INFRARED AND DUAL MODE DISPLAYS

• US 20080316568A1
• Filed: 06/21/2007
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sampsell, Jeffrey B., Griffiths, Jonathan Charles
• Granted Patent: US 7,782,517 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/237
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/001 based on interference in an adjustable optical cavity interference filters G02B5/28; devices or arrangements using multiple reflections in spectrometry or monochromators G01J3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/208 for use with infrared or ultraviolet radiation, e.g. for separating visible light from infrared and/or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0666 for control of colour parameters, e.g. colour temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3466 based on interferometric effect
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/7466 Control circuits therefor

Abstract

One inventive aspect relates to a display comprising a display element configured to selectively reflect light of a first wavelength in the infrared range and light of a second wavelength in the visible spectrum. Another inventive aspect relates to a color display comprising at least three reflective display elements. Each display element is configured to selectively reflect light of a different wavelength in the visible range. At least one of the three reflective display element is further configured to selectively reflect light of a wavelength in the infrared range.

Claims

1. A display, comprising:

a display element configured to selectively reflect light of a first wavelength in the infrared range and light of a second wavelength in the visible range.

3. The display of claim 1, wherein the display element forms an interferometric modulator.

4. The display of claim 3, wherein the interferometric modulator comprises a gap defined by a movable layer and a fixed layer, and wherein the first wavelength and the second wavelength are based at least in part on the length of the gap when the interferometric modulator is unactuated.

5. The display of claim 1, wherein the first wavelength is within the range of approximately 800 to 1200 nm.

6. The display of claim 1, wherein the first wavelength is approximately 1900 nm.

7. The display of claim 1, wherein reflection of light of the first wavelength is a first order reflective response.

8. The display of claim 1, wherein the display element is further configured to reflect light of a second, third and fourth wavelength in the visible range, and wherein reflecting light of a second, third, and fourth wavelength collectively and operatively displays light of an approximately white hue.

9. The display of claim 8, wherein the first wavelength is within the range of approximately 3 to 12 μ

m.

10. The display of claim 1, further comprising a filter located between the display element and a viewer, the filter being transparent to infrared light and opaque to visible light.

11. The display of claim 1, wherein the display is configured to work in a visible mode and an infrared mode, and the display is driven by a different driving scheme in each mode.

12. The display of claim 11, wherein the display is switched to the infrared mode when infrared illumination is detected.

13. The display of claim 11, further comprising an infrared detector configured to detect infrared illumination and send a signal to switch the display into the infrared mode when infrared illumination is detected.

14. The display of claim 13, wherein the infrared detector comprises a phototransistor or a photodiode.

15. The display of claim 1, further comprising:

a processor that is configured to communicate with said display element, said processor being configured to process image data; and

a memory device that is configured to communicate with said processor.

16. The display of claim 15, further comprising a driver circuit configured to send at least one signal to the display elements.

17. The display of claim 16, further comprising a controller configured to send at least a portion of the image data to the driver circuit.

18. The display of claim 15, further comprising an image source module configured to send said image data to said processor.

19. The display of claim 18, wherein the image source module comprises at least one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter.

20. The display of claim 15, further comprising an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate said input data to said processor.

2. The display of Claim I, wherein the display element forms a pixel.

21. A color display, comprising:

at least three reflective display elements, each display element being configured to selectively reflect light of a different wavelength in the visible range, and

wherein at least one of the three reflective display element is further configured to selectively reflect light of a wavelength in the infrared range.

22. The display of claim 21, wherein each display element forms a subpixel.

23. The display of claim 21, wherein the three display elements form a pixel.

24. The display of claim 21, wherein each display element form s an interferometric modulator.

25. The display of claim 21, wherein each display element is configured to selectively reflect light of approximately a different one of the three primary colors:

red, blue, and green.

26. The display of claim 21, wherein at least two of the three reflective display element is further configured to selectively reflect light of a wavelength in the infrared range.

27. The display of claim 21, wherein the display is configured to work in a visible mode and an infrared mode, and the display is driven by a different driving scheme in each mode.

28. The display of claim 27, wherein the display is switched to the infrared mode when infrared illumination is detected.

29. The display of claim 27, wherein one or more of the three display elements which is not configured to reflect light of a wavelength in the infrared range is not driven by image data, while the display operates in infrared mode.

30. The display of claim 27, further comprising an infrared detector configured to detect infrared illumination and send a signal to switch the display into the infrared mode when infrared illumination is detected.

31. The display of claim 30, wherein the infrared detector comprises a phototransistor or a photodiode.

32. A display, comprising:

means for selectively reflecting light of a wavelength in the visible range and light of a wavelength in the infrared range; and

means for sending at least one signal to the reflecting means.

33. The display of claim 32, wherein the reflecting means comprises an interferometric modulator.

34. The display of claim 32, wherein the sending means comprises a driver circuit.

35. The display of claim 32, further comprising means for blocking or absorbing light outside the infrared range.

36. The display of claim 35, wherein the blocking means comprises a light filter.

37. The display of claim 32, wherein the display is configured to work in a visible mode and an infrared mode, and the display is driven by a different driving scheme in each mode.

38. The display of claim 37, further comprising means for detecting infrared illumination.

39. The display of claim 38, wherein the display is switched to the infrared mode when the detecting means detects infrared illumination.

40. The display of claim 38, wherein the detecting means comprises a phototransistor or a photodiode.

41. A method of operating a display, comprising:

switching the display from a visible mode to an infrared mode; and

driving the display with a scheme associated with the infrared mode.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the display is configured to provide an infrared image in the infrared mode by interferometrically modulating received infrared illumination.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the display is switched to the infrared mode in response to a user request to switch to the infrared mode.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein the display is switched to the infrared mode when infrared illumination is detected.

45. A method of making a display, the method comprising:

making a display element configured to selectively reflect light of a first wavelength in the infrared range and light of a second wavelength in the visible range.

46. A display manufactured by the method of claim 45.

47. A display, comprising:

a first display element configured to selectively reflect light of a first range of wavelengths and a second range of wavelengths, wherein each of the first and second ranges are within one of the ultraviolet, visible, or infrared spectrums.

48. The display of claim 47, wherein the first range is within the ultraviolet spectrum and the second range is within either the visible or infrared spectrums.

49. The display of claim 47, wherein the first range is within the visible spectrum and the second range is within either the ultraviolet or infrared spectrums.

50. The display of claim 47, further comprising a second display element configured to selectively reflect light of a third range of wavelengths and a fourth range of wavelengths, wherein the first and third range are within the visible spectrums, and the second and fourth range are within the ultraviolet and infrared spectrums respectively.