Abstract: An electrowetting display device may comprise pixel regions arranged on a support plate, wherein each of the pixel regions includes a thin film transistor (TFT); a sensor disposed on the support plate, wherein the sensor is configured to generate a voltage based, at least in part, on light impinging on at least a portion of the pixel regions; and a reset control circuit configured to: based, at least in part, on the voltage generated by the sensor, determine an amount of modulation of the light; generate a reset pulse based, at least in part, on the determined amount of modulation of the light; and apply the reset pulse to each of the TFTs of at least some of the pixel regions.

Abstract: A method of controlling an electrowetting element. The method includes receiving first data corresponding with a first voltage with a first magnitude, generating the first voltage and applying the first voltage to the electrowetting element. Second data corresponding with a second voltage with a second magnitude is received. It is determined that the first magnitude is smaller than the second magnitude and, responsive thereto, a third magnitude of a third voltage is determined, the third magnitude larger than the first magnitude and smaller than the second magnitude. The third voltage is generated and applied to the electrowetting element instead of the second voltage, consecutively after the first voltage is applied.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising an electrowetting display element comprising a radiation filter, a first support plate, a second support plate, a first fluid and a second fluid immiscible with the first fluid. The apparatus comprises at least one processor and at least one memory comprising computer program instructions operable to, with the at least one processor: determine, based on an input signal indicative of a characteristic of an input to the apparatus, that a predetermined condition for reduction of an exposure of the first fluid to incident light is satisfied; and, in response, generate an output signal to control the electrowetting display element to configure the first fluid in a retracted configuration with the first fluid at least partly overlapped by the radiation filter and with both the first fluid and the second fluid in contact with a surface of the first support plate.

Abstract: An electrowetting display device may comprise at least one pixel region that includes: a hydrophobic layer portion; an oil disposed on the hydrophobic layer portion, wherein an amount of light transmitted through the pixel region is based, at least in part, on an area of the hydrophobic layer portion that is covered by the oil; and a thin film transistor (TFT); a photo-sensor configured to generate a voltage based, at least in part, on the amount of light that transmits through the pixel region; and an electronic control circuit configured to (i) receive the voltage from the photo-sensor and (ii) provide a driving signal to the TFT of the pixel region, wherein an amplitude of the driving signal is based, at least in part, on the voltage from the photo-sensor.

Abstract: An electrowetting display device includes a plurality of pixels and a packaged integrated circuit that includes an output pin configured to electrically connect to a display driver, a rendering engine configured to output an initial luminance value for a first pixel in a plurality of pixels, and a memory controller. The memory controller includes a first frame buffer storing a current luminance value for the first pixel, a second frame buffer, and a front-end interface controller configured to encode a next luminance value. The next luminance value is at least partially determined by the initial luminance value for the first pixel. The memory controller includes a back-end interface controller configured to transmit a data signal through the output pin to the display driver to cause the display driver to apply a driving voltage to the first pixel. The driving voltage is at least partially determined by the current luminance value.

Abstract: A display device includes a first support plate and an opposing second support plate. A pixel region is positioned between the first support plate and the second support plate. A thin film transistor (TFT) structure is formed on the first support plate and associated with the pixel region. The TFT structure includes a source and drain electrode layer. A reflective layer is formed or disposed over the source and drain electrode layer. The reflective layer includes a pixel electrode within the pixel region. A via is between the source and drain electrode layer and the reflective layer to electrically couple the pixel electrode to the source and drain electrode layer. An organic layer is formed or disposed over the via. The organic layer includes an elevated surface over the via.

Abstract: A method of controlling an electrowetting element. The method includes receiving first data indicative of a first display effect. Using the first data, a first magnitude of a first voltage is determined. The first voltage with the first magnitude is generated and applied to the electrowetting element. Second data indicative of a second display effect different from the first display effect is received. Using the second data, a second magnitude of a second voltage is determined. The second magnitude is equal to the first magnitude. The second voltage with the second magnitude is generated and applied to the electrowetting element.

Abstract: An electrowetting display device includes a plurality of pixels and a packaged integrated circuit that includes an input pin configured to electrically connect to a host processor, an output pin configured to electrically connect to a display driver, a memory controller configured to store luminance values, and an integrated circuit configured to implement a rendering engine. The rendering engine receives a first red value, a first green value, and a first blue value from the input pin, converts the first red value, the first green value, and the first blue value into a first red luminance value, a first green luminance value, a first blue luminance value, and a first white luminance value for a first pixel in a plurality of pixels, and transmits the first red luminance value, the first green luminance value, the first blue luminance value, and the first white luminance value to the memory controller.

Abstract: An electrowetting display device includes a plurality of pixels positioned between a first support plate and a second support plate. A display driver provides addressing signals to the plurality of pixels. The electrowetting display device includes a packaged integrated circuit that includes an input pin configured to electrically connected to a host processor, an output pin electrically connected to the display driver, and an input interface configured to receive image data from a host processor through the input pin. The packaged integrated circuit includes a rendering engine configured to generate a luminance value for a first pixel in the plurality of pixels using the image data, and a memory controller configured transmit a data signal through the output pin to cause the display driver to apply a driving voltage to the first pixel in the plurality of pixels. The driving voltage is at least partially determined by the luminance value.

Abstract: An electrowetting display device includes a plurality of pixels and a packaged integrated circuit that includes an output pin configured to electrically connect to a display driver, a rendering engine configured to output an initial luminance value for a first pixel in a plurality of pixels, and a memory controller. The memory controller includes a first frame buffer storing a current luminance value for the first pixel, a second frame buffer, and a front-end interface controller configured to encode a next luminance value. The next luminance value is at least partially determined by the initial luminance value for the first pixel. The memory controller includes a back-end interface controller configured to transmit a data signal through the output pin to the display driver to cause the display driver to apply a driving voltage to the first pixel. The driving voltage is at least partially determined by the current luminance value.

Abstract: A method for operating a display device includes configuring at least a portion of a row or at least a portion of a column of pixels of the display device to produce interconnected pixels, wherein the interconnected pixels are interconnected to one another in an electrically parallel configuration to create a parallel capacitance that is larger than capacitances of each of the interconnected pixels; connecting a voltage-measuring probe to drains of TFTs of the interconnected pixels; applying source voltages to the TFTs of the interconnected pixels from one or more source lines and applying a gate voltage to the TFTs of the interconnected pixels from one or more gate lines; and measuring voltage of the TFT drains of the interconnected pixels.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising an electrowetting display element comprising a radiation filter, a first support plate, a second support plate, a first fluid and a second fluid immiscible with the first fluid. The apparatus comprises at least one processor and at least one memory comprising computer program instructions operable to, with the at least one processor: determine, based on an input signal indicative of a characteristic of an input to the apparatus, that a predetermined condition for reduction of an exposure of the first fluid to incident light is satisfied; and, in response, generate an output signal to control the electrowetting display element to configure the first fluid in a retracted configuration with the first fluid at least partly overlapped by the radiation filter and with both the first fluid and the second fluid in contact with a surface of the first support plate.

Abstract: Subject matter disclosed herein relates to driving schemes that provide for improved data writing to pixels of electrowetting display devices. Subframes are defined within an input frame for providing data to pixels of an electrowetting display. Blocks of rows of pixels are also defined. The blocks are defined based upon driving schemes for the electrowetting display. In an embodiment, the driving schemes include a block driving scheme and an interlaced driving scheme. With a block driving scheme, the rows of pixels are grouped sequentially into blocks, i.e. block 1 includes rows 1-4, block 2 includes rows 5-8, etc. With an interlaced driving scheme, every Nth row is included in a block such that block 1 includes rows 1, 5, . . . , block 2 includes rows 2, 6, . . . , etc. Individual blocks are written to during the subframes thereby allowing for all rows to be handled during the input frame.

Abstract: In a system having a matrix of electrowetting display elements, a column driving system transmits a column voltage signal to an electrode of each electrowetting display element of at least one selected row of n rows of electrowetting display elements. A first row driving system transmits a first row voltage signal to a switchable element associated with each respective electrowetting display element of the selected row. A second row driving system transmits a second row voltage signal to the switchable element associated with each respective electrowetting display element of rows of the n rows of electrowetting display elements. A configuration of respective first and second fluids of the electrowetting display elements of at least one row of the n rows is controlled by selectively transmitting: the first row voltage signal using the first row driving system, and the second row voltage signal, using the second row driving system.

Abstract: A method of controlling an electrowetting element. The method includes receiving first data indicative of a first display effect. Using the first data, a first magnitude of a first voltage is determined. The first voltage with the first magnitude is generated and applied to the electrowetting element. Second data indicative of a second display effect different from the first display effect is received. Using the second data, a second magnitude of a second voltage is determined. The second magnitude is equal to the first magnitude. The second voltage with the second magnitude is generated and applied to the electrowetting element.

Abstract: The subject matter disclosed herein relates to conversion of RGB image data into RGBW image data for display by an image display apparatus. The image display apparatus accesses Red Green Blue (RGB) image data that corresponds to one or more images to be displayed by a Red Green Blue White (RGBW) display of the image display apparatus. The image display apparatus receives one or more inputs. Based upon the one or more external factors, the RGB image data is converted into RGBW image data. Based upon the RGBW image data, the RGBW display displays the one or more images.

Abstract: A method of controlling an electrowetting element. The method includes receiving first data corresponding with a first voltage with a first magnitude, generating the first voltage and applying the first voltage to the electrowetting element. Second data corresponding with a second voltage with a second magnitude is received. It is determined that the first magnitude is smaller than the second magnitude and, responsive thereto, a third magnitude of a third voltage is determined, the third magnitude larger than the first magnitude and smaller than the second magnitude. The third voltage is generated and applied to the electrowetting element instead of the second voltage, consecutively after the first voltage is applied.

Abstract: The patent application relates to a method of controlling a display device including display elements arranged in a matrix with n rows of display elements. The method includes: driving a first row of display elements, with a first output of a driving system being connected to the first row and disconnected from at least one further row of display elements.

Abstract: An electrowetting display device includes a picture element having a first support plate and a second support plate. A surface of a second layer of the first support plate is non-planar and has a shape at least partly corresponding with a pattern of a first layer of the first support plate.

Abstract: An electrowetting element comprising a first support plate, a second support plate and a first and second fluid located between the first support plate and the second support plate, the second fluid immiscible with the first fluid. The first support plate comprises a wall extending along at least part of a perimeter of the electrowetting element and an electrode comprising a first electrode portion having a first electrode portion area and a second electrode portion having a second electrode portion area larger than the first electrode portion area. The first electrode portion is closer to the second support plate than the second electrode portion. The first electrode comprises a first edge portion and a second edge portion positioned further from an inner surface of a wall in a direction substantially perpendicular to the inner surface of the wall than the first edge portion.