Patents by Inventor Nicholas George Merz

Nicholas George Merz 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: 9208709
    Abstract: Systems and devices are provided for using an organic light emitting diode (OLED) as a backlight for a liquid crystal display (LCD) device. In one embodiment, an OLED backlight may include one or more OLED elements disposed between two substrates. The OLED backlight may be optically bonded to the back of an LCD, and may further be electrically connected with the LCD active matrix. In one embodiment, information transmitted to selected pixels of the LCD active matrix may also be used by elements of the OLED backlight which are electrically connected to the selected LCD pixels. For example, the OLED backlight may respond to grayscale information transmitted to selected LCD pixels by emitting a corresponding intensity of light. In some embodiments, the LCD device may include other functions, such as touch sensing capabilities, which may be integrated with the LCD and OLED backlight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Nicholas George Merz
  • Publication number: 20110273377
    Abstract: Systems and devices are provided for using an organic light emitting diode (OLED) as a backlight for a liquid crystal display (LCD) device. In one embodiment, an OLED backlight may include one or more OLED elements disposed between two substrates. The OLED backlight may be optically bonded to the back of an LCD, and may further be electrically connected with the LCD active matrix. In one embodiment, information transmitted to selected pixels of the LCD active matrix may also be used by elements of the OLED backlight which are electrically connected to the selected LCD pixels. For example, the OLED backlight may respond to grayscale information transmitted to selected LCD pixels by emitting a corresponding intensity of light. In some embodiments, the LCD device may include other functions, such as touch sensing capabilities, which may be integrated with the LCD and OLED backlight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: Nicholas George Merz