Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Gor Manukyan

Petrus Maria De Greef

Tulasi Sridhar Reddy Guntaka

Toru Sakai

Pavel Novoselov

Daniel Figura

Bokke Johannes Feenstra

Robert Andrew Hayes

Jozef Elisabeth Aubert

Melanie Maria Hubertina Wagemans

Abhishek Kumar

Henricus Petronella Maria Derckx

Karel Johannes Gerhardus Hinnen

Nicolas Eugene Bergeron

Johannes Wilhelmus Hendrikus Mennen

Gerben Boon

Hildebrand Tigelaar

Wilhelmus Johannes Robertus Van Lier

Subject matter disclosed herein relates to arrangements and techniques that provide for controlling motion of an electrowetting oil within an electrowetting display device. An electrowetting display device comprises a substrate, an electrode on the substrate, a dielectric layer on a first portion of the electrode. The electrode extends along the substrate one of either entirely from a first end of a pixel area to a second end of the pixel area, or from the first end of the pixel area to the second end of the pixel area such that a portion of the substrate is an electrode free portion to thereby define a notch. A first fluid is disposed on a hydrophobic layer and a second fluid is disposed on the first fluid, the second fluid being immiscible with the first fluid. A dielectric constant of the dielectric layer is greater than a dielectric constant of the first fluid.

Insulated notch design for pixels in an electrowetting device

An electrowetting display device comprising an electrowetting element comprising a control system, a first fluid, a second fluid immiscible with the first fluid, and a first and second support plate. A first and second electrode are, respectively, overlapped by a first and second portion of a surface of the first support plate. The control system is operable to apply a sequence of voltages, comprising a first voltage between the second fluid and the first electrode and a second voltage between the second fluid and the second electrode, to configure the first fluid to a plurality of configurations, each of the plurality of different configurations respectively corresponding to the same grey level.

Electrowetting element with multiple electrodes

An electrowetting display device comprising an electrowetting element comprising a control system, a first fluid, a second fluid immiscible with the first fluid, and a first and second support plate. A first and second electrode are, respectively, overlapped by a first and second portion of a surface of the first support plate. The control system is operable to, in response to input data indicative of a grey level and with the first fluid in a retracted configuration and at least partly in contact with the first portion, apply a first voltage between the second fluid and the first electrode to translate the first fluid from the retracted configuration to contact the second portion over a first area, and apply a second voltage between the second fluid and the second electrode to retract the first fluid to contact the second portion over a second area smaller than the first area.

An electrowetting display device comprising an electrowetting element comprising a control system, a first fluid, a second fluid immiscible with the first fluid, and a first and second support plate. A first and second electrode are, respectively, overlapped by a first and second portion of a surface of the first support plate. The control system is operable to, in response to input data indicative of a first grey level, apply a first voltage between the second fluid and the first electrode such that the second fluid is in contact with at least part of the first portion and, subsequently, apply a second voltage between the second fluid and the second electrode to translate the first fluid such that the second fluid is in contact with at least part of the second portion.

An electrowetting display device includes a first support plate and a second support plate opposite the first support plate. A plurality of pixel walls are formed over the first support plate. The plurality of pixel walls are associated with a first pixel and a second pixel. The plurality of pixel walls define a first display area of the first pixel and a second display area of the second pixel. A first electrode is formed over the first support plate underneath the first display area of the first pixel. A second electrode is formed over the first support plate underneath the second display area of the second pixel. The first electrode is electrically connected to the second electrode. A first switch may be positioned underneath the second display area, with the first switch being electrically connected to the first electrode.

Electrowetting pixel with main and initiation electrodes and connected storage capacitors

A method of controlling an electrowetting element. The method includes receiving first data corresponding with a first voltage with a first magnitude, generating the first voltage and applying the first voltage to the electrowetting element. Second data corresponding with a second voltage with a second magnitude is received. It is determined that the first magnitude is smaller than the second magnitude and, responsive thereto, a third magnitude of a third voltage is determined, the third magnitude larger than the first magnitude and smaller than the second magnitude. The third voltage is generated and applied to the electrowetting element instead of the second voltage, consecutively after the first voltage is applied.

Control of an electrowetting element

An electrowetting element comprising a first fluid and a second fluid immiscible with the first fluid. A first support plate comprises: a first support plate surface in contact with at least one of the first fluid or the second fluid, a substrate having a substrate surface, an electrode and a ridge. The ridge comprises a substantially parallel ridge surface substantially parallel to the substrate surface and a sloping ridge surface angled relative to the substantially parallel ridge surface. A wall is located at least partly on the substantially parallel ridge surface. The ridge is configured to reduce a flow of the first fluid along an inner surface of the wall.

Electrowetting element with ridge

A system and method for a display device are presented. The display device includes a first support plate. A wall is over the first support plate. The wall is associated with an electrowetting pixel. The wall is configured to allow for the propagation of light having a wavelength within a first range of wavelengths and prevents propagation of light having a second wavelength in a second range of wavelengths. A color filter is positioned over the electrowetting pixel. The color filter allows propagation of light having the wavelength within the first range of wavelengths and preventing propagation of light having the second wavelength within the second range of wavelengths.

System and method for electrowetting display device with color filtering pixel walls

An electrowetting display device includes a first support plate and a second support plate. The first support plate has rows and columns of pixel walls defining individual electrowetting pixels. A first fluid and a second fluid immiscible with the first fluid are between the first support plate and the second support plate. A sensor is coupled to the second support plate and configured to detect a first intensity of light incident upon the second support plate at a first angle. A controller is configured to displace the first fluid in either a first direction or a second direction based at least in part upon the first intensity of light detected by the sensor.

Electrowetting display device with ambient light detection

An electrowetting display comprises a support plate on which individual electrowetting pixels separated from one another by pixel walls are formed. The individual electrowetting pixels include an electrode layer on the support plate, and a dielectric barrier layer on the electrode layer. The dielectric barrier layer comprises a first portion having a first dielectric constant and a second portion having a second dielectric constant that is substantially less than first dielectric constant. A hydrophobic layer is on the first portion and the second portion of the dielectric barrier layer.

Electrowetting display pixels with fluid motion initiator

An electrowetting element comprises a first fluid and a second fluid. A support plate surface has a first surface portion lying in a first plane, and a second surface portion lying in a second plane different from the first plane. The second surface portion comprises a first side, a second side, and a third side extending from the first side to the second side. The third side is located between the first surface portion and the second surface portion, with a first part of the third side non-perpendicular to the first side. A wall corresponds with a perimeter of the surface, the wall comprising: a first wall portion extending along the first side; and a second wall portion extending along the second side.

Electrowetting element with shaped support plate surface portion

Apparatus comprising an electrowetting element with a first fluid and a second fluid immiscible with the first fluid. A support plate has a surface with a first surface portion lying in a first plane and overlapping a first electrode, and a second surface portion lying in a second plane different from the first plane. On receiving display effect data indicative of a requested display effect, the electrowetting element is switched to a state in which the first fluid contacts substantially all of the first surface portion and the second fluid contacts substantially all of the second surface portion, using a voltage with a voltage value which is within a range of a plurality of voltage values at which the electrowetting element is in the state.

Electrowetting element with stable fluid configurations

A display device includes a first support plate and an opposing second support plate. A pixel region is positioned between the first support plate and the second support plate. A thin film transistor (TFT) structure is formed on the first support plate and associated with the pixel region. The TFT structure includes a source and drain electrode layer. A reflective layer is formed or disposed over the source and drain electrode layer. The reflective layer includes a pixel electrode within the pixel region. A via is between the source and drain electrode layer and the reflective layer to electrically couple the pixel electrode to the source and drain electrode layer. An organic layer is formed or disposed over the via. The organic layer includes an elevated surface over the via.

Via under insulated notch of electrowetting display device

A method for fabricating an electrowetting display may include forming pixel electrodes on a support plate; depositing a first layer on the pixel electrodes; etching portions of the first layer to form pixel walls that partition pixel regions; depositing a second layer on the pixel electrodes and the pixel walls; etching portions of the second layer to form spacers on tops of the pixel walls; and depositing a hydrophobic layer to at least partially cover the pixel electrodes.

Pixel wall and spacer configuration for an electrowetting display

A method of controlling an array of electrowetting elements, comprising: receiving first pixel data; selecting, based on the first pixel data and based on a characteristic of the first display effect, a group of subpixels to display the first display effect; and outputting control data for displaying the first display effect using the group of subpixels.

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Veldhoven, Netherlands

Gor Manukyan