Liquid Medium Patents (Class 359/253)
  • Patent number: 12002208
    Abstract: Technology described herein can be embodied in a method that includes obtaining, using an endoscopic camera, a plurality of images of the surgical scene, each image in the plurality of images being obtained under illumination by electromagnetic radiation in a corresponding wavelength range. The corresponding wavelength ranges are selected in accordance with a set of chromophores present in the surgical scene, and any two of the corresponding wavelength ranges partially non-overlapping. The method also includes determining, based on the plurality of images, a concentration of each of one or more chromophores in the set at various portions of the surgical scene, and generating, by one or more processing devices, based on information about the concentration of each of the one or more chromophores, a representation of the surgical scene. The method further includes presenting the representation of the surgical scene on an output device associated with the surgical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. DiCarlo, Ian E. McDowall
  • Patent number: 11762197
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a head-mounted device may have a display that produces a display image. The head-mounted device may have an optical system that merges real-world images from real-world objects with display images. The optical system provides the real-world images and display images to an eye box for viewing by a user. The optical system may use time interleaving techniques and/or polarization effects to merge real-world and display images. Switchable devices such as polarization switches and tunable lenses may be controlled in synchronization with frames of display images. Geometrical phase lenses may be used that exhibit different lens powers to different polarizations of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jin Yan, Xiaokai Li, Young Cheol Yang
  • Patent number: 11474284
    Abstract: Control systems for liquid lenses can use feedback control using one or more measured parameters indicative of a position of the fluid interface in the liquid lens. Capacitance between a fluid and an electrode in the liquid lens can vary depending on the position of the fluid interface. Current mirrors can be used for making measurements indicative of the capacitance and/or the fluid interface position. The liquid lens can be calibrated using the measurements indicative of capacitance and/or fluid interface position as the voltage is driven across an operational range. A control system can use pulse width modulation (PWM) for driving a liquid lens, and a carrier frequency for the PWM signals can be varied to control power consumption in the liquid lens. The slew rate can be adjustable to control power consumption in the liquid lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Jann Paul Kaminski, Raymond Miller Karam, Dragan Pikula, Daniel Ohen Ricketts
  • Patent number: 11154199
    Abstract: A medical imaging system for identifying a target structure (TS), e.g. a tumor, in a biological tissue. A hyperspectral camera system is used for imaging a surface area (A1) of the tissue (BT), e.g. with a limited spectral resolution, but enough to allow identification of suspicious areas where the target structure (TS) may be, e.g. such areas can be visually indicated on a display to the operator. A probe (PR), e.g. an optical surface probe, is used to provide probe measurement of a smaller surface area (A2) of the tissue, but with more information indicative of the target structure. The probe is selected to provide a higher specificity with respect to identification of the target structure than the hyperspectral camera (HSC). The hyperspectral processing algorithm (PP) is then calibrated based on probe measurement data performed within the suspicious areas, thus providing a calibrated hyperspectral processing algorithm resulting in images with an enhanced sensitivity to identify the target structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Bernardus Hendrikus Wilhelmus Hendriks, Johannes Joseph Hubertina Barbara Schleipen, Christian Reich, Gerhardus Eilhelmus Lucassen, Manfred Mueller, Vishnu Vardhan Pully
  • Patent number: 11005186
    Abstract: A tunable, optical metasurface can include an optically reflective surface to reflect optical radiation, such as infrared laser light. An array of optical resonant antennas may, for example, extend from or otherwise be positioned on the reflective surface with sub-wavelength spacings of, for example, less than one-half of a wavelength. Voltage-controlled liquid crystal may be positioned in the optical field region of each of the optical resonant antennas. A controller may apply a voltage differential bias pattern to the liquid crystal of optical resonant antennas, that may be arranged in tiled, interleaved, or randomly arranged subsets of optical resonant antennas to attain one-dimensional beam steering, two-dimensional beam steering, and/or spatial beam shaping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Lumotive, LLC
    Inventors: Gleb M. Akselrod, Yuanmu Yang, Patrick Bowen
  • Patent number: 10665953
    Abstract: A tunable, optical metasurface can include an optically reflective surface to reflect optical radiation, such as infrared laser light. An array of optical resonant antennas may, for example, extend from or otherwise be positioned on the reflective surface with sub-wavelength spacings of, for example, less than one-half of a wavelength. Voltage-controlled liquid crystal may be positioned in the optical field region of each of the optical resonant antennas. A controller may apply a voltage differential bias pattern to the liquid crystal of optical resonant antennas, that may be arranged in tiled, interleaved, or randomly arranged subsets of optical resonant antennas to attain one-dimensional beam steering, two-dimensional beam steering, and/or spatial beam shaping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Lumotive LLC
    Inventors: Gleb M. Akselrod, Yuanmu Yang, Patrick Bowen
  • Patent number: 10560643
    Abstract: An apparatus for analyzing a subject including a hyperspectral image module is provided. It is used to identify a suspect region of a subject by using a hyperspectral sensor (for obtaining a hyperspectral image of the subject), a control computer including a processor unit (PU) and a computer readable memory (CRM) (for controlling and is in electronic communication with the sensor), a control software module including instructions stored in the CRM and executed by the PU (for controlling said at least one operating parameter of the sensor), a spectral calibrator module including instructions stored in the CRM and executed by the PU (for applying a wavelength dependent spectral calibration standard constructed for the sensor to a hyperspectral image), and a light source for illuminating the subject. An optional contact probe module is used to collect a signal of the suspect region for medical diagnosis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Spectral Image, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Barnes, Zhihong Pan, Sizhong Zhang
  • Patent number: 10539829
    Abstract: A varifocal block includes liquid crystal (LC) lens and a liquid lens structure in optical series. The LC lens has a plurality of optical states, including an additive state that adds optical power to the LC lens and a subtractive state that removes optical power from the LC lens. The liquid lens structure comprises a transparent substrate layer, a deformable membrane, and a volume of liquid enclosed between the transparent substrate layer and the deformable membrane. The deformable membrane has an adjustable range of optical power dependent on an adjustable curvature of the deformable membrane. The plurality of optical states of the LC lens and the adjustable range of optical power of the liquid lens structure together provide a continuous range of optical power for the varifocal block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Lu Lu, Scott Charles McEldowney, Pasi Saarikko
  • Patent number: 10410110
    Abstract: This circuit includes a random network, said random network including: nodes, each node being formed with a pad forming an electric contact borne on a face of a substrate; and links between nodes, each link being formed with at least one unidimensional nanometric object with variable and non-volatile resistance having a configured resistance subsequently to the application of a suitable stimulus between at least one pair of pads connected through said link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignees: THALES, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE (C.N.R.S.)
    Inventors: Paolo Bondavalli, Julie Grollier, Frederic Nguyen Van Dau
  • Patent number: 10371872
    Abstract: A varifocal block includes liquid crystal (LC) lens and a liquid lens structure in optical series. The LC lens has a plurality of optical states, including an additive state that adds optical power to the LC lens and a subtractive state that removes optical power from the LC lens. The liquid lens structure comprises a transparent substrate layer, a deformable membrane, and a volume of liquid enclosed between the transparent substrate layer and the deformable membrane. The deformable membrane has an adjustable range of optical power dependent on an adjustable curvature of the deformable membrane. The plurality of optical states of the LC lens and the adjustable range of optical power of the liquid lens structure together provide a continuous range of optical power for the varifocal block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Lu Lu, Scott Charles McEldowney, Pasi Saarikko
  • Patent number: 10248001
    Abstract: A varifocal block includes liquid crystal (LC) lens and a liquid lens structure in optical series. The LC lens has a plurality of optical states, including an additive state that adds optical power to the LC lens and a subtractive state that removes optical power from the LC lens. The liquid lens structure comprises a transparent substrate layer, a deformable membrane, and a volume of liquid enclosed between the transparent substrate layer and the deformable membrane. The deformable membrane has an adjustable range of optical power dependent on an adjustable curvature of the deformable membrane. The plurality of optical states of the LC lens and the adjustable range of optical power of the liquid lens structure together provide a continuous range of optical power for the varifocal block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Lu Lu, Scott Charles McEldowney, Pasi Saarikko
  • Patent number: 9804382
    Abstract: An electrowetting display device includes a first support plate and a second support plate. A first fluid and a second fluid that is immiscible with the first fluid are between the first support plate and the second support plate. A plurality of pixel walls having concave side surfaces are formed on the first support plate to define a plurality of electrowetting pixels. A pixel electrode is disposed on the first support plate for applying a voltage within each electrowetting pixel to cause relative displacement of the first fluid and the second fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Ramos Carneiro, Pavel Novoselov, Sukhdip Sandhu
  • Patent number: 9664891
    Abstract: An electrowetting element includes a first fluid and a second fluid and a support plate having a first surface adjoining less than all of a perimeter of a second surface. The first surface has a wettability for the first fluid lower than a wettability of the second surface for the first fluid. An electrode is associated with the support plate for use in applying a voltage for switching the first and second fluids between a first configuration with the first fluid adjoining a first area of the second surface; and a second configuration with the first fluid adjoining a second area of the second surface, the second area being smaller than the first area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bokke Johannes Feenstra, Roy Van Dijk, Robert Hayes
  • Patent number: 9651771
    Abstract: A method of providing a layer of a first fluid and a layer of a second fluid on a first area of a support plate of an electrowetting device includes providing an emulsion of dispersed first fluid and continuous second fluid, the emulsion including an amount of the second fluid for forming the layer of the second fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ivar Schram, Akira Nakasuga, Bokke Johannes Feenstra
  • Patent number: 9581804
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electrowetting device includes dispensing a first liquid on a surface of a support plate and dispensing a second liquid to adjoin the first liquid. The first liquid is a solution. A first portion of the first liquid transfers into the second liquid to form a first layer of liquid and a second layer of liquid substantially immiscible with the first layer. The first layer comprises a second portion of the first liquid and the second layer comprises the second liquid and the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Robin Leguijt
  • Patent number: 9442284
    Abstract: An electrowetting display device includes a first substrate comprising a wall pattern surrounding a pixel electrode disposed in a display area of the first substrate, a spaced apart second substrate comprising a common electrode and a dam member disposed in a peripheral area surrounding the display area. The dam member has sealable openings (a.k.a. sealable dam spillways) through which there is discharged an excess portion of an excessively supplied wetting layer, the discharge of the excess occurring while the first and second substrates are brought together about top and bottom portions of a sealing ring that seals them together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong-Hwan Kim, Sung-Ku Baek, Gil-Hwan Yeo, Tae-Woon Cha, Gyung-Mo Tahk
  • Patent number: 9400381
    Abstract: In examples, an electrowetting element comprises an electrode for use in applying a voltage for controlling a configuration of first and second fluids which are immiscible. A surface of the electrode comprises a recess which is located away from a perimeter of the surface and which is formed by a region of the electrode having a reduced thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Pavel Novoselov
  • Patent number: 9252586
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of forming a seal (62) between and around conductors (12A, 12B and 12C) of an electrical power cable (10), and has particular application as a safety measure in potentially explosive applications. The method includes passing the conductors (12A, 12B and 12C) through an opening in a body (26) so as to define a cavity within the body (26) between and around the conductors (12A, 12B and 12C); introducing an absorbent material (64) into the cavity; introducing a liquid settable material (66) into the cavity; and allowing the settable material (66) to be absorbed by the absorbent material (64) and to set thereby to seal the cavity between and around the conductors (12A, 12B and 12C).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Pratley Investments (Propietary) Limited
    Inventor: Kimleigh George Montague Pratley
  • Patent number: 9195049
    Abstract: A light refraction controlling panel, a 3D-display, and a method of operating a 3D-display are provided. The light refraction controlling panel includes a transparent substrate, a barrier wall on the transparent substrate, first to fourth electrodes on the barrier wall, the first to fourth electrodes being separated from each other, an electro-wetting prism within the barrier wall, the electro-wetting prism being configured to refract incident light to a desired direction, and an isolation layer between the barrier wall and the first to fourth electrodes, and the electro-wetting prism. One electrode of two adjacent electrodes of the first to fourth electrodes is inside an other electrode of the two adjacent electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyu-hwan Choi, Jung-mok Bae, Hoon Song, Sang-yoon Lee, Yoon-sun Choi, Eok-su Kim
  • Patent number: 9191568
    Abstract: An automated camera system is disclosed herein. The automated camera system includes a camera configured to capture an image of an object; at least one fluidic lens disposed between the camera and the object, the at least one fluidic lens having a chamber that receives a fluid therein; a fluid control system operatively coupled to the at least one fluidic lens, the fluid control system configured to insert, or remove, an amount of the fluid into, or from, the chamber of the at least one fluidic lens; and a Shack-Hartmann sensor assembly operatively coupled to the fluid control system, the Shack-Hartmann sensor assembly by means of the fluid control system configured to automatically control the amount of the fluid in the chamber of the at least one fluidic lens, thereby automatically focusing the camera so that the image captured of the object is in focus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Inventor: Gholam A. Peyman
  • Patent number: 8995040
    Abstract: An exterior mirror assembly with an optical display is suggested, whereby a light opening (2) is provided on the exterior mirror assembly for the passage of light of a warning display. The optical display comprieses of a display housing (4), into which an active illuminated display element (10) is mounted as a light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: SMR Patents S.a.r.l.
    Inventor: Daniel Fritz
  • Patent number: 8976436
    Abstract: A display device comprising a pixel, where the pixel includes: (a) a polar fluid that is at least one of colored and black, (b) a non-polar fluid that is at least one of transparent and translucent, (c) a first substrate, (d) a second substrate arranged relative to the first substrate to define a channel occupied by the polar fluid and the non-polar fluid, wherein at least one of the polar fluid and the non-polar fluid is visible, (e) a reflector having a plurality of features, comprising at least one of concavities and projections, that alter an angle of reflected light from a specular reflection to provide the appearance of a diffuse reflection, the display device also including a plurality of electrodes configured to cause repositioning of the polar fluid in the channel to displace at least a first portion of the non-polar fluid and a voltage source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Dean, John Rudolph, Shu Yang
  • Patent number: 8976442
    Abstract: Electro-wetting display devices are disclosed. The electro-wetting display may include an upper structure and a lower structure opposite to each other, a hydrophobic insulating layer covering a bottom surface of the upper structure, hydrophilic partitions disposed between the hydrophobic insulating layer and the lower structure to define pixel regions, and a colorless conductive fluid and a colored non-conductive fluid filling each of the pixel regions. A specific gravity of the colored non-conductive fluid may be smaller than a specific gravity of the colorless conductive fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventor: Gi Heon Kim
  • Patent number: 8964282
    Abstract: The present invention provides a solution for a highlight or multicolor display device, in which each display cell can display high quality color states. More specifically, an electrophoretic fluid is provided which comprises three types of pigment particles, having different levels of size, threshold voltage or charge intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: E Ink California, LLC
    Inventors: Ming Wang, Yu Li, Hui Du, Xiaojia Zhang, Craig Lin
  • Patent number: 8922871
    Abstract: An electrowetting display device includes: a lower substrate, a pixel electrode disposed on the lower substrate, a lower water-repellent layer disposed on the pixel electrode, a plurality of partitions disposed on the lower water-repellent layer and an oil layer disposed on the lower water-repellent layer between the partitions, and wherein the partitions include a side wall having a reverse taper structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Byung Seok Choi, Seung-Jin Baek, Ji Eun Lee, Wang Su Hong
  • Patent number: 8917436
    Abstract: The current invention relates to a piezochromic device wherein said device exhibits a reversible change in appearance initialed by an external applied force and then reverts back to its original appearance over a set relaxation time when the external force is removed. In one embodiment, a device comprising a transparent or semi-transparent cover layer and a magnetic layer, wherein between the cover layer and the magnetic layer is a liquid medium containing magnetically alignable pigments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Sun Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron Hollman, Russell Schwartz, David Kozak
  • Patent number: 8896903
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of making an electrowetting display device having a plurality of picture elements, each picture element being defined by walls surrounding a display region, the plurality of picture elements covering a first area of a support plate. The method comprises the steps of: applying a hydrophobic layer covering at least the first area; lowering the hydrophobicity of the hydrophobic layer over a second area substantially outside the display regions; forming the walls on the hydrophobic layer over the first area. The present invention further relates to an electrowetting display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Vermeulen, Bruce Scott, Mick Evans, Ivar Schram
  • Patent number: 8891151
    Abstract: A display panel that includes a first electro-wetting member having a first colored liquid of a first color and a second electro-wetting member having a second colored liquid of a second color is presented. The second electro-wetting member is disposed on the first electro-wetting member such that the first colored liquid overlaps the second colored liquid. The shapes of the liquid of the first color and the liquid of the second color are independently controllable. A method of manufacturing such display panel is also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Candice Hellen Brown Elliott
  • Patent number: 8891152
    Abstract: This methods and devices described herein relate to displays and methods of manufacturing cold seal fluid-filled displays, including MEMS. The fluid substantially surrounds the moving components of the MEMS display to reduce the effects of stiction and to improve the optical and electromechanical performance of the display. The invention relates to a method for sealing a MEMS display at a lower temperature such that a vapor bubble does not form only at temperatures about 15° C. to about 20° C. below the seal temperature. In some embodiments, the MEMS display apparatus includes a first substrate, a second substrate separated from the first substrate by a gap and supporting an array of light modulators, a fluid substantially filling the gap, a plurality of spacers within the gap, and a sealing material joining the first substrate to the second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Pixtronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene E. Fike, III, Joyce H. Wu, Jasper Lodewyk Steyn, Jignesh Gandhi
  • Patent number: 8830558
    Abstract: The disclosure provides an electrowetting display device. The electrowetting display device includes a first substrate and a second substrate disposed to each other. A first electrode layer may dispose on the first substrate. A second electrode layer may dispose on the second substrate. A hydrophobic dielectric layer is disposed on the first electrode layer. A first pixel rib is disposed on the first substrate. A second pixel rib is disposed on the first pixel rib. A water contact angle of the second pixel rib may be larger than that of the first pixel rib. A first liquid and a second liquid may be disposed in between the first substrate and the second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Shu-Wei Kuo, Yun-Sheng Ku, Wei-Yuan Cheng, Pei-Pei Cheng
  • Patent number: 8810883
    Abstract: An electrowetting display apparatus includes a first substrate including a first electrode that receives a gray-scale voltage and a second electrode insulated from the first electrode and receiving a reference voltage, a second substrate, a fluid layer, and a color filter. The color filter has a first thickness in an area corresponding to the first electrode and a second thickness in an area corresponding to the second electrode, and the first thickness is larger than the second thickness. Accordingly, a cell gap of the electrowetting display apparatus is reduced, and color reproducibility of the electrowetting display apparatus is improved without sacrificing brightness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Liquavista B.V.
    Inventors: Sanghyun Lee, Yungkyung Park, Dohyoung Kwon, Gichang Park, Jongseo Lee, Andrea Giraldo, Nicolas Bergeron
  • Patent number: 8810882
    Abstract: Electrofluidic and electrowetting display pixels, electrofluidic and electrowetting displays, and methods of operating electrofluidic and electrowetting display pixels. The pixel includes a hydrophobic channel formed between first and second substrates and containing a polar fluid and a non-polar fluid, of which at least one is visible through at least one substrate. An electrode with a dielectric is electrically connected to a voltage source. A Laplace barrier defines a fluid pathway for fluid movement in the channel. The polar fluid moves a first position when the voltage source is biased at a first voltage of less than or equal to a threshold voltage to provide a first display state. The polar fluid moves to a second position when the voltage source is biased with a second voltage, greater than the first voltage, to provide a second display state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: University Of Cincinnati
    Inventors: Jason Heikenfeld, Eric Kreit, Shu Yang
  • Patent number: 8773744
    Abstract: A 3D image display system with high resolution is disclosed. The system may deflect left and right eye images to a left and right eye of a viewer, respectively. As such, the viewer can see 3D images. With a time-sharing mode, all of electronically switchable light modulating cells are configured to modulate all of the images deflected to the left eye of the viewer during a first period, and modulate all of the images to the right eye of the viewer during a second period, and the first period and the second period are alternate periods. Alternatively, a part of the electronically switchable light modulating cells are configured to modulate left eye images deflected to the left eye of the viewer, and another part of the electronically switchable light modulating cells are configured to modulate right eye images to the right eye of the viewer during the same period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Rong-Chang Liang, Ming-Wei Tsai, Ming-Hai Chang, Ching-Tung Hsu, Chia-Yen Lee, Keh-Su Chang
  • Patent number: 8755104
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an electrowetting display panel and the manufacturing method thereof The electrowetting display panel comprises: a first glass substrate; a second glass substrate provided opposite to the first glass substrate; a cavity provided between the first glass substrate and the second glass substrate; a colored conductive liquid filled into the cavity; and a reflecting conductive element provided on the surface of the first glass substrate facing away from the second glass substrate, and corresponding to the cavity, wherein the reflecting conductive element is used for controlling the light transmissivity of the colored conductive liquid within the cavity according to the voltage applied to the reflecting conductive element and reflecting the light passing through the colored conductive liquid toward the second glass substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Qi Yao, Jianshe Xue, Zhanfeng Cao, Tianming Dai, Feng Zhang
  • Patent number: 8749867
    Abstract: An electrowetting display panel includes an array substrate, a cover substrate, an electrowetting layer, and a hydrophobic pattern. The array substrate includes a display area and a peripheral area surrounding the display area and the cover substrate faces the array substrate. The electrowetting layer is disposed between the array substrate and the cover substrate and includes a polar fluid as a first fluid and a non-polar fluid as a second fluid. The hydrophobic pattern is disposed in the peripheral area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Liquavista B.V.
    Inventors: Chanuk Jon, Gilhwan Yeo, Jinbo Shim, Jaejin Lyu, Wonil Choi, Wangsu Hong
  • Patent number: 8721380
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a display panel, which employs a vacuum bonding method. A display material is dispensed such that the height distance from the upper surface of a lower substrate to the top of the display material is larger than the height distance from the surface of either upper or lower substrate on which the seal pattern is formed to the apex of the seal pattern. The upper substrate is placed at a position where the upper substrate and the top of the display material in the height direction are in touch with each other and the seal pattern on one substrate is not in touch with the other substrate, then, air is released. Thus, volatilization of the display material is reduced easily at small cost to prevent drying of the surface of the display material, and the display qualities can be prevented from being degraded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuya Hirao, Masakazu Okada
  • Patent number: 8717664
    Abstract: The present invention provides a solution for a highlight or multicolor display device, in which each display cell can display high quality color states. More specifically, an electrophoretic fluid is provided which comprises three types of pigment particles, having different levels of size, threshold voltage or charge intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: SiPix Imaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Ming Wang, Yu Li, Hui Du, Xiaojia Zhang
  • Patent number: 8693081
    Abstract: A device and method of making and using the same. The device includes first and second substrates that are spaced to define a fluid space. Polar and non-polar fluids occupy the fluid space. A first electrode, with a dielectric layer, is positioned on the first substrate and electrically coupled to at least one voltage source, which is configured to supply an electrical bias to the first electrode. The fluid space includes at least one fluid splitting structure that is configured to facilitate the movement of the non-polar fluid into a portion of the polar fluid. Fluid splitting structure assisted movement of the non-polar fluid splits the polar fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: University of Cincinnati
    Inventors: Jason Heikenfeld, Matthew Hagedon, Kenneth Dean Andrew
  • Patent number: 8687165
    Abstract: An imaging system for imaging an object onto an image sensor, and which has a front side facing the object and a rear side facing away from the object, the rear side being arranged behind the front side as viewed from the object. Furthermore, the imaging system has a light entrance device at the front side through which light coming from the object can enter into the imaging system. In this case, the light traverses the beam path between object and image sensor. At least one first and one second optical element are likewise present and are arranged at the rear side in such a way that they can influence the beam path. The light entrance device has an electrically switchable liquid crystal element which deflects the beam path at at least one first angle and a second angle which is different from the first angle depending on the electrical switching state. A discretely switchable focal length change is realized by this electrically effected change in the beam path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Jos. Schneider Optische Werke GmbH
    Inventor: Lingli Wang
  • Patent number: 8681423
    Abstract: A light modulator includes a light guide to guide light, a diffraction grating at a surface of the light guide, and a fluid having a refractive index substantially matched to a refractive index of the diffraction grating. The diffraction grating is to couple out a portion of guided light from the light guide using diffractive coupling. The index-matched fluid is to be selectively moved both into contact with the diffractive grating to defeat the diffractive coupling and out of contact with the diffraction grating to facilitate the diffractive coupling to modulate the coupled out guided light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Gary Gibson, David A Fattal
  • Patent number: 8625047
    Abstract: A fluid ingress resistant interactive display device is disclosed herein. The device includes one or more gasket layers to serve as a fluid barrier to resist fluid from entering an interior of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Bernie Schultz, Rajesh Manoher Dighde
  • Patent number: 8619183
    Abstract: In order to perform adjustment of relative positions between an optical system and imaging devices, a plurality of the imaging devices, a plurality of solid lenses that form images of the imaging devices, and a plurality of optical-axis control units that control the direction of optical axes of light incident to the imaging devices are included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ito, Makoto Kitagawa, Tomoya Shimura, Shinichi Arita, Satoru Inoue, Hirokazu Katakame, Sakae Saito, Shunichi Sato
  • Patent number: 8599465
    Abstract: A method for making an electrowetting device includes: (a) forming a surrounding wall on an upper surface of a substrate to surround a microchamber, the surrounding wall having an inner surface surrounding the microchamber and a top surface above the inner surface, the upper surface of the substrate being non-hydrophobic; (b) coating the surrounding wall and the upper surface of the substrate with a hydrophobic coating material; (c) removing a portion of the hydrophobic coating material formed on the top surface of the surrounding wall, thereby exposing the top surface of the surrounding wall; and (d) disposing a liquid into the microchamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Incha Hsieh
    Inventor: Incha Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8547623
    Abstract: An electrowetting display device that features dual-mode operation. The display device can operate in either a low-power consumption bistable mode, or a higher-power consumption fast switching (video-rate) mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Lesley Parry-Jones, Alexandra Baum
  • Patent number: 8526099
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing microcapsules is provided. The microcapsules each include an electrophoretic dispersion liquid containing at least one type of electrophoretic particles in a dispersion medium, and a capsule body made of an organic polymer and containing the electrophoretic dispersion liquid. The method includes forming droplets of the electrophoretic dispersion liquid by dispersing the electrophoretic dispersion liquid in an polar dispersion medium, and forming the capsule bodies by mixing a polymerization initiator and a polymerizable surfactant having a hydrophilic group, a hydrophobic group and a polymerizable group with the polar dispersion medium so as to coat the droplets with the polymerizable surfactant and induce a polymerization reaction to form the organic polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Yamamoto, Takeo Kawase, Toshiyuki Miyabashi
  • Patent number: 8520285
    Abstract: This methods and devices described herein relate to displays and methods of manufacturing cold seal fluid-filled displays, including MEMS. The fluid substantially surrounds the moving components of the MEMS display to reduce the effects of stiction and to improve the optical and electromechanical performance of the display. The invention relates to a method for sealing a MEMS display at a lower temperature such that a vapor bubble does not formforms only at temperatures about 15° C. to about 20° C. below the seal temperature. In some embodiments, the MEMS display apparatus includes a first substrate, a second substrate separated from the first substrate by a gap and supporting an array of light modulators, a fluid substantially filling the gap, a plurality of spacers within the gap, and a sealing material joining the first substrate to the second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Pixtronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene E. Fike, III, Joyce H. Wu, Jasper Lodewyk Steyn, Jignesh Gandhi
  • Patent number: 8472101
    Abstract: A dual display is disclosed, including a first substrate and a second substrate comprising a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel comprises a plurality of subpixels. The first substrate comprises a reflective region and a transmissive region for each subpixel, and a first color fluid is movable by an electric field on the reflective region and the transmissive region of a first subpixel, wherein when the first color fluid covers the transmissive region, the dual display provides a first viewing side at the first substrate side under a transmissive mode, and when the first color fluid covers the reflective region or covers the reflective region and the transmissive region, the dual display provides a second viewing side at the second substrate side under a reflective mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Kuo-Lung Lo, Pei-Ju Su, Wei-Yuan Cheng, Jyh-Wen Shiu, Hsin-Hung Lee
  • Patent number: 8408745
    Abstract: Systems and methods that incorporate a variable liquid lens are disclosed. In at least some embodiments, a light projecting system includes a light source, and a light processing assembly configured to receive a light beam from the light source and to project an output field. The light processing assembly includes at least one liquid lens configured to controllably process the light beam such that the output field is variable between a relatively-broader illuminating field and a relatively-narrower targeting field. In some embodiments, a controller may controllably adjust the at least one liquid lens to alternately provide the illuminating field and the targeting field, and may controllably adjust at least one dwell time to adjust a brightness of at least one of the illuminating and targeting fields, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: B.E. Meyers & Co. Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Cameron, Thomas R. Luce
  • Patent number: 8411193
    Abstract: A lens module includes a liquid crystal lens, a lens barrel and two electrically conductive traces. The liquid crystal lens includes a light incident surface, a light output surface facing away from the light incident surface, and a number of side wall surfaces interconnecting the light incident surface and the light output surface. The liquid crystal lens includes at least two electrode layers. Each of the electrode layers comprising a connection terminal exposed at the corresponding side wall surface. The liquid crystal lens is received in the lens barrel. The two electrically conductive traces are embedded in an outer surface of the lens barrel, and includes a first end electrically connected to the corresponding connection terminal, and a second end for electrical connection to an external circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chi-Wei Chiu
  • Patent number: 8379288
    Abstract: The invention relates to a transparent electroactive system that includes two electrodes (2, 3) juxtaposed on the same side of a closed space (12) containing electroactive substances. The two electrodes are separated by a distance of less than 250 ?m, and a barrier (1) extending towards the inside of the closed space is placed between the electrodes. The separation between the electrodes is thus not visible, and a mutual neutralization between the electroactive substances is prevented. Advantageously, the electroactive substances are contained in cells (5) separated from each other within the closed space. The barrier (1) can thus be distinct from separation walls (4) between the cells, or can be assimilated with some intercellular walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Essilor International (compagnie Generale d'optique)
    Inventors: Sandrine Duluard, Jean-Paul Cano, Claudine Biver