Light conductive controlled shape droplet display device
First Claim
1. A light conductive controlled shape droplet display device, the device comprising:
- a light source;
a light conductive substrate receiving and conducting light from said light source;
a cover disposed relative to said light conductive substrate, said cover conducting light received from said light conductive substrate out and away from said display device; and
a plurality of pixels, each pixel being defined by a fluid droplet in optical communication with said light conductive substrate and said cover;
at least one hydrophobic layer associated with said light conductive substrate or said cover for controlling the shape of said fluid droplet, properties of said fluid droplet and said at least one hydrophobic layer being set to shape said fluid droplet to conduct a predetermined amount of light through said fluid droplet and into said cover under a condition of no voltage potential applied to said fluid droplet; and
electrodes arranged to modulate the amount of light conducted by said fluid droplet from said light conductive substrate into said cover by application of a voltage potential to said fluid droplet.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A light conductive controlled shape droplet display device of the invention includes a light source. A light conductive substrate receives and conducts light from the light source. A cover disposed relative to the substrate, conducts light received from the substrate out and away from the display device. Pixels in the display are defined by fluid droplets in optical communication with the substrate and the cover. Hydrophobic layers associated with the substrate and the cover control the shape of the fluid droplet in conjunction with properties of the fluid droplet. Persistent displays are possible, as are displays that require periodic refresh to maintain the display. Electrodes modulate the amount of light conducted by the fluid droplets from the substrate into the cover. In preferred embodiments, each pixel includes sub-pixels formed by different primary colored fluid droplets.
52 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A light conductive controlled shape droplet display device, the device comprising:
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a light source;
a light conductive substrate receiving and conducting light from said light source;
a cover disposed relative to said light conductive substrate, said cover conducting light received from said light conductive substrate out and away from said display device; and
a plurality of pixels, each pixel being defined by a fluid droplet in optical communication with said light conductive substrate and said cover;
at least one hydrophobic layer associated with said light conductive substrate or said cover for controlling the shape of said fluid droplet, properties of said fluid droplet and said at least one hydrophobic layer being set to shape said fluid droplet to conduct a predetermined amount of light through said fluid droplet and into said cover under a condition of no voltage potential applied to said fluid droplet; and
electrodes arranged to modulate the amount of light conducted by said fluid droplet from said light conductive substrate into said cover by application of a voltage potential to said fluid droplet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A light conductive controlled shape droplet display device, the device comprising:
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a light source means;
substrate means for receiving and conducting light from said light source;
cover means for conducting light received from said light conductive substrate out and away from said display device; and
fluid droplet light modulation means for modulating the light passed through said fluid droplet modulation means from said substrate means and into said cover; and
electrode means for controlling the modulation of said fluid droplet means.
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Specification