CONFIGURABLE BACKPLANE INTERCONNECTING LED TILES

• US 20160035924A1
• Filed: 10/15/2015
• Published: 02/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NthDegree Technologies Worldwide Inc.
• Original Assignee: NthDegree Technologies Worldwide Inc.
• Inventors: Oraw, Bradley Steven, Randeniya, Bemly Sujeewa, Thompson, Travis
• Application Number:
  US14/884,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20160035924A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• 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 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0508 the interconnection means having a particular shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/42 Transparent materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/62 Arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the semiconductor body, e.g. lead-frames, wire-bonds or solder balls
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0283 Stretchable printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0108 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10143 Solar cell
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1545 Continuous processing, i.e. involving rolls moving a band-like or solid carrier along a continuous production path
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

Relatively small, electrically isolated LED tiles or PV tiles are fabricated having an anode electrode and a cathode electrode. The LED tiles contain microscopic printed LEDs that are connected in parallel by two conductive layers sandwiching the LEDs. The top conductive layer is transparent. Separately formed from the tiles is a large area backplane having a single layer or multiple layers of metal traces connected to backplane electrodes corresponding to the tile electrodes. Multiple tiles are laminated over the backplane'"'"'s metal pattern to connect the tile electrodes to the backplane electrodes, such as by a conductive adhesive. The backplane metal pattern may connect the tiles in series and/or parallel, or form an addressable circuit for a display. Groups of tiles may be physically connected to each other prior to the lamination to ease handling and alignment. The backplane has power terminals electrically coupled to the metal traces for receiving power.

Claims

1. An illumination structure comprising:

a plurality of tiles, each tile comprising;

a first conductive layer;

a plurality of inorganic light emitting diode dies (LEDs) printed as an LED layer, the LEDs having a first electrode electrically contacting the first conductive layer;

a transparent second conductive layer overlying the LEDs and electrically contacting a second electrode of the LEDs to connect the LEDs in parallel;

a first terminal in electrical contact with the first conductive layer; and

a second terminal in electrical contact with the second conductive layer;

a conductive backplane fabricated separately from the tiles, the backplane comprising;

a dielectric backplane substrate; and

a metal pattern formed on the backplane substrate,

wherein the plurality of the tiles is mounted over the metal pattern such that the first terminal and the second terminal of each of the tiles are electrically connected to the metal pattern, wherein the metal pattern supplies power to the tiles for energizing the LEDs.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the tiles are formed on a common flexible substrate so as to be mechanically connected together.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein the tiles are physically separated from one another.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein the metal pattern connects at least some of the tiles in series.

5. The structure of claim 1 wherein the metal pattern connects at least some of the tiles in parallel.

6. The structure of claim 1 wherein the metal pattern comprises row strips and column strips such that a single tile can be selectively energized by applying a voltage between a row strip and a column strip.

7. The structure of claim 1 wherein the segments mounted over the metal pattern form a lamp for general lighting.

8. The structure of claim 1 wherein the tiles mounted over the metal pattern form an addressable display.

9. The structure of claim 1 wherein the tiles and backplane are flexible, and the tiles are laminated over the backplane.

10. The structure of claim 1 further comprising a conductive adhesive layer over the backplane substrate that is affixed to a bottom surface of the tiles.

11. The structure of claim 1 wherein the metal pattern comprises at least two levels of metal layers.

12. The structure of claim 1 wherein the LEDs are microscopic vertical LEDs.

13. The structure of claim 1 wherein all the tiles emit the same color of light.

14. The structure of claim 1 wherein the tiles emit a variety of colors of light.

15. The structure of claim 1 wherein the backplane is flexible between the tiles.

16. The structure of claim 1 wherein the tiles are equal to or less than 10 x10 mm and form addressable pixels in a display.

17. The structure of claim 1 wherein LED tiles are mechanically coupled together prior to being mounted on the backplane, wherein the backplane electrically interconnects the LED tiles.

18. The structure of claim 1 wherein the metal pattern on the backplane individually addresses any of the tiles.

19. The structure of claim 1 wherein each of the tiles has a compressible adhesive layer for affixing to the backplane.

20. The structure of claim 1 wherein the backplane is stretchable between the tiles.

21. A photovoltaic structure comprising:

a plurality of tiles, each tile comprising;

one or more photovoltaic cells configured for receiving sunlight through a top surface, each cell having an anode and a cathode; and

a first metal pattern connecting the anodes and cathodes of the one or more photovoltaic cells to a first anode electrode and a first cathode electrode formed on a bottom surface of each of the tiles;

a conductive backplane fabricated separately from the tiles, the backplane comprising;

a dielectric backplane substrate; and

a second metal pattern formed on the backplane substrate,

wherein the plurality of the tiles is mounted over the second metal pattern such that the first anode electrode and the second cathode electrode of each of the tiles are electrically connected to the second metal pattern, wherein the second metal pattern interconnects the first anode electrodes and first cathode electrodes of the tiles; and

an output of the backplane comprising a second anode electrode and a second cathode electrode.

22. The structure of claim 21 wherein the first metal pattern connects the photovoltaic cells at least in series.

23. The structure of claim 21 wherein the first metal pattern connects the photovoltaic cells at least in series.

24. The structure of claim 21 wherein the second metal pattern connects the first anode electrodes and first cathode electrodes of the tiles at least in series.

25. The structure of claim 21 wherein the second metal pattern connects the first anode electrodes and first cathode electrodes of the tiles at least in parallel.

26. The structure of claim 21 wherein the second anode electrode and the second cathode electrode of the backplane are formed as electrical connectors.

27. The structure of claim 21 wherein the second anode electrode and the second cathode electrode of the backplane are formed as metal pads on a bottom surface of the backplane.