Display with Integrated Photovoltaics

• US 20090103165A1
• Filed: 10/20/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Khazeni, Kasra, Kothari, Manish
• Granted Patent: US 8,169,686 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/290
• 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 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13306 Circuit arrangements or driving methods for the control of single liquid crystal cells G02F1/132, G02F1/133382 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13324 Circuits comprising solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133512 Light shielding layers, e.g. black matrix G02F1/136209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/043 Mechanically stacked PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A display with patterned photovoltaic (PV) material integrated on the front side and/or back side of the display is disclosed. Light may reach PV material situated behind a display through fully or partially transmissive features or gaps within the display. Display-generated light may also reach PV material behind a display. A patterned PV material situated in front of a display may collect both ambient light as well as display-generated light.

Claims

1. A display device displaying an image toward a front side, with a back side opposite the front side, the display device comprising:

a display comprising an array region, the array region comprising active pixel areas and inactive areas; and

a photovoltaic cell comprising a photovoltaic material, wherein the photovoltaic material is formed over one of the front side and the back side of the array region, and wherein the photovoltaic material is patterned.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic material is patterned to expose the active pixel areas and align with at least some of the inactive areas.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the inactive areas include areas separating adjacent active pixel areas.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic material comprises a deposited thin film photovoltaic material.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic material further serves as a black mask to reduce reflections in the inactive areas of the array region.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the photovoltaic material is configured to reflect or transmit less than 10% of visible light incident upon the photovoltaic material.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the photovoltaic material is capable of receiving light from both the front and back sides of the photovoltaic material.

8. The device of claim 7, further comprising a transparent conducting film in electrical contact with the photovoltaic material.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic material is formed over the back side of the array region.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the display comprises a reflective display technology.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the active pixel areas comprise microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the MEMS devices comprise interferometric modulators.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the inactive areas comprise transparent inactive structures capable of allowing ambient light to reach the photovoltaic material and wherein the photovoltaic material is patterned to correspond to a pattern of the inactive structures.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the transparent inactive structures comprise spaces between pixel areas.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic material is formed over the front side of the array region.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the photovoltaic material is patterned to mask the inactive areas of the array region.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the display is primarily reflective.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the active pixel areas comprise microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the MEMS device comprises an interferometric modulator.

20. The device of claim 16, further comprising a transparent conducting film in electrical contact with the photovoltaic material.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the photovoltaic material is capable of receiving light incident upon the photovoltaic material through the transparent conducting film from the front and the back of the photovoltaic cell.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein the display comprises a backlight.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the active pixels comprise liquid crystal display pixels.

24. The device of claim 20, wherein the active pixels comprise emissive elements.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the emissive elements are selected from the group comprising light-emitting diodes, organic light-emitting diodes, field emission displays, and liquid crystal displays.

26. A method of manufacturing a display device, the display device configured to display an image toward a front side, with a back side opposite the front side, the method comprising:

providing a display comprising an array region, the array region comprising active pixel areas and inactive areas; and

disposing a patterned photovoltaic material over one of the front side and the back side of the array region.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising patterning the photovoltaic material to correspond to a pattern of the inactive areas.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising aligning the patterned photovoltaic material with the pattern of the inactive areas.

29. A method of collecting light for conversion to electricity, the method comprising:

receiving light in a patterned photovoltaic material at one of a front side and a back side of an array region of a display; and

converting the light into electricity.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising storing the electricity for later use.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising using the electricity to power the display.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising using the electricity to power an electrical device associated with the display.

33. A display device displaying an image toward a front side, with a back side opposite the front side, the display device comprising:

means for displaying a mutable pixelated image; and

means for converting light into electricity, wherein the converting means is patterned and positioned over one of a front and a back side of the displaying means.

34. The device of claim 33, wherein the displaying means comprises an interferometric modulator.

35. The device of claim 33, wherein the converting means comprises a photovoltaic material.

36. The device of claim 35, wherein the photovoltaic material is configured to reflect less than 5% of incident visible light.