Abstract: A multi-level hierarchical bus architecture implemented with a multi-chip package and a modular shared-bus provides high bandwidth. All IC components are mounted on standardized multi-chip packages. Each multi-chip package includes bus interface chips for providing communication from the integrated circuits to a board bus. One multi-chip package contains additional bus interface circuitry for providing communication from the board bus to a backplane bus.

Abstract: A bistable valve useful for paper handling applications is disclosed. The valve can be batch fabricated in two dimensional valve arrays, with each valve in the array being controlled by passive matrix addressing. Typically, each valve includes a valve housing an electrically conductive movable element such as cantilever beam, diaphragm or film. Valve action is provided by use of housing embedded switching electrodes for moving the movable element between an aperture blocking position and an aperture open position. To reduce unswitched movement when the switching electrode bias is reduced or not present, electrostatic or mechanical catches can be used.

Abstract: A bistable valve useful for paper handling applications is disclosed. The valve can be batch fabricated in two dimensional valve arrays, with each valve in the array being controlled by passive matrix addressing. Typically, each valve includes a valve housing having an aperture plate defining an aperture therethrough, and an opposing plate positioned in spaced apart relationship to the aperture plate. A flexible film or strip is attached at its first end to the aperture plate and at its second end to the opposing plate. Valve action is provided by use of at least two switching electrodes for moving the flexible film between an aperture blocking position and an aperture open position, with at least one of the switching electrodes positioned adjacent to the aperture plate and at least one of the switching electrodes positioned adjacent to the opposing plate. To reduce unswitched movement when the switching electrode bias is reduced or not present, at least two electrostatic or mechanical catches are used.

Abstract: An array of light control units has an area large enough to present images for direct viewing. The array also has light control units sufficiently dense that ordinary acuity artifacts are not noticeable in presented images when the array is directly viewed at usual viewing distances by a human with normal vision. Signal circuitry can provide signals to the light control units. The array can present an image that includes M colors, where M is more than three, even though each light control unit can only cause presentation of one of a segment with one of a set of N colors, where N is less than M. Data defining an input image with M colors are used to obtain data defining an output image that is a version of the input image but includes, for each light control unit, a color data item indicating one of its set of N colors. The signal circuitry provides signals to the light control units so that each light control unit presents a segment with the color indicated by its color data item.

Abstract: A multi-level hierarchical bus architecture implemented with a multi-chip package and a modular shared-bus provides high bandwidth. All IC components are mounted on standardized multi-chip packages. Each multi-chip package includes bus interface chips for providing communication from the integrated circuits to a board bus. One multi-chip package contains additional bus interface circuitry for providing communication from the board bus to a backplane bus.

Abstract: A full color electronic display device using two liquid crystal light valve image forming sources and having two optical paths is suitable for use in projection or direct view display applications. The two-path LCLV device generates two separate, spatially coherent color images which are combined by additive spatial superposition to produce a single, full-spectrum, composite color image. One image is composed from a spectral band of light from the long (red) and medium (green) wavelength regions of the visible light spectrum, and is formed by a liquid crystal image forming source having a high resolution which determines the effective spatial resolution of the final image. The second image is composed from a spectral band of light from the short (blue) wavelength region of the visible light spectrum, and is formed by a liquid crystal image forming source having a resolution less than that of the red and green image, thereby producing a brighter blue light image.

Abstract: A multi-level hierarchical bus architecture implemented with a multi-chip package and a modular shared-bus provides high bandwidth. All IC components are mounted on standardized multi-chip packages. Each multi-chip package includes bus interface chips for providing communication from the integrated circuits to a board bus. One multi-chip package contains additional bus interface circuitry for providing communication from the board bus to a backplane bus.

Abstract: A full color display is disclosed having a high efficiency light source optically coupled by a light coupling lens array to the active matrix of pixel elements of an image forming means such as a transmissive liquid crystal light valve. The light source is comprised of a patterned matrix of individual, primary colored visible radiation emitters, such as individual phosphor elements, arranged in a manner suitable for the human eye to integrate the individual primary colored lights into a single mixture color. The light coupling lens array collects substantially all of the light rays emitted from each primary colored light emitter and focuses them on a respective one of the transparent electrodes in the active matrix, as a real image smaller than the size of the electrode. A suitable light coupling lens array is a gradient index lens array, a multiple layer, two dimensional array of microlenses functionally analogous to an array of strip lenses, or a microlens array.

Abstract: A full color display is disclosed having a high efficiency light source optically coupled by a light coupling lens array to the active matrix of pixel elements of an image forming means such as a transmissive liquid crystal light valve. The light source is comprised of a patterned matrix of individual, primary colored visible radiation emitters, such as individual phosphor elements, arranged in a manner suitable for the human eye to integrate the individual primary colored lights into a single mixture color. The light coupling lens array collects substantially all of the light rays emitted from each primary colored light emitter and focuses them on a respective one of the transparent electrodes in the active matrix, as a real image smaller than the size of the electrode. A suitable light coupling lens array is a gradient index lens array, a multiple layer, two dimensional array of microlenses functionally analogous to an array of strip lenses, or a microlens array.

Abstract: A full color display is disclosed having a high efficiency light source optically coupled by a light coupling lens array to the active matrix of pixel elements of an image forming means such as a transmissive liquid crystal light valve. The light source is comprised of a patterned matrix of individual, primary colored visible radiation emitters, such as individual phosphor elements, arranged in a manner suitable for the human eye to integrate the individual primary colored lights into a single mixture color. The light coupling lens array collects substantially all of the light rays emitted from each primary colored light emitter and focuses them on a respective one of the transparent electrodes in the active matrix, as a real image smaller than the size of the electrode. A suitable light coupling lens array is a gradient index lens array, a multiple layer, two dimensional array of microlenses functionally analogous to an array of strip lenses, or a microlens array.

Abstract: A thin-film structure on an insulating substrate includes an array of binary control units with an area of at least 90 cm.sup.2 and a density of at least 60 binary control units per cm. One implementation has an area of approximately 510 cm.sup.2, a diagonal of approximately 33 cm, and a total of approximately 6.3 million binary control units. Each binary control unit has a lead for receiving a unit drive signal, to which it responds by causing presentation of a segment of images presented by the array. Each binary control unit can present a segment with either a first color having a maximum intensity or a second color having a minimum intensity. Each binary control unit's unit drive signal causes the binary control unit to present its first and second colors. The substrate can be glass. Each binary control unit can include an amorphous silicon thin-film transistor (TFT) and a storage capacitor. Each binary control unit can be square.

Abstract: A method for achieving a color projection of an image directs light from a source to a dispersive element and disperses the light received by the element into a spectrum of light having different colors at different angles. Each color band of the resulting spectrum is focused, and the dispersed color bands are modulated in color bands corresponding to those received during the focusing onto a modulating element. Finally, the modulated light beams are recombined for projecting onto a projection surface.

Abstract: A light sensing and display driving apparatus is operable independent of polling cycle providing a more accurate sensing of the patterns of illumination incident on an array of such apparatus, with a minimum of required interconnections per pixel. Each address line may simultaneously initialize one row of apparatus while enabling the subsequent row of apparatus. The apparatus is also compatible with elements capable of providing gain in the sensing mode, given that the photosensitive element is separate from the path across which voltage or current is measured. The display driving portion is compatible with standard active-matrix LCDs. The apparatus allows a minimum physical isolation between the sensing and display portions while maintaining sufficient electrical isolation to prevent the deleterious effects resulting from application of a display driving potential to sensing circuitry, and allows employing a timing scheme for both sensing and display driving within a short time period.

Abstract: An integrated sample and hold circuit includes a capacitor that is charged through a channel, such as a first input transistor's channel. Feedback circuitry connected to the first transistor's channel leads maintains approximately zero voltage difference between the channel leads to prevent leakage current when the first transitor is turned off. Isolation circuitry, such as a second input transistor, isolates the first transistor from the input voltage while a voltage level is being stored, and the gates of both input transistors can be connected to receive the same store signal. The feedback circuitry can include a follower transistor with its gate connected to the first transistor's output lead and a first channel lead connected to the first transistor's input lead and to load circuitry that maintains current flow through the follower transistor. To ensure that it does not pass current to or from the capacitive element, the follower transistor can be an MOS device or other insulated gate transistor.

Abstract: A light sensing apparatus adaptable for inclusion in an array of such apparatus is operable independent of polling cycle providing a more accurate sensing of the patterns of illumination incident on an array of such apparatus. The apparatus facilitates utlizing each address line to simultaneously initialize one row of apparatus while enabling the subsequent row of apparatus. The apparatus is also compatible with elements capable of providing gain, given that the photosensitive element is separate from the path across which voltage or current is measured. The apparatus may be fabricated of amorphous silicon. The light sensing cell includes an input terminal, an output terminal, a conductive element electrically interconnecting the input and output terminals, a multiple-state sensing device, means for establishing an initial state of the sensing device, means for changing the initial state of the sensing device in response to the incidence of electromagnetic or ionizing radiation (e.g.

Abstract: An improved MOS capacitor array formed on a semiconductor substrate comprises rectangular strips of an active region overlapped by rectangular strips of conductive material. The active region and conductive material are separated by an insulating layer. The strips form an array of capacitors which are more tightly packed than the prior art and which are less sensitive to alignment errors than the prior art.

Abstract: A multichannel ADC is fabricated on a single IC with each analog channel for concurrently processing input analogue signal in a pipelined manner and including a dual purpose intermediate amplifier for amplifying an input voltage to be converted and providing a reference voltage for use during conversion. A unique capacitor array reduces the area required to implement the convertors.

Abstract: Anisotropic etching of thick photoresist under plasma conditions to achieve a vertical side wall with or without undercutting is accomplished by operating at a low excitation frequency, a pressure in the range of 0.3 to 2 Torr and a controlled concentration of active species.