Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.V.

Toru Sakai

Abhishek Kumar

Daniel Figura

Karel Johannes Gerhardus Hinnen

Gor Manukyan

Tulasi Sridhar Reddy Guntaka

Robert Andrew Hayes

Jeroen Cornelis Van Der Gaag

Bokke Johannes Feenstra

Ivar Schram

Pavel Novoselov

Melanie Maria Hubertina Wagemans

Jozef Elisabeth Aubert

Christian Etienne Hendriks

Sridhar Guntaka

Andrea Giraldo

Henricus Petronella Maria Derckx

Martin John Powell

Steven Ramos Carneiro

Tiemen Poorter

Johannes Wilhelmus Hendrikus Mennen

Cristina Maria Petcu

Sipke Jacob Bijlsma

Jacco Van Der Gaag

Olivier Rainaut

Wilhelmus Johannes Robertus Van Lier

Ronald Francois Henri Hupkens

Peter Theresia Leonard Maria Notermans

An electrowetting element comprising a first fluid, a second fluid immiscible with the first fluid, a first electrode, a second electrode in contact with the second fluid and a first and second support plate. The first support plate comprises the first electrode and a surface. The second support plate comprises a protrusion which overlaps a first surface portion of the surface and which, with a first voltage with a substantially zero magnitude applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, contacts the second fluid without substantially contacting the first fluid. Upon application of a second voltage with a non-zero magnitude between the first electrode and the second electrode, the first fluid moves such that there is substantially no contact between the first fluid and the first surface portion.

Electrowetting element with protrusion

An electrowetting display device includes a first support plate and a plurality of pixel walls on the first support plate. The plurality of pixel walls are associated with an electrowetting pixel. A pixel electrode is on the first support plate for applying a voltage within the electrowetting pixel. The device includes a second support plate over the first support plate, an organic layer on the second support plate, and an electrode layer on the organic layer. The electrode layer is patterned to include an opening. A pixel spacer is coupled to the second support plate. The pixel spacer includes a first portion in direct contact with the organic layer through the opening in the electrode layer. The pixel spacer is in contact with at least one pixel wall in the plurality of pixel walls.

Electrowetting display device with integrated pixel spacer

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 is presented. The device includes a support plate and a plurality of pixel walls over the support plate. The plurality of pixel walls are associated with an electrowetting pixel. The device includes a switch over the support plate. The switch includes a first terminal. The device includes an electrode over the support plate. The electrode is electrically connected to the first terminal of the switch. The electrode defines a notch region extending from a first end of the electrode towards a first pixel wall in the plurality of pixel walls. The device includes an insulated notch structure that includes a dielectric layer. The insulated notch structure is over at least a portion of the switch and at least a portion of the notch region.

Electrowetting pixel with insulated notch structure

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 includes a first support plate and a second support plate opposite the first support plate, and a plurality of pixel walls over the first support plate. The plurality of pixel walls are associated with an electrowetting pixel and define a volume containing at least a portion of an oil and an electrolyte fluid. The electrolyte fluid has a first refractive index. The electrowetting display device includes a pixel spacer between a first pixel wall in the plurality of pixel walls and the second support plate. A second refractive index of the pixel spacer is less than the first refractive index. The electrowetting display device includes a pixel electrode over the first support plate for applying a voltage within the electrowetting pixel to cause relative displacement of the oil and the electrolyte fluid.

Electrowetting display device with reflective pixel spacer

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 element comprises a wall transmissive to light of a first wavelength. A support plate comprises an electrode and a layer absorbent to light of the first wavelength, which for example has passed into the support plate through the wall.

Support plate with layer absorbent to light

A display device including a first support plate and an opposing second support plate. A first pixel is positioned between the first support plate and the second support plate. A spacer structure is coupled to the second support plate and associated with the first pixel. The spacer structure allows propagation of light having a first wavelength and prevents propagation of light having a second wavelength.

Electrowetting display device with color filtering spacers

An electrowetting display device includes a first support plate and an opposing second support plate and an electrowetting pixel region between the first support plate and the second support plate. A thin film transistor (TFT) structure is over the first support plate and associated with the electrowetting pixel region. The TFT structure includes a first metal layer over the first support plate. The first metal layer includes a gate and a reflective metal portion. A semiconductor layer is over the gate. A dielectric layer is on the first metal layer. The dielectric layer includes a first contact hole extending along at least a portion of a length of the dielectric layer. A light sensing element is disposed over the dielectric layer and in ohmic contact with the reflective metal portion.

Apparatus and method for reducing power consumption during display driving

A system and method for an electrowetting display device are presented. The electrowetting display device includes a first support plate and a second support plate, A plurality of pixel walls associated with an electrowetting pixel are formed over the first support plate. A color filter is over the electrowetting pixel. The color filter allows propagation of visible light of a first color and prevents propagation of visible light of a second color. In an embodiment, the color filter includes a layer of light-absorbing photoresist that is patterned into a first plurality of regions and a second plurality of regions. Each region in the first plurality of regions has a first optical density and each region in the second plurality of regions has a second optical density so that the color filter has a non-uniform optical density.

System and method for electrowetting display device with color filters having variable optical density

A display device includes a bottom support plate and an opposing top support plate. A pixel region is between the bottom support plate and the top support plate. A color filter layer on an inner surface of the top support plate includes a plurality of color filters, wherein a first color filter of the plurality of color filters is positioned within the pixel region. A black matrix member is disposed between the first color filter and an adjacent second color filter of the plurality of color filters. A portion of the first color filter is disposed over the black matrix material and a portion of the second color filter is disposed over the portion of the first color filter.

Integrated black matrix including color filter materials

An electrowetting display device is presented. The device includes a top support plate including a top surface and a bottom surface. A viewing surface of the device is over the top surface of the top support plate. A bottom support plate is positioned opposite the top support plate. A plurality of pixel walls are formed over a bottom surface of the top support plate. The plurality of pixel walls are associated with an electrowetting pixel and define a portion of a volume containing at least a portion of a first fluid and a second fluid. A transparent pixel electrode is on the top support plate and a common electrode is over a top surface of the bottom support plate. The common electrode includes a transparent material.

Electrowetting display device configuration for reflective and transmissive modes

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 display device includes a first support plate and a second support plate. A pixel region between the first support plate and the second support plate includes a plurality of pixel wall portions over the first support plate forming a perimeter of the pixel region. A first liquid and a second liquid that is immiscible with the first liquid are disposed in the pixel region. A light-blocking layer is disposed on an inner surface of the second support plate. The light-blocking layer includes a light-blocking portion positioned over a first pixel wall portion of the plurality of pixel wall portions. An electrically conductive layer comprising an electrically conductive portion is disposed on a first surface of the light-blocking portion. A recessed region is aligned with the electrically conductive portion such that a portion of the second liquid disposed within the recessed region contacts the electrically conductive portion.

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Waalre, Netherlands

Toru Sakai