Patents by Inventor Marc M. Mignard

Marc M. Mignard 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: 8879141
    Abstract: Methods and devices for calibrating and controlling the actuation of an analog interferometric modulator configured to have a plurality of actuation states. Devices and methods for calibrating an analog interferometric modulator to respond in linear relation to an applied voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chong U. Lee, John H. Hong, Marc M. Mignard, Alok Govil
  • Publication number: 20140071516
    Abstract: Methods and devices for calibrating and controlling the actuation of an analog interferometric modulator configured to have a plurality of actuation states. Devices and methods for calibrating an analog interferometric modulator to respond in linear relation to an applied voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chong U. Lee, John H. Hong, Marc M. Mignard, Alok Govil
  • Patent number: 8669926
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for writing a display image to a display having an array of pixels according to a selected driving sequence. In one aspect, display elements in a row are driven using a tall and narrow voltage pulse. This allows display elements of a row to be driven in a shorter line time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Marc M. Mignard, Clarence Chui, Alan G. Lewis
  • Patent number: 8619350
    Abstract: Methods and devices for calibrating and controlling the actuation of an analog interferometric modulator configured to have a plurality of actuation states. Devices and methods for calibrating an analog interferometric modulator to respond in linear relation to an applied voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chong U. Lee, John H. Hong, Marc M. Mignard, Alok Govil
  • Publication number: 20130135320
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for driving an array of tri-state devices. The array of tri-state devices may form an array of display elements, and the array may be passively addressed. According to one aspect, the array includes two segment lines and one common line connected to each tri-state display element. According to another aspect, the array includes two common lines and one segment line connected to each tri-state display element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Alok Govil, Marc M. Mignard
  • Publication number: 20130135271
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for writing a display image to a display having an array of pixels according to a selected driving sequence. In one aspect, display elements in a row are driven using a tall and narrow voltage pulse. This allows display elements of a row to be driven in a shorter line time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Marc M. Mignard, Clarence Chui, Alan G. Lewis
  • Publication number: 20130120327
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for storage capacitors. In one aspect, a device includes an array having at least a first display element and a second display element, at least one switch configured to control a flow of charge between a source and the first display element, and at least one interferometric optical mask structure disposed in a non-active area of the array between the first display element and the second display element. The optical mask structure includes a storage capacitor formed by a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer. The storage capacitor is electrically coupled to the at least one switch and the first display element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: Qualcomm Mems Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jae Hyeong Seo, Ming-Hau Tung, Marc M. Mignard, Rihui He
  • Publication number: 20130120416
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for storage capacitors. In one aspect, an electromechanical systems (EMS) device includes a substrate, an optical stack disposed over the substrate, a mechanical layer positioned over the optical stack, and a storage capacitor. The optical stack includes a stationary electrode and at least one dielectric layer disposed over the stationary electrode, and the storage capacitor includes a first plate, a second plate and a dielectric structure disposed between the first and second plates. The first plate includes a portion of the mechanical layer positioned over an optically non-active region of the device, and the dielectric structure of the storage capacitor includes a portion of the at least one dielectric layer of the optical stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jae Hyeong Seo, Ming-Hau Tung, Marc M. Mignard
  • Patent number: 8405649
    Abstract: A method of driving electromechanical devices such as interferometric modulators includes applying a voltage along a common line to release the electromechanical devices along the common line, followed by applying an address voltage along the common line to actuate selected electromechanical devices along the common line based on voltages applied along segment lines. Hold voltages may be applied along common lines between applications of release and address voltages, and the segment voltages may be selected to be sufficiently small that the segment voltages will not affect the state of the electromechanical devices along other common lines not being written to.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan G. Lewis, Marc M. Mignard, Clarence Chui, Wilhelmus Johannes Robertus Van Lier, Mark M. Todorovich, William Cummings
  • Publication number: 20120056890
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for providing interferometric modulator displays using flexible films. In one aspect, a method of forming an interferometric modulator device includes providing a conductive element, depositing a reflective layer over at least a portion of the conductive element, and depositing a plurality of spacing elements over the conductive element. The absorber layer and the substrate are provided over the conductive element such that the absorber layer is disposed between the substrate and the spacing elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Marc M. Mignard
  • Publication number: 20110261088
    Abstract: This disclosure provides methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for controlling analog display elements. In one aspect, a control scheme can be used for controlling analog display elements, including interferometric modulators. This control scheme can be used to drive the analog display elements to a plurality of discrete different states, and can be referred to as “digital” control of the display element state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jae Hyeong Seo, Marc M. Mignard, Alok Govil, Russel A. Martin
  • Publication number: 20110261037
    Abstract: This disclosure provides methods, systems and apparatus for storing and processing image data at the pixel using augmented active matrix pixels. Some implementations of a display device may include a substrate, an array of display elements associated with the substrate and configured to display an image, an array of processor units associated with the substrate, wherein each processor unit is configured to process image data for a respective portion of the display elements and an array of memory units associated with the array of processor units, wherein each memory unit is configured to store data for a respective portion of the display elements. Some implementations may enable color processing image data at the pixel, layering of image data at the pixel or temporal modulation of image data at the pixel. Further, in some implementations, the display element may be an interferometric modulator (IMOD).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Alok Govil, Tsongming Kao, Marc M. Mignard, SuryaPrakash Ganti, Philip D. Floyd, Manish Kothari
  • Publication number: 20110260956
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for sharing image data between interconnected pixels in a display device. Some implementations of a display device may include an array of pixels, where each pixel includes a display element, a memory element, one or more data interconnect lines connecting the pixel to one or more other pixels, one or more switches positioned in one or more of the interconnect lines and one or more scroll data lines connected to one or more of the switches. Some implementations may enable scrolling of image data on a display without writing new image data to the display. Further, in some implementations, the display element may be an interferometric modulator (IMOD). Some other implementations may additionally include a display, a processor configured to communicate with the display and a memory device that is configured to communicate with the processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Alok Govil, Tsongming Kao, Marc M. Mignard, SuryaPrakash Ganti, Philip D. Floyd, Manish Kothari
  • Publication number: 20110261046
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for displaying an image using voltage shifting. In one aspect, a display device includes an array of display elements, each display element configurable into one of a plurality of states upon application of one of a plurality of voltages, and an array of voltage shifters, each voltage shifter associated with one or more of the display elements and configured to receive at least one input voltage from a display driver circuit and output at least one output voltage different than the input voltage to the associated one or more display elements. The voltage shifters can include, for example, at least one of an amplifier, a differential amplifier, an operational amplifier, a charge pump, a level shifter and a digital-to-analog converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Alok Govil, Tsongming Kao, Marc M. Mignard, SuryaPrakash Ganti, Philip D. Floyd, Manish Kothari
  • Publication number: 20110255143
    Abstract: Methods and devices for calibrating and controlling the actuation of an analog interferometric modulator configured to have a plurality of actuation states. Devices and methods for calibrating an analog interferometric modulator to respond in linear relation to an applied voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chong U. Lee, John H. Hong, Marc M. Mignard, Alok Govil
  • Patent number: 8040338
    Abstract: A display array which can reduce the row connections between the display and the driver circuit and methods of manufacturing and operating the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a display device comprises an array of MEMS display elements and a plurality of voltage dividers coupled to the array and configured to provide row output voltages to drive the array, wherein each row is connected to at least two inputs joined by a voltage divider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Clarence Chui, Alan Lewis, Marc M. Mignard
  • Patent number: 7990604
    Abstract: Methods and devices for calibrating and controlling the actuation of an analog interferometric modulator configured to have a plurality of actuation states. Devices and methods for calibrating an analog interferometric modulator to respond in linear relation to an applied voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chong U. Lee, John H. Hong, Marc M. Mignard, Alok Govil
  • Publication number: 20100321352
    Abstract: A display array which can reduce the row connections between the display and the driver circuit and methods of manufacturing and operating the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a display device comprises an array of MEMS display elements and a plurality of voltage dividers coupled to the array and configured to provide row output voltages to drive the array, wherein each row is connected to at least two inputs joined by a voltage divider.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Clarence Chui, Alan Lewis, Marc M. Mignard
  • Publication number: 20100315696
    Abstract: Methods and devices for calibrating and controlling the actuation of an analog interferometric modulator configured to have a plurality of actuation states. Devices and methods for calibrating an analog interferometric modulator to respond in linear relation to an applied voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chong U. Lee, John H. Hong, Marc M. Mignard
  • Publication number: 20100245313
    Abstract: A method of driving electromechanical devices such as interferometric modulators includes applying a voltage along a common line to release the electromechanical devices along the common line, followed by applying an address voltage along the common line to actuate selected electromechanical devices along the common line based on voltages applied along segment lines. Hold voltages may be applied along common lines between applications of release and address voltages, and the segment voltages may be selected to be sufficiently small that the segment voltages will not affect the state of the electromechanical devices along other common lines not being written to.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan G. Lewis, Marc M. Mignard, Clarence Chui, Wilhelmus Johannes Robertus Van Lier, Mark M. Todorovich, William Cummings