Abstract: According to an aspect of the disclosure, a user input device is provided comprising a substrate configured to couple to a user, at least one sensing unit, the at least one sensing unit being coupled to the substrate and being configured to provide an output signal indicative of an amount of deformation of the substrate, and a controller coupled to the at least one sensing unit, the controller being configured to receive, from the at least one sensing unit, the output signal, and determine, based on the output signal, at least one gesture performed by the user.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for an electromechanical systems (EMS) assembly. The EMS assembly includes a substrate, an anchor disposed on the substrate, and a suspended planar body supported over the substrate by the anchor. The suspended planar body includes at least one depression extending out of a plane of the suspended planar body and protruding towards the substrate. The suspended planar body also includes a substantially horizontal portion corresponding to a gap in the at least one depression. An extent of the gap is up to 20% of a length of the suspended planar body.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for providing compact shutter assemblies. Shutter assemblies can be formed in a more compact fashion, allowing for higher pixel-per-inch displays, by incorporating shutters that during actuation pass over or under portions of the actuators that control those shutters.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for shutter-based EMS light modulators controlled by electrode actuators that include complementary sets of corrugations or teeth along the opposing beams of the actuators. The complementary sets of corrugations substantially engage one another when drawn together via an actuation voltage. By applying the actuation voltage across the opposing beams of such an actuator, the beams are drawn together both by the electromotive force resulting from the electric field acting between the portions of the beams that are substantially perpendicular to the direction of actuation of the actuator, and by fringing fields between the sides of the corrugations, which are substantially parallel to the direction of actuation. The additional fringing fields provide for increased electromotive force for a given input voltage.

Abstract: Display devices incorporating light modulators are disclosed along with methods of manufacturing such devices. According to some aspects of the invention, a control matrix for controlling light modulators of a display includes a light absorbing layer that includes a material having a substantially light absorbing property.

Abstract: A display apparatus includes a first substrate, a plurality of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) light modulators formed from a structural material coupled to the first substrate and a second substrate separated from the first substrate. A plurality of spacers extend from the first substrate to keep the second substrate a minimum distance away from the plurality of light modulators. The spacers include a first polymer layer having a surface in contact with the first substrate, a second polymer layer encapsulating the first polymer layer and a layer of the structural material encapsulating the second polymer layer. The spacers can be used as fluid barriers and configured to surround more than one but less than all of the MEMS light modulators in the display apparatus.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for a multi-state shutter assembly. The multi-state shutter assembly can be used in an electronic display. The shutter assembly can include a movable light obstructing component. The shutter assembly also can include first and second actuators configured to move the light obstructing component between three states, including a fully light obstructive state, a substantially transmissive state, and a partially transmissive state. At least one of the three states is a neutral state in which both the first and second actuators are in an unactuated state. The shutter assembly also can include a controller configured to control the first and second actuator to selectively move the light obstructing component into each of the three states.

Abstract: The invention relates, in various aspects, to systems and methods for MEMS actuated displays that can be driven at high speeds and at low voltages for improved image quality and reduced power consumption.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for modulating light to form an image on a display, as well as methods manufacturing such apparatus. The display apparatus includes dual-level shutter assemblies. Each dual-level shutter assembly includes front and rear light obstructing levels positioned adjacent to respective front and rear light blocking layers. The front and rear light blocking layers define apertures providing optical paths from a backlight to the front of the display. The dual-level shutters selectively obstruct these optical paths to generate an image.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for shutter-based EMS light modulators controlled by electrode actuators that include a compliant inner beam electrode positioned between a movable beam electrode and a fixed beam electrode. A first voltage is applied to the movable beam electrode, and a sufficiently different voltage is applied to one of the compliant beam electrode and the fixed outer beam electrode. During actuation, the movable beam electrode is drawn towards the compliant inner beam electrode, while the combination of the movable beam electrode and the compliant inner beam electrode are further drawn to the fixed beam electrode.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for generating images using dual-shutter shutter assemblies. Such shutter assemblies include two shutters that move over a common aperture to selectively obstruct the passage of light there through. In the closed position, portions of one of the shutters overlaps a portion of the other shutter to provide such light obstruction without the two shutters needing to come into contact.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for modulating light to form an image on a display, as well as methods manufacturing such apparatus. The display apparatus includes shutters having asymmetric light obstructing portions extending out from opposing sides of a shutter aperture along an axis of motion of the shutter. Actuators move the shutters laterally along the axis of motion to move the shutter between fully closed, partially open, and fully open states to modulate light, thereby forming an image.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for incorporating tip-gap adjustment features (TGAF) in actuators of shutter assemblies. The TGAF are incorporated into a drive beam of the actuator during the formation of the shutter assembly over a mold. The TGAF are configured such that they develop a mechanical stress or stress gradient. When the shutter assembly is released from the mold, the stress or stress gradient in the TGAF bend the drive beam such that a tip-gap between the drive beam and a load beam of the actuator is reduced. The reduced tip-gap, in turn, reduces an actuation voltage needed to actuate the shutter assembly.

Abstract: The invention relates to a light modulator including a substrate having a surface and a modulation assembly coupled to the substrate that includes a modulation element and a first compliant beam. The first compliant beam includes a first segment that extend away from a first anchor and a second segment that extends back towards the first anchor. The length of the first segment is different than the length of the second segment.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for enabling a display to have a faster switching rate and an increased aperture ratio by using looped electrical interconnects with a reduced footprint. In one aspect, a display apparatus includes an array of display elements and a high-aspect ratio electrical interconnect connected to at least one display element in the array of display elements, wherein the high-aspect ratio electrical interconnect forms a loop that defines a closed boundary.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improved apparatus and method for the design and manufacture of MEMS anchoring structures for light modulators in order to address the stresses of beams mounted on them.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for shutter-based EMS light modulators controlled by electrode actuators that include complementary sets of corrugations or teeth along the opposing beams of the actuators. The complementary sets of corrugations substantially engage one another when drawn together via an actuation voltage. By applying the actuation voltage across the opposing beams of such an actuator, the beams are drawn together both by the electromotive force resulting from the electric field acting between the portions of the beams that are substantially perpendicular to the direction of actuation of the actuator, and by fringing fields between the sides of the corrugations, which are substantially parallel to the direction of actuation. The additional fringing fields provide for increased electromotive force for a given input voltage.

Abstract: A display apparatus includes a backlight and an aperture layer that is positioned in front of the backlight and defines a plurality of apertures. The display apparatus also includes a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) light modulator configured to modulate light emitted by the backlight passing through the apertures to form an image on the display apparatus. The MEMS light modulator includes a shutter that has a light blocking portion having an aperture layer-facing surface and a front-facing surface and at least one depression formed in the light blocking portion. The width of the at least one depression accounts for at least 50% but less than 100% of a distance separating two edges of the shutter.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for controlling pixels of a display apparatus. An apparatus including a plurality of pixels can be controlled by a control matrix. The control matrix includes for each pixel a first transistor that has a first threshold voltage and a second transistor that has a second threshold voltage. A single data interconnect provides a common data voltage to the first and second transistors to control the states of corresponding first and second light modulators.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for modulating light to form an image on a display, as well as methods manufacturing such apparatus. The display apparatus includes dual-level shutter assemblies. Each dual-level shutter assembly includes front and rear light obstructing levels positioned adjacent to respective front and rear light blocking layers. The front and rear light blocking layers define apertures providing optical paths from a backlight to the front of the display. The dual-level shutters selectively obstruct these optical paths to generate an image.