Light-controlling Display Elements Patents (Class 345/84)
  • Patent number: 8125425
    Abstract: A display has a screen which incorporates a light modulator. The screen may be a front projection screen or a rear-projection screen. The screen is illuminated with light from a light source comprising an array of controllable light-emitters. The controllable-emitters and elements of the light modulator may be controlled to adjust the intensity of light emanating from corresponding areas on the screen. The display may provide a high dynamic range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Lorne A. Whitehead, Helge Seetzen, Don Graham, Greg Ward, Wolfgang Stuerzlinger
  • Patent number: 8125407
    Abstract: A micromirror device, which makes an image display with digital image data, comprises pixel elements which are arranged in the form of a matrix and each of which modulates incident light by using an ON state for deflecting incident light to projection optics, an OFF state for deflecting incident light to a direction different from the projection optics, and an oscillation state where a mirror oscillates between the ON and the OFF state, and a timing controller for performing a timing control for loading the image data into the pixel elements arranged in the form of the matrix. Each of the pixel elements has a mirror, and at least one memory cell. The pixel elements arranged in the form of the matrix are grouped into a plurality of subsets. The timing controller performs a timing control for loading the image data at independent timing for each of the plurality of subsets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignees: Silicon Quest Kabushiki-Kaisha, Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuma Aral, Fusao Ishii, Yoshihiro Maeda
  • Patent number: 8115708
    Abstract: A system and method for the prevention of display burn-in in Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) and non-MPEG environments. In one environment, a system may include an image sampler to sample images from a decoded video stream; a static area detector to successively compare the sampled images using a pixel-wise XOR operation, where the static area detector marks an area in the compared images that appear as zero brightness; and a burn-in prevention module to apply a burn-in preventative technique for a period of time to the marked area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Atul Hatalkar
  • Patent number: 8115709
    Abstract: An exemplary electro-wetting display (EWD) device includes an upper substrate, a lower substrate opposite to the upper substrate, a plurality of side walls interposed between the upper and lower substrates and cooperating with the upper and lower substrates to form a plurality of pixel units, a first polar liquid disposed in the pixel units, a second, colored, non-polar liquid disposed in the pixel units and being immiscible with the first liquid, and a plurality of scanning lines disposed on the lower substrate and parallel to and spaced apart from each other for providing scanning signals to the pixel units. Each of the pixel units corresponds to at least part of a corresponding previous scanning line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Chimei Innolux Corporation
    Inventors: Jia-Shyong Cheng, Shing-Shiang Chang, Chih-Han Chao
  • Patent number: 8106858
    Abstract: The present invention provides a display board (30) comprising an array of light emitting elements (31), a driving means (32) for driving the light emitting elements (31) with image data, and an aging determination means (33). The aging determination means (33) comprises one or more light emitting elements for emitting light representative of the light emitted by the light emitting elements (31) of the display board (30), and at least one reference light emitting element (35) which, during use of the display board (30) is not driven. At the time of an intermediate calibration, the at least one reference light emitting element (35) is driven with calibration data and the light emitted by the reference light emitting element (35) is measured, as well as light representative of the light emitted by the light emitting elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Barco N.V.
    Inventor: Peter Gerets
  • Patent number: 8106861
    Abstract: An electro-wetting display device includes a first substrate; a second substrate opposite to the first substrate; a plurality of side walls interposed between the first and second substrates, the side walls being arranged in a matrix and cooperating with the first and second substrates to form a plurality of spaces; a first polar liquid disposed in each of the spaces; a second, colored, non-polar liquid disposed in each of the spaces. The second liquid is immiscible with the first liquid. The second substrate includes a reflective electrode and a hydrophobic insulating layer disposed on the reflective electrode. The reflective electrode includes a first metal layer and a transparent protective layer, and the transparent protective layer is interposed between the metal layer and the hydrophobic insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Chimei Innolux Corporation
    Inventors: Rei-Yun Lee, Jung-Lung Huang
  • Patent number: 8106860
    Abstract: A composite display may include a paddle configured to sweep out an area and a plurality of pixel elements mounted on the paddle. Selectively activating one or more of the plurality of pixel elements while the paddle sweeps the area may cause at least a portion of an image to be rendered. A characteristic of at least one pixel element of the plurality of pixel elements that is associated with balancing luminance across the composite display associated with the paddle may be based, at least in part, on a radial distance of the one pixel element from an axis of rotation of the paddle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Qualcomm Mems Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Clarence Chui
  • Patent number: 8106929
    Abstract: A peak intensity level control device that controls a peak intensity level in a self light-emitting display module of an active matrix driving type is disclosed. The device includes: an average picture value calculation section that calculates an average picture value of display data to be supplied to the self light-emitting display module; a driving condition control section that controls, at a time of performing intensity-up driving with respect to the peak intensity level, a driving condition of the self light-emitting display module so as to be able to derive the peak intensity level suited for the average picture value; and a gamma change section that applies, at the time of performing the intensity-up driving with respect to the peak intensity level, a gamma change to the display data so as not to increase power consumption compared with driving with the peak intensity level of a standard value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Ozawa, Mitsuru Tada
  • Patent number: 8102363
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment, a driving method of an electrophoresis display device includes an image-erasing step in which an old image displayed on the displaying section of the electrophoresis display device is erased. The image-erasing step of the driving method of the electrophoresis display device further includes a first image-erasing sub step of displaying a first gradation in each of the pixels of a first area and displaying a second gradation in each of the pixels of a second area; and a second image-erasing sub step of displaying the second gradation in each of the pixels of the first area and displaying the first gradation in each of the pixels of the second area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Hirayama
  • Patent number: 8102362
    Abstract: A system and method for writing bistable media with a writehead is described. The media has two or more discrete write areas, each area defined by at least one electrical contact, and the media further has at least one alignment feature positioned with regard to one or more discrete write area. The writehead has corresponding alignment features and electrical conductors to the alignment features and electrical contacts of the media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Theodore K. Ricks, Robert G. Capurso, David M. Johnson, Domenic Maiola
  • Patent number: 8094094
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a light emitting device for preventing a cross-talk phenomenon and a pectinated pattern. The light emitting device includes data lines, scan lines, pixels and discharging circuit. The data lines are disposed in a first direction. The scan lines are disposed in a second direction different from the first direction. The pixels are formed in cross areas of the data lines and the scan lines. The discharging circuit discharges respectively a first data line and a second data line of the data lines to a first discharge voltage and a second discharge voltage during a first sub-discharging time of a discharging time, and couple the first data line to the second data line during a second sub-discharging time of the discharging time. Here, the second discharge voltage has different magnitude from the first discharge voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ji Hun Kim
  • Patent number: 8089433
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to a system and method of enhancing a contrast ratio of a display device. An exemplary method comprises determining a quantity of pixels in a frame of video data having a predetermined level of blackness, comparing the quantity of pixels to a reference value, and modulating an illumination signal based on a quantity of pixels exceeding the reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: TTE Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Francis Rumreich, John Alan Hague
  • Patent number: 8089647
    Abstract: An information processing device to generate data pertaining to a document from electronic paper which has a display section to display and retain the document, and a memory to store document identification data, includes a document data storage unit which stores document electronic data, a communication unit which acquires document identification data from the electronic paper, a reading unit which scans the display section, a data extraction unit which extracts from the document data storage unit document electronic data corresponding to the document identification data, a difference processing unit which extracts a note image appended on a surface of the display section according to a difference between an image from the extracted document electronic data and an image of the scanned display section, and a data generation unit which associates data of the extracted appendix image and the extracted document electronic data, thereby generates data pertaining to the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Hotta, Yoshitsugu Hirose, Yoko Ogura, Yasunori Saito, Ikutaroh Nagatsuka
  • Patent number: 8089431
    Abstract: The present invention provides a various methods, systems and devices for controlling light modulating elements and/or spatial light modulators. In some embodiments of the present invention, a recursive feedback method is used to control light modulating elements and/or spatial light modulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Syndiant, Inc.
    Inventors: Karl M. Guttag, Alvin Guttag
  • Patent number: 8089432
    Abstract: A display device that can prevent linear unevenness (uneven line) generated in one direction of a display image and can provide excellent display qualities includes a pixel including sub-pixels of n-colors (where n is an integer of 4 or more), and a signal line arranged to drive sub-pixels, the pixel and the signal line arranged to drive sub-pixels being disposed in a display region. The signal line arranged to drive sub-pixels is disposed on a display region center side of a sub-pixel positioned at least one terminal of the display region. The signal line arranged to drive sub-pixels is not disposed on a non-display region side of the sub-pixel positioned at the at least one terminal. The sub-pixel positioned at the at least one terminal has a color other than a color with the highest luminance of the n-colors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryoki Itoh, Yuhko Hisada
  • Patent number: 8083561
    Abstract: A display panel and a method for repairing signal lines thereof are disclosed. The display panel includes at least one shorting bar, switches, and auxiliary repair lines. The switches are electrically coupled respectively to signal lines and the at least one shorting bar. Both ends of each of the auxiliary repair lines overlap one of connections between the switches and the at least one shorting bar. When a signal line is damaged, the method for repairing includes: breaking off each of the connections between each of the switches and the at least one shorting bar by cutting; and welding both ends of one of the auxiliary repair lines which correspond to the damaged signal line with both sides of one of the connections which correspond to the damaged signal line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Chunghwa Picture Tubes, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun-yao Huang, Yin-hsiang Teng, Ren-tsai Hung, Han-chang Chen, Chia-jung Han
  • Patent number: 8081177
    Abstract: A display device having a display substrate defining an optical waveguide for transporting light carrying pixel information; a chiplet disposed over the display substrate, having a chiplet substrate separate from the display substrate, a photosensor responsive to light from the optical waveguide at the selected control wavelength for providing the pixel information, a selection circuit responsive to the pixel information for providing a control signal, and a drive circuit responsive to the control signal, wherein the chiplet is adapted to receive the transported light; an optical transmitter for transmitting the pixel information from the controller as light at the selected control wavelength into the optical waveguide, and a display optical element located in or over the display area responsive to the drive circuit for providing light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Global OLED Technology LLC
    Inventors: Christopher J. White, John W. Hamer
  • Patent number: 8075408
    Abstract: In a first aspect there is provided a modular visual output component for a gaming machine, including a housing, at least one visual output device, an input connector electrically coupled to the visual output device, and an output connector electrically coupled to the input connector. The input and output connectors being arranged relative to the housing and shaped such that the output connector can be connected to an input connector of a further modular visual output component having the same configuration with the modular visual output components abutting one another, whereby two or more modular visual output components can be joined to one another and supplied from a common power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty.
    Inventor: John Shi Feng Hwang
  • Patent number: 8077140
    Abstract: A liquid crystal panel module of a liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel on its front side and an EEFL backlight on its back side within a metal frame. A metal chassis is arranged at the center of the metal frame on the back surface of the liquid crystal panel module. A power supply circuit board and a video signal processing board are mounted on the metal chassis. An inverter board is arranged on the metal frame near one side of the metal frame on the back surface. The power supply circuit board includes a noise filter, an active filter and an isolation transformer. The inverter board includes a step-up transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Pansonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kumamoto, Takashi Uno
  • Publication number: 20110298786
    Abstract: The present invention provides a color electronic paper display device including: rotating balls; a barrier structure for partitioning the rotating balls; and an electrode structure which is provided in the barrier structure and applies voltages to the rotating balls, wherein the barrier structure is made of a photo-reactive barrier material including insulating resin, hardener, and a photo-sensitive material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jae Choon Cho, Sang Moon Lee, Hyung Mi Jung, Choon Keun Lee
  • Publication number: 20110298762
    Abstract: A driving device for a portable electronic display device for showing a digital content includes a movement sensor installed in the portable electronic display device, for detecting a rotating status of the portable electronic display device to generate a detecting result, and a control module for switching to display a plurality of pages of the digital content according to the detecting result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventor: Shu-Yi Lin
  • Publication number: 20110298695
    Abstract: A laser-based display device includes a plurality of ultraviolet lasers configured to excite a phosphor-containing display screen in order to produce visible light. The laser-based display device also includes a reference laser used for calibration operations. A control system within the laser-based display device causes the reference laser beam to scan across one or more calibration features, and adjusts optical components of the laser-based display device, including activation timing of the ultraviolet lasers, based on feedback patterns generated by the calibration features, to compensate for drift effects. The calibration features may be disposed off-screen or on-screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventors: Roger Hajjar, Chris Butler, Brian Tremaine
  • Patent number: 8072402
    Abstract: An optical device suitable for forming a pixel in a video display. The optical device includes a first layer having a first refractive index; a second layer over the first layer, the second layer having a second refractive index less than the first refractive index; and a third layer over the second layer, the third layer having a third refractive index larger than the second refractive index; and a fourth layer that is at least partially optically absorptive, wherein the optical stack and the fourth layer are a first distance from one another when the device is in a first state and are a second distance from one another when the device is in a second state, the first distance different from the second distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Qualcomm Mems Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Gang Xu
  • Patent number: 8063464
    Abstract: A photo detector is disclosed. The photo detector has a substrate, a semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate, an insulating layer covered on the semiconductor layer, an interlayer dielectric layer covered on the insulating layer, and two electrodes formed on a portion of the interlayer dielectric layer. The semiconductor layer has a first doping region, a second doping region, and an intrinsic region located between the first doping region and the second doping region. The interlayer dielectric layer has at least three holes to expose a portion of the insulating layer, a portion of the first doping region, and the second doping region. The electrodes are connected to the first doping region and the second doping region through two of the holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corp.
    Inventors: Chien-Sen Weng, Yi-Wei Chen, Chih-Wei Chao, Kun-Chih Lin
  • Patent number: 8061854
    Abstract: The present invention provides a projection apparatus, comprising: a light source; at least one spatial light modulator for modulating illumination light from the light source by a plurality of pixel elements by using different modulation states; a light source control unit performing a modulation control of the light source; and a spatial light modulator control unit generating, from an input image signal, a control signal for driving the spatial light modulator, wherein: the light source control unit has a function of receiving data corresponding to the control signal generated by the spatial light modulator control unit, controlling a parameter of an emission pulse of the illumination light emitted from the light source, and thereby adjusting an emission intensity of the illumination light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignees: Silicon Quest Kabushiki-Kaisha, Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Shirai, Hirokazu Nishino, Yoshiaki Horikawa, Fusao Ishii
  • Publication number: 20110279357
    Abstract: Changeable displays are described and methods of making and using such displays are described as well. Displays can be made changeable using wireless communications, including through cellular indications networks. GSM modem technology can be used. A changeable display can incorporate a GSM modem incorporating a programmable SIM card, which may be programmed with a cellular telephone number for remotely accessing the display. An I/O unit may be included to interface between the modem and a visual display. An edge lit display is also described along with its method of manufacture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Inventor: William Gary Leeks
  • Patent number: 8059329
    Abstract: A display substrate includes an insulation substrate, a gate line formed on the insulation substrate, a data line formed on the insulation substrate and crossing the gate line, a switching element formed on the insulation substrate and electrically connected to the gate line and the data line, and a pixel electrode formed on the insulation substrate. The pixel electrode is electrically connected to the switching element and includes a reflective electrode layer which reflects light and an absorption electrode layer which absorbs light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keun-Kyu Song, Ju-Han Bae, Seong-Sik Shin, Bo-Sung Kim
  • Patent number: 8049712
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide an electronic paper display system that can include an electronic paper and the writing device. The writing device transmits power and baseband signals by using an electromagnetic coupling between a coil of the writing device and a coil of the electronic paper. The baseband signals, which are encoded by the writing device, are decoded by a decoder of the electronic paper and fed to the control circuit to illustrate images on a bi-stable display unit. The electronic paper has a power storage that temporarily stores power transmitted by using electromagnetic coupling for absorbing fluctuation of power in both transmission and consumption. The asynchronous design of this invention brings both robustness and low-power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuo Karaki
  • Patent number: 8049696
    Abstract: A standby circuit and method for a display device is disclosed. A detector detects voltage drop of the first termination resistor of a positive path of a clock channel, and the second termination resistors of a negative path. Upon detecting the voltage drop, a switch controller disconnects the positive path or the negative path that has the detected voltage drop, thereby saving power in the standby mode of the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Himax Media Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Hui-Min Wang
  • Patent number: 8049707
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a spatial light modulator and an illumination unit for supplying light to the spatial light modulator. The power consumed by the illumination unit is reduced by adjusting both the intensity of light emitted by the illumination unit and video words that are supplied to the spatial light modulator in accordance with what is to be displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Inventor: Lawson A. Wood
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8044926
    Abstract: In an information display panel, in which one or more groups of display media having light reflectance and charge characteristic, constituted by at least one group of particles, are sealed between opposed two substrates, at least one substrate being transparent, and, in which the display media, to which an electrostatic field is applied, are made to move so as to display information, in order to seal a space between one substrate and the other substrate, a gap-space maintaining member is formed at either one or both of an outer side and an inner side with respect to a sealing-agent arranging portion arranged at an outer peripheral portion of an information display region of the panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Takanori Shoji
  • Publication number: 20110254758
    Abstract: Various embodiments described herein involve making connections with the display leads on more than one side of the display array, e.g., on 2 sides, 3 sides or all 4 sides of the display array. By making connections with the display leads on more than one side of the display array, the available area for bonding leads and control circuitry may be increased. The driver chip(s), discrete components, and other active components necessary for addressing the display panel may be attached to the top or the bottom of a flexible printed circuit (“FPC”) or a similar device. Some embodiments involve attaching an FPC to the display such that that the backplate is substantially encased by the FPC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Peng Cheng Lin, Mithran Cheriyan Mathew
  • Patent number: 8040305
    Abstract: A display system 100 includes a light source 110 and a color wheel 114. An optical section 112 is arranged to receive light from the light source 110 and to direct the light toward a color wheel 114. A digital micromirror device 122 is arranged to receive the light from the color wheel 114 and to direct image data toward a display. The image data includes an array of pixels arranged in rows and columns. The array of pixels is arranged as curved color bands during a first time period and rectangular color bands during a second time period. The second time period being concurrent with but of a shorter duration than the first time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Daniel J. Morgan, Donald B. Doherty, William J. Sexton
  • Patent number: 8040318
    Abstract: The electrophoretic display panel(1) for displaying a picture and subsequently displaying a subsequent picture has a pixel(2) having an electrophoretic medium (5) having first and second charged particles (6,7) and an optical state depending on the positions of the particles (6,7) in the common region (30) of the pixel (2). Furthermore, transition control means are able to control a transition of the first and the second particles (6,7) being in substantially separated domains of the common region (30) for displaying the picture to substantially separated domains of the common region (30) for displaying the subsequent picture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Peter Alexander Duine, Dirk Jan Broer, Marcellinus Petrus Carolus Krijn, Volker Schoellmann, Mark Thomas Johnson, Patrick John Baesjou, Eduard Matheus Johannes Niessen
  • Patent number: 8040332
    Abstract: A light scan device which forces a beam light depending on an image signal to scan, including: a light source part for supplying the beam light; and a scanning part for forcing the beam light from the light source part to scan an illumination-target region in a first direction and a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction, wherein the scanning part is driven so that a frequency with which the beam light is forced to scan in the first direction is higher than a frequency with which the beam light is forced to scan in the second direction, and a spot formed on the illumination-target region by the beam light has a form with a shorter size in the first direction than in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuro Yamazaki, Takashi Takeda, Daisuke Uchikawa, Yasunaga Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 8035880
    Abstract: In a reflective a display device based on layer break up or layer displacement having at least two different states, in which one of the fluids (5) e.g. oil in a first state adjoins at least a first support plate (3) and in the second state the other fluid (6) at least partly adjoins the first support plate, in which picture elements are separated by areas (13) having a hydrophilic surface dyes (or sometimes pigments) are added to the oil (usually hydrocarbon but also possibly silicone or fluorocarbon), to provide sufficient optical intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Liquavista, B.V.
    Inventors: Robert A. Hayes, Mickael Joulaud, Thibault J B Roques-Carmes, Stephanie A. Palmier
  • Patent number: 8035879
    Abstract: An electrowetting display device includes a first and a second transparent substrates, multiple partition walls, a polar liquid, a non-polar liquid, and a phosphor layer. The non-polar liquid is opaque and immiscible with the polar liquid. The phosphor layer is formed on at least one of the first and the second transparent substrates. The phosphor layer comprises a first part that transforms the short-wavelength light into red light, a second part that transforms the short-wavelength light into green light, and a third part that transforms the short-wavelength light into blue light or allows the short-wavelength light to pass therethrough without transformation. Each of the first, the second, and the third parts is corresponding to one pixel unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Wintek Corporation
    Inventors: Wen-Chun Wang, Kuo-Chang Su, Cheng-Yi Chen
  • Patent number: 8035626
    Abstract: A current drive circuit which can improve a rate for signal writing and a driving rate of an element even when a signal current is small, and a display device using the current drive circuit are provided. The current drive circuit for supplying a signal current to a node of a driven circuit through a signal line includes a precharge function for supplying a precharge voltage to the node through the signal line and the precharge function includes a supply function for supplying the precharge voltage to the node and the signal line prior to supplying the signal current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hajime Kimura
  • Patent number: 8031133
    Abstract: A method and device for manipulating color in a display includes a display in which one or more of the pixels includes one or more display elements, such as interferometric modulators, configured to output colored light and one or more display elements configured to output white light. Other embodiments include methods of making such displays. In addition, embodiments include color displays configured to provide a greater proportion of the intensity of output light in green portions of the visible spectrum in order to increase perceived brightness of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian J. Gally, William J. Cummings
  • Publication number: 20110234605
    Abstract: A display which includes a plurality of sub-pixels each split into a plurality of sub-regions. Each sub-pixel includes a single gate line and a single signal line, and each sub-region within a given sub-pixel includes a corresponding storage capacitor line. An optical element cooperatively combines with the plurality of sub-pixels to create distinct angularly dependent brightness functions in association with corresponding sub-regions within the sub-pixels. Control electronics are configured to provide image data levels in the form of signal data voltages to each sub-region included within each sub-pixel via the gate line and signal line included within the sub-pixel; and to independently modify the signal data voltages provided to each sub-region within the sub-pixels via the corresponding storage capacitor lines whereby the display operates in accordance with at least two different image functions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Nathan James Smith, Benjamin James Broughton, Patrick Zebedee, Jonathan Mather
  • Patent number: 8026880
    Abstract: A microlouver includes a periodic structure in which a transparent layer and a light absorption layer are alternately disposed with a constant, repetitive period. The range of the exit direction of a light beam passing through the transparent layer is restricted by the light absorption layer. The periodic structure includes a periodic structure portion divided in the direction that intersects the direction in which the transparent layer and the light absorption layer are repeatedly disposed. In the periodic structure portion, between the periodic structures adjacent to each other, there is a difference of 180 degree in the phase of spatial frequency of each periodic structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd
    Inventors: Koji Mimura, Ken Sumiyoshi
  • Patent number: 8026894
    Abstract: Elements of the present invention relate to systems and methods for generating, modifying and applying backlight array driving values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Xiao-Fan Feng
  • Patent number: 8018427
    Abstract: An illumination device includes a light source section with white LEDs on a side of a light guide plate. The white LED includes a first white LED and a second white LED, and they emit light of different chromaticities. In a chromaticity diagram, a white color area is divided into two subareas by a dividing line passing through a target chromaticity; light emitted by the first white LED falls within a first subarea, and light emitted by the second white LED falls within a second subarea. By individually controlling the light emission of the first white LED and the second white LED, it is possible to emanate a desired white light from the light guide plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuya Hamada
  • Patent number: 8018410
    Abstract: An improved electric paper structure is provided. A ground plane assembly having discontinuous grounding elements is used to render electric paper applications more flexible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Gregory P. Schmitz, Michael B. Heaney
  • Patent number: 8018408
    Abstract: An OLED display having a plurality of scan lines and a plurality of data lines, an OLED adapted to emit images, a driving switching element adapted to supply the OLED with a driving current, a storage element having a first electrode and a second electrode, a first switching element having a first electrode, a control electrode and a second electrode, a second switching element having a control electrode adapted to be coupled to at least one of the plurality of scan lines and a third switching element having a control electrode adapted to be coupled to a previous scan line. The second switching element may be configured in a diode-like state connecting the driving switching element. The third switching element may be adapted to initialize a voltage stored in the storage element through at least one of the plurality of data lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sangmoo Choi
  • Patent number: 8004490
    Abstract: An active-matrix bistable display panel is provided in which a pixel electrode is formed at each intersection of each of a plurality of scanning lines in a row direction and each of a plurality of signal lines in a column direction and a display state is made to occur depending on a voltage of each of the pixel electrodes, a signal-line driving unit is provided in which the plurality of signal lines is connected to a plurality of terminals and image inputs are sequentially divided into a plurality of image inputs and a plurality of image signals are supplied sequentially to the plurality of terminals in a time-division manner, and a scanning-line driving unit is provided in which each scanning line making up the plurality of groups is sequentially driven for each of the groups, wherein each of TFTs (Thin Film Transistors) is made active so as to supply an image voltage to each of pixel electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd
    Inventors: Michiaki Sakamoto, Yuji Kondo, Nobuaki Honbo
  • Patent number: 8004504
    Abstract: A display element, such as an interferometric modulator, comprises a transparent conductor configured as a first electrode and a movable mirror configured as a second electrode. Advantageously, the partial reflector is positioned between the transparent conductor and the movable mirror. Because the transparent conductor serves as an electrode, the partial reflector does not need to be conductive. Accordingly, a greater range of materials may be used for the partial reflector. In addition, a transparent insulative material, such as a dielectric, may be positioned between the transparent conductor and the partial reflector in order to decrease a capacitance of the display element without changing a gap distance between the partial reflector and the movable mirror. Thus, a capacitance of the display element may be reduced without changing the optical characteristics of the display element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Cummings, Brian J. Gally
  • Patent number: 7999773
    Abstract: A display apparatus and a manufacturing method thereof which allow a component to be replaced and repaired simply, rapidly, and stably are provided. The display apparatus comprises a main body which accommodates a light source part, and comprises a display element which displays an image using light emitted from the light source part; an element panel which accommodates the display element; a front cover which is coupled to the main body and provided with a panel mounting part to which the element panel is detachably coupled; and an element driving board which is coupled to the front cover, is opposite to the main body, interposes the front cover between the element driving board and the main body, and is electrically connected with the display element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-hak Moon, Kyoung-choul Jang, Byung-jo Kang
  • Patent number: 7999833
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus of converting a stream of pixel data in space and time into a stream of bitplane data. In particular, the present invention converts the pixel data stream according to a predetermined output format. The apparatus of the present invention receives the pixel data in a “real-time” fashion, and dynamically performs predefined permutations so as to accomplish the predefined transpose operation. Alternatively, the pixel data are stored in a storage medium, and the apparatus of the present invention retrieves the pixel data and performs the predefined permutation to accomplish the predefined transpose operation. The methods and apparatus disclosed herein are especially useful for processing a high-speed stream of digital data in a flow-through manner and suitable for implementation in a hardware video pipeline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Peter W. Richards