Display including tiles and a method of operating and manufacturing the same

• US 7,091,927 B1
• Filed: 06/26/2003
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Wilcoxon, Ross K., Wooldridge, James R., Hagge, John K., Mather, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Awad, Amr A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sherman, Stephen G.
• Application Number:
  US10/606,725
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1.1, 345/1.3, 345/82, 345/87, 345/55
• US Class Current: 345/1.3
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0221 with use of split matrices G09G3/3644 and G09G3/3666 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/311 Flexible OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/173 comprising banks or shadow masks
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/179 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/18 Tiled displays

Abstract

A mosaic display system includes a number of tiles. Each of the tiles includes a matrix of pixel elements. The pixel elements selectively provide light at a first surface of the tile in response to address signals. The pixel elements are coupled to an address circuit via conductors at a second surface. The first surface is opposite the second surface. The display system also includes a medium having a mounting surface. The tiles are attached to or above the mounting surface.

Claims

1. A display system, comprising:

a plurality of tiles, each tile of the tiles including a matrix of pixel elements, the pixel elements selectively providing light at a first surface of the tile in response to address signals, the pixel elements being coupled to an address circuit via contacts at a second surface, the first surface being opposite the second surface;

wherein the contacts extend below the second surface and are coupled to the pixel elements, wherein the contacts are disposed between rib structures, wherein the rib structures are not other contacts;

an interconnect member coupled to the second surface, the interconnect member including a front surface coupled to the second surface, and a back surface opposite the front surface, wherein conductive vias extend from the front surface to the back surface, the conductive vias being coupled to the contacts; and

a medium having a mounting surface, the plurality of tiles being attached to or above the mounting surface.

2. The display system of claim 1, wherein the medium is transparent and the tiles are mounted so that the first surface is closer to the mounting surface than the second surface.

3. The display system of claim 1, wherein the medium is flexible.

4. The display system of claim 1, wherein the address signals are row and column address signals.

5. The display system of claim 1, further comprising:

an interposer coupled to the interconnect member, the interposer including the address circuit.

6. The display system of claim 5, wherein the interposer is coupled to the interconnect member by flexible leads and the interconnect member is a flexible circuit board.

7. A cockpit display, comprising:

a plurality of display tiles, at least one tile of the display tiles including a matrix of pixel elements that form a pixel web, the display tiles including contacts at a second surface of the pixel web, a first surface being opposite the second surface;

wherein the contacts extend below the second surface and are coupled to the pixel elements, wherein the contacts are disposed between rib structures, wherein the rib structures include dielectric material;

an interconnect member coupled to the second surface, the interconnect member including a front surface coupled to the second surface, and a back surface opposite the front surface, wherein conductive vias extend from the front surface to the back surface, the conductive vias being coupled to the contacts; and

a medium having a mounting surface, the plurality of display tiles being attached to or above the mounting surface at the first surface.

8. The cockpit display of claim 7, wherein the medium is flexible.

9. The cockpit display of claim 8, wherein the interconnect member is flexible.

10. A display apparatus, comprising:

first means for providing first light from first pixel elements at a first surface, the first surface being opposite a second surface, the second surface including first contacts, the first contacts being disposed between rib structures, wherein the rib structures are insulated electrically from the first contacts;

an interconnect member coupled to the second surface, the interconnect member including a front surface coupled to the second surface, and a back surface opposite the front surface, wherein conductive vias extend from the front surface to the back surface, the conductive vias being coupled to the contacts;

first means for providing first paths for first electric signals, the first paths being connected to the first contacts, the first means for providing first paths being mounted behind the second surface and being closer to the second surface than the first surface;

second means for providing second light from second pixel elements at a third surface, the third surface being opposite a fourth surface, the fourth surface including second contacts,

second means for providing second paths for second electric signals, the second paths being connected to the second contacts, the second means for providing second paths being mounted behind the fourth surface and being closer to the fourth surface than the third surface; and

means for providing the first electric signals and second electric signals to the first means for providing first paths and the second means for providing second paths, the first electric signals and second electric signals controlling the first light and the second light.

11. The display apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

means for providing display signals from a remote location to the means for providing the electric signals.

12. A method of operating a display, the method comprising:

providing first electric signals from behind a back surface of a first pixel web to the back surface of the first pixel web, the first pixel web being located on a first tile, the first pixel web including contacts on the back surface, and an interconnect member coupled to the back surface, the interconnect member including a front surface coupled to the back surface, and a second surface opposite the front surface, wherein conductive vias extend from the front surface to the second surface, the conductive vias being coupled to the contacts, the contacts being disposed between rib structures, wherein the rib structures are non-conductive material;

providing light at a front surface of the first pixel web on the first tile in accordance with the first electric signals;

providing second electric signals from behind a back surface of a second pixel web to the back surface of the second pixel web, the second pixel web being located on a second tile;

providing light at a front surface of the second pixel web on the second tile in accordance with the second electric signals.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first electric signals travel from the back surface to the front surface through conductive vias extending through the pixel web.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first pixel web and the second pixel web are attached to a medium, the first pixel web having a first edge adjacent a second edge of the second pixel web.

15. A method of manufacturing a display system, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of tiles, each of the tiles having a first surface and a second surface parallel with a first plane and an interconnect member coupled to the second surface, wherein the first surface includes a plurality of pixel elements for selectively providing light, the second surface including a plurality of contacts electrically associated with the pixel elements, the interconnect member including a front surface coupled to the second surface, and a back surface opposite the front surface, wherein conductive vias extend from the front surface to the back surface, the conductive vias being coupled to the contacts, the contacts being disposed between rib structures, the rib structures including dielectric material;

providing a transparent carrier medium; and

attaching the tiles to a carrier medium.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the carrier medium is a plastic film.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

electrically coupling a conductor to at least one of the contacts on the second surface to a circuit board.

18. A display comprising:

a plurality of tiles, each of the tiles having a first surface and a second surface parallel with a first plane and an interconnect member coupled to the second surface, wherein the first surface includes a plurality of pixel elements for selectively providing light, the second surface including a plurality of contacts electrically associated with the pixel elements, the interconnect member including a front surface coupled to the second surface, and a back surface opposite the front surface, wherein conductive vias extend from the front surface to the back surface, the conductive vias being coupled to the contacts, wherein conductive vias extend from the contacts to the pixel elements in a direction relatively perpendicular to the first plane, the conductive vias being disposed between rib structures, wherein the rib structures are trapezoidally shaped.

19. The display of claim 18, wherein edges of the tiles do not include interconnections, all interconnections for the tiles being accomplished in the direction relatively perpendicular to the first plane.