The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 15, 2002
Filed:
Dec. 28, 2000
Claude E. Tew, Dallas, TX (US);
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
A frame-addressed bistable micromirror array and method of operation. An analog input signal representing the desired intensity of an image pixel is applied to input An address signal synchronized to the analog input signal is applied to input of a given micromirror cell to store the pixel intensity information on input capacitor After intensity information for each pixel in the video frame or field, or a portion of the frame of field, is stored on the input capacitor of the appropriate micromirror cell, a frame signal is applied to input to enable the transfer of charge between capacitors and and to turn on transistor allowing a voltage applied to input to charge capacitor The pre-charge voltage is chosen to ensure the biased micromirrors are fully deflected to a first state. A ramp voltage is applied to input A ramp voltage is applied to input When the difference between the voltage across capacitor which is applied to the gate of transistor and the ramp voltage, which is applied to the drain of transistor exceeds the threshold voltage required to turn on transistor transistor is turned on, and the voltage across capacitor follows the ramp voltage applied to The range of the ramp voltage is chosen so that, when any ramp voltage in the range is applied to the deflectable element of the micromirror, the deflectable element will assume the second state.