Testing Electronic Textiles During Assembly and Electronic Textile Displays

• US 20110092125A1
• Filed: 12/21/2010
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Original Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Inventors: Gnade, Bruce
• Granted Patent: US 8,381,396 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 445/24
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 1/00 Woven fabrics designed to make specified articles
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 1/0088 Fabrics having an electronic function
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/46 Flat yarns, e.g. tapes or films
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/02431 with electronic components, e.g. sensors or switches
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/182 OLED comprising a fiber structure
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/1213 the pixel elements being TFTs
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/70 Testing, e.g. accelerated lifetime tests
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49174 Assembling terminal to elongated conductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49195 with end-to-end orienting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 Contact or terminal manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 by assembling plural parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

Ribbons containing e.g. inorganic NMOS devices are assembled in electrical contact with ribbons containing e.g. PMOS devices (preferably organic) to enable flexible electronic textile circuits, e.g. displays, to be inexpensive and practical for a wide for a variety of functions. The use of ribbons provides flexibility, reduces costs, and allows testing during assembly and different processes to be efficiently used for different components. This is apparently the first time that ribbons (especially inorganic-device-containing ribbons) have been interconnected to form a flexible CMOS electronic textile.

Claims

1. A method of assembling a textile display;

comprising;

Providing ribbons containing display-devices;

Providing ribbons containing inorganic TFTs; and

placing said display-device containing ribbons in electrical contact with said inorganic TFT ribbons to provide a textile display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said inorganic devices are lithography fabricated.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said textile contains digital light output control circuitry.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said organic display-devices are LEDs.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said organic display-devices are LCDs.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said inorganic TFTs are amorphous.