Patents by Inventor Roel Beernaert

Roel Beernaert 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).

  • Method for operating a micromirror device with electromechanical pulse width modulation
    Patent number: 8797629
    Abstract: A method of operating by pulse width modulation a micromirror device is disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes providing a micromirror device having a micromirror element electrostatically deflectable around a rotation axis between a first and second position. The micromirror element is controllable by applying voltage signals to a first and second electrode on one side of the rotation axis and a third and fourth electrode on the other side. The method includes associating an intermediate value of intensity to the micromirror element during a time frame, the intensity being between a first value corresponding to the first position and a second value corresponding to the second position. The method includes switching the micromirror element between the first and second position. The intermediate value corresponds to the ratio of periods in the time frame in which the micromirror element is in the first or second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignees: IMEC, Universiteit Gent
    Inventors: Herbert De Smet, Roel Beernaert
  • METHOD FOR OPERATING A MICROMIRROR DEVICE WITH ELECTROMECHANICAL PULSE WIDTH MODULATION
    Publication number: 20120062978
    Abstract: A method of operating by pulse width modulation a micromirror device is disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes providing a micromirror device having a micromirror element electrostatically deflectable around a rotation axis between a first and second position. The micromirror element is controllable by applying voltage signals to a first and second electrode on one side of the rotation axis and a third and fourth electrode on the other side. The method includes associating an intermediate value of intensity to the micromirror element during a time frame, the intensity being between a first value corresponding to the first position and a second value corresponding to the second position. The method includes switching the micromirror element between the first and second position. The intermediate value corresponds to the ratio of periods in the time frame in which the micromirror element is in the first or second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicants: Universiteit Gent, IMEC
    Inventors: Herbert De Smet, Roel Beernaert