Pixtronix, Incorporated

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Continuum Photonics, Inc.

Snaptrack Incorporated

Polatis Photonics, Inc.

Continuum Control Corporation

Nesbitt Ward Hagood, Iv

Jasper Lodewyk Steyn

Richard S Payne

Roger W Barton

Jignesh Gandhi

John Fijol

Kamyar Ghandi

Aaron A Bent

Stephen R Lewis

Abraham McAllister

Timothy J Brosnihan

Yet-Ming Chiang

Haifeng Wang

Timothy Scott Glenn

Andrey Soukhojak

Gregory W Farrey

Jonathan Robert Leehey

Rainer M Malzbender

Je Hong Kim

Mark Douglas Halfman

Kaymar Ghandi

Jeffrey B Colter

Sossity A Sheets

A method of operating a display including loading image data to pixels in multiple rows of pixels in an array of pixels during a data loading phase, actuating the pixels in the multiple rows during an update phase, and illuminating at least one lamp during an lamp illumination phase to illuminate the actuated pixels to form an image on the display, in which each of the loading, actuating and illuminating phases partially overlap in time.

Circuits for controlling display apparatus

A display apparatus incorporating electromechanical light modulators and a layer of material including apertures corresponding to the electromechanical light modulators that results in the display apparatus having lower power-consumption.

MEMS-based display apparatus

A direct-view display apparatus includes a transparent substrate, an internal light source, a plurality of light modulators coupled to the transparent substrate, and a controller for controlling the states of the plurality of light modulators and the internal light source. The controller is configured to cause the display to transition from one of a transmissive, reflective and transflective mode, to a second of said modes.

Reflective and transflective operation modes for a display device

The invention relates to methods and apparatus for forming images on a display utilizing a control matrix to control the movement of MEMs-based light modulators.

This application relates to a display including a first layer of material including a first aperture having at least one side, a first substrate separated from the first layer of material by a gap, where the first substrate is arranged to pass through a portion of light emitted from a light source into the gap. The display further includes a movable shutter arranged within the gap, where the shutter is movable to at least a first position and a second position, to obstruct passage of the portion of light through the first aperture at the first position. The movable shutter has a first edge, and in the first position, the movable shutter is aligned with the first aperture such that the first edge extends a first length past the at least one side of the first aperture.

Alignment methods in fluid-filled MEMS displays

A direct-view display includes an array of MEMS light modulators and a control matrix formed on a transparent substrate, where each light modulator can be driven into at least two states, and a controller for controlling the states of each light modulator in the array. The control matrix transmits data and actuation voltages to the array. The controller includes an input, a processor, a memory, and an output. The input receives image data encoding an image frame for display. The processor derives a plurality of sub-frame data sets from the image data, where each sub-frame data set indicates desired states of light modulators in multiple rows and multiple columns of the array. The memory stores the plurality of sub-frame data sets. The output outputs the plurality of sub-frame data sets according to an output sequence to drive light modulators into the states indicated in the sub-frame data sets.

Direct-view MEMS display devices and methods for generating images thereon

Display methods and apparatus

Display devices incorporating shutter-based light modulators are disclosed along with methods of manufacturing such devices. The methods are compatible with thin-film manufacturing processes known in the art and result in displays having lower power-consumption.

Display apparatus and methods for manufacture thereof

This invention relates to display apparatuses having an array of light modulators for transmissively displaying an image and a reflective aperture layer defining a plurality of apertures, for reflecting light not passing through apertures in the reflective aperture layer away from the array. The reflective aperture layer is formed on a first substrate and positioned adjacent the array. The image is formed by modulating light passing through the apertures in the reflective aperture layer. A light guide, separated from the first substrate by a gap, may guide light towards the reflective aperture layer. A layer of low-refractive index material may be positioned on a side of the reflective aperture layer opposite the array.

Methods and apparatus for actuating displays

Methods and apparatus for spatial light modulation

Improved apparatus and methods for spatial light modulation are disclosed which utilize optical cavities having both front and rear reflective surfaces. Light-transmissive regions are formed in the front reflective surface for spatially modulating light.

The invention relates to spatial light modulators for use in display apparatus. In particular, the invention relates to spatial light modulators that include a substrate defining a plane and a shutter suspended over the substrate by a compliant beam. The compliant beam has a cross-sectional thickness, in a dimension parallel to the plane of the substrate, between about 0.2 &#x3bc;m and about 10 &#x3bc;m. In one embodiment, a thickness of the compliant beam in a dimension perpendicular to the plane of the substrate is at least about 1.4 times the cross-sectional width of the compliant beam in the dimension parallel to the plane of the substrate.

Improved apparatus and methods for displays are disclosed that utilize light concentration array between mechanical light modulators and the viewing surface of the display. The light concentration array includes an array of optical elements that concentrate light on respective ones of the light modulators to maximize the contrast ratio and off axis viewing of the display.

Light concentrating reflective display methods and apparatus

This invention relates to display apparatuses having an array of light modulators and a plurality of apertures formed in a layer of material. Each light modulator corresponds to one or more apertures and has a portion which may overlap a corresponding aperture, where the size of the overlap is proportional to a distance between the array and the layer of material.

Growing community of inventors

Wellesley, MA, United States of America

Nesbitt Ward Hagood, Iv