Texas Instruments Corporation

Texas Advanced Optoelectronic Solutions, Inc.

Lester L Hodson

Charles E Primm

Kenneth G Vickers

Chi-Cheong Shen

Taylor R Efland

Eugene G Dierschke

Dale J Skelton

Robert H Taylor

Billy R Masten

Cecil Aswell

John H Berlien, Jr

Steven C Jones

Kirk S Laney

Ulrich Skowronek

A monolithic optical detector for determining spectral content of an incident light includes at least a first and second well in a substrate, the second well formed proximate the first well. The first well is configured to be exposed to incident light and for generating a first photocurrent as a function of the incident light. The second well is configured to be shielded from the incident light and for generating a second photocurrent as a function of the incident light. Lastly, a processing and control unit, responsive to the first and second photocurrents, determines an indication of spectral content of the incident light. A method and device parameter controller are also disclosed.

Method and apparatus for optical detector with special discrimination

One anode,and multiple cathodes,and,create a large display field emission device. The use of one anode,facilitates an image which is seamless to the viewer. The use of multiple cathodes,and,allows a single image or multiple images to be displayed. The use of multiple cathodes also provides fast refresh rates and a high resolution image. Methods of fabricating and operating the large display field emission device are disclosed.

Large field emission display (FED) made up of independently operated display sections integrated behind one common continuous large anode which displays one large image or multiple independent images

A DC--DC converter having an input node receiving an input voltage V.sub.IN and generating an output voltage V.sub.OUT. A reference voltage generator provides a voltage V.sub.REF and a hysteresis voltage generator provides a voltage V.sub.HYST. A first comparator generates a signal determined from a difference between V.sub.REF and V.sub.OUT. A second comparator generates a signal determined from a difference between V.sub.OUT and V.sub.HYST. A latch is coupled to receive the outputs of the first and second comparators, and to generate an output. A driver circuit receives the latch output and generates a PWM signal used to switch the output stage. A double pulse suppression circuit masks off the latch inputs for a preselected time during the switching intervals fo the main power transistors to eliminate noise jitter.

Ripple regulator with improved initial accuracy and noise immunity

A liquid crystal display system has a first translucent sheet 20 having at least one pixel electrode 43 driven by a transistor 26, and a second translucent sheet 22 having a common electrode 32. The first and second sheets 20 and 22 are sandwiched about liquid crystal molecules 24 for controlling the passage of light. A field emission device (FED) light source 70 is adjacent to the pixel electrode 43, the FED light source 70 having an emitter plate 75 coupled to an anode plate 73. The FED light source 70 replaces the CCFT 54, reflector diffuser 60, metal sheet 62, and reflector sheet 56 used in prior art LCD systems.

Field emission device panel backlight for liquid crystal displays

A field emission device (10) includes a video memory device (12) that receives video data in parallel for each of three colors red, green, and blue. The video memory device (12) provides the video data in color sequential manner to a controller (14). The controller (14) provides appropriate control and data signals in response to the video data to drive a field emission device display (22). The video memory device has a first storage area (30) for a first color (red), a second storage area (32) for a second color (green), and a third storage area for a third color (blue). The second storage area (32) has capacity to store all of the second color of a frame, the first storage area (30) is two-thirds the size of the second storage area (32), and the third storage area (34) is one-third larger than the second storage area (32). The different sizes of the respective storage areas allows for 100% use of memory space without waste. Simultaneous writing into and reading from each storage area is performed in such a manner as to not lose any of the video data.

Video memory device for color-sequential-type displays

A projection system is constructed using a field emission device 10. A single monochrome FED 10 can be used with projection system electronics 40 and lens 20 to create a monochrome picture on screen 30. Alternatively, a single monochrome FED 10 can project the proper image through color wheel 150 to create a color image which is projected by a lens 20 onto a separate surface 30. In yet another embodiment, a first FED 10 which projects a red image, a second FED 10 which projects a green image, and a third FED 10 which projects a blue image, and three clear focusing lenses 20 create a full color image on screen 30. In this configuration, if the three lenses 20 are colored red, green and blue, then the three FEDs 10 need only present the image data for each color in black, grey, and white. The FED projection system could also utilize a color FED 10 and a clear focusing lens 20 to create a full color image on screen 30. This full color FED 10 could create its color image by using red, green, and blue phosphor stripes 90 which are energized by its cathode 80 configured with full pixels or sub pixels 160. In another embodiment the FED projection system provides a three-dimensional display image on screen 30. The use of FED 10 facilitates a projection system which has low power consumption, reliable electronics, consumes less space, and interfaces to multimedia input signals 50.

Multimedia field emission device projection system

One anode 350 and multiple cathodes 50, 60, 70, and 80 create a large display field emission device. The use of one anode 350 facilitates an image which is seamless to the viewer. The use of multiple cathodes 50, 60, 70, and 80 allows a single image or multiple images to be displayed. The use of multiple cathodes also provides fast refresh rates and a high resolution image. Methods of fabricating and operating the large display field emission device are disclosed.

Creation of a large field emission device display through the use of

Methods of fabricating an emitter plate 10 having titanium tungsten (Ti:W) and aluminum (Al) used in a sublayering arrangement as the metallization material for the gate electrodes 60, cathode electrodes 20, bond pads 80 and 130, lead interconnects 100, 101, 120 and 121, and integrated circuit (IC) mount pads 90 and 91. In a disclosed embodiment, titanium tungsten and aluminum sublayers are combined with niobium to provide the metallization material.

Method for fabricating field emission device metallization

Titanium tungsten (Ti:W) and aluminum are used in a sublayering arrangement as the metallization material for the gate electrodes 60, cathode electrodes 20, bond pads 80 and 130, lead interconnects 100, 101, 120 and 121, and integrated circuit (IC) mount pads 90 and 91, on the emitter plate 10 of a field emission display. In a disclosed embodiment, titanium tungsten and aluminum sublayers are combined with niobium to provide the metallization material.

Field emission device metallization including titanium tungsten and

A xerographic printing system is constructed using a field emission device 120 as a modulated light source. Alternatively, a lens 122 may be disposed between the field emission device 120 and the photoreceptor drum surface 106. The field emission device 120 may project a single pixel row, or may project multiple pixel rows which provide gray scale capability. The field emission device 120 may also provide color print capability.

Field emission device light source for xerographic printing process

A field emission display panel 20, 80, and 90 is used as a projection system. Display panel 90 can be used as a stand-alone projector. Alternatively, display panel 20 can be placed on a base 10 of a standard overhead projection system 60 and the image can be projected by a lens 50 onto a surface separated from display 20. In yet another embodiment, a lens system 70 can be attached to display panel 80 to project the image on a surface separated from display 80. Display panels 20, 80, and 90 operate at a increased luminance to facilitate projection of the images displayed on the panels. The use of FED display panels 20, 80, and 90 facilitates a projection system which has low power consumption, is portable, and interfaces to a computer.

Multimedia field emission device portable projector

A dual mode projection system 30 includes a standard field emission device (FED) display panel 44 within a projector base 32. In this way, the light source of a standard overhead projector is replaced by FED panel 44. FED panel 44 is positioned within projector base 32 such that the viewing surface of panel 44 is substantially flush with the top surface of projector base 32. Thus, in a first mode of this dual mode projection system 30, FED panel 44 provides the light source for projecting an image of graphics 48 printed on transparency 46 onto another surface such as a projection screen or wall. FED panel 44 is coupled via connector 36 in projector base 32 and signal cable 38 to host system 40. Host system 40 may comprise the processing unit of a standard notebook computer including a keyboard 42 for data entry. Display information created by the electronics in host system 40 is transmitted through cable 38 to FED display 44. An image 50 created on FED display 44 is projected via lens system 34 onto a large surface such as a screen or wall. The luminescence needed to display image 50 created by FED panel 44 onto a separate surface is provided by the FED panel 44, and no additional light source is required for this projection function. Thus, in the second mode of this dual mode projection system 30, FED panel 44 provides a display of computer-generated images projected onto another surface. The first and second operational modes may be combined to provide a concurrent transparency and computer-generated video display.

Dual mode overhead projection system using field emission device

An optical coupler (10) and method of manufacturing the optical coupler (10) are disclosed. The optical coupler (10) includes a light emitter (12), a light detector (18, 22), an inner mold material (30), and a precision reflector (32) for efficiently reflecting light from the emitter (12) to the light detector (18, 22). In manufacturing the coupler (10), the light emitter (12) is coupled to a first mount lead (14) and the light detector (18) is coupled to a second mount lead (20). There may be more than one light emitter (12) or light detector (18,22). A transparent inner mold material (30) surrounds and encases the light emitter (12) and light detector (18) along with a portion of the first and second mount leads (14, 20) and forms a precision molded reflector (32) over the light emitter (12) and light detector (18). The precision molded reflector (32) may be a precision molded dome (38) or a precision molded multifaceted vault (44). The precision molded reflector (32) has a reflective coating (34) for returning light from the light emitter (12) to the light detector (18, 22). The light emitter (12), light detector (18, 22), a portion of the mount leads (14, 20), and the inner mold material (30) are encased by an opaque overmold (36).

Optical coupler

An array of light sensors is integrated with a circuit to control the selection of each light selector and to digitized the amplitude of the light impinging on each sensor. Each light sensor is addressable by an external microprocessor.

Growing community of inventors

McKinney, TX, United States of America

Lester L Hodson