Rainbow Displays, Inc.

Rainbow Display, Inc.

J Peter Krusius

Raymond G Greene

Boris Yost

Donald P Seraphim

Dean W Skinner

Robert H Katyl

Che-Yu Li

Robert Babuka

John P Koons

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 a 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.

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 methods and apparatuses for sealing tiled, flat-panel displays (FPDs). Tile edges corresponding with the display's perimeter edges are designed with a wide seal. Interior edges, however, have narrow seals in order to maintain the desired, constant, pixel pitch across tile boundaries. In some cases, this invention applies specifically to arrays of tiles 2&times;2 or less, and, in other cases, to N&times;M arrays, where N and M are any integer numbers. The tiles are enclosed with top and bottom glass plates, which are sealed with an adhesive bond to the tiles on the outside perimeter of the tiled display. Vertical seams (where tiles meet at the perimeter of the FPD) are sealed with a small amount of polymer. The seal may be constructed between a cover plate and a back plate, sandwiching the tiles. The AMLCD edges may be coated with either a non-permeable material or a polymer having an extremely low permeability (for example, Parylene&trade;). Alternatively, the edge sealing of individual tiles can be achieved by using a metallized film adhesive that is bonded to the tile edges. A low-temperature, sintered Solgel can be used to achieve extremely narrow, yet mechanically strong, seals for individual tiles. Still another enhancement employs a metallurgical seal outside a narrow, polymer seal.

Method of constructing and sealing tiled, flat-panel displays

This invention describes fabrication techniques for producing microdisplays suitable for combining into tiled, flat-panel displays having visually imperceptible seams. Assembly techniques to overcome flatness requirements imposed by tiled, flat-panel display assemblies are also described. Edge treatment techniques for individual microdisplays while still part of the silicon die or wafer are also described. The use of these inventive techniques allows the assembly microdisplays into tiled, flat-panel that are appear visually seamless and optically uniform.

Method for assembling a tiled, flat-panel microdisplay array having imperceptible seams

Method for assembling a tiled, flat-panel microdisplay array having reflective microdisplay tiles and attaching thermally-conductive substrate

Method for assembling a tiled, flat-panel microdisplay array

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

A large flat panel display having a plurality of tile display modules with capability in the range of 12 or more lines per inch, being precisely manufactured and aligned such that the interpixel spacing between two adjacent tiles maintains the uniformly periodic spacing of the interpixel spacing within tiles. The display is addressed as a single monolithic display, without reference to the plurality of individual tiles making up the display. All of the interconnections between tiles are located between tiles in the &ldquo;shadow area&rdquo;, unless all tiles can have an edge around the periphery of the display. Also disclosed are methods of making and assembling the tiles and the displays.

Tiled flat panel displays

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.

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Ithaca, NY, United States of America

J Peter Krusius