Rainbow Displays, Inc.

Rainbow Display, Inc.

Boris Yost

Raymond G Greene

J Peter Krusius

Dean W Skinner

Donald P Seraphim

Robert H Katyl

John P Koons

Sanjay Dabral

Che-Yu Li

Shunji Suzuki

Robert Babuka

Kohichi Miwa

Michikazu Noguchi

Jennifer M Cohen

Robert Sechler

Ray G Greene

The present invention features are series of techniques for designing and assembling of large, robust monolithic and monolithic-like flat panel displays. Many techniques originally developed for creating tiled, flat-panel displays having visually imperceptible seams may be advantageously applied to monolithic structures. These techniques include single-sided wiring, two-sided wiring from opposite sides, segmented row and column lines, and reordering row and column lines in fan-out region. Single-sided wiring facilitates the construction of displays with small outlines. By using these techniques, display sharpness and contrast may be improved. In addition, color and luminance balance and uniformity across the display may also be improved.

Construction of large, robust, monolithic and monolithic-like, AMLCD displays with wide view angle

The present invention features designs of pixels and designs of control features for seals on AMLCD tiles optimized for tiling AMLCD flat panel displays (FPDs) which have visually imperceptible seams. The FPD structure has an image view plane which is continuous and remote from the pixel apertures or image source plane on the inside of the tiles. The image is formed on the view plane by a distributed ultra low magnification flies-eye optical system (a screen) that is integrated with the tiles, effectively excluding and obscuring an image of the seams. The innovations described herein minimize the defects on the perimeter pixels by effectively damming the waviness of the front of the seal near the perimeter pixels on the tiles. Dark space required for the seal between the interior tile edges and active regions of the pixels is decreased, as is the space allocated for wiring thereby increasing the feasible aperture ratios near the mosaic edges and all apertures. The tile designs make effective use of the area of an entire manufacturing panel.

Tiled flat-panel display having visually imperceptible seams, optimized for HDTV applications

Design features optimized for tiled flat-panel displays

The present invention features techniques for designing large, robust monolithic and monolithic-like displays having good brightness and contrast over a wide range of viewing angles. These techniques include controlling the layout of the pixel array and its access circuits that modify the electrical characteristics in order to minimize undesirable optical, electro-optical, and ambient light aberrations and any electronic anomalies creating visually perceptible discontinuities or boundaries. These artifacts are reduced to levels that allow for better color correction. In addition, the use of optical components such as collimators, light enhancing films, diffusers, screens, polarizers and masks are described. The resulting displays present luminance and chromaticity outputs from areas of originally varying optical response that become uniform within the tolerances of the human visual system.

Construction of large, robust, monolithic and monolithic like, AMLCD displays with wide view angle

The present invention features a tiled, flat-panel, color display that has a color-correction capability. The display is a tiled mosaic of individual display tiles, such as AMLCDs. Column and row inputs that are typically provided for a single display tile system are distributed over a plurality of display tiles. The color purity is achieved for the display by sorting the tiles into groups, matching their color coordinates, and correcting non-uniformities optically (e.g., by using a graded neutral density filter having a grading function being the inverse of the brightness distribution non-uniformities) and/or electronically. Then, each individual tile in the mosaic is color-corrected via a multiplexed, controller/driver circuit.

Flat-panel display assembled from pre-sorted tiles having matching color characteristics and color correction capability

The present invention features methods and apparatus for the correction of spatial non-uniformities in brightness that arise from materials, manufacturing, operational and lighting parameter variations in electronic color, flat-panel displays. The methods apply both to gradual non-uniformities usually found in monolithic displays as well as to abrupt variations present in displays composed of a multitude of tiles. Corrections are performed on the electronic drive signals used to control the brightness of selected display pixels. Parameters required for these corrections are acquired via brightness measurements over selected pixels and stored after suitable transformations. The stored parameters are then used to scale and/or interpolate drive signals in real time. Corrections are performed such that any remaining gradual and abrupt brightness non-uniformities fall below the detectable threshold under the intended viewing conditions. The correction methods can also be used for correcting brightness non-uniformities arising from uneven aging of the display. Apparatus for an automatic self-calibrating function is also described.

Correction methods for brightness in electronic display

The present invention features flat-panel displays having a mosaic of tiles, and methods of constructing and sealing them. Sealing designs are described to maintain appropriate vacuum levels for FEDs, PFPDs and LCDs. The mosaic of tiles forming a flat-panel display may include subassembly tiles, with each consisting of two, unsealed, substantially parallel plates having a structure positioned between them; these are known as s-tiles. The tiles may be enclosed by a cover plate and backplate. Non-permeable material may be deposited on the cover plate and the backplate, with solderable metal overlaid on the non-permeable material. A metallized, non-permeable spacer/connector is also located between the cover plate and backplate for hermetically sealing the perimeter of the display. A set of electrical-interconnection, metal feed-throughs can also be positioned in the non-permeable spacer/connector. A flat-panel display may also be made up of half-tiles (h-tiles), with each including an individual bottom plate with a structure disposed on them. The mosaic of tiles also has a cover plate that is shared in common with all of the h-tiles. This common cover plate for each type of FPD integrates functions such as masking, screening, color filtering, polarizing and interconnecting. Also provided in the invention is a method for testing the seal of the flat-panel display. A simulated cover plate is attached via a polymeric seal, so that a structure enclosed between the two plates may be evacuated. When a gas is applied around the display seal, its leakage rate is measured, so as to locate the site of defects.

Assembling and sealing large, hermetic and semi-hermetic H-tile flat panel display

The present invention features methods and apparatus for the correction of spatial non-uniformities in color only, and color and brightness combined, that arise from materials, manufacturing, and operational variations in tiled, color flat-panel displays. Such uniformities can introduce gradual or abrupt color and brightness variations in monolithic and tiled displays. Correction methods are based on control of the manufacturing and assembly process, and/or remapping of the colors of the display to match uniformity requirements of the average human observer. Correction methods can be implemented using serial and parallel versions using electronic circuits commonly used in video signal processing. Apparatus for a self-calibration method are also described.

Color correction methods for electronic displays

The present invention features procedures for correcting discoloration and brightness variations due to liquid crystal cell gap variations or other optical, electro-optical, ambient light, electronic, mechanical, and materials anomalies arising in tiled, flat-panel displays. The purpose of these corrections is to achieve a visually seamless appearance. Absolute, relative and/or smoothing corrections are implemented by performing pixel data video processing with correction data acquired from memory. Techniques for determining and applying these corrections are described.

Growing community of inventors

Ithaca, NY, United States of America

Boris Yost