Motorola Corporation

Robert Benjamin Akins

George Thomas Valliath

Kevin W Jelley

Robert D Polak

Zhiming Zhuang

George M Ventouris

Robert W Pennisi

Michael L Charlier

Zili Li

Barry M Miles

Sen Yang

Joaquin Barreto

Mac W Branan

Gregory D Jackson

Jon Lindsay Schindler

Pankaj B Desai

Ken Paitl

A liquid crystal device comprises a cholesteric liquid crystal material interposed between a transparent front plate and a back plate. The cholesteric liquid crystal material is switchable between a transparent state and a reflective state in response to an electric field applied in a first direction. In the reflective state the material reflects light characterized by a first wavelength when no electric field is applied. Electrodes are provided for applying an electric field lied to the cholesteric liquid crystal material in the reflective state in a second direction distinct from the first direction. In this manner the cholesteric liquid crystal material is altered to cause the material to reflect light characterized by a second wavelength different from the first wavelength. A display device may thus be produced having pixels capable of a wide range of colors, thereby achieving a multicolored image for the display.

Liquid crystal device having variable reflected wavelength

A two-way trans-reflective display pixel () having two viewable sides () is disclosed. The two-way trans-reflective display pixel has a first transparent layer (), a second transparent layer (), and light modulating medium () sandwiched between them. Both the first and second transparent layers () have light reflectors () and light absorbers (), which allow light entering from either viewable sides () to partially reflected, partially absorbed, and partially transmitted, allowing an image to be viewable from both viewable sides (). A two-way trans-reflective display () comprising a plurality of two-way trans-reflective display pixels () and a transparent light source () is also disclosed. The transparent light source () provides color light, and enables an image from the two-way trans-reflective display () to be viewable in color from both first and second viewable sizes ().

Two-way trans-reflective display

A transflective color liquid crystal display () with internal rear polarizer () has a front polarizer (), a front substrate (), a first color filter layer (), a front transparent electrode (), a liquid crystal layer (), a rear transparent electrode (), a rear polarizer (), a reflector (), and a rear substrate (). The inclusion of an internal rear polarizer () results in little optical path difference between a reflective mode and a transmissive mode of the transflective color LCD (). The internal rear polarizer () also results in little parallax, because the internal reflector () is very close to an image-forming layer (). Additionally, a second color filter layer () can be added behind the internal reflector () to enhance the brightness and color saturation of the transflective color LCD () with internal rear polarizer () during the transmissive mode.

Transflective color liquid crystal display with internal rear polarizer

A display () with aligned optical shutter and backlight cells () uses a patterned polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) optical shutter material () and an electroluminescent (EL) backlight material () to provide a low-cost, low-current-drain display having good contrast in both bright-light and low-light conditions. The aligned, patterned optical shutter and backlight layers form pixel 'windows' through which images printed on a background can be hidden or revealed. Specifically, a mask layer () bears the images and is inserted between the optical shutter and the backlight layers to show information images, cover inactive areas of the display, and cover electrode traces connecting active segments of the display. The display () is thin and flexible enough to be integrated with a touchscreen ().

Display with aligned optical shutter and backlight cells applicable for use with a touchscreen

A ridged reflector (,) for use in an optical display (,) comprises a polymeric layer (,) having a ridged surface (,) and an opposite surface (,) opposite the ridged surface (,). The ridged surface (,) includes a series of ridges (,). Each of said ridges (,) has a first face (,) and a second face (,) intersecting the first face (,). The first face (,) is oriented at a first angle (,) relative to a plane parallel to the opposite surface (,). A reflective metallic layer (,) overlies at least the first faces (,) of the polymeric layer (,). The first angle (,) is adapted to reflect and biasedly focus light obliquely intercepting the first face (,) into a radiation pattern about a normal axis (,) extending orthogonally from the opposite surface (,). The first face (,) may be curved to tailor a shape of the radiation pattern.

Ridged reflector for an optical display having a curved and a planar facet for each ridge

A ridged reflector (,) permits operation of an optical display device (,) in ambient light, which may be supplemented by artificial back-lighting. The ridged reflector (,) for use in an optical display (,) includes a transparent polymeric layer (,) having a ridged surface (,). The ridged surface (,) includes a series of ridges (,). Each of the ridges (,) has a first face (,) and a second face (,) preferably intersecting the first face (,). A reflective layer (,) overlies the first face (,) of each of the ridges (,). The second face,(,) is generally light-transmissive and substantially free of a reflective layer (,). The ridged surface (,) has an opposite surface (,) opposite the ridged surface (,). The second face (,) of each of said ridges (,) allows optical communication with the opposite surface (,) for optional back-lighting of the optical display device.

Ridged reflector having optically transmissive properties for an optical display device

The display device includes an optical cell having a cell front with at least one cell region being capable of an optically transmissive mode and an optically nontransmissive mode with reference to the cell front. The optical cell contains an optically active material responsive to an applied electrical field such that optical properties of the material are controllably changeable. A reflector may be optically coupled to the cell. A prismatic film including a prismatic surface is optically coupled to the optical cell. The prismatic surface preferably comprises a series of prisms. The prisms have first faces and second faces intersecting the first faces. The first faces are oriented to refract light obliquely intercepting the first faces and the second faces are oriented to minimize refractive, reflective, and optical interactions of the light with the second faces. The prismatic film, the cell, and the reflector optically cooperate such that light entering a display at an incident angle is emitted from the display at an exiting angle distinct from the incident angle for viewing of the display.

Optical display device having prismatic film for enhanced viewing

A flat panel display (12) includes a backplate (14) and a faceplate (16) attached to the backplate (14) defining a vacuum enclosure (18) therebetween. A spacer (46, 62, 64, 78, 80, 90) is positioned between the backplate (14) and the faceplate (16). The spacer geometry is anti-symmetrical and non-integral with respect to an array of electron emitters (30, 48, 76) on a cathode plate (22) overlying the backplate (14). The spacers have a curved surface (52, 78, 82) that is characterized by a radius r, or by a length d.sub.3 of a unit shape having bend angles .alpha. and .beta., whereas the electron emitter arrays are characterized by orthogonally arranged rows (32) and columns (34). The anti-symmetrical and non-integral relationship between the spacers (46, 62, 64, 78, 80, 90) and the electron emitters reduces the number of electron emitters and pixels (49, 77, 86) that are occluded by the spacers. Additionally, the anti-symmetrical and non-integral relationship permits the spacers (46, 62, 64, 78, 80, 90) to be randomly distributed between the backplate (14) and the faceplate (16) of the flat panel display (12). A spacer processing method includes the step of cutting ribbons from a thin spacer sheet, placing the ribbons into cavities within a mold, and heating the mold to below the annealing point of the spacer material.

Flat panel display having a random spacer arrangement

A cholesteric liquid crystal display device with improved display images is provided. The device includes a transparent front plate (16) with a front conductive film (18) spaced apart from a back conductive film (22) by a gap filled with cholesteric liquid crystal material (24) which can be switched between a transparent state and a reflective state through application of an electric field. The front conductive film (18) is coated with an opaque mask which defines openings (36) for transmitting light. In the reflective state, ambient light entering the device (10) is reflected by the cholesteric liquid crystal (24) through openings (36) in the opaque mask (12) to form a bright image. In the transparent state, ambient light entering the device (10) passes through the cholesteric liquid crystal (24), front film (18) and back film (22) and is substantially absorbed by an underlying opaque layer (14) which is preferably color-matched to the internal mask (12) to form an single color, image-free display area.

Liquid crystal display device with masked images

A touch sensitive liquid crystal display device (70) having first, second, and third substrates, (40), (76) and (90) and a plurality of raised ribs members (46), (48), (50), (42) and (44) to maintain appropriate spacing between said substrates. Electrically conductive material is disposed on one or more surfaces of the substrates in order to effect a change in the optical characteristics of a liquid crystal material (100) disposed between said second and third substrates.

Flexible liquid crystal display with touch sensitive screens

A rotary control device is provided comprising a light receptor (52), a plurality of light sources (54) radially spaced from the light receptor (52), a light director (14) having means for directing light from the light source (54) to the receptor (52) and means for rotating the director (14) thereby selectively directing light from the light sources (54) to the light receptor (52). In another aspect of the invention, the optical rotary device further comprises an isolator (56) made of opaque material which surrounds four sides of the light receptor (52) and four sides of the light sources (54). In a further aspect of the invention the light director includes a reflector (46) for directing the light from the light sources (54) to the light receptor (52).

Optical rotary control device using a microprocessor

A liquid crystal device (5) is made by providing an LCD sandwich made of two glass substrates (20) with electrodes, spacers (21), and an uncured sealant (22). A gap (26) with a specified internal volume lies between the two glass substrates. A vacuum reservoir (23) having an internal volume substantially larger than the internal volume of the gap is temporarily attached to the LCD sandwich to align the glass substrates and hold them in place. The LCD sandwich and vacuum reservoir are placed into a conformable container or vacuum bag (24). A vacuum is drawn on the bag so that the bag walls contact the LCD sandwich, and the bag is sealed to maintain the vacuum. The assembly is then heated while under vacuum for a time and a temperature sufficient to cause the gap in the LCD sandwich to decrease to a desired final gap and to cure the sealant.

Method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device in which a

A liquid crystal display device (60) having first and second polymeric substrates (30) and (62) and a layer of cholesteric liquid crystal material disposed therebetween. The cholesteric liquid crystal material is disposed in a plurality of channels (36), (38), and (40) formed in one surface (32) of one of said substrates. The liquid crystal material may be further adapted to reflect light of specific wavelengths, so as to affect a color liquid crystal display.

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Palatine, IL, United States of America

Robert Benjamin Akins