Self assembling display with substrate

• US 20060220988A1
• Filed: 04/04/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enterprise Science Fund, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T., Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Hillis, W. Daniel, Wood, Victoria Y.H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,860,635 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/30
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/001 using specific devices not provided for in groups G09G3/02 - G09G3/36, e.g. using an intermediate record carrier such as a film slide; Projection systems; Display of non-alphanumerical information, solely or in combination with alphanumerical information, e.g. digital display on projected diapositive as background slide projectors per se G03B23/00 = 42 HP
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3433 using light modulating elements actuated by an electric field and being other than liquid crystal devices and electrochromic devices using liquid crystal devices G09G3/36; using electrochromic devices G09G3/38
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/95 at chip-level, i.e. with connecting carried out on a plurality of singulated devices, i.e. on diced chips
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12041 LED
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12044 OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 Integrated circuits

Abstract

Various embodiments of methods and systems for designing and constructing displays from multiple light-modulating elements are disclosed. Display elements having different light-modulating and self-assembling characteristics may be used during display assembly and operation.

Claims

1. A method of forming a display, comprising:

a) providing a substrate having a plurality of receptor locations each having a respective defined shape, size and surface characteristic;

b) introducing a plurality of display elements, each having a respective defined shape, size and surface characteristic complementary to a shape, size and surface characteristic of at least one said receptor location, onto said substrate;

c) inducing relative motion in said display elements and said substrate sufficient to cause at least a portion of said display elements to distribute to receptor locations of complementary shape, size and surface characteristic on said substrate; and

d) connecting display elements distributed into receptor locations of complementary shape, size and surface characteristic on said substrate to said substrate;

wherein each display element includes a light-modulating element of a respective type, and wherein display elements containing light-modulating elements of like types are characterized by like shapes and sizes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each said type of light-modulating element is capable of modulating light in a respective wavelength band.

85. The method of claim 1, including removing display elements that have not distributed to receptor locations on said substrate from said substrate by one or more of moving said substrate, applying a fluid to the surface of said substrate, or applying motive force to the display elements.

86. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of said light-modulating elements includes an organic or inorganic wavelength converter, phosphor, fluor, laser diode, light-emitting diode, organic light-emitting diode, polymer light-emitting diode, quantum dot, polymer, electroluminescent device, chemoluminescent device, nonlinear optical material, nematic crystal, polarizer, photoabsorptive material, MEMS structure, or optical polymer.

87. The method of claim 1, wherein connecting said display elements to said substrate includes one or more of applying heat to said display elements, said substrate, or a binder contacting said display elements, applying pressure to said display elements, or chemically or radiantly treating said display elements.

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8. The method of claim 3, including recovering display elements removed from said substrate for later use.

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18. A display comprising:

a) a substrate including a plurality of receptor locations, each receptor location having a respective shape, size or surface characteristic; and

b) a plurality of display elements located at said plurality of receptor locations, each display element including a carrier having a respective shape, size or surface characteristic complementary to the shape, size or surface characteristic of the receptor location at which said display element is located, and a light-modulating element of respective type carried in said carrier;

wherein display elements containing light-modulating elements of like types are characterized by like shape, size or surface characteristics.

22. The display of claim 18, wherein said substrate includes a plurality of address lines, and wherein each display element of said plurality of display elements is independently addressable through one or more of said plurality of address lines.

88. The display of claim 18, wherein each type of light-modulating element is capable of modulating light in a respective wavelength band, by at least one of fluorescing, frequency-converting, scattering, absorbing, reflecting or diffracting light.

89. The display of claim 18, further comprising a radiation source including at least one of a charged-particle beam projector or a beam-projector capable of projecting ultraviolet or infrared electromagnetic radiation, wherein each display element of said plurality of display elements is selectively activatable by directing energy from said source toward said display element to activate said display element.

90. The display of claim 18, wherein at least one said display element includes a unique identifier including an electromagnetically responsive element, the electromagnetically responsive element responsive to electromagnetic radiation in at least one of an RF frequency band, a microwave frequency band or a sub-RF frequency band.

91. The display of claim 18, wherein at least one said display element is capable of storing identifying information, the identifying information being updatable by at least one of circuitry on said display element, a control signal sent from said substrate, or a control signal sent from a location remote from said substrate.

92. The display of claim 18, wherein at least one said display element is capable of storing identifying information including address information.

93. The display of claim 18, wherein one or more of said light-modulating elements includes an organic or inorganic wavelength converter, phosphor, fluor, laser diode, light-emitting diode, organic light-emitting diode, polymer light-emitting diode, quantum dot, polymer, electroluminescent device, chemoluminescent device, nonlinear optical material, nematic crystal, polarizer, photoabsorptive material, MEMS structure, or optical polymer.

94. The display of claim 18, wherein at least one said display element is responsive to a control signal by one or more of emitting light in response to said control signal, turning off in response to said control signal, modulating an intensity, brightness, irradiance, polarization, direction-of-emission, or spectral content of light emitted by said at least one display element in response to said control signal, or modulating a spatial or temporal pattern of light emission by said at least one display element in response to said control signal.

95. The display of claim 18, wherein at least one said display element is responsive to a control signal, the contol signal including at least one of electromagnetic energy, acoustic energy, ultraviolet radiation, infrared radiation, a charged-particle beam, an electrical signal, a magnetic signal, an acoustic signal, or an optical signal.

96. The display of claim 18, wherein said carrier includes an electrostatic characteristic, magnetostatic characteristic, surface electric characteristic, or surface magnetic characteristic, said characteristic of said carrier being complimentary to a characteristic of a respective receptor location.

97. The display of claim 18, wherein said shape, size or surface characteristic of said carrier includes at least one surface biomolecule selected from an amino acid sequence, a nucleotide sequence, a saccharide sequence, a protein, a glycoprotein, or a combination thereof.

98. The display of claim 18, wherein said carrier includes at least one control signal input selected from an electrical contact, acoustic contact, an optical connection, and RF receiver, or a microwave receiver.

99. The display of claim 18, wherein said carrier includes a power input selected from an electrical contact, an electromagnetic contact, and a means for receiving an electromagnetically-conveyed power signal.

100. The display of claim 18, wherein said carrier includes one or more of a battery, a receiver, a transmitter, or a microprocessor.

101. The display of claim 18, wherein said substrate includes a surface including at least one of a planar surface or a non-planar surface, wherein at least a portion of said receptor locations comprise receptacles formed in said surface.

102. The display of claim 18, wherein said substrate includes a surface characteristic that influences the orientation of said display elements with respect to said surface, the surface characteristic including at least one of an electrostatic characteristic, a magnetostatic characteristic, a surface shape characteristic, or a binding affinity of at least one biomolecule.

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80. A method of controlling a multi-element display, comprising:

transmitting a control signal including an element selection component and an activation signal component to a plurality of display elements of a multi-element display, each display element having a unique identifier associated therewith;

wherein said element selection component comprises information identifying at least one selected display element to be controlled by said control signal and said activation signal component specifies a desired operation of said at least one selected display element;

wherein said control signal is receivable by all display elements of said plurality of display elements and is capable of producing activation of only said selected display element to produce said desired operation.

83. The method of claim 80, wherein said control signal is sent to said display from a remote location by electromagnetic or acoustic means.

103. The method of claim 80, wherein said identifying information is selected from an identification code that uniquely identifies said display element and an address specifying the location of said selected display element in said display.

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