    Abstract: Plasma display panel (PDP) includes sustain/scan and sustain electrodes arranged parallel with one another and data electrodes arranged generally orthogonal to the sustain/scan and sustain electrodes. The PDP cells are defined at the cross points of the electrodes and sustain discharges are provided in the cells by changing electrical potential of the sustain/scan and sustain electrodes with respect to one another. The sustain/scan and sustain electrodes are driven simultaneously substantially at opposite phase and between low and high electrical potentials with respect to one another thereby substantially eliminating electrical potential pulses from being induced on the data electrodes. The sustain/scan and sustain electrodes are switched substantially simultaneously for changing electrical potential and the rate of electrical potential change on these electrodes are substantially the same but in opposite direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Inventor: James C. Rutherford
  • Publication number: 20020008678
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a plasma display panel having two or more drive blocks, each independently driving a segment of the plasma display screen. Additional circuitry is provided, whose output is integrated into the control of time period for sustain pulses of each drive block. The number of sustain pulses of each drive block is adjusted depending on the number of on cells in that drive block. Being able to adjust the number of sustain pulses produced by each drive block to the variation in luminous that would be caused by probable different loading by the display screen segments results in luminous uniformity across the entire plasma display screen. Circuitry in each block is provided for the independent odd/even row sustain pulses and the common odd/even row setup pulses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2001
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Inventor: James C. Rutherford
  • Publication number: 20020008679
    Abstract: Method for controlling a white balance in a plasma display panel device, is disclosed, in which the sub-field sustain pulses for R (Red), G (Green), and B (Blue) cells are reduced by a different amount from one another. This enables white balance adjustment between the R, G, B cells having equally designed pitch, but with differences of luminance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2001
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Inventor: James C. Rutherford
  • Patent number: 6104361
    Abstract: A system and method for driving a plasma display panel are provided. The method includes scanning a current display line to selectively store charge quantities on selected pixels defined along a first row electrode at cross-points of corresponding column electrodes. A priming voltage pulse is applied between the first row electrode and a second row electrode to cause a priming discharge between the first and second row electrodes. The priming discharge is capable of priming a different display line proximate to the current display line. The system includes driver circuitry for scanning a current display line, and for applying the priming voltage pulse to cause the priming discharge to prime a different display line proximate to the current display line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Photonics Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: James C. Rutherford